"She's not getting my father's inheritance!" Durin shouted and threw his cell phone at the wall, furious, and then noticed a secretary staring at him with a look of fear and surprise. "What do you want? Get out of here! Didn't anyone ever teach you to knock before entering? You stupid bastard! You're fired!"
The secretary ran out crying and her weeping seemed to calm Durin down, who took a deep breath and got up and poured himself a whisky.
He heard a knock on the open door and looked back indifferently.
"What do you want, Yuki?" He asked as she looked disapprovingly at him.
"Do you know how difficult it is to get good assistants who fulfill all your requirements?"
His face softened and his eyes became amused.
"That one doesn't suit me. She didn't knock."
"The door was open."
"But she didn't knock. And you haven't said what you want here."
She walked over and handed him her cell phone.
"Your lawyer is waiting to speak to you."
"He's not my lawyer, but the lawyer of that bitch who married my father for money and social status."
She crossed her arms and he put the handset to his ear.
"As I was saying, Durin, you have a deadline of one week to get married, or your father's inheritance will be in Celesty's hands. Needless to say, she's counting on your failure, right?"
"She can't be Farida in Mahagah. Our laws don't allow it."
Yuki's face changed slightly when he heard that name, but Durin didn't notice.
"She can be Farida through marriage."
"No. I'm Pharaoh's only heir, and I don't intend to marry her."
The lawyer took a deep breath on the other side.
"The people don't know you, Durin. You'd better forget about Mahagah and get on with your life."
Durin thought about it, but he would never allow his throne to go to the woman who had caused discord in his home and caused his father to exile him. He would return, yes, but not just for the inheritance, but to take revenge on all his people.
"A week?" He asked, remembering Mycon's words.
"Yes. It was your father's wish that his heir, the new Pharaoh, abandon his life of eternal bachelorhood and drunkenness to become a prince, a responsible leader. And since you've avoided me all this time... Now it's only a week away."
Durin gestured that he would throw the cell phone at the wall again, but Yuki shook his head in the negative and he returned it to his ear.
"I'm a responsible leader! Didn't my father ever realize how profitable my companies are?"
"Yes. Thanks to your secretary, Yuki. She's responsible for cleaning up your mess. She's responsible for keeping your companies running. You can't put her in charge of a kingdom too, Durin. Our people won't accept the absence of their pharaoh, and her drunken nights will be noticed by them."
Durin took a deep breath.
"And my inheritance will go into the incapable hands of my stepmother?"
"The people know her. They love her. She'll make a good wife for your cousin."
"Tykar? She's going to marry Tykar?"
"Only if you don't get married in a week. Tykar desires the throne, and his stepmother, despite being one of the most beautiful women in Mahagah, she is not very young and can probably no longer beget heirs for her husband, but if she marries, she demands to be the first wife."
Durin looked at Yuki again with a frown and something occurred to him.
"I have a bride. A very special bride who is going to be a good Farida. Even you won't be able to criticize my choice. She's a sensational woman."
The lawyer's voice became amused.
"Five minutes ago you didn't even have a girlfriend, Durin."
Durin approached Yuki and in front of her red face and her furious, surprised eyes, he removed his hairpin and loosened his bun, his black hair cascading down his shoulders.
"Yes. I'm going to marry Yuki."
"She won't accept that, Durin." The lawyer looked worried on the other side.
"Of course she will. She already has." He lied.
"I'm near your office. I'll be there in less than five minutes.
Durin handed the cell phone back to Yuki.
"I need you to lie, Yuki."
She took the phone angrily.
"I won't lie, boss." Seeing his surprised eyes, she took a deep breath. "However, I'll stay here for you to lie and confirm it with my head." She said and took her hairpin from his hand and went back to fixing her hair.
Mycon didn't lie. In less than five minutes he was entering Durin's room and accepting a glass of brandy.
He looked curiously at Yuki.
"I don't question your beauty, Miss Yuki, but your dubious taste in men." Yuki turned red and he smiled and turned to Durin. "And you surprise me by finally taking an interest in a woman who uses her brain and isn't blonde."
Durin ignored him.
"You already know my fiancée, so..."
Mycon smiled patiently and took some papers from his bag and placed them on the table.
"Do you want me to stay while you read your father's demands?"
Durin took the papers and began to read them aloud after a while:
"Must the marriage be validated by the traditions of Mahagah? Do I have to get married in a public ceremony and guarantee my inheritance from this marriage? I see... To beget a legitimate child. I don't see any problems, but..." Durin threw the papers back on the table and glared at Mycon. "Live in Mahagah and restore Pharaoh's powers? I don't think so. I can rule from Michigan. Have you heard about the advances in technology?"
"Those are your father's demands." Mycon said and stood up. "I suppose I should make the preparations for the public ceremony?"
"Yes." Durin said grudgingly.
Mycon bowed quickly and left.
Durin looked at Yuki.
"I'm going to need you to say 'yes' in front of everyone. Will you do it for me?"
"I..."
"Of course I'll pay for the trouble, Yuki. And our wedding will only be for a week or two. Then we'll get divorced. After I get the throne, I'll change our laws and our rules. How much do you want for your 'yes'?"
Yuki's face turned red.
"837 thousand dollars."
Durin looked at her as if he had never seen her before."
"You're a mercenary?"
She blushed even more violently.
"I know your fortune. That money is nothing to you."
"Yes. That's exactly why I don't go around handing it out!"
Yuki walked towards the door.
"Good luck in your search for your cheapest 'yes', boss."
"Wait!"
She stopped.
"Why that amount? It seems like a very specific amount."
She remained silent for a while.
"That's my price."
He smiled devilishly.
"Then so be it."