"Granny, I..." Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat.
"I like him. But he's too much for me."
The words rushed out in a desperate exhale.
"I can't keep up with his depth of knowledge and understanding. And Lukas—I have Lukas. We've been together for two years. His family expects—my parents… Your approval of him. It's all arranged, practically."
Her hands trembled.
'But when Delvin touches me, I forget Lukas exists. What kind of person does that make me?'
"Nonsense!"
The word cracked like a whip. Grandma Beatrice's entire body went rigid, her hands beginning to shake—not with age, but with fury.
"Brenda, listen to me."
Her voice dropped to something fierce and urgent.
"In life, no matter how strong a man is, no matter how capable, a woman will always be his pillar, his strength, or his weakness. 'Only' a woman can tame the beast that is man."
She stepped closer, gripping Brenda's arms.
"The rise of any kingdom begins with a woman at its foundation. The fall? The same. You'll find a woman at the center. There's a certain kind of energy that a man will always need from a woman—a force he cannot generate himself."
She shook Brenda gently, emphasizing each word.
"So don't you 'ever' think of yourself as lesser. Don't you dare disrespect yourself in my presence again. Do you hear me?"
Brenda's mind reeled, struggling to process the torrent of words. Her grandmother had never spoken to her like this—never with such conviction, such barely contained rage. The ideas swirled in her head, refusing to settle into coherent thoughts.
"Uhh... yes, Grandma."
She nodded mechanically, but her eyes remained unfocused, distant. She looked like someone who'd just been struck.
Grandma Beatrice noticed the dazed expression and felt her anger cool into something more calculated.
'I can't straighten her path right away. These things take time. She needs to grow up, and fast.'
She released Brenda's arms and stepped back.
'I can't rush to rescue her from every difficulty. Sometimes you have to throw someone into deep water to teach them to swim. I'll give her bones to chew on—real challenges. It's the only way she'll develop teeth.'
They rejoined the men in the living room. The conversation picked up again, growing warmer, more animated.
Laughter erupted in bursts. The night deepened around them, cozy and intimate.
'I need to talk to Brenda alone.'
The thought circled through Delvin's mind, persistent as a drumbeat.
'But how do I ask Grandma Beatrice right here? She's clearly orchestrating something. If I request time alone with Brenda, won't that play directly into her hands?'
His palms began to sweat.
'Really? Is this your first time doing this?'
Zauzo's voice dripped with mockery inside his mind.
'Of course not. Why would I need your assistance?'
Delvin shot back internally, fury flashing through him even as his face remained perfectly composed.
'Relax. Calm down. We're not enemies.'
A pause.
'Look, I'll tell you this—if you give me a chance to propose to Brenda, I can help you win Jasmine's heart.'
'So, what do you think? Deal?'
'Forget it. That won't work. Find another body.'
Delvin's mental voice turned sarcastic and cold.
He refocused on the room, watching Grandma Beatrice laugh at something George said.
'Looking at our previous conversations, she has an open mind. She's practically been pushing us together all evening.'
His jaw tightened.
'I guess she'll accept my request. I hope she won't take my intentions the wrong way. But if she does?'
His heart beat faster. 'It's a risk I'm willing to take.'
'Just go ahead and ask her. It's not like you're asking for her hand in marriage.'
Zauzo's tone turned scornful.
'If I'm being honest, I prefer you when you're quiet.'
Delvin flung the words back without emotion.
He waited, calculating. Timing was everything. His muscles coiled with anticipation, like a hunter waiting for the perfect moment to spring the trap.
When the conversation hit a natural lull, he made his move. He coughed lightly—a deliberate, attention-grabbing sound—and arranged his features into a pleasant smile that reached his eyes.
Three pairs of eyes turned toward him, glittering with curiosity and the warmth of wine.
The game was in motion.
"Grandma Beatrice."
His voice came out steady, casual.
"I-I would like to have a talk with Brenda in private, if that's okay with you?"
The words landed in the center of the room like a stone dropped into still water.
Brenda's breath caught. Her heart lurched into her throat.
Grandma Beatrice's smile widened, triumphant and knowing.
'Desire or duty,' Brenda thought again, her pulse roaring in her ears. 'Desire or duty.'
The answer, she feared, was about to be decided for her.
"Granny, I..." Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat.
"I like him. But he's too much for me."
The words rushed out in a desperate exhale.
"I can't keep up with his depth of knowledge and understanding. And Lukas—I have Lukas. We've been together for two years. His family expects—my parents… Your approval of him. It's all arranged, practically."
Her hands trembled.
'But when Delvin touches me, I forget Lukas exists. What kind of person does that make me?'
"Nonsense!"
The word cracked like a whip. Grandma Beatrice's entire body went rigid, her hands beginning to shake—not with age, but with fury.
"Brenda, listen to me."
Her voice dropped to something fierce and urgent.
"In life, no matter how strong a man is, no matter how capable, a woman will always be his pillar, his strength, or his weakness. 'Only' a woman can tame the beast that is man."
She stepped closer, gripping Brenda's arms.
"The rise of any kingdom begins with a woman at its foundation. The fall? The same. You'll find a woman at the center. There's a certain kind of energy that a man will always need from a woman—a force he cannot generate himself."
She shook Brenda gently, emphasizing each word.
"So don't you 'ever' think of yourself as lesser. Don't you dare disrespect yourself in my presence again. Do you hear me?"
Brenda's mind reeled, struggling to process the torrent of words. Her grandmother had never spoken to her like this—never with such conviction, such barely contained rage. The ideas swirled in her head, refusing to settle into coherent thoughts.
"Uhh... yes, Grandma."
She nodded mechanically, but her eyes remained unfocused, distant. She looked like someone who'd just been struck.
Grandma Beatrice noticed the dazed expression and felt her anger cool into something more calculated.
'I can't straighten her path right away. These things take time. She needs to grow up, and fast.'
She released Brenda's arms and stepped back.
'I can't rush to rescue her from every difficulty. Sometimes you have to throw someone into deep water to teach them to swim. I'll give her bones to chew on—real challenges. It's the only way she'll develop teeth.'
They rejoined the men in the living room. The conversation picked up again, growing warmer, more animated.
Laughter erupted in bursts. The night deepened around them, cozy and intimate.
'I need to talk to Brenda alone.'
The thought circled through Delvin's mind, persistent as a drumbeat.
'But how do I ask Grandma Beatrice right here? She's clearly orchestrating something. If I request time alone with Brenda, won't that play directly into her hands?'
His palms began to sweat.
'Really? Is this your first time doing this?'
Zauzo's voice dripped with mockery inside his mind.
'Of course not. Why would I need your assistance?'
Delvin shot back internally, fury flashing through him even as his face remained perfectly composed.
'Relax. Calm down. We're not enemies.'
A pause.
'Look, I'll tell you this—if you give me a chance to propose to Brenda, I can help you win Jasmine's heart.'
'So, what do you think? Deal?'
'Forget it. That won't work. Find another body.'
Delvin's mental voice turned sarcastic and cold.
He refocused on the room, watching Grandma Beatrice laugh at something George said.
'Looking at our previous conversations, she has an open mind. She's practically been pushing us together all evening.'
His jaw tightened.
'I guess she'll accept my request. I hope she won't take my intentions the wrong way. But if she does?'
His heart beat faster. 'It's a risk I'm willing to take.'
'Just go ahead and ask her. It's not like you're asking for her hand in marriage.'
Zauzo's tone turned scornful.
'If I'm being honest, I prefer you when you're quiet.'
Delvin flung the words back without emotion.
He waited, calculating. Timing was everything. His muscles coiled with anticipation, like a hunter waiting for the perfect moment to spring the trap.
When the conversation hit a natural lull, he made his move. He coughed lightly—a deliberate, attention-grabbing sound—and arranged his features into a pleasant smile that reached his eyes.
Three pairs of eyes turned toward him, glittering with curiosity and the warmth of wine.
The game was in motion.
"Grandma Beatrice."
His voice came out steady, casual.
"I-I would like to have a talk with Brenda in private, if that's okay with you?"
The words landed in the center of the room like a stone dropped into still water.
Brenda's breath caught. Her heart lurched into her throat.
Grandma Beatrice's smile widened, triumphant and knowing.
'Desire or duty,' Brenda thought again, her pulse roaring in her ears. 'Desire or duty.'
The answer, she feared, was about to be decided for her.