Chapter 7

Benefits

MY mouth fell open again for the second time. It's like I didn't expect that the man I encountered on the highway a while ago is also the man that I will meet that day.

Aged Harrison next to him tsked. I also shook my head and he did the same.

"Damien, meet the daughter of your uncle Raul, Aurora Torres... Your soon-to-be wife,"

He immediately frowned as he glanced at his father... "Dad-"

"Oh, Damien, I don't want to hear some objection. We've already discussed this, right?"

I tried to cut their conversation. "Nice meeting you, Mr. Damien Harrison." I held out my palm without thinking because my palm spontaneously had a thought.

He looked at my clear palm then looked into my eyes. "Dad, will you leave us alone?" he speaks to his father. "Let me talk to her alone,"

"But-"

"Don't worry about us, dad. We are old enough to settle this conversation just between us."

I feel a little bit of embarrassment because he didn't even reach my handshake. I slowly withdrew my palm and hid it behind my waist.

"Okay, I will trust your words, Son." He then looked in my direction. "Aurora, I had your words also. Now that you are facing my son, I assumed you already decided about the marriage plan. Now, I will leave with total confidence that the marriage that was interrupted before will move ahead. You two informed me when is the wedding, okay?"

We both didn't answer him. He just smiled and walked while carrying his suitcase.

"Sit down, Aurora,"

I sighed when I heard him mention my name. I looked at him with a raised forehead. I nodded and sat back in my chair. He also sits down and occupies where his father sat a while ago.

We both stared at each other, it was only interrupted when the crew arrived carrying the food ordered by his father. I waited until they finished arranging it for our table.

I cleared my throat when the two waiters left. "So you are also against their crazy plans?"

"So much."

"Then, why didn't you make a way so that your father wouldn't insist on it?"

He frowned. "In what ways? Like what you did to your parents, runaway?"

I was shocked by what he answered me. "If you really don't want to, there are many ways."

"Then, give me some ideas. How?"

"Marry someone else- how about your girlfriend?"

"You are not thinking. How can I marry another woman if I know what will happen?"

"Why, are you afraid to lose your power as an heir of your family? You are afraid of suffering so you prefer to be obedient?"

"I am not afraid,"

"Oh, really?"

"What I am afraid of- is our company. I learned that my father will give it away to our foundations. He will divide it to everyone, then, what will happen to our workers whose only hope is this company? Before I decided to myself, I thought of other people's well-being. Not like you, the only thing you thought about was yourself."

I crease. "What?"

"You ran away just to free yourself. You came back because of your Dad's situation. And now, what? Why didn't you stand up for your disobedience to your parents?"

I frowned, even more, when I looked at him. "I think, I don't have to answer your questions. It's my decision, so, why do you care?"

He smirked. "Now you came back, I guess, you agree to marry me?"

"Yes," my direct reply.

"Hm... Exactly what I think,"

"Think about?"

"What is your reason why you will accept rather be declined it now, huh?"

"Because I want your family to return, Mommy and I are right to the property that Daddy left us."

"But you have nothing left,"

My mouth dropped. "Nothing, what do you mean?"

"You haven't any idea that your father is addicted to gambling again."

"A-again? G-gambling?" I frowned even more when he mentioned it.

"Of course, your mother knows that,"

"You're making up a story!" I'm angry at his answer.

"I'm not. My father told me about it, and I also witnessed it with my own eyes. That's why your company collapsed because your father lost a lot of money. It caused millions. My father helped him to build up his company. It was a big change when he was crushed by a lot. Years passed, and Dad thought he would never return to gambling before you run away. He planned to pursue Business Marriage. Well, that's because he lost again the few time he entered the casino. My father rescues him again for the second time around. And then he was depressed by the time you left. He gambled, so my father confiscates all his property, even your house."

"I-I don't know anything about that. They're not telling me about this, mommy isn't telling me anything either."

"Because your mother keeps her mouth shut because she doesn't want you to be angry with your father."

I couldn't answer what he said. I just stared at him.

"That's why Dad tightened up on your Dad because he didn't want to get addicted and use up your remaining wealth, but it seems there's almost nothing left."

"Then let me have my parent's house, I will buy it so that it can remain with us again."

"Why didn't you tell it my father? You can go, convince him."

"You should be the one to convince him. It's your father,"

"I'm out of that issue. Like you, I am also against that bullshit Arranged Marriage but I have no choice. I don't want to consider the workers who depend on Harrison's company."

"Why did he want to manipulate our lives? Our decisions?"

"I don't know."

I sighed. "W-what if I don't want to?"

"Accept that you have no right to any of your father's property. Even the house where you and your mother are living. Now, think twice, woman."

"It's easy to you to say because you... there is nothing to lose!"

He shakes his head. "There is, I cannot totally manage the whole operation of our company. For me, we better engage in this arranged marriage where you and I will benefit from what we wanted."

I can't answer. I'm still against arranged marriage.

"Accept it, Aurora. And let's have acted like a real couple in the eyes of my family. After all, this is only a- business marriage..."