Chapter 3

A few days later.

*

“Where are you coming from?” Wendy threw a question immediately as Kaylie entered, her right leg crossed on the left as she picked up her wine and sipped it.

Kaylie sighed. She was tired and didn’t want to get into an argument, so she headed to her room. She had been staying alone in her room for the past week, and the last time she went out was when she visited the lawyer to sign a divorce paper. She went out a few hours ago to search for Jaxon but didn’t find him or even trace his whereabouts.

She asked his father about her grandfather, but he didn’t know and didn’t even care. Or perhaps he knew, but didn’t want her to know.

Wendy put her wine down and paced to Kaylie’s front. “You’re getting worse every day,” she uttered. She sighed, rubbing her forehead with her right hand and the left on her waist. “You’re disgusting. I just don’t know how long I would have to put up with you before Mom would find a solution,”

She raised her eyebrows and shivered her head. “I hate you, Kaylie!”

Kaylie scoffed. She wouldn’t want to say this, but she couldn’t help it. “I know,” she said. She giggled and crossed her hand over her chest, bending her body to the left a little. “It has always been like that and I see no reason it wouldn’t be so forever. You hate me and I know. There’s no need for a constant reminder.”

Wendy nodded her head. “Yes, you’re right, she admitted. “But at least everything would soon end and I won’t have to withstand your present anymore. You will soon get out of here and we will cross paths,”

She elevated her shoulder, stretching her arms beside her. “Or maybe once in a while because it’ll be exciting. It’ll be fun, won’t it?”

Kaylie instantly loosened her hands from her chest and furrowed her face, unclear. “What do you mean?”

Wendy smiled discreetly and slowly veered around to the sofa. “Don’t be in a hurry, you will soon figure it out already,” she said. She sat and glanced at Kaylie, winking her eyes. “Congratulations in advance, big sis.”

Kaylie stared at Wendy with a withered forehead. ‘What happened?’ She wondered, but couldn’t come up with an answer. She couldn’t even guess what it was about and Wendy wouldn’t say anything, she took her eyes off her and walked into her room.

“Congratulations? For what? Is she getting married to Bryan?”

—

A few moments later.

Andrew knocked on the door and without waiting for a response, he opened the door and let himself in, holding a paper in his hand. He walked to the bedside and threw a file on the bed. “Sign this,” he commanded, looking away from her side to avoid eye contact. “You don’t have to read the terms and conditions. Who are you not to agree to it?”

Kaylie was shocked because of the manner Andrew rushed in, but his strange commands quickly got her out of it. She removed the earpiece from her left ear and lifted her head from the pillow. “What’s this?” She asked, but Andrew didn’t give her a response. Instead, he cleared his throat and turned his face away.

Kaylie lengthened her hand until it reached the paper. She furrowed her face and asked again. “What’s this, dad?”

Andrew summoned his courage to look at Kaylie’s face. “An arranged marriage contract.” He proclaimed and glanced away from her again. He had been feeling strangely toward Kaylie lately and didn’t have the guts to look at her face. He didn’t know maybe it was out of pity or guilt.

Kaylie’s mouth flung open. “An arranged marriage?” She exclaimed, assuming she didn’t hear him clearly.

Andrew joggled his head. “Yes,” he confirmed. “It’s already a done deal between the two families. All that’s left is your signature and you’re applying it right now. Be fast about it.”

“But…” Kaylie’s voice stammered and she couldn’t utter a complete statement.

Andrew raised his hand to look at his wristwatch, and he returned his gaze to her. “You’ve no right to think about this, but I’ll be giving you until evening. Make sure it’s signed before I get back here. Okay?” He said and since he didn’t expect a response, he turned around and walked out of the room.

Kaylie scoffed softly, feeling her heart ripping apart. She hadn’t healed from a wound they caused her, and now, they’re throwing her into another one.

She wouldn’t accept the marriage, but still, she wanted to see the file content. So she opened the first page. “A marriage agreement between Lopez Kaylie and…”

“Hun!” She paused for a moment, her enlarged eye matching the bewilderment on her face, staring at the name written next to hers.

“What?!” She uttered, still in disbelief. She couldn’t take her eyes off the name on the paper and in a low voice, it slowly came out of her mouth with ease. “Garcia Gage…”

She scoffed. Her mind instantly processed the purpose of the marriage, and she snickered, whispering, “they want to sell me off for connection?”

She nodded her head, finding things interesting already even though she already decided not to agree to it. She opened the next page, but its content didn’t grab her interest, so she continued opening it until the last page.

Seeing her parents’ signatures beneath chairman Garcia Paul and his wife, Garcia Sadie, signatures, she chuckled softly. She wanted to close the file, but her eyes caught a glimpse of the chosen wedding date and her eyes widened.

“What?!” She was caught in surprise. “Marriage in a week!”

“What are these people thinking?” She withered her face. “Am I a stock they could take to the market to sell at their wishes? Do I look like a currency they can use in exchange for anything they want?”

She closed the file and threw it on the floor. “I’m not signing this!” She yelled with reddened eyes. She ground her teeth and let out. “This doesn’t stand well with me. I’m not signing it and there’s nothing anyone can do about it!”

—

Later in the evening.

*

Kaylie heard a knock on the door. She paused the music and removed the earpiece. She got down from the bed and exhaled softly before she unlocked the door and, without opening it for him, she turned around to the bed.

Andrew noticed the door had been unlocked, so he opened it and entered. “Why did you lock the door?” He questioned.

“Because I can’t tolerate people barking in anymore,” she responded without looking back at him. She sat on the bed's edge and crossed her legs, tinting her lips with a smile. “I may not be welcome here, but since I’m staying, I should have my privacy. Shouldn’t I?”

Andrew knew she was indirectly taunting her, so he didn’t give a response. “I’m here for the file.” He informed.

Kaylie joggled her head. “I know.” She said in simplicity, maintaining a cool beam.

Andrew was surprised that Kaylie was speaking boldly, but he acted like he didn’t care. “Where is it? Have you signed it?”

Kaylie crossed her hand over her chest and slightly turned her head until it settled on the bed cabinet and she gestured at it with her lips. “That’s it there,” she informed. “Shouldn’t you confirm whether or not I’ve signed it yourself?”

Andrew stared at Kaylie for a second before he sighed and paced to the cabinet. He picked up the file and quickly opened the page that required Kaylie’s signature. He walked back to her front, showing her the page. “You haven’t signed it?”

Kaylie calmly nodded. “Yes, and with the look of things, I don’t think I will.” She told with a cool yet bold voice with an expression that screamed confidence, showing she wasn’t afraid to speak back.

Andrew scoffed. “You won’t?!” He repeated, amazed. He moved his arm backward and closed the file before he looked at her in the eyes again and asked, “and what right do you think you’ve to decide for yourself?”

Kaylie raised her shoulder. “Because I’m an adult. I can decide for myself, can’t I?” She let out. “If you think I can’t argue with you or I don’t have the right to make my decision, just sue me. Drag Is that hard to do or you don’t want to?”

Andrew’s eyes reddened, and he ground his teeth, tapping on his chest. “Look, Kaylie. I’m the head of this family…” he said, and Kaylie’s laughter interrupted.

“Have you successfully killed Jaxon?” She threw a question and Andrew’s eyes slammed shut. “Because if not, you won’t claim the head of this family when everyone knows you are not. And even if you are, do you have a say?”

“Isn’t the head of the family the decision maker? Hun? If Jaxon isn’t around, who’s next in line? Is it not your wife?”

Her statements made Andrew speechless, and he stared down, unable to say a word.

“You are not the head of this family. Please, don’t claim a position that’s not yours and can never be.”

“Enough!” Andrew raised his voice against his will. He promised himself to stay calm and never raise his voice to Kaylie, but he couldn’t help it. “Enough of your gibberish!”

He paused for a second and took a step closer to her before he proceeded with a lower voice, grinding his teeth. “I’m your father. Father isn’t around to protect you. I’m the dictator of your fate, so whether or not you want it, your opinion doesn’t matter. The marriage between you and…” he couldn’t complete it because he forgot the name.

Kaylie giggled. “You can’t even remember your son-in-law’s name,” she mocked and reminded him. “Gage. Gargia Gage.”

“Yes,” Andrew joggled. “You’re marrying him. Gage.”

Kaylie’s eyes suddenly turned red and she couldn’t maintain her calmness anymore. “And what if I refuse?” She yelled, frustrated. “What can you do if I refuse?”

She stood on her feet and Andrew stepped backward in shock mixed with fear, as if she wanted to hit him.

She took a step forward and locked eyes with him. “Why must I always abide by whatever you want? Why must I be the scapegoat? Because you’re my adoptive parent?” She questioned.

She took another step forward, asking, “why did you adopt me when you don’t have enough love to share with me?”

She lowered her gaze and took a step backward, hitting the right dorsum on the left palm. “Wendy always takes what’s mine, but you did nothing,”

“Your biological daughter snatched my ex-husband, yet you still did nothing, as always. Weren’t you my father when you watched your wife maltreat me? Were you not my father when I was always left out? Why are you calling yourself my father now that you want to force a marriage on me?”

She looked at him in the eyes again. “Your daughter and his wife caused me pain. I’m dealing with a broken heart, yet you want to push me into another one? Why are you this wicked? Shouldn’t you at least let me grieve my loss before getting into another trouble?”

“This isn’t a trouble. This is a marriage.” Andrew tried to convince her.

“Okay…” Kaylie agreed. She furrowed her face and crossed her hand over her chest, asking, “if I agree to this marriage, what will happen if Wendy should change her mind and want him?”

“Will I have to let go of the marriage for her again?” She finally let out those questions that had been troubling her mind. “Gage is an heir to the wealthiest family in the city. Why did you choose me to marry him and not your daughter?”

“If Wendy marries him, won’t it favor you than me marrying him? Are you hiding something? Is there anything I don’t know apart from Gage being the eldest heir of the wealthiest family?”

The question was too much for Andrew to answer, so he glanced down.

“I deserve a response, don’t I?”

“Yes, you do…” Emily said immediately as the door opened. She walked to stand beside Andrew and crossed her hands over her chest, explaining. “You’re right. It would favor us if Wendy should marry Gage instead of you, but there’s a twist. This marriage isn’t for connection. It’s Jaxon’s will to pay off his debt.”

Kaylie furrowed her face. “What does that mean?”

Emily loosened her hands from her chest. “You’ve been asking about Jaxon for a while, but we didn’t want to reveal it yet. But not anymore,” she said. “Jaxon owed chairman Gargia Paul money. He invested it in a business and lost. That’s why he has been hiding since and to repay his debt, the family requested one of our daughters’ hand in marriage.”

Kaylie shook her head in opposition. “No. It can’t be. That’s not possible. Jaxon would never agree to that. He wouldn’t want me to marry someone against my wish.”

Emily nodded. “Yes, you’re right. This isn’t Jaxon’s decision, but ours,” she admitted. “And we make it because you’re Jaxon’s favorite. He loves you, so it’s even if you pay his debt. He doesn’t like Wendy, so there’s no reason she would do that for him.”

“But-” Kaylie had an opinion, but Emily didn’t allow her to say it.

“Kaylie, if you truly love Jaxon, this is the right time to prove it. He needs you most at this moment. He has been hiding. He can’t live peacefully because of this debt. If you truly care about him, do this.” Emily implored.

Kaylie exhaled softly. She had lost her gut at the shocking news that her feet suddenly began shaking. She moved to the bed and sat.

“You’ve until tomorrow to decide, or the news about Jaxon’s debt will be out, and you know what that will cause, don’t you? It will destroy his reputation and if he should find out you’ve an option to save him but didn’t, he will regret ever showing you love and hate you for the rest of his life. He may even lose his life.”

Kaylie closed her eyes. She exhaled softly, and she instantly decided. “I’ll sign the paper…” she proclaimed. “I’ll marry Gage.”