I see.I should’ve known this was how it would play out. I knew she’d find out eventually, but that didn’t change my answer.
“I can’t marry you off as you are, and you know that. Attend your AA meetings—then we’ll talk about matching you up.”
“Or you could just give me the money anyway.”
I met her gaze. “Doesn’t work like that,” I replied firmly.
“What if I told you something that would benefit you in the long run?”
“Yeah?” I asked, unamused. “And what is that?”
“That’ll cost you.”
I nodded slowly. “Of course it will. It always does. But it still doesn’t work like that. Your inheritance was placed into a contingent trust, and I am the appointed trustee. That means, legally, I manage the trust, but you can’t access the funds until you meet the set conditions—specifically, getting married. No one can change the terms or access the funds prematurely, including me. And I can’t marry you off as you are—you know, alcoholic and all.”
“Perfect.”
“You want money? You’re going to have to earn it. Meetings are scheduled for Friday afternoons starting next week. I expect a chip each milestone as proof of your attendance. In return, I will give you a hundred thousand.”
She raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. “Each meeting? That’s a hundred thousand dollars every thirty days.”
“That should be more than enough to help your mother if you make it to the meetings weekly.”
“If I can’t get my inheritance until I’m married, what’s the point in giving you the chips?”
“I’m going to give you the money myself.”
Valentina’s eyes narrowed. “My compliance can only be bought all at once, not in bits and pieces.”
I leaned forward, my gaze locking onto hers. “That’s not how this works. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to show you’re serious about changing.”
Her eyes flashed with many emotions all at once—anger, defiance, hope, and acceptance. She clearly couldn’t process her emotions in her drunken state. It took her a minute to realize I was choosing the help her anyway.
“Why are you helping me?”
“Because I believe in giving people a chance to turn their lives around. I also believe hard work is rewarded with opportunities.”
Valentina’s expression hardened. “So I’m just supposed to jump through hoops for you?”
“Not for me,” I corrected. “For yourself. This is your opportunity to prove you’re responsible enough to manage what is rightfully yours.”
She stared at me, the wheels turning in her head. “And what if I don’t care about proving anything to anyone?”
“Then you’ll get nothing,” I replied. “No one is forcing you to do this. The choice is yours. But understand this clearly—if you keep going as you are, I’ll have to take different measures.”
“Different measures?” she echoed.
“Yes. You’ve been given more chances than most. This is your last opportunity to prove you can handle this responsibly and keep my business out of your damn mouth.”
There was a long silence as she considered her options.
“And Valentina?”
She looked back at me.
“I’m not your enemy. This isn’t a punishment. It’s a chance to start fresh.”
She couldn’t say “thank you” because it would hurt her pride. What she said instead caught me off-guard.
