Chapter 2

Gwen's POV

I couldn't believe my father could say something as such, I looked from him to my mother probably to hear he was only joking but that doesn't seem to be the case.

"Dad, don't tell me you are really serious about what you said just now." I asked, still finding it hard to believe.

"I am serious, you have to get married to the son of the chief judge, it's the only way we can get out from this mess." His response to me was quick.

"I wouldn't get married to someone I don't have any emotional connection with!" I declared, my voice was slightly raised.

"You will and that's final." He yelled back at me and I decided I wasn't listening to him anymore, I stormed off.

"Victoria, you get your daughter to do this or we are all going to lose out big time." I heard him say to my mother as I opened the door to my room.

I was still in my room when I heard a knock on the door. I stood up and opened the door to see my mother staring at me.

"Can I come in?" She asked, trying to gauge my reaction.

I didn't reply to her, I only moved out of the way for her to come in. I was still angry about my father talking of marrying someone I haven't even met before not to talk of having an emotional connection with. I was still angry at them both.

I saw her drop on the bed and she gestured for me to sit close to her but I knew what she wanted to talk about already so I just stood my ground, while staring at her, my hands folded on my belly.

"Can I talk to you?" She said to me in a low voice, "Come sit with me."

"There's nothing to talk about, I can't marry someone I have no feelings for!" I stood back defiantly, not giving her the chance to say another word.

My mother smiled at me, her eyes were boring into mine, she was probably looking for the right words to say.

"Please my cutie," I heard her cough briefly before finding her voice to continue. "The family would be here anytime soon, be nice to him."

"I don't want to meet them!" I blurted out, and I got an impassive look from her. Discussing the issue alone only seems to annoy me the most, they don't care about my feelings nor do they respect my opinion. I loved my father very much and didn't want him to go through these hard times, especially going to jail but what they were asking of me is just too much.

"Do this for me," she said then paused, I noticed her eyes were dull and lacking the usual ambience. "Even if it's the last thing you'd do for me in the world."

I looked at her with shock. "Last thing in the world? What are you talking about mum?" I was alarmed and immediately moved closer to her.

My mother sighed, then took one long breath before she replied.

"I'm dying, I only have a few months to live." She blurted and I instantly froze.

******

"The Gilbert's just arrived sir." The Butler announced to my father.

"Good. Bring them in right away!" He ordered.

The thought of marrying a totally strange man still feel like a big burden to me, I didn't know what to expect but I just knew I had to do it. I knew perfectly how much it means to my family so I just have to come through for them.

I was already seated in one of the plush sofas awaiting the arrival of our guests and looking at my father, he seemed tense, maybe thinking I'd change my mind at the last minute.

The door to the living room opened and Gilbert strolled in. I looked up to see that the two men had striking resemblance, the only difference being the younger one had a scowl on his face, clearly not happy to be here at our home.

“Emory you old tiger, it's been a while” The older man smiled as he extended my father's hands.

“Attorney Frederick, I can see you are doing well,” My father tried to sound cheerful, grabbing Frederick's hands.

Frederick smiled at my father, then his eyes finally settled on me "Law has its perks. And this must be your daughter”.

I smiled at him trying to maintain my composure, “It’s an honor to meet you… sire”. I stuttered the last bit.

Fredrick nodded, his eyes settling on his son. "This is my son, Andrew."

Andrew murmured some greetings to my father and settled down on the sofa following my father's gesture and totally ignoring me.

"Let's go discuss in my study and leave these two to catch up." I heard my father say to Fredrick and they left immediately.

"So, tell me more about you." I tried to make a conversation with Andrew but he remained silent and not even sparing me a glance. That really hurt me as I hate being ignored and I suddenly felt the urge to yell or slap the smug look off his face but I controlled myself and decided to ignore him also.

I knew Andrew to be a cold, stony person from what I had read in the news and from my own little digging but I never imagined he'd be this worse. Agreeing to marry him had only been because of my mother, I was sad to know she was battling with lung cancer and only had little time left. I just hoped and prayed our family would go back to how it used to be but I knew that might never be possible.

"You have to understand something," Andrew said to me after a long silence then paused to gain my attention. "We are only getting married on paper, nothing else attached."

I was surprised at how he said that with no emotion, he didn't even blink an eye when he said that to me. I was talking again when the front door creaked open and a man on black tuxedo suit walked into the living room.

"Rickard? What the hell are you doing here?" I saw Andrew's gaze darkened, clearly not welcoming the new company.

"Hello brother, that's not anyway to welcome a family, is it?" Rickard grinned, waving briefly at me.

Andrew didn't say anything to that, I only saw him tighten his fist, his gaze still focused on Rickard who was now grinning from ear to ear.