𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐎𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐄 ✔

ᴛᴡᴏ

𒊹︎︎︎ Strangers & proposals.

Inez's eyes felt heavy and her body felt trapped and restricted. She opened her eyes with a great deal of difficulty and the first person she saw was the familiar face of William, their family lawyer, sitting on the couch a little away from her bed and talking to an older man whom she didn't recognize.

The older man was the first to realize that she was awake as his eyes fell on her and a small kind smile surfaced on his face. William's head snapped back at her direction as he stood up while smiling and walked towards her.

Inez smiled back as she sat up on the bed slowly and was immediately engulfed in a tight hug from William. "I am so sorry Inez" he whispers , as she nodded and patted on his biceps.

"I couldn't make it to the...um funeral because I was sorting some things out" he said hesitantly as he pulled back and settled on the bed beside her.

As if on cue the old man stood up in his crisp black suit and grey hair neetly combed as he stood up in front of Inez's bed. The side of his eyes crinkled as he smiled wider than before.

Why is he smiling so much.

Inez awkwardly smiled back as her questioning gaze turned back to William. "Ok Inez I need you to stay calm. Can you do that for me?" William said softly as Inez nodded, quiet unsure of his behaviour.

"Master William don't you think we should offer the young miss some food and a nice hot cup of tea first?" the old man interjected in his deep british accent as Inez frowned.

"No I am n-" but she couldn't complete it as her stomach growled loudly, resulting her to turn bright red as she looked down completely embarrassed. William and the old man chuckled softly "Don't worry I'll get you something" the man said before exiting the room.

"Who is he?" Inez whispered to William once she was sure that the old man had left completely. "Look Inez I will tell you but first you should eat. You fainted for God's sake! If I hadn't come in time those vultures downstairs would have eaten you alive" he replied.

"Martha was there with me. She wouldn't have let anyone harm me" Inez retorted back as William scoffed and gave her a look of disbelief. "What?" Inez questioned, slightly annoyed.

"You really think she cares about you?" he asked as Inez's eyes widened.

"Yes. She has taken care of me since I was a chi-"

"She only cares about your money!" William said as Inez rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Oh come on William don't be silly!" Inez said as her gaze fell on the packed suitcases on the floor. "What...Why are my suitcases packed William?" she questioned as she glared back at him and before he could reply, there was a sharp knock on the door as the old man entered.

The smile still prominent on his face as he entered with a tray of food. He placed a table in front of her and placed the tray which contained mashed potatoes, chicken tenders and boiled green beans. "I told them to prepare something light but they said americans liked it heavy" he said as he laughed playfully.

"Thank you" Inez said to the kind old man while chuckling at his joke , who nodded and stood still. Inez tried to move a bit to be comfortable but halted when she felt a sharp pain shoot up to her head. She hissed as her hands automatically reached her head and she felt a cloth, more like a bandage, wrapped around her forehead.

"You fainted and hit your head, you were bleeding. That's why Mr. Anderson here-" William said he pointed towards the old man "-kindly offered to bandage your wounds. And I must admit he did a pretty amazing job".

"Oh please call me Henry and it is my job after all." the man said as Inez thanked him again while taking a spoonful of the mashed potatoes but then frowned. "His job?" she questioned as she looked at William and then Henry accusingly. She was sure she had never seen this man before.

"He is your legal guardian's most trusted butler" William blurted out as Inez's eyes bulged out in shock. The spoon from her mouth fell on the plate, resulting a loud "cling" sound to echo throughout the otherwise quiet room.

"I am 18! I don't need a legal guardian!" she said angrily while quickly gulping down all the food angrily, because even though she was angry, she was hungry.

"You need a guardian till you are 21 and then you can take over your parents' company Inez, you know that." William said as Inez chomped on the chicken tender in rage and glared at Henry.

"Ok then I will take over the company at 21 but what do I need a guardian for?" she asked with raised eyebrows as William sighed out.

"The board members will try to manipulate you. They will try to make you sign some papers and then set up a puppet CEO. They will completely take over your father's company. So we will send you to your legal guardian as written in your parents will and he will look after you and your company till you are of age." William said as he picked up a piece of chicken and threw it in his mouth.

"Do you really want your parents's years of hardwork go to waste?" he asked softly as he placed his hand on top of her while staring right at her silver eyes through his glasses.

Inez casted her eyes down as a pained expression surfaced on her face "No" she whispered, but it was loud enough for William to hear, as he gave her a tight mouthed smile.

She looked back up at him with light colored freckles dusted over his boyish face. He looked quite young to be 28 year old. Inez cleared her throat as she cleared her thoughts "Who is my guardian anyway?" she asked as she gave Henry a glance.

"Your uncle" William said softly as Inez scoffed in disbelief and glared at him to quit playing. But when William didn't give any response and kept staring at her, her uneasiness grew.

"Wha-What are you talking about? I don't have an uncle!" she shouted out trying to make him realize what nonsense he was spouting.

"Oh darling you are wrong" she heard a deep husky voice coming from the doorway as her breath hitched and her fists clenched.

❦︎

INEZ BENEDICT

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