002: Home!

Heather's POV

I had thought everything my mother said was part of some big prank, but reality had struck when different cars pulled up in front of our house at dusk. I only needed one glance to tell me that these weren't ordinary people, and my fear had been confirmed when I laid eyes on Logan Forger, the wealthiest man in the entire city.

"Welcome, Mr Forger—"

"Let's not waste any time, where is she?" Logan interjected before my father had the chance to properly welcome him..

"Here she is, Heather Stone, my beautiful daughter." Father replied with a bright smile as he walked over to where I stood with a hung head.

"Raise your head, child, I don't have time to play around." Logan commanded and I obeyed promptly.

Even though I had spent the last thirty minutes crying out my eyes, mother had made sure she had covered my swollen eyes with makeup. Not once had she allowed me to put on makeup, to her it was a waste of money, but today had been different.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?" Father gloated the moment he recognized a faint smile tugging at the corner of Logan Forger's lips.

"She'll do." Logan said with a gentle nod. With a simple wave of his hand, one of his escorts walked forward with a briefcase and a piece of paper which Uriel had signed eagerly. For someone who was selling off his daughter to one of the most renowned evil men in the city, father seemed ecstatic, and mother could barely contain her joy.

"It is done! Your daughter is now a property of the Forgers, what we do with her from now henceforth will be none of your concern. You're to speak of this contract to no one!" Logan sternly warned as he collected the signed contract from father.

"We understand." Came a sharp response from Uriel. He was no longer my father at this point. Staring at him, all I felt was hatred and rage, and the overwhelming need to punch him in the face.

I turned to my mother hoping she would at least show a bit of sadness for what she was doing. But just like father, she had a bright smile plastered across her face. I was nothing more than a commodity to them at this point, and it was clear that they had just sold me to the highest bidder.

Tears welled up in my eyes at the realization that the parents I've known all my life valued money more than they did me. I understood that we needed the cash, but to sell one of their own children was something I had never imagined they'd do.

I bit my lips until they were on the verge of breaking. I was not going to cry, not here, not now. I was not going to shed another tear for them, not anymore.

"Be a good girl, and not cause the Forgers any trouble now, Heather." Father chipped in just before two of Logan Forger's escorts came and took me away. I didn't resist, at that moment, I would rather be anywhere else but beside my parents. They were disgusting, and I felt nothing but contempt for the two of them at that moment.

"Is there something you need to bring with you, child?" Logan Forger asked as I was led to the car.

"No," I answered curtly.

With a simple nod, one of the escorts rushed forward to open the car door for me. I turned towards my parents for the last time, hoping and praying that they would change their mind, or at least change the expression on their faces. But that never happened, not once, not until I was strapped down in the car and driven away.

We drove in silence for more than half an hour, until the car finally came to a halt in front of a mansion.

Acting swiftly, one of the escorts stepped out to open the door for me. I hesitated for a moment before stepping out, my shoes clicking softly against the stone driveway.

The sight before me was expected, I was in the home of the wealthiest family in the city after all. The building was symmetrical, with towering walls and large, arched windows. Even though the glow of the setting sun fell upon the large house, it still looked cold and uninviting.

The front doors were huge, made of dark wood with iron detailing that looked like it weighed more than I did. The driveway was lined with neatly trimmed hedges, and a fountain sat in the center, though the water wasn’t running. Everything about the place screamed wealth.

Logan stepped out of the car behind me, adjusting his coat before gesturing for me to follow him. The escorts flanked us as we walked toward the doors, which opened the moment we approached, as if someone had been waiting.

The interior was just as grand as the exterior, with high ceilings, a sweeping staircase, and marble floors that gleamed under an elaborate chandelier. But the air was heavy, the kind of weight that made it hard to breathe.

“Welcome to your new home,” Logan said, his voice cutting through the silence.

I swallowed hard, unsure if I should be grateful or not. I was scared, but above all I already missed my brothers. I hadn't gotten the chance to say goodbye to either of them all thanks to my parents.

"Take her to her room, bring her new clothes, and infirm Alexander that his new bride is here."

My breath caught in my throat at the mention of Alexander and bride. Everybody in town knew about Alexander Forger, the son of Logan Forger, and the infamous playboy. He had been the hottest man a year ago, appearing in every magazine and every sexy commercial. Every girl in the city dreamed of getting married to him, but that was before the accident that had left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Talk about Alexander Forger had faded after the accident, and nobody seemed to care about his existence. Sure, there were rumors about him every now and then, but they never really moved anyone. And here I was, faced with the realization that I had just been married off to a crippled man without my consent.