“As soon as she’s pregnant, I’ll have her stay home to ‘rest and take care of the baby.’ Once that happens, I can take over the company naturally.”
“Her parents are long gone, and she only has an older brother who’s been overseas for years. He doesn’t care about her at all.”
Ivan’s mother clapped her hands in delight. “Good, very good! But she must give birth to a son. Once there’s a boy, both she and the company will belong to our Lopez family.”
My heart sank.
So the two hundred thousand dollars wasn’t even the beginning of it. Ivan’s true goal was my company—my entire life.
The next morning, Ivan’s mother appeared in front of me carrying a bowl of thick, black liquid. The pungent smell of herbs stung my nose.
“This is our family’s secret fertility formula,” she announced proudly. “Drink it, and you’ll be guaranteed to have a son.”
The foul odor made my stomach churn.
“I’m not drinking that,” I spat in disgust.
Her face darkened, and with a subtle glance toward the relatives nearby, several people moved forward and grabbed my arms, holding me down.
Ivan approached and pinched my chin, forcing the bowl toward my lips.
“Ashley, be good and drink it. It’s for your own good.”