Chapter two

Zoey stood still, not sure how much time went by before she finally spoke. 

“ You fixed a date for my wedding and I am just hearing about it? ”.

“ It was a rush decision and you are lucky that it is you he wants”.

 Alex expressed and she scoffed sarcastically at the word that just flew out of his mouth. 

Although Zoey wasn't into the internet or any celebrity news, she had heard so much about him and the bad reputation that preceded him. 

“ I am sorry but I am not getting married to Zander Clint”.

“ Zoey, this is not a decision you have a say in it”.

“ It is my life and revolves around me, so I should have a say”.

“ I am sorry darling, but you do not have a say in it!! Get ready while Sasha and I pick a wedding gown for you tomorrow, I believe that is all you will be needing right? ”.

Elizabeth inquired. 

“ And if I chose not to be present there? ”.

“ Then you will have your mother's Corpse in your hand by nightfall”. Alex replied in a dark tone that sent a shiver down her spine. 

“ What! What are you talking about Father? ”.

“ Your mother has been critically ill and requires a huge sum of money for the surgery, but I won't be able to pay for her surgery because I owe Zander Clint a huge sum of money and will be forced to pay it back unless you marry him”.

 Listening to the old man speak, Zoey froze that instant, caressing her sweaty palm. 

“ My mother has been sick, and you all kept it away from me, you all are monsters”. She cried out but Elizabeth and Sasha giggled seeing her in tears, they knew that they finally crumbled her. 

“ He is not that bad Zoey, just get married to him and once the loan has been canceled, you can go ahead and divorce him, then continue your life just the way it was”.

 Alex spoke, but this time in a calm tone. 

“ I will accept, but first, I have a request”.

“ Go ahead and speak”.

“ I want to see my mother before the wedding”. She demanded and just then, the residence cell phone rang. 

 A white male with an impressive height and domineering aura strides through the hallway of the large and famous Clint Empire with a large number of bodyguards strolling behind him. He wore an expensive designer suit that hung around his body perfectly, his shiny jet-black hair was styled Jerry's role and the air around him was warm but intimidating. 

His secretary Ms. Sophia Wells, a white female in her early thirties walked next to him while reading out his schedule for the day from her iPad. 

She wore a black tight skirt that was above her knee and a white shirt that was perfectly tucked inside her skirt, her perfume light rose and berry emanating around the entire hall as she walked. 

“ Is that All for today? ”.

” Yes Sir, and also the board will like to know how your search for a wife is coming and if we are truly witnessing your wedding this week? ”.

“ I see that my uncle is so desperate to get rid of me, tell them there will be a wedding in three days and contact Sebastian as soon as possible”.

 His voice was dark and commanded so much authority. 

“ Yes Sir”. Ms Wells replied and stopped right before the elevator as she watched him step in, two of his guards also followed behind. 

Ms. Wells pulled out her cell phone from the black purse that was tucked around her arm and immediately dialed Sebastian's family home. 

After three rings, A deep male voice came through. 

“ The Sebastian's residence”.

“ Do I have Mr. Alex on the line? ”.

“ Yes you do, so please go ahead and speak”.

“ Mr. Clint would like to know if the deal is still on or should he be expecting the sum of fifty billion dollars paid in full? ”.

Ms. Wells inquired professionally and Alex's gaze trailed around Zoey who stood anxiously. 

“ Tell him that he has nothing to worry about, the wedding will take place as agreed”.

“ Great, so I will send you details of the venue and our guest list, then you can go ahead and include your guest but bear in mind that what Mr. Clint wants is a small wedding with just a few friends and the board members, also no press should be present there”.

“ That won't be a problem, we will keep to all his demands”.

“ Great! See you in three days”. She replied and ended the call, a satisfactory smile filled his eyes as he stared at his family who also had a smirk on their face. 

“ Does this mean that I get to see my mother? ”. Zoey inquires, slashing abruptly their excitement. 

“ Yes you will see your mother, but considering that you are the daughter of a lying slut, I do not trust your words”.

“ What are you saying Ma? ”.

“ That you won't be seeing your mother until after the wedding”. Zoey widened her eyes in disbelief at the people she called family. 

“ And how do you expect me to believe that you are going to keep to your word? ”.

“ Because I am your father Zoey and will never lie to you, You will see your mother once you are done exchanging martial vows, I promise”.

“ Does that mean that my mother doesn't get to see me exchange marital vows? ”. She lowered her eyelid, hoping to push back the tears that were slowly creeping out. 

“ I am sorry Zoey, but your mother is critically ill and can't attend such an occasion, that is the more reason we need to fasten up with her treatment”.

“ Despite everything this woman has gone through, I still have to strike a deal with you before you do something as simple as paying her hospital bill, up till today, I am still baffled as to how she fell in love with a man like you! ”.

 Zoey expressed, her gaze filled with disgust and she scurried upstairs. 

Zoey pulled out her phone the moment she was inside an empty room with just a mattress and a wardrobe, She dialed a number and listened carefully as it kept on ringing. 

“ Eva Stone on the Line, how may I help you? ”. Eva teased speaking in her usual cheerful tone. 

“ Eva! ”. That was the only word she could let out before her voice broke down in tears. 

“ Hey…. Shi…. Shi… Don't do that, don't!! Take a deep breath”. Zoey inhales and exhales loudly hoping to Calm down. 

“ Talk to me, what is going on? ”.

“ Mother is sick and these monsters I call family are insisting that I must get married to someone in three days before she can be admitted to the hospital”.

“ Oh mine! That is bad, why would they want you to get married and who is the suitor”.

“ Some famous CEO name Zander Clint, they claim to owe him a huge amount of money and I am getting sold to him in exchange for the money”.

 The other end of the phone was silent for a while before Eva spoke again. 

“ You are getting married to Zander Clint? Oh my God dear friend, they are sending you on a suicide mission”.

“ I do not care about myself or anything that might happen to me at that, all I am interested in is my mother's health and no one seem to give a fuck if she dies! ”.

“ Your mother will be fine, but I am not so sure about you, the only way Zander was able to grow his company within a space of five years was through murder and torture, whoever refused to do business with him, he either murdered them or cut off their limbs until they finally accepted”.

“ That is brutal, how will a human do such a thing to his fellow human”.

“ That is just who he is”.

“ What do I do Eva, if I do not get married to him then I might lose my mother and she is the only one in this world that I have left”.

“ How did you end up with a family like this, I am so sorry Zoey that there is nothing I can do to help you in a situation like this”.

“ It is alright, I have accepted my fate and I hope that you will be there for me on that day”.

“ I will dear friend, that is the list that I can do, when is the wedding? ”.

“ In three days. ”.

“ What! So fast, are they so anxious to feed you out to the wolf? ”.

“ I guess they are”. Her voice was calm and her heart broke into a million pieces as the tears rolled down from her eyes. 

The call ended and Zoey scurried down to the bathroom where she quickly had a bath before going downstairs to prepare dinner for the family. 

When she first moved into Sebastian's mansion with her mom when she was twelve years old, there were several maids, but realizing that her mother was a good cook, Elizabeth fired all the staff at the mansion, Zoey and her mother were left with all the chores in the gigantic mansion. 

When her mother finally became sick and was confined to the basement, Zoey took over all the house chores including cooking which of course was her favorite chore. 

She made dinner and served the table before alerting them that dinner was ready, then she went over to the laundry room, and with the help of the washing machine, She was able to do all the laundry at home and then went back to the table where they were done eating, cleared it out, did the dishes and finally retired to her room that was so small that she referred to it as a shackle.