Bound To The Wolfe

DREA“Miss Drea Hart?” He asked, looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face.The familiar churning I felt in my stomach settled in. Somehow, this man’s presence made me nervous.“Yes. That’s me.” I said slowly, my eyes staring at his with caution.He cleared his throat once more, extending his arm out for a handshake.“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Hart. I am Andrew Smith — but you can call me Mr Smith.” He introduced.I stared at his outstretched hand like it was a foreign object I wasn’t supposed to touch, thinking about the reasons why the man dressed in a suit — Mr Smith was talking to me.Ivanka clearing her throat seemed to bring me back to reality as I looked at her, her eyes gesturing towards the man’s outstretched hand and nudging her head towards it. She wanted me to shake it.I wiped my palms on my jeans and slowly shook him, laughing nervously to break the tension.“It’s nice to meet you too Mr Smith.” I finally responded, his cold but firm hand releasing mine.

“It’s either that or you are kicked out.” With that, she stood up and practically danced her way out of the room in excitement.“It’s going to be okay.” Philip reassured me as I sniffled, trying to stop the tears from streaming down my face.“No it’s not. Why would he force a marriage on me?” I asked.“Maybe you should go and see him.” He answered.“Who?”“August Wolfe.”I was about to protest when he cut me off.“He might be able to give the answers you are looking for.” He replied.I did have a lot of questions. My dad wasn’t here and the only person who would be able to answer was the other person who signed the contract — August Wolfe.“Okay. I will.” I mumbled through the tears.He laughed, wiping the tears from my face and giving me a quick hug.“Whatever happens, just know that I am the only one who is going to be here, and I will always support you in whatever you decide.” Phillip smiled reassuringly, making me smile instinctively.The churning in my stomach had reduced thanks

DREA Well, it’s safe to say that I definitely flunked my test. I also didn’t have the necessary tools needed for the model.Story of my life, I guess.Walking out of the main entrance, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and searched up the company — Wolfe Systems.The address popped up on Google Maps as I looked up any bus routes that passed through its area.I began making my way to the bus stop, my steps increasingly faster due to my desperation for answers.After getting on the bus, I sat down and kept browsing through the company profile.Lots of achievements.Strong partnerships.Ridiculous net worth.I just could not wrap my head around the fact that someone as successful as him could somehow be associated with me.Snapping out of my thoughts, I looked up from my phone to see that we were at the bus stop.A bus stop directly in front of Wolfe Systems.Slowly walking off the bus, my mouth fell open at the size of the building.No way.This skyscraper belonged to him?I craned my

DREA My shoulders stiffened after hearing that. “How did you know my dad?” I asked the question I’d been meaning to ask since I entered the room. The air was thick with tension, and for a split second, I saw something shift within his facial expression. Sadness. It was only brief before his usual calm and unreadable demeanour masked it up. “He was my business associate.” He mumbled, clearing his throat. Business associate? All I recalled was that my dad was an accountant. But a business associate? “No he wasn’t. He was an accountant.” I replied, my face masked with a frown. There was a slight pause. “Yes.” He started at last. “But—” “How does that even make any sense?” I leaned forward slightly, cutting him off. A faint exhale came through his nose. Almost as if his patience was running thin. “It does not—” “You look my age! If he was actually your business associate like you claim he was, it means that he worked with a kid.” “If you would just liste—“ “You would’v

DREA “Okay class, today, we are going to be developing a model of a three-storey building with a detached shed placed behind the building. I want everyone to bring out the necessary equipment and begin.” Mr. Rivera explained, perching his glasses on the bridge of his nose and looking at his worn-out Casio watch. “You have four hours to complete this assignment. Keep in mind that it makes up 30% of your final grade.” He continued, his sharp voice echoing through the studio. 30%? I’m doomed! You see, I didn’t have the necessary equipment. I just could not afford it this month. Not with Ivanka sucking my money like a bee sucks nectar from flowers. I raised my hand, grabbing the attention of Mr. Rivera. He nudged his head towards me, gesturing for me to speak. “Sir, does this count as a test?” I asked nervously. “Yes Miss Hart, it is.” He responded with a stern look on his face. I’m screwed. Everyone else brought out their tools and began the assignment while I just sat there, sta