Chapter 5
1857 Words
Lia
“What are you saying? Are you really going to marry someone whom you have never met before?” Xavier stood up from the couch and came to kneel in front of me. I was supposed to visit Charlie today and go back to the mansion but to my luck, Leo gave me two days off considering the fact that I have to prepare myself for the engagement which was to be held the day after tomorrow. And here I am at Xavi and Scarlet’s place.
“Yes, I am. I have even agreed to Leo about it..” I said and his frown deepened.
“What if the guy is ugly or has a serious medical ailment and his grandfather is simply trying to dump him onto you?” He asked, looking slightly terrorized by that fact.
“I don’t care as long as I get that money..” I mumbled, shame and guilt gnawing my heart from the inside for marrying someone for money. I sound like a gold-digger to my own ears.
He ran his fingers through his unruly hair in frustration, “Lia, you seriously don’t have to do this. We will figure out some other way to get Charlie out of there..”
I didn’t listen to him as I intruded rudely, “Do you know a way to earn fifty thousand dollars in a matter of five months, Xavi?”
He looked like he wanted to slap some sense into my head but he decided not to, “So you are willing to sacrifice your life for just fifty thousand dollars?”
I snorted at him mockingly, “You say as if those fifty thousand dollars in nothing to people like us. I have been working my ass off for the past eleven months to earn that money Xavi but believe me I still don’t have a decent bank balance.
How long do you think the orphanage is going to keep Charlie with them? Someone will eventually adopt him and there would be nothing I could do to stop them. I need that money urgently and I don’t care what I have to do for it..” I kept lamenting my heart out.
“But you still love him..” He spoke in a soft voice and that reminder was enough to crush my heart.
Even though I failed at it miserably, I tried to keep an unaffected face, “Yes I do but what good has it ever done to me, Xavi? It’s been so many years since he left and I don’t think a multi-billionaire like him would be still single. Even if he is, I don’t see a future with him. As much as I remember he hates me to the core.”
“Lia..” He opened his mouth but Scarlet stopped him. All this while she was patiently watching us argue from the couch without uttering a word.
“Baby, I think Lia is right. Consider the pros of it.” She began to count it on her fingers, “She would be married to a billionaire by the end of this month, fifty thousand dollars will be deposited in her name and she would be able to bring home Charlie. And if our darling is lucky enough she could even fall in love with her husband..”
I rolled my eyes at her last sentence and Xavi stared at her with a murderous glint.
“What? I am trying to be optimistic here.” Scarlet shrugged and got down on the carpeted floor next to Xavi. “Okay, answer this for me, Xavi. We have known her for eight years and do you think Lia would be marrying someone on her own?”
Xavi’s gaze went down to the floor as if having a serious thought about it and I sat there like an i***t watching them both.
“Xavi, I know you guys are worried for me but trust me I will be just fine as long as you two are beside me..”
Scarlet took my hand in hers, “We will be with you as we always have and whoever that guy is, I am sure he will be head over heels for you when he gets to know what an amazing woman you are..”
“Thanks..” I muttered weakly. Xavi was silent and looked unconvinced yet the fire in his eyes had slightly subsided.
“By the way, what’s his name?” Scarlet asked suddenly and that’s when I realized I had no information about the guy that I was going to get engaged to in just two days.
“Don’t tell me you don’t know his name, Lia..” She narrowed her eyes at me when I sat blinking back at her, kind of lost.
“I don’t know..” I shook my head shamelessly, “But what’s the big deal? The engagement ceremony is on this Sunday and we will be seeing him in person..”
“I hope he is sexy and handsome..” Scarlet shrieked excitedly.
“It’s Lia who is getting engaged, not you..” Xavi snapped with an annoyed grimace and we both couldn’t stop chuckling at his reaction which resembled that of a child whose lollipop was rudely snatched from him.
*
I spent the whole of the next day in my bed where I used to sleep once. I was dreading the engagement.
Was I really ready for this?
No
Will I ever be?
Nope
Will I be able to forget him?
Never
“Arghh.. Then why the hell am I doing this?” I mentally screamed and buried my face into the pillow.
My very own thoughts were killing me and the pounding on my head had grown so severe that I didn’t want to get out of my bed for the rest of the day but Scarlet was being very persistent to go shopping. I still did not have a dress to wear for the engagement, not just anyone else’s engagement but mine.
“Come on, get your big fat ass out of the bed..” She yelled from her room.
“Yes, mommy..” Rolling my eyes, I got out of my bed to get ready. After several minutes, we were about to get going out when the doorbell rang and Xavi went to answer it.
I strode behind Xavi when I saw who was standing at the door. “Carter, what are you doing here?”
“Good evening, Ms. Wilson. This is from Leo and Anna..” He smiled, handing me a huge and equally heavy box.
“What is this?” I asked eyeing it intently.
I saw his smile growing wide and mischievous, “Goodbye Xavi and Scarlet. See you guys tomorrow..” Without bothering to answer me, he left.
“Bye Carter..” Xavi kicked the door close behind him and made his way to the couch where Scarlet and I had already begun to tear open the box. Just a few minutes into it and my phone vibrated inside my pocket. My eyes were practically glued to the nude-colored gown laid in front of me that I did not bother looking at the caller Id and answered it, still in a daze.
“Lia darling, did you find the dress to your liking?”
Oh, so it was Anna who was in the line.
“Lia..?”
“You there?”
“O-oh Yeah yeah, I love it, Anna, so much..” I replied. I noticed Scarlet who was next to me and I would say her expression was even worse than mine. I could see two stars dancing in her eyes and her jaw was almost hitting the floor.
“Everything you will need for tomorrow is in the box and a stylist will come to your place to doll you up, sweetheart. Okay? You can tell me if you need anything else..”
My eyes did a quick check into the box to find out a matching diamond set and all the other luxury products that I haven’t seen in a long time.
“Anna, thanks a lot but you really didn’t have to send me all these..” Receiving all these expensive gifts made me really feel like a gold digger and disgusted about myself.
“Oh come on, you are the woman who is going to marry my favorite grandson. It’s my duty to spoil you with such gifts” She dismissed and added in her shrilling tone, “I cannot believe you are getting engaged to my Jinny tomorrow."
Ginny?
Is that his name?
Sounds a bit feminine to me.
“Carter will come to pick you up tomorrow, okay?” She informed and I nodded absentmindedly as if she could see me.
“Alright then, see you tomorrow honey. Take care and sleep well..”
“Thanks, Anna. Bye..”
“I guess that saves all the money and time..” Scarlet grinned and it only made me more miserable.
*
I stared at my reflection in the mirror that stared at me with the same intensity. My dress was a heavily embroidered nude-colored gown that flowed past my ankles. My hair was pulled behind into a half up and half down style, with few locks brushing my face.
I looked perfect on the outside but I couldn’t overlook the hollowness shining in my eyes. The stylist had done an amazing job that no one could know that I spent a whole night crying into my pillow.
Finally, I was moving on with my life, leaving behind my past. I didn’t know if it would be possible for me to do it but I promised myself to put my whole heart to make this marriage work.
I didn’t know my eyes had moistened until Scarlet placed her hand on my shoulder softly, pulling me out of the trance. “Are you okay..?”
“I don’t know..” I bit my lower lips to stop it from wobbling.
“Ohh honey, come here..” She wrapped me in her tight embrace, “I am sure everything is going to be alright..” She patted on my back while I hugged her, needing more of the emotional comfort that I was getting from my friend.
“Carter is here for us, let’s go..” She pulled away and led me out.
“Hey. You ready?” Xavi walked in front of me and when I nodded, he took my hand around his arm to lead me to the limousine waiting for us.
Few hours, just a few more hours and my life will be tied to a total stranger forever.
What have I got myself into? God, please help me.
- Writer
