Chapter 002

VALERIE 🎀

My mouth hung open as I stared at him—first in shock, then pure, blinding rage.

My hands balled into fists, trembling as heat surged through me.

Without thinking, I shoved the chair back and landed a punch right across his smug face.

Zachary's head snapped to the side and for a moment, the room was silent except for the echo of my heavy breaths.

He slowly turned towards me, a red mark on his jaw glaring at me.

One corner of his lips curved upwards.

" You hit so hard." He sounded amused and I blinked at him in disbelief.

" Yeah? I hissed. " Consider it a tip of how our marriage will look like"

He chuckled , " you amuse me."

I blinked, " were you accidentally dropped as a child."

" Why? A smile danced on his lips. " Will that make you want me ?

" No, that would explain why you turned out twisted."

A muscle jumped in his jaw and I knew I had hit a nerve.

" I will pretend I didn't hear that," he leaned in his chair, his blue eyes fixed on me. "Now, let’s talk about the terms."

" Terms?" I spat. " This isn’t a negotiation. You’re insane if you think I’m going to marry you."

"You don’t have a choice," he said smoothly, opening a drawer and tossing a folder in front of me. "Unless you want your father’s company dragged through the mud."

My stomach dropped. “What are you talking about?”

He tapped the folder. "Go on. Read it."

I opened it with trembling fingers and what I saw made my blood run cold.

Photos. Bank statements. All neatly arranged in the folder.

My father's signature was on a dozen incriminating documents,evidence of embezzlement and god knows what else.

My throat tightened. "Where did you get these?"

Zachary leaned on his desk, his expression unreadable. "I have a lot of friends"

"This could ruin him." My voice was barely a whisper.

" No, Ursula. This will ruin him, unless you do exactly as I say."

I looked up at him, my vision blurry. “You’re blackmailing me into marrying you.”

"I prefer the term persuasion."

"You are a monster."

He smirked, unbothered.

My chest heaved. The air in the office suddenly felt too thick.

"I’ll go to the police," I threatened. " I’ll tell them you’re blackmailing me—"

" By all means." He gestured toward the door, mockingly gracious. "But I wonder what they’ll find when they investigate your father’s finances… and yours. You didn’t think those charity galas were just fundraiser, did you?"

The color drained from my face.

"You bastard," I whispered.

I snapped the folder shut. This is never going to happen.

" I will never marry you." Flicking my fingers at the both of us, " there will never be us"

" You have no choice here, Ursula, your father already agreed."

I froze.

" What?

" Either you agree or not, you are going to be mine."

" Go to hell." I threw the folder at his face.

" Oh, I'm bringing you with me."

Ignoring him, I whirled around. I need to meet my father. Fast .

********

Back at my father's office,I stared at him like he’d lost his mind. "What the hell are you talking about?"

He didn’t flinch. "Zachary Wellington has a lot to offer."

I laughed, a dry, bitter sound. "Yeah, sure, like the acquisition of the finance bank."

He narrowed his eyes. " How did you know about it?

I rolled my eyes, " I'm not a child, I know you needed the Wellingtons help to acquire the finance bank, but why does that have to involve me?

He sighed and sank into his chair.

" Zachary requested for marriage and I have no choice but to agree."

" You had no choice but to agree ? I scoffed." Why? Because he gathered dirt on you ?

His eyes widened and his mouth hanged open in shock.

" How-"

" I was at his office earlier but that's not the point, why was I even involved?

" Because he chose you."

I chuckled bitterly. Of course, he did.

" Please, Valerie do this for me ."

“What about what I want?” I whispered, voice cracking.

He gave me a long look. "You don’t have to love him. Just play the part."

Tears spilled over, hot and fast. "You didn’t even ask how I was doing."

" You’re strong, Valerie. You will be okay."

My heart broke a little more.

"Why do I have to be the one to compromise?" My voice trembled, barely above a whisper. "What about Cara? She eloped with my fiancé."

My father didn’t even flinch. " Cara has always been… impulsive and immature .You know that."

" Impulsive?" I scoffed. "She destroyed my engagement, humiliated me in front of everyone, and you’re brushing it off like she broke a plate?"

"You’re the older one, Valerie," he said, calmly. Too calmly. "You’ve always been the one who held this family together. That means you have to adjust. If Zachary released those files , we are going to loose everything."

I stared at him, my heart cracking one fracture at a time.

"Adjust?" I choked. "You mean sacrifice."

His silence was my answer.

"Do you even love me at all?" I asked, voice raw and broken. "Or am I just a piece on your chessboard?"

He looked at me then, really looked. And for the first time, I saw the truth. Not regret. Not guilt. Just… tiredness.

"If everything I’ve done for you over the years isn’t love," he said softly, "then I don’t know what is."

It hit like a slap.

-------------

I huffed as I made my way to the underground parking lot in Wellingtons corps.

If Zachary thought I would marry him without a fight, he has something else coming.

My lips widened into a grin as I spotted his beloved convertible. Splendid.

" I'm so sorry, you pretty little thing, but I hate your owner" I whispered to the beauty .

I fished out the knife I kept in my purse and went to work.

One by one, I stabbed the tires.The hissing sound from the slashed tires were like music to my ears.

As I made my way to the fourth tyre.

The car's alarm went off. Shit!

Flashlights were pointed in my direction.

I immediately took cover behind a pillar.

" Who's there? A guard yelled.

I'm screwed .

I slowly moved away from the car before breaking into a run.

Phew! I heaved a sigh of relief as my car came in view.

But I bumped into a wall.

A wall that has arms?

I slowly lifted my eyes to look at the supposed wall and my breath hitched as my eyes locked with Zachary's.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

" What are you doing?

" Nothing." a nervous laugh bubbled within me.

" Now, that's suspicious."

Just then, the security guard ran to our direction and I bit my lips.

" Oh, sir , it's you."

Zachary nodded, "yeah, is anything wrong ?

" Someone messed with your car and this Miss was the only one around."

The guard eyed the knife still clutched in my hand.

Zachary followed his gaze, and I could feel the smirk stretching across his lips.

" She's with me." He said smoothly, draping an arm over my shoulders. "She’s a bit dramatic when she’s upset."

The guard chuckled awkwardly. " Of course, sir. I’ll inform the others it was a false alarm."

" Do that." Zachary’s tone left no room for argument.

Once the guard disappeared, I yanked away from him.

"Let go of me."

"Not so fast." He pulled me closer, " let's go see your artwork."

He dragged me to his parking space and I winced at the damage I did to his car.

Whistling , he let go of me and inspected his car.

"Impressive," he drawled. "Didn’t know you had it in you."

I shrugged . " I aim to surprise."

"You sure did," he said.

"Too bad the security cameras caught everything."

My smile dropped.

He stopped inches from me, his voice a low whisper. "You just gave me leverage, Ursula . And I haven’t even put a ring on your finger yet."

I scowled. " You’re despicable."

He chuckled and stepped closer, his voice dropping to a taunting whisper. "Tell me, Valerie… if this is how you handle stress, what are you going to do on our honeymoon?"

My cheeks flushed, a mix of fury and… something else.

" I never agreed to marry you".

" Yet." He drawled .

" Why did you choose me ?

" Hmm, let's see," he tapped his chin, as if deep in thoughts, " Because I don't want you to be unmarried for the rest of your life, so I offered myself on a platter of gold ."

" Bull shit, we hate each other. Why would you care?

His playful smirk vanished.

" Because I want you."

I snorted, " you can have any woman you want . Why would you want me, we are rivals."

" I can have any woman I want but they are not you," His eyes gleamed as he leaned towards me, his hands in his pocket. "And I would do anything to have you."

" What exactly do you want from me."

I asked helplessly

" Why don't we find out?