“I know my family can be a lot,” Mago muttered as she walked with Rina ahead of Zayn, who was coming in the rear with his father. Mrs. Graham had to retire to bed before they were ready to take their leave as her legs hurt and the doctor had advised her to rest them for as long as she could.
Rina shrugged. “I don’t know about that. Growing up for me was different because I was an only child. That meant getting to do things alone while my parents were out there trying to make ends meet. We…we would usually meet in the evening but then they would be tired and go to bed almost immediately after dinner, leaving me alone to myself. But everything they did was for me to get a better life. I am grateful to them for where I am right now. Still, if I had a sister to argue with the way Zayn and Nathan act, I would have really loved that.”
“I don’t think you and your sister would have had the mountain of issues Nathan has with Zayn, unfounded ones at that. Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder how we are all siblings. It looks like he was picked up or something. Forgive me if I can’t help but think that is really the case.”
Rina chuckled. “You are just pissed and that is fine.” The car came around the corner and Igor got out, walking around to get the passenger’s side open for them. Rina waited for Zayn to get closer with his father.
“Thank you for having me tonight,” she said, smiling up at him. “It was really lovely having dinner with your family. I enjoyed the dynamics.”
“The dynamics?” He threw his head back and barked out a laughter, before looking at his son. “I like her. I think she is a perfect fit for you.” For some reason, that seemed to make her feel really good. It wasn’t even going to be a real wedding, since most of it was based on the terms of the contract. Still, for some reason, Rina had wanted them to like and accept her just the way Mago had done from the moment they had met.
The duo got into the car and Igor moved out of the driveway through the gates. “That was some dinner,” Rina murmured once she was relaxed. “And your brother didn’t look like he was letting this go anytime soon. He is going to come for me or you and we have to be ready to face what he brings along.”
“Of course, he is going to try, but Nathan is stupid. You also need to know that while dealing with him. I am certain he wouldn’t leave as much as a dent on anything, so we might as well just let this roll off our backs, just as you did with all the rumors flying around.”
Rina nodded. “Okay. I guess you know your brother better. But thank you for introducing me to that mix. You all might be a lot, but it is exactly what I need at this moment in time, with all the noise going on in my head. A stronger source of noise.”
“And you had nothing to worry about,” Zayn said, reminding her of her initial fears. “They liked you. What’s there not to like?”
“The fact that they don’t know this is all on paper? You never told me the reason you wanted to get married so badly.”
“There was never a reason to. Yours was more impending, and we had to focus all our time and energy on that.”
“And now?”
“You already heard it from Nathan and my father. Does that change your mind?”
Rina shook her head. “Now that I know what your drive is, I am going to do everything I can to help you with this, just as much as you helped me through my darkest times.”
Zayn blew out a steam of breath, and tilted his head, his eyes raking through her. “I feel the need to tell you why I am doing all of this for a company not even as big as the Graham Conglomerate of which my parents are also large shareholders. That question might have crossed your mind about it, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I could easily let go of it, but my father worked too hard on that company only for it to get tossed like it doesn’t matter. I know Nathan. He doesn’t have any interest in the business, as all he cares about is himself. If I leave it in his hands, the company will become nothing in only a few months, and my father would not be pleased about something like that. I will make him an employee there when I get it, but not the CEO. He can’t do it.”
“I understand,” Rina breathed. But even if he was doing it for selfish reasons, she would have still stuck to him. It didn’t matter. None of that did. Rina saw it as an opportunity to be equal with him, as he had given more than he had received in the relationship.”
Her phone chimed in that moment and Rina fiddled with her purse until her hands clutched around it, retrieving the phone. She angled her head when she saw the number. It was someone from Scottsdale.
Flashing the screen at Zayn, she shrugged and picked up the call, placing the phone on speaker. “Rina Powers speaking. How may I be of help to you today?”
“Ms. Power, I am calling from Scottsdale, saddled with the responsibility of informing you that your blacklisting has been revoked and you are hereby restored to your former position.”
“Wait. What?”
“We have a producer that insists on working with you as his second lead. All the details have been sent to your manager. We hope you both can arrange a date to come to the company to finalize this.”
“Okay.” Rina didn’t want the person to think she was affected by it, so she waited till the call was over before speaking.
“What do they want?” Zayn asked at once.
“They are giving me my job right back.”