Chapter Four

"Will you marry me?" Mark asked again.

The look on Abigail's face was of utter confusion and shock. She wondered if she had heard him wrong, afterall the music was loud but after the second time, she knew it wasn't her hearing. Mark had really asked what she thought she heard. When he told her they needed to talk, never in a million years did she expect she was about to be proposed to.

"I heard you the first time, Mark. Is this some kind of a joke?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't joke with something as serious as a lifetime partnership" Mark smirked. There was something knowing about his smile that irked her.

Abigail stared at him. A blank expression coursed through her face that she couldn't tell if this was some stupid prank he had devised yet again to piss her off. It wouldn't be the first time anyway, but this one was new.

Mark was the son of the top 10 billionaires in the United States, and ever since his father retired and he became CEO, he had made it his life mission to try and sabotage her. And she understood she was a force to be reckoned with. She had worked her ass off to get to where she was, but he didn't seem like he had worked a day in his life.

"I know what you are thinking. Where's the ring, right? But it's not my fault that I planned on getting you a ring but unexpectedly met you here today. This is not the usual bar you frequent."

Mark was met with a blank stare. Abigail didn't want to speak just yet. She wanted to give him the opportunity to expose himself. It seemed her suspicions were right. Mark knew something he shouldn't know.

"You seem a little confused, my love."

"Explain yourself." Abigail gritted. Her patience was running thiner and thiner with every word he spoke. A sound that resembled a chuckle escaped from Mark's lips.

"You look so cute when you are confused."

Abigail's eyes shot daggers at him. If he wasn't going to speak soon, she'd definitely have to leave.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Mark raised his hands in mock surrender. "But is it so hard to believe someone would want to marry you?"

Abigail's heart went stiff.

"I don't know what's going on here, but if you don't make yourself clear, I'm leaving." She answered in a taut voice.

"You really don't believe anyone is willing to marry you, do you?" Mark said, smirking in between his teeth.

Abigail stood abruptly and snatched her bag off the table. She motioned to leave but was stopped in her tracks by Mark.

"Wait" She sat back down. Her hands were folded around her chest as she waited for an explanation. "First of all, what in the world would make you think I'd want to marry you?"

"Well, I'd assumed it would be a great deal for you since you need a marriage certificate to claim your company."

She went stiff again. It was clear to her that this was what Mark knew about her. Her gut was right. He had somehow gotten the information that she was nothing more than an acting C.E.O. How he got the information was what she didn't know, but she was determined to find out and make whomever is responsible pay.

"I know the contract your father made with your grandmother before he died."

"I do not believe I understand what you are trying to say." Abigail tried to play it cool, trying to see other things Mark knew for herself.

"Oh, come on, Abigail. We both know the only reason you are in that chair is because your grandmother still believes you'll eventually get married, and I'm only offering my services as a husband to you. We could grow the empire together. With Donald inc and Weston corp merged together, we'd become an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. A llegacy even. It's a win-win for both of us."

"And if I say no?"

“Well that would be an unwise decision considering you don't really have options. So, what do you say?"

"I'll think about it." Abigail didn't know how much more he knew, but whatever he knew, he didn't say anything.

Abigail went home that night and didn't get much sleep. She stayed up all night going over what Mark had said. He was right, anyways. If she was going to get the rights to her company she worked so hard to get to the top for, then she'd have to get herself a man. But before now, she had been very content with just being the face of the company.

Her grandmother's words echoed in her mind."

If you wont get married for yourself, do it for your kids."

She did not like the idea of getting married, she had seen firsthand what marriage could do to a person. What letting your guard down could turn you into. How someone you trust could betray you, and she wanted that far away from her.

Her mother had suffered greatly when her father had decided to make his mistress his legal wife. It was since then Abigail had vowed never to depend on any man or get married. She didn't need a man; she was Abigail Weston, and she made sure her father knew before he died that she wasn't willing to share her empire or legacy with any man. Of course, back then her father, would protest but she didn't care.

Now that she thought about it, putting a marriage cause on her inheritance was definitely something he could do. It was always his way of things, and even in death he was still that way. She knew one thing though, and it was that Mark was right. She did need to get married for her kids at least, but Mark wouldn't do. There was the likelihood that he just wanted access to her company, and if she were to initiate a divorce afterwards, she may lose half of what she worked for and even if there was a prenuptial agreement, there was still too much at stake.

But she had no options unless…

****

"Maurice, Elise, Denise. It's time for breakfast. Hurry up, Mama's gotta go to work."

It was 7:30am, and Abigail hadn't gotten any sleep yet. She had stayed up all night, evaluating things and she had come up with a perfect plan. One that would both benefit her and her kids. She had made up her mind to get married, but not to Mark.

Each of her kids came running down the stairs two minutes later, wearing matching outfits. The girls wore a blue T shirt and a skirt while Denis had a blue shirt and pants.

"Good morning, mama!" They all said in unison.

"Oooou. Toast and scrambled eggs, my favorite!" Maurice grinned.

"Mine too!" Elise jumped in. They all took their various sits and dug in.

"Denise, take your seat."

"I don't want anything, mom." Denise said, folding his hands on his chest.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not hungry.”

Abigail dropped her coffee on the counter surprised at her son's behavior.

"Did something happen at school yesterday?"

"Nope"

"Girls?"

"Yes, mom. Denise almost got into a fight with this kid because he wouldn't stop saying I'm fatherless."

"Shut up, Elise!" Denise screamed at his sister.

"Hey! Stop that. No fighting with your sister."

Denise looked away.

"Now why didn't you tell me anything last night?"

"It doesn't matte. Plus, you looked tired and we didn't want to bother you."

"Mom is it true that we don't have a dad?"

"No, Maya told us that everyone has a dad. When do we get to meet our dad, mom?" Abigail was overwhelmed with all of these questions. She was even more upset her kids were being called names in school.

She'd have to fix that, if it was the last thing she did she was going to fix it. If she has to expell every single pupil that has insulted her kids she would.