CHAPTER 3

Jakob’s POV

My head pounded and I groaned as I opened my eyes. The pain was excruciating and I almost blacked out just from the sheer intensity of it. 

“You're finally awake.” I heard a voice said I groaned for a different reason. Of course, my father had to be there when I woke up. 

My brain provided information of what had happened in a flash. The drinking. The argument with Daniel. Driving. And finally, the accident. 

It had been irresponsible of me to drive while being drunk I was sure my father being here was a punishment for that. 

“Father.” My voice didn't sound at all like mine. It sounded as though it had been sandpapered and then passed through gravel. 

I managed to open my eyes despite the blinding light that only reminded me of the truck that had rammed into me. I briefly wondered what had happened to the driver of the truck and hoped they didn't get in trouble for what was my fault. 

“Careful.” Another voice interjected as I tried to lift myself up. That was when I realized we weren't alone. When I could properly see, I noticed Daniel standing beside my father, alongside a doctor and two nurses. 

A glance around me told me I was in a private ward. Of course, only the best for the heir. Only Daniel seemed to sympathize with my predicament. Father looked disappointed and there was a mix of disgust in his expression. The doctor and nurses had no expressions on their faces. That might have come from training so the higher ups don't fire them for looking at the irresponsible kid of a billionaire with disgust. 

I couldn't sit up and finally gave up on it. I laid back on the pillows put on the bed to cushion my head and back with the help of the nurses. It had to be really bad if I wasn't able to sit up on my own. 

“What's the verdict?” I asked when I settled. The doctor looked at my father who gave a subtle nod of his head for him to go on. 

“Well, the accident was a fatal one and it is only by sheer luck that you got out of it with your life. However, you didn't make it out completely whole.” The doctor swallowed, afraid to go on. 

I looked on, wiping all emotions for my face. It wouldn't bode well to allow the people around me see the emotional turmoil going on inside me. That was one thing father would never forgive. 

“Well?” I prompted when the doctor stopped talking. 

“You will be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of your life. The accident had shattered the nerves holding your tendons together, alongside your bones. We might be able to insert rods into your legs but building up tendons was impossible. You won't be able to walk again.” 

I froze in shock. That can't be true. My legs feel fine. As soon as that thought occurred, I realized I hadn't felt my leg. I tried to flex it but nothing. It was as if it wasn't a part of my body. 

It slowly sank in that I had no legs anymore. I wouldn't be able to walk, move about on my own or even have sex. Fuck! Just one reckless movement and I had to repay the consequences for life? 

“Leave us.” Father commanded and I looked up in time to see the doctors and the nurses scramble. Daniel looked torn. He didn't know whether to stay or not and I couldn't blame him. My father was furious and it didn't matter who was around, he would unleash his anger on everyone. 

When it was clear that they had left, he came closer to where I laid, resisted. 

“What exactly was the point of this rubbish you did?” I kept my mouth shut knowing anything I said would piss him off further. 

Daniel looked at me with sympathy and then slid out of the room quietly. He didn't want to be here when the flood of anger started. 

“Answer me, Jakob!” He didn't yell at me but it felt as if he had. It would have been better if he had. 

“I'm sorry, father. I didn't mean to disgrace the family name.” I apologized and shut the hell up. He was angry and trying to argue with him was like pouring water into a basket. 

I knew he cared more about the damage my actions had done to his reputation than about my health. That was his dynamic and I couldn't fault him. 

I saw him visibly take a calming breath and that surprised me a little. He usually didn't stop until he had his final words, especially not in a conversation where he had the upper hand. That was even more terrifying than him yelling. 

“You have made a mistake. One that couldn't be fixed and you're obviously already suffering from it. I have a half mind to disown you and remove you from everything that had to do with me but I found a better way for you to be useful.” 

I wondered what it could be. I wouldn't put it past him to do what he had said which was why every word that came out of his mouth surprised me. 

My father didn't believe in redemption. He didn't believe in second chances. Being his only child must be the reason why I was getting this special treatment. 

“There are two conditions that would stop me from totally ruining your life by cutting you off and you WILL follow them to the end. I don't want to listen to any excuses from you as that would only increase the chances of me going back to my earlier plan.” I knew it was going to be something basically impossible for me to do but I nodded and listened to him anyway. 

“First, a year from now, you will assume the position of the CEO. During that year, you will learn everything that needed to be learnt, including shadowing me. I have employed someone to be at your beck and call since you can now only move around in a wheelchair.” 

The looked at me in disgust before continuing. 

“That brings me to the second condition. You have to get married.” 

I laughed out loud. I hadn't meant to but it was funny. My father wanted me to get married when I didn't even have a girlfriend not to talk of a fiancé. Getting married was so farfetched. 

“I've never seen you joke around, father. It's a new look on you.” I said as the laughter subsided. His face didn't move from the way it had been it occurred to me that he wasn't joking. 

Wait? What the actual heck? He truly wanted me to get married? I didn't even feel ready for a relationship, worst of all, a marriage. 

“That's not happening, Dad. I'm not getting married.” I said, anger boiling in my veins. He wanted to mess with my life and I wasn't going to have that. 

“You don't have a say in this. I already found a nice woman for you.” He glanced at his watch. “She and her parents should be arriving in a minute.” 

The anger boiling in my veins became even hotter. “I don't want any pathetic woman whom you have paid to come here, father. Send her and her parents back. I am not getting married. Especially not to someone you picked out!” 

He gave me a smile that reminded me of a shark that had found a prey. “As I said, you don't have a say in this. The moment you disobey, all of your accounts will be frozen. Your assets belong to me, including the house you currently live in. I want to see how you'll survive without money, my name and proper health care!”

It was terrifying his much a threat could sound so calm. He was right. I wouldn't survive but that didn't mean I wanted to marry a gold-digging bitch who must have said yes because it was me. 

Before we could say anything further, a knock sounded on the door. My father walked to it and exchanged a few words with the people by the door. From where I was, I could only see a flash of pink and hear faint voices. 

Soon, he turned back to me and gave me a look that told me to behave. He left, leaving the door open for someone who stood by the door. After a beat of silence, she walked in. 

Her mother must have been the one wearing pink since she was decked in blue and black. She looked back at the door as if she wanted to escape and I hated her on sight. 

She would be good at pretending since currently looked as though she wanted to escape. 

“You're not mandated to be here. You can leave, you know?” I said in spite and her head snapped up to look at me properly since she walked in. 

A jolt passed through me. She was beautiful but her beauty was marred by the fact that she was nothing but a greedy bitch who took advantage of situations like this. 

Her shoulders heaved as she dropped her head back down and I wondered briefly if I had made her cry. If that was it, then it was too easy and she was a coward. 

A sound escaped from her and I realized she was…laughing?

“You look even more terrible than I had expected.” Her voice came between her laughter and I frowned. 

“Leave!” I said and she sobered. 

“Trust me, I want to. Nobody wants to be shackled to a rude person like you but until I can convince my parents that getting married to you was worse than death, we're together for now.”

Her words stunned me into silence, something rarely accomplished.