Chapter 4.

Victoria POV.

"Mom? Dad? What's going on?"

My question hangs in the air, as I continue to watch those strange people in the living room of my house, keeping their countenances full of seriousness. This has turned into something very strange and even scary, I don't see my younger siblings anywhere, and there are so many strange people in my house now... Why is this happening on my birthday?

"Tory, there is something important we need to tell you" My father says to me.

From the tone of his voice, I can tell that the situation is serious indeed, I have rarely heard my father talk like that. So looking curiously at all that crowd of strange people in my house, I walk through the living room to the couch where my parents are, approaching them.

"What's going on?" I ask curiously, focusing my attention on my father.

Entering the conversation, my mother is the one who answers me, telling me: "Tory, there is a situation we were unaware of about your grandfather and about some posthumous documents he left for us."

Cocking my head curiously, I ask: "Posthumous documents?"

My grandfather died... Almost 15 years ago, maybe a little less. He passed away when I was just a little girl and going to preschool, it's been so long since then, and we're just now learning about more documents my grandfather left behind during his lifetime? This is very strange.

Taking a breath, my mother continued speaking: "Your grandfather's intention before he died, was to try to rejoin our family to the company he created so long ago, so together with his great friend Derick Meyer, they both made a legal document to certify an arranged marriage."

"Arranged marriage? Is that still in use now?"

It's kind of funny because I already knew about those kinds of arrangements, indeed, I think we all know about them from history classes. But now we are in a different century, in a different world, arranged marriages are no longer used, now we all have the opportunities to decide the path to take in our lives.

Crossing glances with my mother, my father says, "Today it's not so common in this part of the world... But when this document was signed, when your grandfather was younger, it was still legal. So the document that he left for our family, it's still in effect bequeathing now."

"I'm not understanding..." I say sincerely.

"Your grandfather stipulated in this document, that the heirs of the Mayer family and our family must contract nuptials to rejoin the company when both heirs had reached the legal age of majority".

Putting on a quizzical face, I start to feel a little dizzy. I don't want to sound like a fool, but either because of the fear that is running through me, or simply because I know the answer to those words but don't want to admit it; I pretend that I don't understand their meaning and what my parents are talking about.

Looking very distressed, my father tells me: "Victoria, you are the female heir of our family. According to this document, you are the one who must marry the heir of the Miller family".

Looking ahead immediately, I watch all the strange people sitting there; something that makes my stomach twist. The four visitors sitting in the room are in fancy clothes, those I would rent to go to a gala party or a wedding, and although three of those four visitors are adults, there is one last person that... I wouldn't quite know how to describe him.

He is a man who looks older than me, but not as old as his companions, he has black hair and well-combed, with a cold face of very hard features, with eyes in a tone as dark as his hair and well-shaped cheekbones that make his face very attractive. Just looking at him makes me more nervous, with that neck and those broad shoulders, and that body that I can assure you is well worked in his musculature under that luxury suit he is wearing.

Is that the man I should marry?

"Are you kidding? Of course not!" I refuse in fear.

That's my immediate reaction to knowing what I have to do and what's going on, refusing is the only thing I could do. Well, I don't know yet who the person is that I'm supposed to marry, and even if it's that beautiful man with black hair and such an attractive appearance, I'm obviously going to refuse.

I'm not going to marry a stranger whom I just saw just because of a silly document from my silly grandfather created more than 10 years ago...

"Tory..." My father says, trying to calm me down, realizing that I'm raising my voice.

"Deny it! Break the contract!" I demand, not being able to keep my cool.

Are they trying to force me to get married? Of course not! I won't do it! I have too many dreams and aspirations to settle for just being the wife of a pretty man sitting in my living room. I already have a life planned out that no one will make me change!

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Miss Miller" says one of the male guests in the house, interrupting our conversation.

Turning again to look at the strangers, I watch as one of the adult men stands up, who is also wearing a fancy suit but looks much older than the other guests, even older than my parents; who takes his leather briefcase to pull out some papers from inside.

"Your grandfather and Mr. Derick stipulated that whoever breaks the contract, must pay the opposing family a total sum of one million dollars as compensation" explained that man, handing us a new document.

I feel dizzy for a moment, all this seems so unreal... One million dollars? I don't think that amount of money is possible to obtain in a lifetime for any member of my family, is that the only way out of all this?

I have no way out.

My parents look unsurprised by all this, and with a sad look on their faces, they just receive all the documents handed to them, but neither of them says anything about it. On that same couch, next to my parents, my grandmother is the only one who looks extremely sad, with her eyes lowered and unable to look at my face.

I feel hurt, betrayed, why doesn't anyone in my family say anything? I expected them to refuse, that upon receiving such a crazy proposal like this, my parents and my grandmother would have refused immediately, kicking those people out of my house, protecting me. But my family does nothing, they just stand there silently, unable to look me in the eyes or do anything, managing to disappoint me.

Are they waiting for me to... Accept the proposal?

"Tory..." my mother says, looking me in the eyes.

Disgusted, I immediately refuse: "No... Don't even think about it".

In this way I confirm my suspicions, everything I fear the most, my parents were planning to really ask me to accept the proposal, to agree to get married abandoning all my life and dreams...

"Of course not... I won't do it!" I say furiously.

It is now my father who intervenes, and looking me in the eyes he says: "Tory, please, it is something very important for you and for our family, we only ask you to think about it carefully before making a decision".

What exactly do I have to consider, whether or not to marry a stranger? That's not up for discussion, it's not something I have to reason about.

"No, I won't. And this is the last thing I plan to say about this nonsense" I flatly refuse.

I can't stand to be there anymore, with such unpleasant strangers, and with how disappointed I feel in my parents. So wiping some tears from my face, without saying anything else, I turn on my heels and quickly leave my living room, walking to the stairs to go to my room.

"If you change your mind, just go to the main offices of the 'MedM' company and look for the legal department..." I hear a calm but very stern voice say behind me.

For an instant, I turn to see who had spoken. But I'm already in the main hallway on the first floor, so I can no longer see inside the room or who spoke to say those words. But honestly... I don't really care now, I'm too tired and overwhelmed by this whole strange situation. So hurrying to walk to the stairs of my house, I quickly climb them to get to my room, where I lock the door and finally stay alone, finally being able to burst into tears...