Forced Marriage With The CEO

(Layla's Pov)

The soft morning light slipped through my window. I blinked my eyes, stretching my arms as I sat up. “Ugh… It's time to wake up, Layla.” I put on a smile while I got out of the bed.

“It's going to be another hectic day,” I sighed, looking at my reflection in the mirror before I went to clean up.

“Miss Layla, the breakfast is ready,” the servant claimed, knocking on my door.

“I'm going!” I replied, and hurried to dress myself.

However, as soon as I opened the door, and walked out of the room, Nicole brushed against my shoulders knowingly.

Not again. I sighed inwardly, turning around to escape the situation when she pulled my sleeves, and smirked sarcastically.

“You look as pale as a ghost.” She sneered, looking up and down at me when I shook my head. “Did you just wake up?” She gasped, enlarging her eyes when I pouted my lips. “Yeah, you don't have any work to do unlike me so, you don't care about when you wake up.”

I smiled, matching her eye to eye, “It's just that I prefer to finish my work early so, that I don't have to hurry to finish it.”

“You!” She frowned, stomping on her food when I swayed her hand away from me, and walked to the dining room.

“Good morning,” I said, as I walked in while Nicole greeted them as well, and sat beside me.

The breakfast was served soon but the atmosphere at the table was somewhat tense while my father, and stepmom kept exchanging glances.

I had a gut feeling that something was amiss but I chose to ignore it as the tension escalated when our father dropped a bombshell. “Do you remember the marriage alliance with the Crawford family, Layla, Nicole?”

We looked up at him, shock, and nervousness painted all over my face while my heart kept beating fast while we waited for our father to finish the sentence.

“Now, all of the kids are grown up. Layla, you should go on a date with Ethan this weekend. We have already arranged for that.”

“Father, but—” Nicole interrupted when she was interrupted by my father's stern glare.

He continued, looking at me while I kept staring at him dumbfoundely. “You're of marriagable age already, and both of you would suit each other.”

Suit each other? I have never even met him! How would I know that? I bit my lips, glancing down while my heart continued to pound faster by seconds.

Marrying Ethan was something I have never considered. I thought that my father would arrange Nicole for the marriage with him. Why should I be with him when I don't even know him? Meanwhile, Nicole, and Ethan knew each other.

“Dad, I want to focus more on my studies for now.” I mumbled, looking at him with pleading eyes.

“It's just a meet up. Meet him, and you will understand that you're suitable together.” My father said, without taking a step back.

I nodded, glancing down while panic coursed inside me. There was no way, I was going to marry him. Not now, not in the future. However, there was no way, I could go against my father's orders.

“O-okay,” I said, swallowing down a piece of pie while answering him.

“Good.”

The remainder of the breakfast passed in an uncomfortable silence while Nicole kept glaring at me from time to time. 

I didn't even have a single idea what I was gulping down. All my thoughts were about Ethan, the blind date, and the marriage alliance with the Crawford family. I couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling.

“Dad, I'm done. I'll be leaving.” I mumbled, nodding while I stood up, and went toward the door.

“I'm finished as well!” Nicole claimed while she raised up from her seat, and followed me.

As I made my way back to my room, thinking about how to change my father's mind, Nicole came running in front of me.

“Stop.”

I sighed, shaking my head. Not another drama. I just want to rest now. There are already too many thoughts going inside my mind.

I pressed my lips against each other, and glanced at her while she played with my hair, and scorned. “Your hair is really dry. You got to take care of yourself.”

I averted my gaze, rolling my eyes as I tried to ignore her, and leave her three but she stopped me from leaving, and landed her hand on my cheeks.

I glared at her baffled, my cheeks burning while she laughed. “Ethan won't like someone like you. She hates women like you the most.”

“Nicole,” I mumbled, rubbing my hands over my cheeks while I glared at her.

I smiled, swallowing down my anger, and replaced my rage with a smile on my face while I brushed off against her, laughing, “Well, at least he wouldn't like someone plastic if he has good eyes. But I do wonder if he has though.”

Nicole turned toward me, and laughed in rage while she stomped on her foot, and I entered back inside my room.

I could hear her screaming at me from the outside as I went over to my bed. 

“Marriage with the Crawford family…” I mumbled, closing my eyes while I sighed.

Ethan is the only heir of the Crawford family, a lady killer. I've only seen him from distance some times, but I don't even remember clearly how he looked. I was never someone who liked gatherings, and parties so, it was always Nicole who went to the parties for me.

They have known each other for years, and it's clear that Nicole loves him! So, why did my father arrange a date for me with Ethan?

I sighed, slapping my forehead while I pondered what to do. I definitely don't want to get married to him like this. I massaged my forehead, thinking about it while my father's words kept ringing inside my ear.