"I am only asking you for one grandchild Dylan. I'm old, I want to see my future grandchild!"
"But Lolo, I can't! Ashley and I don't plan on getting married yet. She's too busy on her modeling career."
"And when will Dylan, when I'm already weak? Damn it Dylan, you're not getting any younger!" Don Julio spoke angrily to his grandson.
"I've decided Dylan, you have to marry as soon as possible! Give me a grandson, and I won't bother you anymore. Also the management of the Mall, I will give it to you. Just follow me!"
He remembered, how he wanted to manage the Mall for a long time. It is important to him— it is the only memory he has of his father who passed away a long time ago.
His Grandfather has forced him to get married several times. But Ashley doesn't want to. She said it will ruin her good career.
"I will give you the management of the mall. Only if you'll get married. If Ashley doesn't want to, I'll be the one to find someone for you to marry—and that is final!"
"What? No! I can't marry anyone but Ashley Lolo!"
Don Julio scratched his head. He shooked his head staring at his grandson.
"You are going to marry Lara! She is the only girl I want for you—and there is nothing else. Try to say no Dylan you will be picked up from somewhere—I swear of that!"
"What? Seriously Lolo? You want me to marry that orphan? The hell no Grandpa!" He still protested.
"Don't try me Dylan—do it! Lara is a sensible woman, kind, polite and most of all she's beautiful. You won't see anyone like her. She's not like your bragging girlfriend who knows nothing!" said the Don furiously.
Dylan washes his face. Now it looks like his Grandfather is serious, he only wants a grandchild why does he have to marry that orphan?
"I'm serious Dylan, you have to marry Lara or else, you'll lose everything!" As Don Julio said to his grandson again.
"You only want one grandchild, right? I can have a child there if you want. Why do I have to marry that girl?" he's trying refuse.
"I don't want anyone else Dylan, I only want Lara to be the mother of your child. Think carefully if you don't want to lose everything!"
It seems that he really has no escape now. He has to marry that Lara. What did his Grandfather see in that orphan and wanted her for him?
"Order is order Dylan Dale Cervantes, and you cannot disobey!" that's all and he was left alone and dumbfounded inside the library.
"Senior, someone is looking for you outside—the name is Lara." said the guard who approached the old Cervantes.
The Don had a big smile when he heard that Lara was outside.
"All right then let her in. Bring her in the garden and tell her to wait. Prepare something to eat and bring it to us." immediately the servants followed him.
He smiled when he saw Lara. From the garden, he saw Lara who seemed restless in her seat. Here he approached her.
"Oh, Lara what a surprise! Do you need something?"
"Ah-eh Don Julio, I need your help. The demolition team is already at the orphanage. They're evicting us. Please Don Julio, no matter what it takes, I'll do it— just don't make orphans like me homeless." As she begged for help.
"Anything? You will do everything? Then marry my grandson and right now you will have the land of the orphanage."
"Ah— I'm ready Don Julio. I agree to what you want." The smile suddenly grew on the Don Julio's lips. He is finally happy because his grandson is getting married to the woman he wants to be Dylan's mate. The Don also doesn't understand why he is so light hearted for Lara.
He kept thinking—if only his grandchild was alive, maybe she would be the same age as Lara now.
"In that case, I'll just call my lawyer. I'll have him prepare our agreement." The Don grabbed his phone from his pocket and called their family lawyer.
"Have a snack first, while we wait for our lawyer. Don't worry, I'll put the demolition on hold at the orphanage." the Don said to Lara
"Thank you very much Don Julio, I owe you everything. So in return I will do everything you want." Her voice was raspy while saying those words.
"Lara, don't even think that I'm just doing this because I want to. I've always felt good about you. Maybe it's because I see my daughter in you." The Don's face suddenly became sad. He took off his eye glasses and wiped his teary eyes.
"Are you crying? Don Julio, if it's not bad, may I ask—where is your daughter?"
"I remembered my daughter in you Lara. You two have resemblance, so maybe I feel good about you. But she's gone, she died. It was all my fault that she ran away. I can't accept that our gardener got her pregnant before. I rejected her, God knows how sorry I am for what I did to her. I made looked for her but it was too late. The woman who helped her said she died while giving birth." As the Don let out a deep breath.
"I regret everything Lara. If only my grandchild was alive I would do everything for her." the Don said tearfully.
"I'm sorry, Don Julio—I didn't think you were going through something serious. Maybe your daughter has forgiven you now. If you want—you can consider me as your granddaughter. I also feel good about you Don Julio. I am very much grateful to met you." Lara said gently, while comforting the old Cervantes.
From where they were, they saw the lawyer they had been waiting for approaching.
"Good Morning Don Julio, here are the papers you are preparing for me." he held out a folder.
"Lara please read this carefully, before you sign it." Lara immediately took the contract and read it carefully.
Still swallowing while reading it, Don Julio noticed a slight change in the Lara's face.
"Why, is there a problem Lara?"
"Ah-eh Don Julio, do I really have to marry your grandson? Can't you just make me a slave for life?" with dark eyes staring at Don Julio.
"Lara, you have no choice. It says that you will marry my grandson in exchange for twenty million pesos."
"But Don Julio, I'm sure Dylan won't agree to what you want to happen."
"I've talked to my grandson Lara, like you—he has no other choice."
Don Julio immediately took out the cheque and signed it. It was twenty million pesos in exchange for her marriage to Dylan Cervantes. Shaking though, she immediately took it and signed the contract the lawyer gave her.
"Don Julio, I'm leaving. I need to take it to the orphanage now. I'll be back here Don Julio—don't worry. I'm just going to say goodbye to Sister Cecilia and Mother Rufina. Thank you again." she tooked a deep breath.
"Adios Lara. Go ahead—go ahead! And I'll be waiting for you to come back." said Don Julio happily.
She immediately left the mansion and immediately looked for a ride back to the orphanage.
When she arrived at the orphanage, she immediately approached the demolition teams. She looked up at one of the leaders of the demolition team.
"Please prepare the papers attorney, I already have the amount you needed. You need to transfer the land title to this orphanage's name as soon as possible." She said to the lawyer of the land owner.
"I'll take care of it right away, soon this land will be yours."
And all the children and the Nuns shouted for joy.
"To God be the glory!" as Mother Rufina shouted for joy.
Everyone celebrated, even orphaned children like her were happy— they would no longer be evicted from their homes.
"We have something we can call our own Mother." Lara tearfully said to the Nuns, and it was all because of Don Julio. And now it's time for her to fulfill their agreement.
It's time for her to fulfill what was in the contract. She had to return to the mansion to do what was agreed upon.
"Mother Rufina, Sister Cecilia—I am going somewhere. I'm sorry if it takes a time before you see me again." she said tearfully to the Nuns who cared for and raised her for nineteen years.
"Lara, confess to us—where did the twenty million pesos come from?" Mother Rufina asked her.
"Mother— there is someone so kind enough who helped us. In return I will live with them and serve them while I study." She lied. She can't tell them the truth, she was so sure they wouldn't agree especially Mother Rufina.
"Is that so? We owe them a lot—especially you Lara. Be careful there and take care of yourself. If you have a hard time there—just call us and I'll take care of talking to your future bosses, I will get you out of there Lara." Mother Rufina spoke kindly to Lara.
"Yes Mother, you all be careful here. I'm going to miss you all." Lara responded sadly.