In two days, I was supposed to marry my boss

EVERETT

Morning came far too quickly. I barely managed to get any sleep, only closing my eyes for a few hours before the sun shone brightly through my windows. My body felt heavy, and my mind was still stuck on everything that had happened the night before. My alarm kept ringing, reminding me that I would be late for work once again and my arrogant boss would not be happy about it.

I dragged my tired body to the bathroom and took the quickest shower I had ever taken in my life. Despite everything, I tried to stay positive. I dressed in my purple dress that reached my knees and slipped into my heels. For a lady who worked at a billionaire's company, I certainly didn't have the shoes to show for it.

I left the house without sparing Dad a simple glance at the table. I didn't have the energy to look at him after what he had done. Luckily, I managed to get a cab and arrived at work early for once.

As I approached the building, I noticed a man in his late sixties holding onto a cane as he walked inside. For his age, he looked well built, but the kind girl in me wouldn't allow me to pass him by.

"Do you need any help, sir?" I asked as I approached him.

He stared at me carefully, looking me up and down from my head to my toes. The look made me uncomfortable, and I almost stepped back.

"Yes, child. I want to go to the office upstairs, but my feet are beginning to give out. I doubt I can make it to the elevator without falling."

I smiled and moved closer to help him inside. We made it to my boss's office without any trouble. There was something about him that felt deeply familiar, as though I had seen him somewhere before, but I couldn't figure out where.

"Well, this is Mr. Kessler's office. I hope he won't give you any trouble since we just passed reception without making an appointment. I have to go make him tea before he shouts at me like always. Anyway, all I'm trying to say is goodbye."

"Thank you, child."

I walked away, feeling his eyes on me, but I didn't turn around. I simply kept my composure and continued walking. The last thing I needed was another awkward encounter with a stranger when my own life was already falling apart.

I made Mr. Kessler's black tea exactly how he liked it and headed back to his office. I knocked twice, but when I didn't hear an answer, I slowly opened the door and walked inside.

I found the old man standing by the window while Mr. Kessler sat behind his desk, running his hands through his black hair.

"I... uh, brought your tea, sir."

I placed the cup beside him and turned to leave. I was halfway across the office when his voice stopped me.

"You. Come here."

My palms immediately became sweaty, and my breathing picked up. Then I remembered the picture I'd seen on the internet. That was enough to make my heart race.

I looked at the older man holding the cane, dressed in his expensive Armani suit. I desperately hoped my mind was playing tricks on me. Maybe G****e had been wrong about these men owning the casino. Maybe there was another explanation for the familiar faces and the connection between them.

"Sit." Sebastian pointed toward the stool facing him.

I hesitated for a moment before sitting down. A tense silence filled the room as I looked at the old man. His hair was a mixture of grey and black, and his features were almost exactly like Mr. Kessler's.

My stomach twisted.

"Father, excuse us."

His father looked hesitantly between the two of us. After several seconds of uncomfortable silence, he straightened his expensive suit and walked out with a straight face, leaving me alone with the man who had somehow become the biggest problem in my life.

When the door closed, Sebastian stood up and began playing with his cufflinks. He slowly circled my chair, and a cold sweat travelled down my spine. I kept my eyes on him, refusing to let him see how nervous I was, even though my heart was beating so hard I could barely think.

Then he spoke.

"So, Everett Chamberlain. You're twenty years old, living with a drunk father who gambles away every cent you make at this company and now owes me seven hundred thousand dollars. Instead of paying his debt, he sells his daughter. How inspiring."

His words hit me hard.

Frustration and anger rushed through my body. I knew my father was a gambler, but I hated hearing someone speak about him as though he were completely senseless and childish. I was the one who had to live with his mistakes, but that didn't mean I wanted a stranger throwing them in my face.

"If you find it inspiring, sir, that is on you. But I would love for you to respect my father as much as he would respect you in return. And about the contract, it so happens that you, as the owner of Blackwood Royale, gave him the contract while he was drunk. So next time, know your customers, sir. And I mean that with respect, of course."

The words came out faster than I expected.

Sebastian chuckled as he moved back to his seat. I wasn't usually rude to people, but I hated it when someone had the audacity to insult my family. I'd only been working at this company for three months, and I'd already noticed how arrogant and unforgiving he could be.

Judging by the way he was looking at me, I felt like a piece of trash standing in his way. I might even lose my internship, but at that moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. I had bigger problems than keeping a job under a man who seemed to enjoy making other people feel small.

"What a wonderful speech you've got there, Miss... what's your name again?"

"Everett."

"Yeah, that. I own you now. Well, not fully, but technically, I own you since you and your gambling father have found a way to make my father force me into marriage again."

My heart dropped.

"The wedding will be in two days. You may take those days off work. Adam will send you everything you will need. Now you can get out of my office. Your presence and bright colours are ruining my self-image."

Two days.

I repeated the words inside my head, hoping I had misunderstood him. I stared at him in disbelief, but he didn't spare me another glance. He simply focused on his computer, acting as though he hadn't just informed me that my entire life was about to change.

"Two days? Did I hear that correctly?" My voice shook, but I forced myself to continue. "First of all, I did not agree to this marriage. Nor do I need your money to buy things, sir. So, no. I will not get married in two days to a man who hasn't even gone down on his knees to ask me to marry him. And besides, I have a boyfriend."

The last part was a lie.

I didn't have a boyfriend, but I had guy friends who wouldn't mind pretending to be one if I needed them to. Anything was better than marrying this man. I didn't want this marriage, I didn't want his money, and I definitely didn't want him.

My words finally got his attention. He slowly lifted his eyes from the computer and looked at me.

"I have women who go down on their knees for me every day, Everett, so don't tempt me. And if you wish to have a man who will give you romance, that's your loss, because I'm not that man. And may I remind you that you have no say in this marriage? You simply obey and do as I command. So get the fuck out of my office before I strangle you to death."

My entire body froze.

That did it. I stood up so quickly that the stool scraped against the floor. I turned and ran out of his office, tears spilling down my cheeks. I tried wiping them away, but the more I tried, the worse they became. I didn't want anyone to see me crying, especially not the people who worked here, but I couldn't stop the tears.

My chest felt tight, and my hands trembled. My father had ruined my life for his own benefit. I had spent years trying to build something for myself, and in a matter of days, he had taken that future away from me.

Mom might have been a crack addict, but she knew how to be a parent to me.

That thought hurt more than I wanted to admit. At least when Mom was alive, I knew where I stood with her. Dad had always been unpredictable, but I never imagined he would willingly put my future in someone else's hands just to escape a debt.

I couldn't finish the rest of the day at work. I grabbed my things and left, just as Sebastian had told me to. I didn't even stop to explain myself to anyone. All I wanted was to get away from that office and the man who had made it clear that he saw me as nothing more than a debt to be settled.

In two days, I was supposed to marry my boss.