Till Death Do Us Apart

The Preparation

"Do you both know each other?" Gerald asked, his eyes darting between us, a bit of surprise in his face. "You made no indication of that when I showed you her picture."

I lowered my head, my hands tightening around each other. He had known it would be me and he had probably agreed because it would be me.

His ultimate chance to completely ruin me and finish what he couldn't finish years ago.

I looked up to my father. I wished I could walk out of this. Disappoint him for the first time in my life. Tell him I would rather die than marry Fabian, but I kept shut, my eyes closing to tame the tear.

"Well, she was a high school junior."

Gerald nodded. "Seems like fate, then. Have a seat."

We said nothing as Fabian took a seat, handing over a few papers to Gerald. Gerald in turn, handed it over to my father, who started to look them over.

"Don't we need a lawyer for this?"

Gerald gave a small smile. "You are a friend, Charles. I don't expect any sort of foul play. And there is no one willing to help a friend the way you are doing right now."

I swallowed hard, daring to look up. I met Fabian's eyes, boring straight into mine. His eyes were hooded so much he looked sleepy, even though they had a rather sinister look to them, one I could not shake off.

I turned to father. He was still reading the terms of the contract, and I decided to excuse myself. All of the pep talks I was giving myself were all melted away by Fabian's icy look, and I decided I needed a bit of space.

"Excuse me. I need to use the washroom."

Gerald smiled up at me, and without waiting to see what Fabian thought of it, I walked away.

I leaned over the restroom sink, my eyes closed, tears streaming down. I swear I thought everything would be fine. Meet a stranger, be cordial, get married and who knows? Maybe develop some sort of fondness towards each other.

But towards Fabian? Hell.

I sighed, raising my head a little as I blinked the tears away. Why me?

"Look at that."

I turned sharply and Fabian was standing there, his hands in his pockets, his eyes meeting mine in a deathly stare. His lips were pulled up in a smile, and he sized me up.

"This...this is the female restroom."

He laughed. "A lot of people go into the same restroom to f**k, Aurora. Don't act so innocent."

Luckily, he didn't move, and I swallowed. "You knew it was me."

"I wasn't going to have it any other way."

"What do you want from me? Haven't you had enough..."

He suddenly came up, his hand cupping the back of my head, bringing me closer to him, his longest finger coming up to my lips.

I shivered, my lips parting, my eyes wide. I knew I was vulnerable, knew I was weak. Way too weak against him.

"I look forward to being married to you, Aurora."

He slowly let me go, a wicked smile lighting up his eyes, and he walked away, leaving me alone in the bathroom.

Father was talking to Gerald when I got back, and Fabian was resting, in one hand a glass of wine. I sat opposite him, my head low.

"Thank goodness you are back. I thought you were kidnapped or something."

I shook my head, just as Fabian spoke up. "Why would anyone want to kidnap my wife?"

I didn't miss Gerald's surprise at his son's quick acceptance of the entire situation, but I knew better.

"Well, let's all sign this and we can call a wedding planner."

Gerald put in his signature, and I watched as he passed the pen to Fabian. He accepted it, then leaned forward, his hand resting on his thighs and he met my eyes.

I could see him slightly tip his glass to me, before he proceeded to sign it.

My dad was quick to collect it and he signed, then moved it to me. I looked down at the paper. There was only one slot remaining. Mine.

I swallowed and grabbed the pen, but my hand shook violently, and I kept it back. I turned to dad. He looked expectant, and I swallowed hard, trying to grab the pen again.

This time, I closed my eyes, imagining I was writing some doodle again like I always do, imagining I wasn't signing my life away.

"No," I suddenly said, dropping the pen and I leaned away, like it was some hot object.

Fabian raised an amused brow, and I turned to Dad, whose eyes had widened. I didn't even want to see what Gerald looked like.

"Not Fabian," I said, my chest heaving.

I don't care if Gerald had five, six, ten sons I could serve all day, be their maid, clean their house, do whatever they wanted, as long as it wasn't Fabian. Just not that Fabian.

"I know why you would be hesitant, Aurora. He doesn't exactly have the best track record. But I am taking you in as my daughter and..."

"You don't understand. Fabian is.." I trailed off, turning to him. He had his brow raised, as if he was waiting for me to complete the statement.

I never did, however, as dad yanked my hand back, forcing me to look at him.

"Come with me," he said through slightly gritted teeth.

I have never seen him so angry and disappointed, but I could not help it. It was Fabian on the other line, and I knew I had to keep declining.

I followed dad out of the luxurious meeting hall of the hotel I knew belonged to the Stone group. I watched as he paced around, his hand passing through his hair several times, his breathing weak.

"What do you want?" He suddenly asked, turning to me. "That I die a failure or that your mother dies of cancer? "

"Dad," I said, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"I would literally give up my life for you. For your mother! Are you telling me you have the chance to do the same for me but you deliberately won't because you have turned absolutely selfish?"

I swallowed. "I swear, that is not it. I want to do this, for you and mum but I just wish there was another way because..."

"You think it was easy?! You think I sought the easy way out? No. This is the fastest way your mother can get treatment. No one wants to invest in us. Once you sign that contract and stay for the engagement party tomorrow evening, Gerald will send that money to me. Our company will be back up again, and your mother will receive treatment. You don't want that?"

I swallowed, knowing I had no option. As of now, by the virtue of being richer, Fabian owned me.

Dad gave a small huff. "Collect yourself and come back in. Make a decision in front of me and I will see. If your family means anything to you, or if whatever the hell you want to pursue outside this marriage would be what is best for you. I will wait."

Without another word, he walked away, leaving me to the tears I could no longer control.

I brought my hands to my face and wiped the tears away, pushing my hair back. I would think of it as the ultimate sacrifice and simply do this.

For my family.

Slowly, I walked back to the hall, then sat opposite Fabian again. I didn't look into his eyes, knowing whatever courage I had mustered would fall away, and I signed the paper.

"Thank you so much, Aurora. I and my son will take very good care of you."

I forced a smile at Gerald, and he smiled back, before he gave the papers to Fabian, who tucked it away.

They chatted animatedly about the wedding, and how Gerald would take care of everything, down to little details like my dress.

Fabian said nothing, much like me and I couldn't help but glance up at him to check what he was up to.

His eyes were fixed on me, and he lacked an expression. I immediately looked away.

Once they were done, we had everything ready. We would be getting engaged tomorrow and then a week after, the wedding.

Dad and Gerald didn't think it was of any use to drag it out. The wedding planner would come to meet with us, and my dress for tomorrow would be sent home.

I also needed to give them my sizes.

Once it was done, we walked out of the hotel to a waiting limo. Gerald got in, his smile pleasant, as he waved to us, leaving I, father and Fabian behind.

"Well," Father said, looking between us. He slowly slithered away, leaving us both standing outside, Fabian's hands tucked in his pockets, his eyes low.

"Remember when I asked if that money was enough for a night?"

I looked up to him, and he was smiling, his eyes squinted.

"Turns out if I had been patient enough, you would give me a lifetime."

I swallowed, feeling the hurt slice through my chest.

"No."

He raised a brow.

"My answer to you will forever, always be no. Let's respect our boundaries even when we are married and let's keep away from each other."

He smiled broadly, then moved towards me, as if he was deliberately showing me how he intended to give me no boundaries at all.

"Boundaries? Between you and I?"

I swallowed. "Stay away from me."

He smiled. "Are you going to plead now? Why? Because you can't run away like a little coward?"

I moved away from him, my lips sucked in. "Anyway would suffice as long as you understand just how disgusted I am by you."

His eyes thinned, and he moved even closer, till I could see the light grey that bordered the inside of his blue eyes. Till I could see the beginnings of a tattoo that was on his neck and carefully tucked away under his shirt.

"Stay away."

I started to move back, but my feet caught in the fabric of my dress, sending me reeling backwards. I gave a small yelp as I moved back, anticipating the heavy fall.

It didn't come, but Fabian did. His hands wrapped around my waist, his body hovering above mine, his eyes boring into mine.

He suddenly pulled me forward, till my body crashed into his, and I could feel the hard, chiseled body under his suit, my breath catching in my throat.

"Till death do us apart, my love."

I heard the slight threat in his voice, saw it in his eyes, felt it in the abrupt way he let me go. Without another word to me, he walked away to a parked Mercedes, and I watched as he drove away.