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Reece

“Wait, Wait, Wait!” Fabian exclaims. We have had a rough year and our clients are not all paid in full, which has left us strapped.

“How is that my problem.  Learn to manage your company and, I suspect, your spending habits.” I barely lift my eyes from the documents in front of me. “You have twenty four hours to produce the balance of the loan or I am taking your company, Fabian.” I say low and slowly to make sure he gets the full effect of my threat.

“You know that I can’t do that.  Even liquidating everything I own would not produce the amount my company owes.  Is there anything else that I have that I can offer as repayment?”

“Are you trying to bribe me, Fabian?”

“No, never, just , just barter.  There must be something you need or want that I can provide for you.”

“Why would I need anything from a rat like you?”

There’s a long pause that I refuse to break.  Watching him squirm is all part of the fun.  I was going to absorb his company no matter what.  He was a terrible employer and mismanaged all of his clients. He brought a bad stigma to our profession and it was starting to affect the business I was doing, so he had to go one way or another. That was my intention when I offered him the very extravagant business loan in the first place. I am patient and know how to play a long game.

He gets this glint in his eye that I really don’t like before speaking again. “Rumor has it that you are in search of a wife.  Something about an inheritance. My sister just turned 18 and is looking to settle down.  My parents wanted her well provided for so I have spent almost all of our savings sending her to the best schools.  She graduated with honors and her degree in business.  She is going to start working for our family's company since she has no immediate prospects, but I would like to provide the life my parents had in mind for her. She understands that in our circles marriages are like business contracts and she has left it to me to find her a suitable partner.”

I can hardly believe he would be able to choose a suitable toilet for a bathroom, let alone a man to provide unconditionally for his sister. And I don’t believe for a second that this greedy little f**k spent any significant amount of money on her or her education.  It must have been provided in a way that he couldn’t touch it. But he is not wrong, I do have a deadline over my head, now more than ever, to find a wife.  Maybe I can convince her to go through with this and at the very least protect her from this raving idiot.  I’m not interested in love either, I was burned once and it will never happen again.  That wall will remain up forever.

Copyright ©️ 2022 Miss L Writes and Ember Mantel Productions

“Well, lets see how serious she is then, I will be by your uptown house at 9 am sharp tomorrow morning to collect her.  If I like what I see, you have a deal. I will forgive your loan, and bring you on as a partner of sorts, while we build up your company again.”

There was no way I was partnering with this a**hole, but he looked like a kid who got Christmas early as I said it.  I bet he won’t even read the fine print on the contracts.  My lawyer gets paid very well to get me the best deals with the best outcomes.

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Lindsey

“What’s up Fabian? I’m in the middle of registering for my classes, I need to get this done before they fill up and I leave for Europe in a week. I don’t want to have to  worry about it while I travel.”

“Forget that, I need you home ASAP, do you understand?”

“Fabian, What’s the matter, why do you sound like you ‘re going to cry?”

“Just get home please, we need to talk face to face, now, alright?”

“Alright, give me twenty minutes, traffic is going to be a nightmare this time of day. I’ll see you soon.”

My brother has always been dramatic and a little overbearing, but he’s the only family I have left.  Our Gran passed away a couple years ago and she was who I was the closest to after mom and dad passed.  She wanted to take custody of me after the accident.  I was only ten and he was twenty two at the time and finishing up college.  He was adamant that I stay with him, although during the school year I was at a boarding school and I spent every weekend and holiday with Gran while he was off doing whatever college boys do. He’s just Fabian, and I still love him for trying to keep our family together.

I reached our uptown house in record time. I haven’t been here in a year. I got my own place near campus since seniors were allowed to live ‘off campus’ in a couple apartment blocks owned by some of the donors to the school.  It was still pretty regulated, but couples were allowed the freedom to live together and we had the ability to choose our own housemates. We had to cover our own bills as well, although most of the kids still had their parents paying their way, I thought it was a nice ease into adulting really.

“Fabian?” I called as I entered the two story condo.  It was clean at least, though it smelled like an Axe body spray can went off. Yuck. I’m pretty sure most of the guys I know either moved on to more manly scents or at least learned how to use the stuff so they didn’t smell like a middle school locker room.

I walked along the bright white entryway, there were very few decorations here.  Fabian hired a minimalist decorator a few years back who got rid of everything my mom had done to the place when we were little.  It was all I could do to save a few things that she loved the most.

“Fabian?” I called again, where is he if it was such an emergency?

“Here! I’m up in the guest room.”  He means my old room. It didn’t take long for him to convert the whole condo to a bachelor pad after I moved out.

“What’s such an emergency that I had to risk not getting all of my classes?” I ask incredulously.

“Here, try this on, you look best in black or dark blue with your skin tone and blonde hair.” he threw a way too small dress at me.

“What the hell Fabian? What is going on?”

“Is that what your hair looks like? I’m going to have to bring in a stylist, your own skill is subpar for what we are trying to accomplish.” He’s manic now, talking at me and to himself all at the same time.

“Fabian, stop!” I shout. “What the f**k is going on? What are ‘we’ trying to accomplish? Are you talking about the royal ‘we’ or you and me?” I grab his shoulders, stopping him from pacing the room and looking him dead in the eye. 

You would never know that he was the thirty year old and I was only eighteen, the way our dynamic is.  

“I’m sorry little sister.” He says planting a kiss on my forehead. “I’m just really excited for you that’s all.”

“Why would you be excited for me?” Now I’m nervous, he's got that look that always means trouble and I’m going to have to find a way to bail him out.

“When you were little mom and dad wanted to provide for you the best way they knew how and knowing they were advanced in their years when you came along, they set up a contingency plan to make sure you chose the best life partner.  They promised you to the son of a business partner that goes back generations.  Our families have been friends that long.” He looked at me with wide child-like eyes, and he knew I couldn’t resist. “I didn’t say anything before because I wasn’t even sure if he would follow through on the deal and I didn’t want to get your hopes up if he went another route. But, Lindsey, he approached me today and said he wanted to fulfill the contract and marry you.” He beamed.

“WHAT?!” I screamed. “Are you f**king kidding me? I just turned eighteen, what makes any of you think I want to get married to some stranger? Why would no one have said anything about an arranged marriage? Who even does arranged marriages anymore?” I throw the dress at him and I’m looking for other things to launch his way when he starts pleading with me again.

“Please, Linds, do this for mom and dad. If you marry him you can save the company and all of the employees that mom and dad loved so much.  We need this connection and you are the only one who can make it.”

“You mean ‘you’ need this connection.  I am doing just fine on my own, no thanks to you.  The company is only in ruins because of you.  Why do I have to fix everything?”

You’re right, Linds, I have f**ked up really bad and I don’t know what to do.  I have tried to get help and do better, but it’s taking time and I don’t want to hurt anyone else or let them down.”  

I know this is a guilt trip to get me to do what he wants, he’s always been so good at that, but he also knows I will never let mom and dad’s employees suffer for his mistakes.  I even cashed out most of my school savings to bail him out two years ago.  I have been working my a** off to replenish that account and have a financial planner helping me get the best rates, so I can finish school and follow my dreams without being tied to my brother.

I close my eyes and rub my hands over my face. “When do I have to get married?”