CHAPTER 2

"Ok, so what did you guys want to tell me?" She asked. "Must be something serious since you had me come back home for it."

"Blair," her Father started, but paused immediately, looking back at her mother, who nodded and placed a supporting hand on his shoulder. He faced his daughter again. "You know how my business was facing a major setback about two years ago?" Blair nodded. "I had to loan money from The Lancaster-"

"Wait." Blair sat up, surprised by what her Father just said. "The Lancaster? Like the-"

"Yes," her mother said. "The Lancaster. Your Father needed to do something fast and when he approached Mr. Lancaster, he was able to loan your Dad a great sum of money which brought your Dad's business back."

"Yes. Except according to the contract I signed, I would pay back in a year and a half time."

"Ok," Blair said slowly.

"Your Father doesn't yet have the money to pay Mr. Lancaster Blair. He does have the money, but if he takes that money out and pays, his business would go back to the way it was two years ago and..."

"Can't he give you more time? I mean, Dad you could ask for more time right?"

"I had agreed that I wouldn't provide excuses to him once the time reaches, he has already given me a grace of three months and I've only been able to gather up seventy percent of what I owe Blair. But...Oh, I can't say this." He rubbed his hair, it was then that Blair noticed the bags under her Father's eyes. He looked really tired and worn out.

"Blair, Mr. Lancaster wants you to marry his son." She didn't stop to wait for Blair's reaction, not looking at her daughter she continued. "He...that's the only way he would let your Father off if you marry his son, Dylan Lancaster."

Blair was quiet for a while, she finally managed to open her mouth "What?" She questioned quietly, she had heard the words well and understood everything her mother had just said as she saw the words come out of her lips. But she had to ask again, just so her mother would prove her wrong. "Why? Why would he say something like that? Just because we owe him money? Dad, what did you tell him?"

"I'm sorry Blair." Was all her Father had to say for Blair to finally understand the guilty looks on her parent's faces. "I tried, but he-"

"You agreed." It wasn't a question. "You guys want to sell me off?"

"No, Blair honey, please don't say it like that," her mother said quickly rushing to her side. "Listen, your father and I aren't selling you, we tried our best Blair, for months, for a way out of this, but Mr. Lancaster stuck with his words. Blair, you have to understand there is nothing we can do about this."

"N-nothing you can..." She gave a small laugh. "I'm dreaming, right? Right? That's all this is, a dream."

Jane turned to her husband. "Don't just sit there Martins. Please say something to her."

"What's there to say?" Blair pushed her mother's hand away. "You two know what I've been through in the last month. It's barely been two months since Richard left, the man I wanted to marry, yet here you are with talks about marriage to another man, a stranger?"

"I'm sorry Darling," her Father told her. "But with time y-you will get to know Dylan more. He is smart, successful, and very handsome. I know things will be hard at first, but you..." He turned to his wife for help with words.

"It's not going to be forever Blair, after a year you can file for a divorce if you want-" her mother tried to speak.

"I don't want a divorce!" Blair shouted to them jumping up. "I don't want to get married, I don't want a divorce. Oh, I feel like such a fool, I can't believe I came here for this."

"Blair-" Her mother tried to speak.

"Goodnight." She said instead and ran up the stairs, heading to her room.

~~~

"No, you don't understand Samantha, I've been married off, and to some man, I do not know."

"Wait, are your parents really serious about this? I thought you were joking. Why would your parents do something like this?" She gave a dry laugh. "They are not serious right, this is some sick prank?"

"I wish Samantha, I wish, but they are really serious about this. They want me to marry someone I do not know...I can't, I won't, but..."

"But what? What's wrong? If they are pressuring you, just leave. You are already a grown woman and they can't control you."

"My... This guy my parents are talking about...his father, my Dad owes him, something like that I wasn't listening to them. They concluded that if I marry their son...This is not happening, Samantha. My mother said I can file for divorce after a year, but-"

"But nothing, are you considering this? Pack your bags and come back home. For crying out Blair, we both know you are...as much as I hate you to say this, you are not well Blair, not in the right state and l know you are not ready to talk about it, but this isn't something you need on your head now. How about..." Blair was distracted by her door opening and her mother walking in.

"Hey, Samantha, I'll call you later."

"Later? Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry that I brought that up, but-"

"No, you didn't do anything. My mum is here." She ended the call, not giving Samantha the chance to say another word. "What do you want mother?"

"Mother? Seriously that's what you call me now? I know you're angry with me, but you have to understand-

"No, you stop. Ok, you guys never understand anything, nothing at all and now you expect me to? You do things the way you want to do them, you don't care who you hurt along the way."

"Don't speak like that Blair. You know your Father and I would never purposely do anything to hurt you, we love you and want the best for you."

Blair scoffed. "No, you don't. Just leave."

"Blair listens to me," her mother insisted, not moving. "We don't want this, your Father and I were not looking at this. That's why we've been trying to raise enough money to pay off, paying with what we currently have spelled doom for your Father's business. It would collapse and why that is not more important than your happiness, we have-"

"So, I am now the solution? Mom, I do not want to get married to a stranger, not to anyone. You know how Richard's betrayal affected me, you know I still haven't healed from that, and now this?"

"I know darling, I know. But please just do this, for us, please." Blair looked away from her mother. "Blair please."

"I don't want to get married," she cried.