I wait until the nurses and doctors check Granddad over. I wait until after they tell me he should make a full recovery in a few days. A week, they guessed. Then, he will have to frequently meet with a cardiologist for a while, but he seems to be out of the woods for now. I wait until Killian leaves to call everyone at the office to let them know that Granddad is okay. I wait until Granddad seems comfortable. I wait until he is alone. I wait until I’ll explode if I wait any longer .
“I’m not going to marry him. I refuse. I’m not going to let you or Dad or Mom or anyone else choose for me anymore. I’ve made mistakes in my past, yes. I will always regret those mistakes, but I haven’t been living since I let you guys control me. Since Dad’s death, I’ve tried to make my own decisions. They haven’t always been the best, but I’ve made them for me .”
I pause, giving him a chance to yell at me or tell me I’m wrong .
He doesn’t, so I continue, “I can find my own husband on my own time. I don’t need your help. I don’t need the money either. I might have a stupid degree that I don’t care about, thanks to you, but I’m smart. I can go back and get my MBA. I can go back and get any degree I want. I can make something of myself on my own. I don’t care if I have to live in a box and eat cereal for years until I have enough money to buy a place. But it will be my place. It will be my money .”
I take a deep breath. “I refuse to turn into my mother. I refuse to be that miserable. I won’t marry him,” I say, collapsing into a chair. Standing up to Granddad took everything out of me .
I look at my grandfather who has yet to say a word. Instead, he is just sitting there with a serious look on his face. It probably isn’t fair to him to spring all of this on him, only hours after he woke up from open-heart surgery, but I don’t care. I can’t live without making my own decisions. I can’t keep living like a princess. I have to find my own way in life .
He pats the side of the bed, and I slowly, cautiously get out of my chair and sit on the edge of his bed .
“You’re just like your father .”
I stare at him in confusion .
I loved my father. He was an amazing man, but I’m nothing like him. He was strong where I’m weak. He was decisive where I’m indecisive. He was a workaholic where I’m lost .
I shake my head. “I’m not .”
A smile tugs at Granddad’s lips. “You are. You won’t listen to anyone. You choose your own path. And you defy my every decision, just like him .”
“I never — ”
He puts his hand up, stopping me from arguing with him. “I always thought you would fight me till the very end on my decision for you to marry Killian. I don’t think I ever thought you would just follow my command. Maybe, if your father was still alive, you would have listened better to him, but I doubt it. Somehow, I think we would have ended up here, both at odds and neither of us wanting to give in .”
My head drops. He’s not going to back down. I’m really going to have to find my way on my own with no money .
“Lucky for you, a heart attack changes an old man like me .”
My face lifts as I try to decide if he is serious or not .
His face looks sad. “I didn’t listen to your father when he pleaded with me to let him choose his own wife. I thought I knew better.” He rubs his neck. “I’m not sure if the company benefited greatly from their union. I know he was never happy in his marriage .”
He sighs. “I can’t change your dad’s fate, but I can give you a chance. I know you have been trying to prove that you are worthy of running the company .”
I nod .
“You’ve failed horribly .”
I frown but don’t deny it. It’s true. I’m not the right person to run the company .
“I am willing to give you a chance though .”
My eyes brighten just a little .
“Since I promoted Killian to CEO, there is a spot open in the company. We will need a new VP of Operations. I’ve been looking around, but I haven’t found anyone worthwhile yet. Tony obviously isn’t a good choice .”
I nod, willing him to say the words that I want him to say .
“I’ll give you the job .”
My hands go around him, tightly holding him, before he even has a chance to say the rest. He pushes me back up after I’ve finished smothering him .
“Now, the job comes with some conditions. You will attend business classes .”
I nod. I already planned on doing that .