Chapter 3

Jamie

I blinked rapidly, my entire world spinning before my eyes. “What do you mean by engagement?!” I croaked out, unable to believe what I was hearing.

Dad barely flinched, acting like this was all set in stone. “Adam Walker and I thought it was best to bring both families together.”

He paused to reach for his jacket. “That's what the function is for… We'll be announcing the engagement tonight.”

I felt sick to my stomach, resisting the urge to throw up. “No,” I say weakly, shaking my head from side to side.

This can't be happening.

I finally met someone I truly wanted to be with, someone who cared about and understood me the way I wanted, and now Dad wants me to throw it all away?

Hell, no!

Dad stilled, looking up at me. “What did you say?” He growled out, his voice a lethal whisper.

Daring to look him in the eyes, I gulped, squaring my shoulders. “I said no,” I spoke up with fake bravado. “Whatever you and Sophia's father are cooking up, do it without involving us. We're not pawns for you to move around whenever you want.”

Dad chuckled, the sound devoid of humour. “Wow, you chose now to grow a set of balls, huh?”

I internally braced myself for his anger, but I never expected him to cross the room in a hurry and smack me across the face.

Pain blossomed on the left side of my face as my head snapped to the side from the force of the hit.

Shock rippled through my body afterwards, and I just stood there, raising shocked eyes to his.

Did he just… hit me?

Unfortunately, Dad didn't care.

“You are not going to ruin everything I've worked so hard for because you're too selfish to care about anyone else but yourself!” He bellowed, a bulging vein appearing on his forehead. “You're going to go out there and do what the fuck I tell you to do!!”

It was in that exact moment I knew I had to stand up to him.

Either that or I let him police my decisions for the rest of my life. “And if I say no?”

Dad's eyes hardened to steel. “Then I publish what you did to that poor boy a year ago on the news.”  

For the second time in under thirty minutes, my heart almost stopped in my chest.

“Wh…what?” I stuttered out, my breath coming out in choppy pants. “We agreed that that was going to stay buried!”

“Maybe.” He just gave a nonchalant shrug. “Or maybe not.”

My heart was beating so fast that I could hear it pounding in my ears.

My father was manipulative and knew just how to control his friends and enemies.

It's one of the reasons why he was so good at his business.

But he wasn't the only one who had that skill.

“You wouldn't do it,” I dared, calling his bluff. “You’re obsessed with having the perfect family image, and you wouldn't do anything to tarnish it, so yeah, go ahead! I dare you!”

Dad's jaw worked, his nostrils flaring as we stared at each other. The sound of our breathing was loud in the silence as we watched each other, waiting for who would break first.

He did. “You think I won't do it?” He said quietly, his tone even more scary than if he was yelling.

“Oh, I will because the outcome will be the same either way if you don't go out there.” He barked, stretching his hand out in the direction of the party. “So I guess it's your choice… do you want to be known as a murderer or the luckiest man in the world?”

Fuck!

A bead of sweat rolled down my temple as I thought it over. When I reached out to my father that rainy day a year ago with blood on my hands and a mangled car less than six feet away from me, I knew that this day would come.

That's what happens when you make reckless decisions and call your father to clean up the mess I made.

Sure, I could refuse, but my whole life would be ruined, and I might go to prison.

It wasn't worth it.

A knot formed in my stomach and with a heavy heart, I caved in.

“Fine,” I said, my mouth feeling like it was weighed down by lead. “I'll do it.”

                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sir, the announcement will begin shortly!” Jane, my father's personal assistant, poked her head through the door, sizing me up with her eyes. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” I answered in a monotone voice, glancing at my reflection in the mirror.

The custom-made Givenchy suit sat snugly on my shoulders, the refined and polished look of the dark red fabric making me seem older than my age.

My hair was slicked back with gel, a diamond wristwatch strapped on my wrist.

I looked every inch the billionaire son of Aldo Bronte.

A son that is forced into an arranged marriage against his will.

My eyes strayed to the piece of paper propped up against the mirror.

It was a short 200- word speech drafted out by dad's publicist for me to say at the unveiling.

Honestly, it's just a bunch of words thrown together, and I loathed to say them, but what choice did I have?

Expelling a tired sigh, I crossed the room to flip the locks, pulling out my phone and going through the call logs.

Ash…

I should call him, at least…

It would be awful if he found out about this from the news.

I tapped his phone number, my heart beating wildly as I waited for him to pick up.

He didn't.

It went straight to voicemail.

“Hi, it's Ash. You know what to do after the beep.” His voice came through clearly, making it sound like he was in the room with me.

“Hey, Ash…” I couldn't sit still, different emotions coursing through my body, so I got up and paced the length of the room. “Look, I know we have a lot to talk about and… I know you must have questions…I…” I trailed off, clutching my chest.

“I'm really sorry, Ash.” I managed to choke out before abruptly ending the call, holding back tears.

Thankfully, they didn't have the opportunity to fall as an abrupt banging sound boomed on the door.

“Jamie, it's time!” Jane’s frantic voice came through the door as she jiggled the doorknob, trying to open it. “Come on, open the door.”

I had half a mind to ignore her, but knowing how ruthless my father was, I jerked the door open.

“Let's go,” was all I said before walking past her, brushing her shoulder.

In less than an hour, the house had been transformed into something out of a red carpet store.

According to what I found out, my father and Adam Walker were hosting a small gathering of friends and business partners.

However, unlike other business gatherings, this one would be televised with a full camera crew.

I assume that once they had made the announcement of our engagement, pictures would be taken and immediately published on the internet.

“I take you're Jamie?” A soft-spoken voice behind me got me whipping around.

I looked up and met with the most stunning lady I've ever seen.

Her dark hair fell around her angelic face in waves, framing features that looked too delicate to be real, her dark green eyes only highlighting her pretty features.

Her dress only highlighted gorgeous features, the floral pattern crisscrossing over her chest, a tiny hint of cleavage visible.

If I was into girls, she’d definitely be the type that I would be eager to have on my arm. However, whenever I looked at her, I just appreciated how beautiful she was, nothing more.

“And you are?” I asked, arching a brow.

Her lips tipped up in what seemed like an amused smile, then she stretched her hand out. “Sophia… your fiancé.”

Oh, damn.