Hey :3 Before you read, have in mind that this is completely AU. No relation to Maid sama!, only the characters are the same. Enjoy reading!
Edward Walker was not just a respectable and cheerful man, but a rich one at that. Of course, he owned Tale Editorial, the most famous fantasy book publisher in the entire world. Due to that, he was never short of anything. But if there's something money can't buy, it's more years to live when your faith has already settled your death.
Cedric Morris burst the doors open. His short blonde hair was pulled back in a tidy manner, but his face was disheveled with emotions.
"Have the results come back?" Edward asked.
Cedric gently bowed his head. "Yes, sir."
Edward licked his lips. The years he had left were in that envelope gripped by Cedric's strong fingers. The yellowish and large document was placed on the mahogany desk.
Hands trembling, Edward reached out. The only noise in the vast office was the envelope being opened, and an annoying buzz that appears whenever you are stressed out.
Edward read the letter.
Cedric rubbed his sweaty hands together, trying to keep his heart from racing. He had one more thing to add to his black list, and that was terminal illnesses.
"Sir...?" Cedric asked, managing to raise his voice above a hoarse whisper.
Edward laid the paper down, looking down at his hands. "Six..."
Cedric gulped. "Six years, sir. That's enough to leave things settled."
Edward shut his eyes closed, his fingers rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Six months, Cedric."
Cedric's hazel eyes widened in astonishment.
Now, here's where we pause. Readers, this is not a depressing story. And hopefully not a bittersweet one. This is, in fact, quite the opposite. Because it's in this story that Misaki Ayuzawa's life will give a 360 degrees turn. Shall we continue?
"You know what to do," Edward said, trying to keep his voice from trembling.
Cedric nodded, and hastily left the large office. As soon as he got to the nearest phone, his shaking hands began to dial the number that would save Tale Editorial.
Misaki Ayuzawa was just an eighteen-year-old girl. Top of her class, aiming for a scholarship to study overseas. She was not exactly your typical teenager, but close enough.
And then her mother got the call.
Now, before we continue, let me give you Misaki's background. The Ayuzawa family was not rich. But they did have a decent amount of money. And that was because of Minako, the mother of Misaki. A few years back, Minako had ended a trio she, her deceased husband, Sakuya, and her friend, Satsuki Hyoudou, used to form. This trio made a living for its family by embezzling large companies. And one of those was Tale Editorial. However, Edward was not a dumb man. He quickly saw through the treachery. And to avoid jail time, the trio promised two things: one, they'd disband quickly. Two, they'd be at Edward's service no matter in what circumstances.
And that is why Minako and Misaki were heading to the large Tale Editorial building. As soon as they got inside, they were greeted as the saviors of the company (and that's because they easily could be) and taken to the very last floor, where Edward's office was found.
Edward greeted them with a welcoming smile. "Minako, she took after your beauty!"
Minako smiled thankfully.
It was true, Misaki was just like her mother. If they looked at each other up front, it would seem as if they were looking into each other's reflections. They both had straight, dark hair that reached just millimeters below their shoulders. They both had sidebangs that did not obscure their innocent-looking brown eyes. The same button-shaped nose, and the exact same small mouth with full lips. They looked as angelic as it could get. Ah, but their stubborn, loyal, and strong attitude did not show through their physical appearance. Minako could control her short temper, but Misaki still had a lot to learn.
"Please, take a seat," Edward ordered.
When Minako had finished introducing her daughter, and when their light conversation was done, Edward proceeded to the matter.
"Please take note that the only one who knows of this matter is my confidant and bodyguard, Cedric. And soon, you two will. Please promise me that you won't even utter a word to anyone."
"Of course," Minako replied. "You've been so kind, we would not wish to do anything that could hurt you."
Edward smiled. "Thank you... well, the whole company is abuzz with my retirement."
Minako's eyes slightly widened.
"Yes, I just turned forty-nine and I'm about to retire... strange to believe, right?" Edward finished with a chuckle. His smile turned into a sad one. "What people don't know, is that my life is about to end."
The piece of information was greeted by shocked silence.
Minako looked down, slightly exhaling. "I don't... I..."
Even Misaki, who'd never met the guy before, felt sorry for him. He seemed like such a nice man.
"No need for words of pity," Edward informed the mother and daughter. "I only need you to accept my request, please."
Minako remained silent, gazing at the man in front of her with expectancy.
"For a period of time, I'll be leaving on a tour across the world. I don't have much time to live, and I'd like to do certain things that I've never done in my entire life," Edward explained. "However, I've got one problem. And that's the heir of the company. You see, the rightful one is my nephew, Takumi Usui, the son of my brother, Yuu Hirose. However... Yuu has done things in the past that have proven to me that he's not as noble as he might seem. And I believe his son might be the same. So I've asked you to, please, let your daughter help me test Usui."
Minako and Misaki shared a glance.
"I want to hire her to pretend to be the real heiress," Edward continued.
Misaki's eyes widened.
"For a short period of time... look, I've got a whole plan set out... I know this sounds inconvenient, but please, let me explain." Edward paused before continuing. "I'll inform by brother that a few years back, I changed the company's ownership to you, Misaki. He, of course, will look for a way to fight that verdict. But I will come up with a deal. In two months, you will be tested in an economy and political exam. If your note is above 95%, you'll inherit the company. If it isn't, then the company will be given to Usui. Now, of course, the company will always be Usui's... as long as he passes an exam of his own. I'll test his noble attitude by assigning him as your teacher. He'll be the one to teach you what you need to pass the exam. Now, Yuu is mischievous. But he is impulsive. He won't question why I'm handing his son such a task, he'll just take the opportunity to sabotage you. If this happens, I'll hand the company to another person. However, if Usui follows the task cleanly and proves not to sabotage you, he will be the rightful owner. I'll send one of my helpers to inspect his actions, so he can come to me with a weekly report on how Usui is behaving himself."