Chapter 3

Lucinda's p.o.v;

"Why are you quitting your job?" Mrs Smith, who's the manager at the nightclub I'm working in, asked me.

'How can I tell her I should quit my work at the bar because it was mentioned in the contract I made with Mr Ackerman?'

"It's just a little change of career,"  I answered calmly. My manager didn't look convinced, but then again, she never did. She was like an old lady who believed that everyone had their own story to tell. "I'm just getting away for a while."

"I see," Mrs Smith said with a sigh, her eyes twinkling. "When will you be coming back?", she asked me, and before I could even answer. 

Since I couldn't tell her about Mr Ackerman, I said, "Soon. I promise."

"Well if you need anything, don't hesitate to call me,"  Mrs Smith said earnestly before walking out of the room.

I watched her leave, my lips slightly curled up in a smile as she left. Her smile was contagious. It warmed my heart a bit when my manager smiled like that because it reminded me how lucky I was to have found such an amazing person when I lost everything because of my father. She was so kind to take me when others didn't. And loving towards all those under her management, no matter what they're capable of doing or saying. The way her soft grey hairs curled around the side of her face, framing her beautiful features, gave off this very motherly aura. It really suits her. The only person I'm going to miss when I quit this job, it'll be her.

Peter, one of my coworkers, took a seat beside me and asked, "Lucy, can you take my shift for tonight?"

I shook my head and replied, "No thank you." 

He looked at me with a confused expression on his face, "Why? Do you have any plans  tonight?"

"No, I'm quitting my job tonight," I explained. 

Peter looked at me with surprised eyes, which caused me to sigh because he doesn't know how to react to that kind of announcement. But Peter's reaction isn't the reason why I've decided to leave work. In truth, it wasn't even my decision. 

"I'm going home." 

Peter looked at me with wide eyes, clearly not expecting this kind of response from me. His eyebrows furrowed together and his mouth twisted into a frown. "What happened? Why are you quitting?" he asked me. 

"Why do I have to say that to you? we're not even friends, Pete."

After I walked out of the club, someone blocked my way dressed up in a suit. 

"Who are you?"  I asked in confusion and annoyance. "Move." I told him firmly. 

"I'm here to drop you at your place as per Mr Ackerman's orders, miss Jones." He said.

"I can go by myself. You can leave." I said in an annoyed tone. 

He was blocking me in, "Miss," he started in a firm voice, "I've been instructed by Mr Ackerman to make sure you get home safely." 

"Do you have a phone?" 

When he nodded, I asked him to make a call to Mr Ackerman. He gave me the phone saying, "Mr Ackerman is on the line." 

I took the phone from the guy in front of me and asked Mr Ackerman, "Why did you send this guy?"  

Mr Ackerman answered from the other side, "I wanted to make sure you were ok."

"That's what all this is about?"  

"That's exactly what this is about."  Mr Ackerman said firmly.

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever. I can take care of myself. I'm not a kid so I don't need anyone to accompany me to my place. And, we're not married yet, Mr Ackerman. So you don't have to worry about me and I don't have to follow your orders."

I gave the phone back to the guy who was sent by Mr Ackerman and said, "Thank you for coming all this way to take me home but I can take care of myself. Tell him I went home safe if he asked you." 

The guy nodded and drove off.

While I was walking, I said, myself, "It wasn't necessary for this guy to come to pick me up."  I grumbled angrily.  "I could just take the subway."  

"The subway's dangerous," said someone from behind me.

I turned around expecting to see the driver who asked me to go with him but instead saw someone else I didn't expect. It was Mr Ackerman himself. He was also dressed nicely as always. He had a black suit, a crisp white shirt, and black tie. He looked more elegant than most businessmen I knew. 

"Are you following me?"  I asked suspiciously. 

"I want to make sure you get home safely."

"Well, thanks but I can find my own way." 

I started to walk away from him but he followed me while asking, "What if those guys from last night come again?"

"I'll deal with them by myself."

"like how you did last night? by allowing them to take you?"

"Don't you have any other things to take care of, Mr Ackerman?" 

"Right now, I don't. By the way, did you quit your job like I asked you?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Good. I planned to have our wedding in a week. Is that okay for you?" 

I nodded as my response and asked,"Will your parents be there at the wedding? I didn't get to see them when I came to your house that day."

"My parents are dead. They both passed away when I was young."

Mr. Ackerman didn't appear upset or concerned when he said his parents died, as if he didn't care.

"Daniel and Levi?" 

"They're my cousins. I have quite a number of cousins. You will meet them soon."

"Will they be there at the wedding?" 

"If you're interested to know the people who are going to be at our wedding, then hear me out. it's going to be Me, You and the ordained minister." 

"That's it?" 

"Yeah. What do you think? Do you find that unacceptable?"

"I don't.''

"It's only for three years anyways. Moreover, I hate crowding. Do you want to invite anyone?"

"No."

I never thought my marriage would be like this. I should have expected this when he made the contract. I guess it was just one more thing I failed to predict. 

"Tell me about yourself," he said. 

"What?"

"Apart from your name, your work and your debt, I don't know anything about you. I want to get to know you." His eyes glistened with an unshed emotion of excitement and curiosity, but his voice was quiet and steady enough for me to tell it was only a facade. 

I looked back at him and said, "I'm Lucinda Jones. I'm nineteen years old. My father and I are originally from Virginia, but we moved here when I was ten years old."

"Why'd you move here?" He asked, leaning forward eagerly.

I sighed and said, "My father gambled a lot during his business career, which resulted in bad results. We lost almost everything and had to sell our house before we could even find another place to live in so we took the chance on moving here, where we could start over and start afresh. But things didn't turn up as he wished. After running out of money, he started taking out loans and gambling again, leaving me with nothing but debts. One day, when I was in school, my class teacher told me that my father committed a suicide by jumping off a building. I know he's a loser but I didn't know he's a quitter until that day."

"What about your mother? Where is she?"

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I don't know. My father never talked about her. Whenever I asked him, he asked me to keep my mouth shut and beat me up. I don't know why either."

"Why would he do such a thing?"

"Maybe because he has nothing else to do. maybe because she left him all alone. or maybe he's jealous because she had a family when he didn't. I don't know."

"But you still have no idea why he did it?"

"I tried asking. He told me that sometimes things just happen."

"Like what?"

"things which we're not supposed to ask about."

He continued looking at me, but eventually his eyes fell on the ground. 

"How about you, Mr Ackerman? Tell me about you." I asked him. 

"Me? Well," he paused for a moment before continuing. "I'm Tyler Ackerman, I was born in London and raised in New York until I was 14. I started working with a company called Foresight Inc. After I left, I decided to work here. Now I own over 70% of this company which is in bankruptcy."

"Do you like your company a lot? because you always talk about it."

"Well, I like it very much. There aren't too many things about my life that make me happier than being able to make a profit every month.  And it's not just about making money. It's also about taking responsibility for our decisions and doing good things with our lives. Sometimes we need more than just money to survive."

"What kind of things do you enjoy?"

"Hmm. For instance, I love music. I've loved watching musicals whenever I get a break from my work. When I was little my mother used to sing to me everytime my father was gone, so I can't help but adore them. She's the reason I liked music."

Earlier he sounded like he didn't care, seems like he does.

He asked me, "Do you like music?" 

"My father beats me whenever I turn on the radio. He says that it gives him a headache so I don't have much experience with music until I started working in a club."

"What about now?" 

I noticed that we came closer to my place so I said to Mr Ackerman, "You can leave. I can take care of it from here."

He nodded and asked, "Are you free tomorrow?" 

"Yeah. Why?"

"Then let's go out to buy the wedding outfits for us."

"Sure."

After he left, I stood in front of my door for another minute and thought about the conversation I had with Mr Ackerman. He does look like a nice guy. He listened to me when i talked about my father which I never did before with anyone and was understanding towards what I said. I never saw him getting into a fight with anyone till yesterday and that was for me too. I never thought someone would stand up for me too. But at the end of the day, I still couldn't answer his question of whether or not I loved music. I couldn't believe I'm getting married in a week. I never thought I'd marry someone when I grew up, but it's happening. 

Did I make the right decision to marry him? It doesn't matter anymore. the contract is signed. The wedding is in a week. Sighs*