Chapter 203

"Lily!" She heard Sofia call her as she got to the corridor.

She stopped and turned around to face the younger woman. "What is it?" She snarled.

"We need to talk!"

Lily hissed but turned and went after Sofia. It didn't look like she had much of a choice anyway. Sofia and Noah were the only ones still in the lane with her. Not like they entirely listened to her but she still had a bit of control over them than with Matt who had let himself be controlled by an outsider.

She went after Sofia till they got to Noah's room and slipped in while the rest of the house was congratulating the soon-to-be couples.

"Mother we can't let that wedding hold!" Noah spat the moment Lily slipped into the room.

Noah was sitting on the bed and Sofia went to stand by his side. Lily just picked a chair very close to the door and as she lowered herself she took a deep breath.

"Right now I have run out of ideas. I don't know what to do anymore!" She cried out. "Seeing her so happy makes my blood boil!" She exclaimed wickedly. "And to think our group —my family has been divided like this, I am completely shattered!" She cried out slapping a hand to her face.

Sofia rolled her eyes at the dramatic woman. In her opinion, Lily's family was meant to break in the end because her sons were all puppets all they lacked was a stronger controller than Lily. And Nikita had proven that.

"We have worked too hard to give up now," Noah hissed.

"I don't care what you both are going on about. What I am concerned with and the original reason I joined this little party of crazy is that I want to see Ariana suffer. And as we all know she doesn't look like she is suffering at all!" Sofia spat. "In fact did you hear?" She asked dramatically bathing her eyes.

Noah stared at his mother and he shrugged.

"She is fucking getting married!" Sofia yelled. "I will die first before Ariana gets married, do you understand? Lily our deal is off if that marriage happens?" She spat.

Lily peeled her hands from her face and gazed at Sofia in shock. Sofia was her last option at gaining wealth through her son Noah. Now that she was talking about pulling out she would be ruined.

"What do you mean Sofia? Hasn't Noah been good enough for you?" Lily spat.

Noah had so much hurt in his eyes that he couldn't speak. His mother became his mouth as she expressed what hid in his heart.

Sofia waved her hand dismissively at Lily. "I meant every word I just said. If Ariana gets happily married to Calhoun, I am calling this off. I am not marrying your son! Not ever!" She hissed and sat on the bed.

"You forget that even you won't get any inheritance if you don't get married?" Lily asked her. She hoped her question would bring some sense into the younger woman's head. What was wrong with the girls of today? This plan was meant to be beneficiary to all parties and she wanted to pull out at the last minute!

Sofia smiled at Lily before replying. "Lily, I know what I need to do to get my inheritance. It didn't say I have to marry Noah Lawson. There are a thousand and one smarter men out there! Why do I have to marry your son?"

"I thought you liked me?" Noah spilt out unable to keep quiet anymore.

"Tsk tsk tsk," Sofia hissed turning to the young man. "You thought I liked you?" She said mimicking a child's voice. "Noah, I only like your dick!" She spelt and broke out into laughter.

She knew Lily and Noah were at their end right now. She was at the top. She wasn't as stupid as Alice thought she was. Oh, How she wished Alice could be here to see how she had reduced Lily and her son into puppets too.

"Good. I understand your need perfectly. What do you want from us? What do we have to do so that you could marry my son?" Lily asked desperately. At this point, she could kiss Sofia's feet if the Brentwood girl did as much as asking about her to do it.

Sofia breathed out in irritation and turned to Lily. "That's why I called you here. I needed you both to think out of the box. But it is so sad that all you think about is what you have lost and not a solution," she said with a clasp of her long nailed fingers.

"What do you need us to do?" Lily asked.

Noah was no longer talking. He was just staring at Sofia and the things he would do to her. She claimed to like just his dick, well, she would scream it tonight.

"I want you to kidnap Ariana."

"What?" Noah blurted as he snapped out of his thoughts at once. "You want what?"

"I want Ariana kidnapped. You may kill her if you want or sell her to slave traders or something. Just make sure she disappears I don't care. That marriage must not hold no matter what! Do you understand?"

"Sofia have you lost your mind?" Noah spat out. "How can you even think that? It is totally impossible to even pull off... how do you want to do a thing like that to someone who was your friend!" He got up from his position and glared at her.

"Noah! Keep your mouth shut if you have nothing better to say!" Lily hissed.

"Mother—" Noah started to protest but Lily stopped him again.

"I said keep your mouth shut!"

"At least somebody is wise in this room," Sofia stated as she giggled.

"Mother if this is what you want to do, I don't think I want to be a part of it! Count me out!" With that Noah walked out of the room leaving the women to themselves.

He wasn't totally stupid. He knew kidnapping was a crime punishable by death. He would rather be poor and broke than live in a prison. No one would be able to help him.

Noah walked to the garden and started pacing. For his mother to even entertain something like that was absurd. What was she thinking?

Sofia was a crazy woman. She was too hateful. Now he could see it. She was obsessed with Ariana. She wanted nothing but pain for Ariana and all for what?

Yes, even Noah had done some unthinkable things and he wasn't totally happy that she was getting married but he couldn't think of kidnapping her. No that was going too far.

Laying traps and putting Ariana in trouble with the family was an entirely different game. It was within the family and it wasn't a total scandal. This was bound to go crazy if they continued with it. The entire public would know about it and it would become major news. He had to stop his mother. They would lose Sofia, yes, but they would be free people. They wouldn't live in a prison cell.

He had to stop her.

Noah started walking towards the house once again to find his mother. Unknown to him, Matt had been watching him from his bedroom window while he paced for minutes in the garden. He wondered what his little brother was thinking about. He had noticed their absence during the celebration after dinner. Matt knew his mother would definitely do something he only hoped Noah would realise how bad she had been misleading them. As for him, he had changed and was working towards becoming a better person.

Speaking of which, he had to speak to his grandfather now that the wedding was coming he wouldn't want him to surcharge himself.

It was already past eleven but Matt knew his grandfather would still be in the study. The next day was a Monday and his grandfather had a habit of preparing everything he had to do the day before. Usually, he went to his study right after dinner and once it was ten-thirty he went to bed but the dinner today had finished late because of the celebrations.

"Where are you going, my love?" Nikita asked as she stepped out of the bathroom and saw Matt moving towards the door.

"I want to speak to Grandfather. I will be right back," he said. He blew her a kiss and left the room.

Matt hoped he would see Noah on his way so he could speak to him but they didn't meet. He went straight to the study and knocked on the door.

"Come on in," grandfather called. From his voice, Matt could tell how tired the man was yet he remained in the study working while the rest of them rested.

Now he saw how much useless he and his brother had been. While his grandfather was working hard to put food on their table, he and his brother wasted it and they expected to be treated in the same way as someone who was multiplying the wealth and helping out.

Taking a deep breath, Matt pulled the door open and went in. "Hello grandfather," he said as he stepped in.

Grandfather was surprised to see Matt in his office. "I thought you were sleeping or busy with your new girlfriend," he said to him. He had piles of papers on his table but he dropped them and clasped his hand together as he gave Matt his full attention.

Matt blushed at his comment. "How can I sleep when you are still awake?" He asked.

Grandfather's eyes twinkled as he stared deeply at the young man. He had noticed how much Matt was trying to change in the last few days. His secretary at work had told him that he had come to the office severally to volunteer. At first, he had thought it was just a tactic his mother probably asked him to adopt so he could come to get some money from him but Matt hadn't made any move yet.

"Matt, what do you want?" Grandfather asked in a low voice.

Matt held the chair and looked at his grandfather with serious eyes. "I know that I have been a very bad son to this family... but like you always say to me and my brother. It's never too late to change," he said and grandfather felt a warmness take over his heart. He never thought he would live to hear Matt be so thoughtful.

"I— I have been thinking, since Calhoun's wedding is approaching I know you would want to take charge of the decoration and the rest of the preparations. And I know that managing them and some of the office tasks you run would be hard... so, I wanted to offer my help. I can help out in whatever way you want. You know, just to ease your workload," he said.

Grandfather wanted to get up and hug him. This was one of his greatest wishes. Unlike what they all thought, he loved all his grandchildren. He wanted them to be hardworking just like him. Now that Matt wanted to change, he was more than happy to assist him to become a better man. But he had to be reserved. This could be a well-thought-out trick. So he had to be careful still.

"Matt, sit down," he said offering him a seat. "And each time you come in here, make sure to sit down," he said and Matt gratefully took the sit.

"You want to help me, I am very glad and we will start tonight." Grandfather took some of the files on his side of the table and passed them to Matt.

"Start by summarising those activities for tomorrow."

As he worked, Grandfather kept watching him. Along the line, he realised that Matt was indeed working without any evil motive. He genuinely wanted to change and he was.