CH003

The smell of antiseptics filled her nose as Ophelia woke up and groggily took in the sight of her surroundings.

“Where am I?" She asked as she opened her eyes,still trying hard to process where she was at and what had happened.

She tried standing up,but felt a sharp searing pain from her back, which she had apparently injured during her fall.

She winced in pain, clutching her back as a wave of memories flooded her mind. The argument with her father, Jean's betrayal, and the physical altercation that followed - it all came rushing back.

A gentle voice interrupted her thoughts. "Welcome back, Ophelia. You're being treated in your room. You've been here for a few days now."

Ophelia turned to face the speaker beholding a warm smile on her face as she turned towards her. "What...what happened to me?" Ophelia stammered, trying to piece together the events leading up to her hospitalization.

The nurse's expression turned sympathetic. "I was called because you had severe head injury and some bruisings on your back. The doctor will be in to see you soon to discuss the details."

Ophelia's mind was racing. She was in her room and that was for sure. But she didn't know whom it was that had brought the nurse or the doctor she spoke about to treat her. Was it her fiance? Or was it her cousin Jean? What did they want from her now? Why did they send an unknown nurse to treat her instead of hers from the list of their family doctors.

Her father walked in and he nurse had to leave.

“How are you feeling?" He asked softly.

Ophelia was taken aback by his voice for a split second before she recalled that she had to answer.

“I am fine" she managed to mutter.

It was unlike him to ask how she was doing after knowing that his daughter had a hand in what had happened to her, but as a calm and collected person that she was, kept her cool.

“How is Jean doing?" Ophelia asked on noticing his hesitation in speaking.

He wanted to say something to her. She didn't know what it was and he was fearful of how to begin his words. Was he going to ask her to take back Jasper again after witnessing half of how he abuses her or was he going to plead with her not to expose what really happened to her if she were to be questioned by the doctor.

Her mind raced with the possibilities of which question he might ask her and just when she least expected him to, she finally heard him speak after what seemed like hours to her.

“Jean is getting married to the Johnson Family's heir this weekend” he stuttered as he Informed her.

There was no way he would have left his office to meet her in the room after hearing that she had regained consciousness for him to say this to her. What concerned her with Jean getting married to the Johnson Family's heir? Absolutely nothing. There was something her father wanted to Inform her but as it was, he was hesitant to.

“I will recover quickly so that I will be one of the attendees at her wedding" she said softly. If that was what he was hoping to hear from her.

Incase he was thinking that she would skip attending because of how she had betrayed her and contributed in putting her in the current state she was in. Head bandaged round.

“The chairman of the Johnson Corp called me a few days ago. On the day you were injured to be exact" he began. Mustering up the courage. What was there to be afraid of? She was the daughter whom he had raised and given a second chance at life, a wealthy one with everything she needed and wanted. What would it cost her now repaying him for all he has done for her by obeying his wish.

Ophelia waited patiently for what he wanted to say, yet she could not deny the curiosity that rocked her mind as she wondered what it was that he wanted to say to her that was causing him such distress.

“Jasper already told me that he isn't interested in pushing through with the engagement regardless of how many times I asked him to. But that doesn't matter anymore"

It didn't matter anymore? Ophelia batted an eyelid as she stared at him without shifting her gaze. That was something her father was unlikely to say. Throwing away his chances of partnering with Jasper's family after their marriage? There had to be a reason behind it.

“What did the Chairman of Johnson Corp say to when he called you a few days ago?” She asked.

He wasn't going to be straightforward in saying what was up,and unless she questioned him, she wouldn't be aware until it becomes late.

“Is he requesting you pay back the loan you took from his corporation?" She questioned seeing that no answer was forthcoming to her question.

Her father nodded in the negative.

Then what was the problem?

He had loaned a huge sum of money in the past from the Corporation when his company was almost facing a bankruptcy, and like she believed, Jean getting married to the heir of the Corp was his way of trying to show that he recalled his debt, why was he so bothered about the Chairman's call now?

Wait. A thought struck Ophelia. It couldn't be. There was no way that would happen. So she dismissed the thoughts that came to her head.

“Yes Ophelia" her father walked closer to her and said, as if he had been able to read her mind amidst it's chaos.

“Your joking father, aren't you?" Ophelia asked while true to dismiss what he had just said.

“He asked for you to be married to his second son this weekend too Ophelia. You will become a Johnson too. A part of the elitist family in the whole country”

Ophelia stared at him disappointedly. Was he expecting her to be happy with what he had just said? Stand up from the bed she currently was on receiving drips and blood and begin dancing for his perfect plan? Or was she to cry?

Once again he had proved to her what she meant to him. That was if she even meant a thing to him.

“He is disabled father! He can't walk. He can't talk and is glued to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. How do you expect me to marry such a man? Did you even for once consider me as your daughter when you made up your mind to that suggestion?” Ophelia blurted, her blood pressure rising as so did her anger.

“You're becoming unreasonable again Ophelia and that is what I hate about you. It's not as if you're getting married to a pauper. He is also a member of the Johnson Family. The elitist family in the……”

“I do not care whether they are the most elitist family in the whole world or not father!! I don't give a damn, not even th tiniest fuck about it!!!!!!” She cut him short with what annoyed her the most in all he had been saying.

So because he was a part of the most elitist family in the country,she was supposed to agree to marry him? A liability? This weekend? How many days had it been that she lost consciousness and he had already planned whom he was going to get her married to after Jasper called off their engagement.

“This isn't just about you Ophelia…”

“Then what is it about?" She shouted back, cutting him short once again.

“It's about me and the company. The company I used in raising you. Don't you know that were in their debt? And now that the Chairman wants to make you the wife of his second son, he is willing to erase our debt if you accept. Can't you even see….”

“Father!!!!" She screamed again." Please just stop talking! Stop talking! Can you even hear yourself? You are going to marry me off to the disabled man in order to erase your debt?! You're basically selling me off to them. To him!” She complained.

“And what is wrong with that Ophelia? I raised you when you were abandoned. I clothed you, fed you, and sheltered you. Now that you have an opportunity to pay me back for all that I have done for you, you're trying to sideline it”

“Father!” Ophelia said disappointedly.

“Do you think you'd ever have an opportunity like this in your life? If I hadn't taken interest in you and cared for you, do you think you would even know what it means to belong to the first class and elitist family in the country?”

Would he have had the mind to say all these if it was his daughter he was forcing to get married to a disabled man? She asked herself as she stared at him speak. Complaining about how she wasn't doing anything to repay him for caring for her all these years.

Whenever he spoke like that, it made her wonder if he had taken her in then,hoping to use her in the future,as a way to reward himself for taking her in. With everything that was happening, she was finding it hard to not believe. All her convictions were compelling her to believe what she feared the most.

“Prepare yourself Ophelia. Today is Thursday. The wedding happens on Saturday at the Johnson's penthouse. Please don't embarass me with a long face on that day" he commanded before walking away.

They say that everyone's life is already written and predestined. Was this sort of life what fate had in store for her? If so, what was the point of it?

Because as she could see, it clearly wasn't worth it. If something were to happen to her, was there anyone who was going to be hurt on her behalf? Was there anyone who was going to crave her presence again? Was there anyone who would be genuinely sad about something bad happening to her?

“Stop deceiving yourself Ophelia” she muttered to herself as tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She had given in when she found them uncontrollable.

“Your own mother abandoned you, what makes you think that there would be anyone who would make you a priority ever?”