Arranged Marriage: To Hear Your Voice

179 Calvin Ivanov

Sabrina woke up when her phone chimes and she reach it from her purse on the side table. She cover the satin sheet around her body and open the door to peek on her husband working diligently on his office desk. She closes it and watch the live footage of Veronica\'s mission.

She was worried about Veronica a little but she didn\'t have to worry. Veronica can do it all by herself. She knows that Veronica wouldn\'t disappoint her. But it\'s not what she\'s worried about. She\'s worried on how painful it is for her to remember it all.

Sabrina lean on the headboard and watch the whole live footage until the door opens for her lunch. Gabriel kisses her and hold her as he watch it with her just to comfort her. No one understands her in that situation but her husband. He stay a little more and try to feed her but she only eat a little.

"Go eat, I am fine."

"Turn it off." He said. "Let\'s eat first. I don\'t want you to starve yourself. Veronica can take care of herself."

Sabrina didn\'t want to give in but Gabriel took it and feed her first. She feed him back and finish only a little. Gabriel finishes it all and give it back to her.

"Do you want me to talk to Tony about—"

"It\'s not my position to tell Tony about it. Let him find out himself." She continues watching the footage. Gabriel pick up her clothes and hang it near her.

"I\'ll go back to work. Let me know if you are hungry or anything." He said. Sabrina look up at him and pouted. Gabriel smile and reach her lips and pats her head.

Sabrina focus on the footage, on the mermaid fountain.

???

Veronica can still hold herself and the double door opens as Francisco step out with an old man on the wheel chair. Her grandfather Calvin Ivanov. The old man\'s eyes twinkles and he smile. Although he smiles, Francisco still have the old man\'s neck on his hands.

"Let\'s go." Sylvia reach her arm and almost drag her to the two men standing by the front door.

"What is this all about?" Veronica feel like it wasn\'t right at all—well her act said. That\'s how she\'s supposed to act.

The old man pushes himself from the wheel chair and tries to reach her. Calvin remember clearly how Vanessa look and though it\'s been years, he knows that she was his long lost granddaughter.

"Vanessa!" Though Calvin was weak, at that moment, he can still take few steps just to hug her. Veronica was surprised. She wanted to hug him back because she missed him but because of her act. Veronica had to compose herself. "My little girl…" She miss his Russian accent.

After the long hug, Veronica didn\'t respond and look at Francisco curiously. He smiles. He was happy that finally Veronica is there and has no memories of what he did and he can now manipulate her and have all the wealth of Ivanov.

"What\'s going now? I don\'t understand." She mutter. Calvin reach her face. He should be taller but now, he looks old and can break anytime.

"Darogoy moy ty nastoyashchiy Ivanov." He mutter and hold her warn hands.

"No… I\'m not." From her profile, she could understand and speak in Russian and Spanish so it wasn\'t a surprise to Sylvia and Francisco.

"Your real name is Vanessa. You ran away from home at the age of 19 and we couldn\'t find you until now." Calvin said as he caress her hair. "You look so much like your mother."

Veronica\'s confusion grows—well just an act as Calvin reach his crane and hold onto her. She helped him as he walks. Suddenly he walk all by himself with the help of a crane. Just a while ago, he looks fading. Veronica look around the huge foyer. There are expensive paintings around just as she remember back then.

The whole house look so cold. Not like before. They reach the big painting in the middle which was the center of attraction with candles over the table just under the painting.

"This is Guinevere, your mother."

She stare up at her like recognizing her a little. Her head hurt—for an act and she stepped back.

"Remember? Don\'t worry, you don\'t have to rush it all."

"Guinevere." She mutter.

"And I am your father." Francisco said since Calvin doesn\'t want to introduce him. Veronica look straight at him like trying to recognize him but there\'s nothing.

But deep inside, Francisco was sweating afraid a little that she remembers what he has done and blurted it all in front of Calvin. His assassins are everywhere protecting him. Though he have him in his hand, Calvin is still powerful enough to kill him without second thought.

"You are our heiress, my dear."

Hearing his endearment makes her shudder. But she acted like it was a big surprise to her that he\'s her boss after all. She glance at Sylvia who doesn\'t look pleased because she\'s the future heiress and no one else. Since she\'s the legal daughter of the bastard. But she wants to change the surname to Ivanov. Forever Ivanov and disregard Francisco\'s surname whatever it is.

"Starting tomorrow. You aren\'t my secretary anymore. Our people will train you to be the heiress and a lady."

"Wait!" She held up her hand. "I don\'t want it all. I have a new life now…" She said. She thought about Tony at the moment. Well, the plan should go on though she have to leave him a little while. But she didn\'t want him to meet her bastard father.

"Vanessa…" Francisco\'s eyes soften. "You are my only legitimate daughter."

"How can you say that I am your daughter then?" She asked him.

"Here." Calvin gave her a locket. He opens it in front of her. "This is you at your eighteenth birthday with your mom." There\'s no question about that. It was really her. Her younger version. "We can have a DNA test if you want."

She look up at the old man. Calvin recognize that eyes. It was his beloved daughter that was left to him by his deceased wife whom he love most despite of who he was.

"My precious, don\'t be afraid. Grandpa is here… and if you don\'t want to be trained by anyone, grandpa is here to train you."

"I have my own life now. I think all of these are useless."

"We are now family with Lawson\'s. Don\'t you want Tony to know about this?" Francisco asked. All he wanted was to get involve in Lawson family to gather more power and wealth. Though Sabrina had predicted it all, she doesn\'t want to use Tony. She still feel bad.

"I—I\'m sorry, I have to go." She look at Calvin and it breaks her heart leaving him too soon. "Perhaps I can visit you? You can visit me anytime if you say that I am your granddaughter."

"I will." Calvin said with eyes full of hope. Calvin sign to his own butler to get some paper and pen and she wrote the address of Tony\'s penthouse and phone number. "Don\'t you want to eat first? I told the chefs to make your favorite foods."

Veronica look up at Francisco.

"Please, Veronica, your grandfather misses you so much like I do." Liar. He only miss her because he wants all of the wealth that Calvin put under her name in his last will and testament.