Their Tainted Marriage

Life falling apart

Lexi sat wiping her tears as the phone rang , her eyes flicking over her almost cleared out apartment . " Ah , Lexi . I was just about to call you ." her father beams , sounding so alive and happy .

" Daddy ." Lexi sobs , dropping her head into the palm of her hand as she holds the phone to her ear , feeling utter most useless .

Lexi breaks down into a sob and her father's heart slightly aches with the sound of her soft cries . " Lexi ? What's wrong ?" he asks concerned .

" I am being thrown out of my apartment , for no reason !" she bellows confused and the silence on the other end of the phone leaves her suspicious ." Dad ? Hello ?"

" Lexi , the landlord called and said you had to leave ." he lies , shutting his eyes as he feels terrible for what he is doing and her eyes widen in shock .

" What ?" she asks baffled , anger rippling through every vein in her body . " I'll explain when you get here , book the next flight out . Those men will deliver your things at home , I made sure of it ." her father sighs . Lexi bites down on her teeth , " Sure ." she grits out , knowing that her father is hiding something .

Lexi hasn't been home in years , since she was seventeen when she begged to leave and now her father needs her home , she knew there's something huge going on because never in six years has he even asked for a visit and now he is demanding her to get home right away .

With a heavy heart and a torn soul , she ended the call and booked the last flight at ten pm before packing up her clothes and tossed them into her suitcase .

When she collected her things and headed out , she glanced back at her apartment with a longing heart .

She had lived in that apartment for six years and it has become her home , which she is now plucked out of for no reason . Lexi wanted to argue about why she had to leave , but she knew that arguing with her old man would bring nothing but chaos and a call being ended without reason .

Lexi let her ego go as she headed downstairs , finding the men sitting on the last flight of stairs . She apologized for her behaviour and thanked them for their good job before grabbing a cab and she heads straight to the airport .

Lexi felt nervous as the cab she had taken pulled up to their mansion of a house , a place where Lexi used to love being in before everything happened . Lexi's parents lived in a wealthy neighbourhood in New York since they were millionaires , her dad owns a renovation company .

Lexi pays the cab driver and collects her things from the trunk of the car before slowly padding towards the front door .

" Lexi ?" A familiar voice makes her halt in her steps and as she turns around , she locks eyes on Quinn's big forest orbs . Her little sister is dressed in black tights and a white top , sweat coating her skin and her dark locks , like Lexi’s , pulled into a high ponytail above her head . " Quinny !" Lexi beams excitedly as her sister runs up the driveway into her arms .

Lexi breathes out a sigh of relief , knowing that her sister is okay is what was of utter most importance to her . Lexi had felt bad when she left without Quinn , but Quinn was so little and she couldn't take her with . Quinn did not speak to Lexi for two years because she was hurt , until she called in tears about her friends being mean and they talked for hours until dawn , they made up that night and talked every single day since .

" What are you doing here ?" Quinn asks , seeming very surprised that Lexi is home . " Just visiting ." Lexi lies , not wanting to explain something she knows nothing about . "Yay !" Quinn beams , grabbing her sister's suitcase and helping her into the house .

Lexi finds her mother dressed to impressed as she walks into the house , " Oh Lex ." her mother beams as she sees her daughter so grown up .

Her parents haven't visited a lot in Amsterdam and only seen her over the years over the screen of a laptop on Skype calls . " You look stunning ." Lexi's dad smiles as they hug her . " Hi ." Lexi mutters uncomfortably , she just wants to ask what the hell is going on .

" Quinny , why don't you go shower ?" Lexi's mum mutters and Lexi smiles as Quinn looks at her questionably . " Sure ." she murmurs before heading up the stairs to her room .

Lexi makes sure Quinn is far enough before she turns to her parents with wide eyes . " So what the hell is going on ?" she finally asks and it's like a weight lifted off her shoulders . " Lexi , we are broke and to fix it , you have to marry Alex Sullivan ." the blood drains from her face and she never thought that name would be mentioned in this house ever again .

She was stunned that her parents would just drop this information on her .

Even if she didn't tell her parents what happened between her and Alec years ago , she at least thought that they had some clue that why she wanted to move to Amsterdam at the age of seventeen to finish school there was because of Alec , but she now realized that her parents weren't that bright or they just simply didn't care .

" No ." she scoffs , crossing her arms in front of her chest . " It's arranged Lexi , there's no question about this ." her mom mutters apologetically .

Lexi was fuming , her face red as anger runs through her body , " I will not marry him ." she grits out , fear of seeing him was enough to make her want to sleep on the bench outside her apartment , now she has to marry the guy .

" You already are ." her father mutters , the careful tone he's using was enough to tell her that what they did was beyond illegal . " Excuse me ?" she bellows .

" Calm down , whatever the reason is why you two aren't talking , you can fix it and it's not a real marriage . You don't have to like him , you just have to show up together at some events ." her father shrugs . " This is ridiculous ! I still have school !" she yells , standing up .

" Unless you do this , you won't be able to finish online because we won't be able to pay ." those words made her stop in her tracks .

Her whole university experience flashing before her eyes , she could not give it up , it was her future , it was her life .

Her eyes are glassy from the unshed tears and she stares at her parents agape . " When I get my things , I am leaving ." she grits out . " Your things will be delivered to Alec's house ." her father deadpans and the hope that was in her heart faded into nothing .

She thought that if she ran away , she wouldn't even have to see Alec , but with her things being in his house .. that's a different story . " I am going to my room ." she scoffs . " Your lift to Alec's house is here ." a few tears slips from her eyes . " You don't love me !" she yells , her heart breaking with every breath she takes .

She wished to stop breathing all together , but that was impossible , she would never leave Quinn alone here with her parents .

‘If they are able to do this to me , what would they make her do for their benefit ?’

" We do , but for all that we have done for you , can't you just do this one thing for us ?" her mother guilt trips her and she inhales a deep breath , angrily wiping her tears from her cheek . " Why ? Why do I need to be married to him ?" she asks , her voice coming out rusty from all the tears she has been swallowing . " We are giving them a family discount , so that is doesn't look suspicious on the books and in return , they do all their renovations of their real estate company through us ." her dad explains and it all made sense in her mind , but it was something her heart could not deal with .

All she could see was that they had sold her for a business agreement . " Just so you know , I am not doing this for you . I am doing it for Quinn ." she grits out before she turns on her heel , grabs her things and as she leaves the house without explaining to Quinn . Seeing a black town car and a man waiting outside for her , she wanted to throw a rock at it , but she knew she couldn't . She gulps as she strolls with her luggage and the man takes it to put it in the car and they drive off .

Lexi was surprised when he lived only three blocks away , but it was a quiet street and she had found peace in the thought that she could visit Quinn anytime until her family had figure things out . She kept on telling herself that it wasn't forever and soon they could be divorced and head their separate ways once more .

Looking at the grey mansion in front of her , she felt nervous . She could not believe that Alec would agree to this , but then again , he would do anything to ruin her life .

She stood in front of the door , knocking on it and a girl opens it , she looks kind and sweet . Lexi couldn't help but wonder who she was , but when she opened the door wider , she noticed her uniform and realized that she worked for Alec . Lexi was surprised that he didn't live with his parents , but then again , neither did she .

" How can I help you ?" the girl asks , glancing down at her luggage questionably . " I am Lexi Axton ." she mutters , her throat feeling dry . Her eyes widen as the girl recognizes the name and tell her to come inside . Lexi glances around the elite mansion , it was neat and beautiful , very modern . " Just wait here please ." the girl asks Lexi and Lexi nods , standing right in front of the door where she wanted to turn on her heel and run out of , feeling awkward and tense . She could hear the mutters of voices coming from up the stairs , but she didn't want to pry on people's private conversations even if she was highly curious .

Alec comes into view , his honey blonde hair messy on top of his head , his blue eyes glaring at Lexi as she stands on her spot , readying herself to just run as his eyes trail down and up her body . " You're early ." he grits out , not greeting her , not asking how she's been , not even cracking a f****d up joke about their situation . " Sorry ." she mutters , her chest tightening at his glow up and her eyes trail over the angel wing tattoo on his left arm that he had gotten when they were sixteen .

He has broad shoulders , strong arms and him in grey sweatpants and a white t - shirt with messy hair , it made her thighs clench behind her suitcase where he could not see the effect he had on her . " Lori will take care of you . Do what you want . Don't enter my room or office and don't talk to me ." he grits out , turning on his heel and he walks away in the same direction he came from . Lexi stared at him with wide eyes , tears wanting to flow , but she had to accept that they were nothing but a business deal .

Lori glances at Lexi with shy and apologetic eyes . " He's usually not like this ." she smiles as she tries to lift Lexi's spirit , but Lexi expected nothing less than the cold shoulder he just gave her . She knew that she was going to be miserable , but the only thing that she focused on was that she was able to continue studying online , since her parents arranged it - as well as her illegal marriage - and do what she wants while avoiding Alec since he wanted nothing to do with her in the first place .

Lori showed Lexi to her room , that was on the first floor , but Lexi couldn't help but wonder on what floor Alec's room was in . Lexi glanced around the medium sized bedroom , it wasn't as big as the one at her parents , but almost the same she had in Amsterdam . When Lori left , Lexi slowly began to unpack but as she closed the closet door after putting her clothes inside , her back slid down against the mirror door as a sob escaped her lips .

' How did things turn out like this ?' she thought , she felt like her whole world was falling apart all at once . She didn't even get to say goodbye to her friends and now they are just like dust in the wind , long gone .