CHAPTER 3:I HAVE NO CHOICE.

It's been less than a week of Marriage to Jeremy Austin,yet we haven't had a single civil conversation.I don't see much of him,he doesn't like me so he's trying to avoid me as much as possible. Jeremy comes home at odd hours,leaving a mess of Empty Scotch glasses and Bottles in his wake.The Guy is clearly an alcoholic that needs help,but it's none of my business.

The door to the studio opened and I turned around with a fright.Thankfully it was only Tom,but I was still surprised but delighted to see his face."Tom,Hi."

"Hi,Darling."Tom crossed the studio towards me,and pulled me into a hug."It's been a few days,How are you doing?" 

"I'm fine..I'm good."I was lying of course.Today was the day and I was a wreck,I'm surprised I made it through class. 

"You don't have to hide your feelings from me,Darling. I had parents..I know what you're going through. I came to pick you up just like we planned."

Just like we planned..Right of course, my head has been all over the place so I guess I forgot.Tom asked if he could bring me to the cemetery for support,Finley is going to be there too.

"Thank you,Tom. I'll grab my things then we can leave."I started clearing up around the studio and Tom did too. 

"How are things with my Son?" 

The dreaded question. Tom was the only one I could really vent to,but then again I couldn't really tell Tom how horrible his son was. 

"Um sure..We're fine. Things are going great."Ugh,You might have overdone it a tad,Vanessa,especially with the fake smile. 

"Again,You don't need to hide your feelings from me,Darling."Tom stacked the chairs that had been used by the parents at class."I know my son is not the easiest person to get on with."

"He's not. Honestly I don't think he likes me very much,I feel like I'm getting in the way even though I never see him.He's not happy about this Arrangement and I understand that."

Tom released a sigh,rubbing his forehead in frustration."My son is angry at me..Not at you. I asked you to do this and you agreed, but he has a part to play in this too.Jeremy needs to grow up and take responsibility,I'm not leaving my lively hood in his hands otherwise."

"I wouldn't have agreed if it wasn't for my Brother,he's already been through enough.I wanted him to be able to have the future he had planned for."

Tom gave me a weak smile."He will never go without,Vanessa..And neither will you.You're an Austin now..The world is at your fingertips."

The world at my fingertips.I can have anything I want because money is no object.Yet,I didn't care about buying designer shoes or a flashy New car,I just wanted to be stable.

I looked into Tom's eyes,he was old and worn out after putting decade of hard work into his business. Long days and Late nights at the office,he should be retired by now. Jeremy is 27 years of age,Tom should he able to rely on his son to be a responsible man and pick up the slack.

As I looked at him I thought about the day we met,the day I agreed to marry his son out of pure desperation.

***

FLASHBACK

It was a Friday at the studio and we were mid way through Ballroom class. It was just another bad day,yet I was holding myself together for the sake of the people that had paid for my services.

"Now Natural turn"I said,and Tom turned facing the wall."Right Foot Forward,Left foot to the side.."He seemed to be getting the hang of it quite well without instruction."You're doing great,Mr Austin."

He smiled."Call me Tom..It's just Tom,Darling.Thank you for standing in for my wife,you're a better dancer than she is believe me."

I chuckled."I guess that's why I'm the teacher. She's the reason you're here today I take it?You're quite good on your feet."

"Unlike you,my wife has two left feet.My Ava never liked to dance,she avoids it when possible,which is most likely why she didn't show up."

"Well I'm here every Friday if she wants to take the chance,I can do private lessons if she's too embarrassed to dance in front of others just yet."

Classes at the Gym is my main source of income,a couple of private lessons could go a long way towards my endless amount of money troubles.

He grinned."I'll let her know."

I wasn't a fool,I knew who Tom Austin was the second he walked into the studio. A Billionaire wanting dance lessons from me,there's a lot out there that are far better than mine. I should count my blessings that he came to me though.

The class had left and I was straight at it myself,empty room and the floor was all mine. Like every time I have the studio rented I made use of my time,with jumps and leaps across the hardwood.

I was in my Zone!!

Imagine doing this on a stage in front of a massive audience,I've done it a couple of times but it was nothing big. 

Is it unrealistic to want to be someone, someone that people talk about and Say things like.."That Ballet with Vanessa Garcia as the lead,I've never seen a girl with so much talent."Yeah,It's pretty unrealistic!!"

I heard my phone ringing at the other side of the room and I walked that way with a sweat on.I picked up my phone and saw that it was a call from Finley.

***

PHONE CALL

"Hi Brother,What's up?"I wiped the sweat off my brow with my towel. 

"Ness,I was called into the office today at college,I was told that our payments were late..Like very behind."

Shit..Shit..Shit!!

A panic coursed through my body and I tried to think of something to say without him worrying."Oh Crap, I forgot all about that. I'll transfer the money to them by Monday,it's too late to go to the bank right now."

Finley sighed."Is everything okay,Ness? Like we still have the savings that Mom and Dad had set aside right?" 

The imaginary savings that I lied and told you we had..Yes I lied to him.I'm his Big sister and I didn't want him to worry."Sure,Everything's fine we have money,I don't want you to worry about that.I've been so busy here at the studio that it slipped my mind." 

Sometimes I find it so easy to lie to him because I do it enough. I know it's for the best. It might reach a point where I can't do this anymore and I'll have no choice but to tell him..But for now I'll keep it to myself. 

"Well alright.I'll still see you for dinner on Sunday,Right?" 

I faked a smile,even though he wasn't in front of me.It just made it easier for me to be happy despite wanting to fall apart."Sure,I wouldn't miss it."

END OF PHONE CALL 

***

I hung up the phone and sat down on a plastic chair that had been left out from the evening class.I felt total despair,holding my face in my hands and crying.What are you doing to do,Vanessa?

Finley's tuition was way past overdue and I didn't have close to what they needed. I had some..Just not enough.They're going to kick him out of school..Of course they will if we're not paying for him to be there. 

Jesus Christ,Vanessa!! 

"Are you okay,Darling?" 

I looked up and saw Mr Austin standing by the door to the studio, looking like he was ready to take pity on me.His face told me everything. 

I stood up,wiping my wet face with the sleeve of my Bolero wrap cardigan."Mr Austin,What are you doing here?" 

"I forgot my jacket,"He pointed to his jacket that was hung over the back of the chair i had been sitting on.

"Oh,Right."I picked up the expensive navy suit jacket and handed it to him.

"Thanks,Darling."He took it from me and smiled lightly."I couldn't help but overhear your conversation..Is everything okay?" 

"Sure everything is fine,Just family stuff."I'm sure Tom Austin has never known struggle like I have,not money struggle at least. 

"I know I'm a stranger to you,Vanessa. You don't know me..But I know what it's like to feel alone. If you want to talk about it I'm a good listener."

I wiped another tear from my cheek,I had started and now I just couldn't stop."My Brother,I've been working so hard to keep him in college but I can't do it anymore.What I make isn't covering the cost of what he needs,I just feel like I'm letting him down."

He sighed."Trying your best to do something for someone isn't letting them down.You seem like you have an awful lot on your shoulders for such a young girl."

I walked back towards the chair and sat down."It's what I've had to do,he's older now but Finley is still my responsibility.My parents would have wanted me to look out for him,he's my brother.I need to see him through college so he can get his degree."

Tom Austin stood in front of me in thought."I have a solution to your problem."

I looked up at the tall man."I'm not taking money from you,Mr Austin. I wouldn't feel right about that.I don't want to be that Girl that needs to take handouts to get by."

"I would get something from this too, so you don't need to feel bad about a thing. I can take care of anything you need but I need you to help me out with something."

Help him out with something.What could Tom Austin possibly want from a girl like me."What?" 

He stepped closer,Kneeling down in front of me he took my hand gently."My son..I need you to marry him."

His son..Jeremy Fucking Austin with the huge throbbing cock video that's plastered all over the Internet.Jeremy is bad news..Although the women in his life might have great things to say about him,his persona was appalling. 

Why the hell would a man like Jeremy agree to marry a Girl like me?

I looked down at him,feeling more of a panic now."Marry your son,I can't do that. I don't know him..He doesn't know me."

"I don't expect you to fall in love with him,Darling. A year of your life is what I'm asking for and I know it's a lot.At the moment my Son isn't fit to run a business,he isn't a likeable character but I think you could change that. You could make him look responsible and trustworthy."

I'm sure there would be a queue of desperate women lining up to marry the Austin Billionaire, but I just couldn't bring myself to agree to it."I'm sorry,Mr Austin.I can't marry your son."

"It's okay,I understand."He Rose to his feet with his suit jacket in his arms."It was nice meeting you,Darling."

I forced a smile,although my emotions were everything but."You too."

I watched him from my chair as he crossed the Studio and left. I felt bad for telling him no,despite not wanting to say yes..But that's just the person I am.

Pierce from the front desk stood by the door of the studio."Vanessa, Robert wants to speak with you about your rent on the studio.You're falling behind,even though he would rather you stay he'll have no choice but to rent the space to someone else."

Things just went from bad to worse!!

What am I going to do..How am I going to make this work?

Of course I could go against everything I believe in and take Tom Austin up on his offer. A year of my life married to a Man I don't know but I could be set up f or life.It would get Finley through college and I'll be able to keep my space at the studio. 

Do I have a choice? NO!! I'm going to have to marry that man. 

END OF FLASHBACK 

***