CHAPTER 3

"Anna, are you okay?" My mom asked carefully.

"Are you trying to force me to get married to someone?" I asked pained by their words.

"Yes!" They both chorused.

God, the shamelessness of my parents.

"Mom, Dad, I just returned from school yesterday. Heck, I am supposed to be having some respite here, but instead, you both are trying to force me to get married?" I yelled.

"Well baby, we just felt..." My mom was still speaking when I stormed out of the kitchen in tears.

"Let her be." I heard my dad tell my mom.

I ran back to my room and filled my pillow with tears. Yes, I have always known that my parents believed in arranged marriages. Theirs was an arranged marriage and though it had worked for them, I was certain that I didn't want that life for myself. Hell, maybe if Jeff hadn't broken my heart, I wouldn't be in this mess.

I was still crying when my mom climbed up my bed and snuggled close to me. "I am so sorry dear."

"I don't want to hear it." I sniffed.

"I know you are mad, but we are doing what we think is best for you."

"You don't know what is right for me." I retorted.

"Anna, you can't blame us. We simply want the best for you and in giving you the best, we also save ourselves from going bankrupt. We have a company whose shares are about to go down. Your father is on the brink of losing his company and trust me, you don't want that." My mother said.

I sat up and wiped the tears off my face. "Well, if there are issues at the company, I can come in and help. Isn't that why you both spent a good fortune to send me to Harvard to study finance?"

My mom looked confused and I knew I had thrown her into a conundrum.

"I understand you baby, but your approach would take a lot of time. Your dad and I have spoken to the Clarkson and trust me, they are willing to help but it has to come at a price."

"The price that I marry their son?" I asked in disbelief.

My mom nodded her head. "It is business baby and they have to secure their assets in a way. You getting married to Jonathan would give them some sort of security. You need to understand that you are doing us and yourself a favor here."

I stared hard at my mom for a long while. I could see the sincerity in her eyes and as much as I loved her, I hated what they were about to do to me.

"Mom I have barely spoken to Jonathan in years. I don't know him. How do you expect me to get married to someone I don't know?"

"My dear, don't say that. You know him. We all do. You will also learn to love him when you are married. I barely knew anything about your dad when I got married to him, but our lives turned out beautifully. You can have that same beautiful life too." My mom begged.

"I don't want such a life. Go and tell Dad that he has to cancel whatever deal he has with the Clarksons. We would find an alternative to raise funds for the business." I said.

There was a tense silence in the bedroom and the next words that flew out of my mom's mouth left me with chills.

"Anna McGregor, you listen to me now and you listen well. By 7 today, the Clarksons would be here with their son Jonathan and as a good girl and a lovely fiancee, I expect you to be at the dining table, well dressed and happy to meet them. This is the last time we are to talk about this."

She spun around and left my bedroom without a glance. I couldn't believe what had just happened. My parents weren't giving me an option here. As much as I hated this, I just knew I couldn't go against my parents.

But while sitting on the bed and bemoaning my situation, a light bulb went up in my head. Maybe I didn't have to go through the ordeal after all.

***

That evening, I stared hard at myself in the mirror taking in the pretty dress I had picked. As much as I hated doing this, I wanted to show my mom that I could play this game. Hopefully, I could talk to Jonathan after the dinner and share my plan with him.

"He would agree to my plan right?" I asked my reflection.

The room was silent and I ran my hand down the dress and over my flat tummy. I was a beautiful lady and any man was going to desire me. Unfortunately, I knew what I wanted in a man and I doubted Jonathan was the kind of man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

I arrived at the dining table and met the maid bringing the food to the table. I gave her a small greeting and she answered warmly. Maybe if I was in the house more, we could be friends.

A peep at my phone revealed that the time was two minutes to 7 p.m.

"Where the hell are my parents?" I asked in exasperation.

"We are here." My dad answered warmly.

"I told you she was going to come around." He said to my Mom.

Mom gave me a grateful smile and hugged me. I wanted to tell her that she left me with no options, but I kept my lips sealed.

As soon as my mother peeled herself away from me, the doorbell rang.

"It seems our guests are here. Time to get this party started." My father said excitedly.

That was his way of handling his jitters.

My mother was about to go and get the door when I stopped her. "No Mom, let me do it."

She nodded and I took the steps to the door and drew it open.

I was met with the smiling faces of Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson. There was a young man beside them, but he was busy on the phone.

"Welcome." I greeted my potential parents-in-law. They both smiled at me and Mrs. Clarkson gave me a warm hug.

They walked into the house and I was left with the young man who was supposed to be Jonathan.

He ended his call and turned around. This was my first time seeing his face tonight and I guessed I must have been stupid not to have known he was the one all this while.

Standing right before me was New York's playboy billionaire and he stared at me like her owned the whole world.

Hell, I could never live with a man like Jonathan Clarkson.