The Inheritance Contract

AN: We all know what is coming next…. A Lila visit! Hope you all like and please leave those reviews!

Chapter 8

The next morning, Jason was at his lawyers office as soon as the doors were opened. He had the contract drawn up in short order and then had the restraining order issued as well. Lucky Spencer wouldn't be able to get within 500 feet of Elizabeth. And if he tried to break the order, Jason knew he would personally beat the shit out of the younger man.

Having accomplished those tasks, Jason then decided he wanted to visit his grandmother. Lila Quartermaine had always been the best option whenever Jason needed someone to talk to.

He snuck into the back yard and made his way toward the patio. Looking inside, he saw that Lila was alone. Taking a deep breath, Jason walked into the room.

"Hello, grandmother," Jason said as he walked over to Lila.

She looked up at Jason, a huge smile on her face. He stared into eyes that matched his own. Leaning down, Jason kissed her cheek before sitting across from the family matriarch.

"Jason! My darling, I'm so happy to see you here. After the dreadfulness of yesterday, I wasn't sure when to expect you again," Lila said, reaching out her hand. Jason took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry if I worried you, grandmother. That wasn't my intention. I just needed to get away. Edward's…request was not something I had expected. I needed time to think."

Lila cocked an eyebrow at her grandson. She had always been very good at reading him. Something else was on his mind. "Your grandfather was not a subtle man. He always wanted to have his own way and Heaven forbid if he didn't get it. What he asked of you was wrong and I wish I had known what he had done, because I would have stopped him from making such an egregious error in judgment."

Jason smiled at the venom in her voice. "It's okay, grandmother. In fact, that's part of the reason I came to see you."

Lila cocked her head. "Have you made a decision already?" At his nod, she exclaimed, "My goodness, that was quick."

"I need to know that what I'm going to tell you stays between us for the moment. I don't want the rest of the family to know what I have planned yet," Jason told her, although he already knew the answer.

"Of course, my darling. I would never dream of betraying your trust. You have my word," Lila told him.

Jason took a deep breath and looked into her crystal blue eyes. "I'm going to get married."

Lila gave a nod and then said, "I knew after hearing that awful addition to your part in Edward's will that you would pick marriage. ELQ has never held any interest for you."

Jason grinned. "You know me too well, grandmother."

"Yes, we'll always agree on that, dear. Now then, do you have any prospects?"

Jason knew that Lila would never judge him, so he had no qualms about telling her his intentions.

"When I left here yesterday, I ended up at Jake's. I'd been there for a while when I saw a friend of Emily's there. A guy was bothering her, so I stepped in to help. At first, she yelled at me, but eventually we talked and then I took her out on a bike ride. We stopped for a while and she told me that she had caught her boyfriend cheating with her sister."

Lila's eyes held sympathy. "Oh dear. How dreadful that must have been for her."

Jason nodded. "To try to get her mind off it, I told her about the ultimatum in the will. She had told me about something that happened when she was younger and how she had trouble being…intimate."

Lila was beginning to think she knew who Jason was talking about, but decided to hold her tongue.

"After talking for a bit, I told her we could solve both our problems if we got married. She told me about how she wants to travel and see the world and even how she wants to have a family and I told her I could make that happen for her."

"Darling, are you talking about Elizabeth by any chance?" Lila asked him. His brow rose in surprise.

"How did you know?" Jason was shocked.

Lila chuckled. "I have known Elizabeth since she and Emily first became friends. She is such a dear young woman. She has confided in me many times about her life and things that have happened. The fact that she opened up to you so readily after only meeting you a handful of times shows me that she has placed a great deal of trust upon you."

Jason stared at her, silent. His brain was blank.

Lila took his hand again. "Darling, I would never tell you how to live your life, so I will say this instead. Elizabeth is a wonderful choice. She is loving and compassionate and she will make a fine wife and mother. I am absolutely positive the two of you will have a very enriched life together."

Jason was going to tell his grandmother the other half of their deal, but found he couldn't. He could see how happy Lila was, and didn't have the heart to tell her it was only temporary.

Lila could see the guilt in her grandson's eyes. She knew that Elizabeth had been hurt in the past, and knowing now that young Mr. Spencer had sullied her trust even farther, Lila was pleased that Elizabeth wanted to help her grandson this way. She knew Elizabeth had harbored a crush on Jason since the first time they met.

Watching Jason talk about Elizabeth, she wondered if he didn't feel similarly…

Calling out to Reginald, Lila motioned him forward when he entered the room. "Reginald, dear, would you do me a favor and retrieve the jewelry box on top of my dresser and bring it here please?" While he went to fulfill her request, Lila looked back at Jason.

"I am going to assume since your grandfather set a very specific timeline, that you will not have a long engagement?" When Jason shook his head, Lila continued. "Then, I would love it if you would indulge an old woman and allow me to make a simple request."

Jason smiled at his grandmother. "Either way, we both know you will get your way."

Lila chuckled, her eyes twinkling. He has no idea…

Reginald chose that moment to re-enter the room, the jewelry box in his hands. He placed it in Lila's lap, gave Jason a smile and departed from the room again.

Lila motioned Jason forward, and opened the box. She reached in and removed a delicate band of gold, with a simple diamond at its center. Two smaller diamonds surrounded the first, and Jason could just make out the roses that wrapped around the band. He recognized it from when he was a child.

Lila held it up. "This was the first engagement ring your grandfather ever gave me. Oh, he gave me several more over the years, but this one has always had the most special meaning to me. I would feel honored and grateful if you would give it to your young bride. It also has a matching wedding band."

Jason's eyes widened. "Grandmother, I don't know what to say!"

She pressed it into his hand. "You should also know that Elizabeth loves this ring. She and Emily tried on some of my jewelry one day, and Elizabeth fell in love with it the moment it rested on her finger. It also wouldn't have to be resized as it was a perfect fit. I believe the phrase I want to use is, 'It was meant to be..' "

Jason unconsciously wrapped his hand around the ring. He could almost envision the ring on Elizabeth's finger. He found he liked the image.

Lila saw the small smile that graced her grandson's lips.

"Thank you, grandmother. I know she will take good care of it," Jason said.

After visiting for a short while longer, Jason gave her a kiss on her cheek, and left the way he came in.

Lila stared at the door, and smiled to herself.

Elizabeth Webber and Jason Morgan were just who the other needed…