Chapter 2

Through the corner of my eyes, I noticed Erica hiding in a corner. 

She was grinning mischievously. She winked and signaled for me not to blow her cover. 

I ignored her. I was sure whatever this was, smart Erica already had prior knowledge about it. 

My stepmom sat like a rigid statue next to my dad, looking very displeased. This was not good. 

The visitors in this setting looked so out of place. They both reeked of insane wealth. The older one was probably

the guy's father as I could tell from the graying hair and the resemblance they shared. 

The hot guy was still wearing his three-piece dark Armani suit and a Rolex watch. He had no expression on his face. 

Was my cover blown?

"Sit, my dear," Dad weakly said.

I gulped internally and prayed to all the gods of the universe that I was not going to be grounded for eternity for defying my father's strict orders. 

My father, Mr Bennett Montague, was very principled but was now defeated. 

Ever since my mom passed a few years ago in the same accident that rendered him crippled, he became a shadow of himself. 

He remarried out of necessity. 

Mom was an artistic soul. She was into music, literature and fashion and she rocked at doing all these things. I loved and adored her. So did Dad. 

Things took a really big downturn when Mom went into a coma due to the shock from the accident. Dad, also trying to recover from the pain of his surgery, was wrecked. His business collapsed because he spent heavily on her treatment and had spent most of his time by her side. 

As I looked into my father's face as I sat down mechanically in the empty seat, I tried to read his expression.

Dad cleared his throat and I shifted uncomfortably, especially since I could feel the laser glare of Mr You-know-who on me. 

"We understand that you were trying to get your beauty sleep, dear," Dad said, "But something urgent came up that we invariably had to discuss tonight."

"Okay?" I say in a questioning tone. I tried my best not to come off as terrified but I was failing woefully.

He gestured to the older man. "This man over here, Pose Vanderbilt, is my very good friend. We were best friends in college before he traveled to pursue an international course and we lost contact. We reconnected and have kept in touch for quite a while now. He has proposed an arrangement which I am sure will benefit all of us."

In my mind, I was like, 'So?' 

Let me face my life as a waitress at a restaurant by day and a secret artist at night. Dad and his friend could talk about their business deals all year long if they so wished. 

After all, even though I was the firstborn, my unsuccessful attempts to get into college had automatically made me the 'unprofitable child' who was basically wasting space. 

The older man said, "My son here, Sterling, just got back from Australia and is trying to settle down to life here in Louisiana. You see, I might not look it but I am an old man. I want to retire now and fully hand over my chain of companies to my son. One of the clauses of the company's policy is that anyone who would take the position of the CEO must be married." 

I wanted to yawn. I was getting bored. All this mumbo jumbo of company policy was making little or no sense to me.

Then, Dad dropped the bombshell. "Pose has asked for your hand in marriage for his son."

A silent beat passed and I blinked.

"I don't understand," I said. 

"You're getting engaged to my son next weekend and your wedding will take place in the next one month," Mr Pose Vanderbilt said. 

"Wait- What?" I half-shrieked, half gasped. 

"Keep it down, will you?" My stepmom retorted, "We're in the middle of the night and we don't want the neighbors calling the cops on us."

I blinked again several times and placed my hand on my chest as a hearty laughter seized me. 

I laughed out loud, so hysterically that tears began to leak out from my eyes. 

I was sure they must have been wondering if I had gone bonkers but I didn't care. Like, was this a kind of epic Soap Opera series or something?

"You guys are so funny. Like has a time travel machine transported us all back to the 18th century or something?" I said in between laughs. 

"This is no joke, darling. I signed the contract this evening and it's irrevocable. You both are now unofficially engaged," Dad said. 

The words sank in slowly. I glanced at the Sterling guy in question and noticed that he had nothing to say. 

I didn't know what to feel or think. I just become suddenly angry. 

Angry at this guy for being so emotionless and unperturbed by this entire arrangement. How could he remain so calm? 

Getting married now will cut my wings. I had plans to achieve my art ambitions—not that any so far has worked. 

Without waiting for another person's opinion, I stormed off to my room, angry to my marrow. 

"Let her be," I heard my father saying as I ran up the stairs. "She'll cool off and come back to her senses. After tomorrow, we will begin arrangements for the engagement party."

I was raging mad. How could my father sell me off like that? What was in it for him?

I could not sleep in that house tonight. I might destroy something. Even though it was past midnight, I didn't care. 

I had to crash at Dianne's. I just hoped she was still awake by the time I got to her apartment. With that, I escaped through my window and walked into the night.