KAREN
My eyes open suddenly to meet cool brown eyes staring down at me with no emotion in them whatsoever.
"You just had to ruin my dinner didn't you?" Jason said coldly.
I give him a puzzled look.
"What did I do?"
"You've lost your memory too huh?"
My heart goes to my mouth as images of Henley and I kissing flash through my mind.
He's found out.
I think in fear of all the lies I can wiggle out.
"You're all over the news too," He goes on and taps his phone screen.
My lips have suddenly gone dry, I run my tongue over them.
"What do you mean?" I ask politely.
He shoves his phone in my face and it takes a moment for my eyes to focus.
JASON DANIELS' BRIDE TO BE FAINTS AT DINNER HELD IN THEIR MULTIMILLION DOLLAR VILLA.
The headline stated in capital letters.
I sigh immediately as the cool breeze of relief washes over me.
He doesn't know I kissed his brother.
"Oh," Memories of the previous night begin to fill my head as I remember everything.
I passed out from shock.
"Bride to be?" I say out loud and look up at him.
"You saw clearly," He takes the phone away from my face.
"Would you care to explain what that was?" He demanded.
"When did I promise to marry you?" I countered and immediately regretted speaking.
Suddenly his face works up into a sneer as he stares at me with disgust.
"Are you really asking me that? You are an ungrateful bitch," he thunders.
I remain silent and avoid his gaze wishing this moment will pass as quickly as it escalated.
I have a lot to say on the matter but I force my thoughts down and will myself to just listen to his rants.
"I'm willing to marry you to save you and your parents from going fucking bankrupt and you sit there and question me?"
His voice has gone up a considerable volume and there was no one to save me from his anger.
This is what I have to endure to make sure my family doesn't lose everything.
All my life I have been taught to do anything and everything for my family even if it means being in an abusive relationship with a man I hate.
"I.. I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said." I apologize, desperate to end this argument.
"Shut up!" He roars.
"We're getting married and it's final unless you want to drag your family to the ground. I am only marrying you because your parents begged me."
He says.
I keep my head bowed in submission as he shouts and rants about how ungrateful I am and how my parents shouldn't have had me.
I endure all this for my family.
"You are so pathetic and don't do what you did last night again. it's an order,"
I nod.
"Yes sir,"
"Fucking ingrate,"
He mutters and walks out.
My eyes sting with tears as I pull my knees towards me until they're under my neck.
Tears begin to flow freely and I don't bother to stop them.
I sob in my hands as I am suddenly overcome and overwhelmed.
I am tired of everything, I can't take it anymore.
I just want to run away and never come back.
I sob terribly, my shoulders shaking from my sobs.
I don't want my family to suffer because of me, why am I suffering because of them.
"I'm tired," I cry out loud and fling a pillow to the floor while breathing heavily.
Something vibrates behind me, it's my phone.
I sniff loudly before picking up the call.
"Hello," I say.
"Karen."
I hurriedly look at the phone screen, it's an unknown number.
"How did you get my number?" I ask in a whisper.
Jason may be eavesdropping. I can't risk speaking out loud.
"I have my ways," Henley says.
"Why are you whispering?"
"Now's not a good time." I whisper.
"I want to see you Karen. I can't stop thinking about you and I'm sure I'm not alone in this."
On a normal day I'd have melted immediately as soon as he uttered those words in my ear but this day isn't normal.
No day is normal with Jason.
My insides flipped in response as they threatened to melt.
I heave a sigh.
"Henley... that kiss was a mistake."
Giving in to my feelings means doom for my family and I don't want that to happen.
"Was it Karen?" He asked softly and immediately a tingle runs down my spine.
I like his tone. Too much.
"You kissed me back by mistake? You held me tight by mistake? Your pulse spiked by mistake Karen?"
"I..I.."
I look towards the still open door in fear. What would I do if he walked in on me on the phone with his brother?
I feel like Henley's voice can be heard from anywhere in this big house.
"You can't deny how you feel Karen."
"I can!" I say more fiercely than I intended to.
"Why? Just why?"
I remain silent.
"What do you see in that asshole? Why do you choose to remain with him?"
"I see nothing in him," I reply calmly.
"Then leave him," Henley urged.
"I can't,"
"You can't?"
I nod though he can't see me nodding.
"I can't," I say out loud.
"Are you sure about that?" His tone takes on an edge that scares me and yet draws me in.
"What do you mean?"
I ask carefully.
"I want you Karen and I am going to have you and trust me you're going to enjoy being had."
The phone beeps as he ends the call.
My mouth hangs open in shock at Henley's last words.
What does he mean by what he just said?
Is he trying to get me in trouble?
As his words sink deep into my mind I feel a pull at the base of my stomach.
I'm wanted.
Someone desires me.
I let my phone fall from my fingers to the bed as I take deep breaths.
Jason cannot know I'm attracted to his brother. I have been attracted to Henley since the first day I met him though I didn't know just how attracted I was until he kissed me.
My fingers trace my lips as the memories of the kiss we shared last night floods my mind.
The way he held me. Possessively.
I wish Jason would hold me like that.
The way he kissed me. Passionately.
I let out a shaky breath and I began to feel a dull throb in between my legs.
I have to stop thinking of Henley if I'm going to get any work done today.
As if on cue, my maid in waiting pulls in a trolley which I know holds my breakfast and medication.
"Good morning Miss Beth, Mr Daniels requests that I see to it that you eat properly and take your medication that the doctor prescribed."
I palm my face with my hand as she droned on like an AI.
"I'm to help you get ready in due time for lunch with your future mother in law at noon sharp."
I really don't have any response for her so I stuff eggs in my mouth instead.
I wonder if staying with Jason is the right thing for my mental health even though it's for my family.
KAREN"If anyone asks why you passed out, say it's because of the food. Don't embarrass me." Jason says coldly as he leads me into the five star restaurant which is possibly owned by his family. And by anyone he means reporters. I'm not going to hear the end of this for a very long time. He'll keep letting me know that I embarrassed him by passing out on the night he decided to pity me and propose finally. I turn my head to the side and roll my eyes. Like I even wanted him to propose. I don't want to marry Jason and I have to find a way to call off the engagement. It wasn't part of the arrangement. The huge chandeliers twinkle beautifully as we walk into the lobby, immediately a man dressed in a crisply ironed black suit walks quickly towards us with hands outstretched and a big smile plastered on his face. "Mr Daniels!" He said quite brightly with a bow. Yup.They own this restaurant. "The soon to be Mrs Daniels," He bows and smiles at me. I almost want to correct him that
JASONWhere the fuck is she? My eyes scan the restaurant for any sign of her, and yet nothing. Her mother catches me staring and offers a reassuring smile with a pat on the hand. "She's having pre-wedding jitters and it's affecting her bowels. She should be out soon." Mrs Beth says to me. Like I give a fuck if she's taking a shit. I give her my winning smile and nod my head. I just hope she's not out there granting an interview to some nosy reporter about how she never got a proper proposal from me. She doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut. Can anyone be more ungrateful?Her parents jumped at the idea with both feet without a thought when I made my intentions known and she's demanding a proper proposal. For what?She's not even my type. She's too skinny for me and I am doing her a huge favour by choosing to marry her – and her entire family too –Yet she dares question me in the eyes of the public. God! I hate her right now. I stare up ahead ready to storm into the ladi
KAREN"Take me home, please," I settle in with a sigh of relief. What a day!I unbuckle my silver strapped heeled sandals and slip my feet out of them with a quiet moan of relief. One of the worst days yet. A day filled with nothing but pretense and disappointment. ..but what's done is done..I now know where I stand in my family. I'm the one who's life has to be sacrificed for a family that has no sympathy whatsoever. A waste of time and effort. Now I know what all those years of intense grooming really were for. I wasn't groomed to be the perfect wife for Mr Right, I was groomed to fit in front of the cameras. To keep up pretense. Ever since I was born, I have done everything for them and what do I get in return?Nothing.Responsibility. Duty. Loyalty.All an excuse to hide their selfish intentions. When do I get to do something I really want to do?At this rate if I keep sucking it up to them, it'll be never. That'd mean giving up my entire life all for nothing. No can
HENLEYMeetings back to back, it can be tiring. I don't know which is more tiring.Online meetings or physical meetings. My eyebrows rise and fall in a quick move, my eyes feeling like lead. Both type of meetings are tiring, that's for sure. Especially when you have to attend several in a day on two hours of sleep. I really do need to sleep properly.But I have to keep it up until I achieve my goal.Defeating my brother and Mother in the business world. Mostly mother because, come on, she basically runs the company through her puppets Jason and Father.Mother would prefer I kiss Jason's ass and lick his balls at his beck and call. No can do. Not after she's told me several times that I am a nobody. Well, I'm someone now mother, how about that?It's not a usual thing for one's mother to hate her child but that's what fate cursed me with. I feel nothing for her.I heave a sigh. Their surprise when they found out I carved a path for myself outside of MERC still remains a strong m
KAREN It's been exactly one week since Jason's proposal without a word from him since lunch. So much for happily ever after. If he thinks I'm going to cower while he lords his half hearted proposal over me then he needs a rethink. If my family is so poor and getting married to me won't benefit MERC, why did he agree to marry me? What's in it for him in all of this? What deal did my parents make? I don't want to imagine things but my parents wouldn't even talk to me especially since the confrontation with my mother. Father's heard of it by now already. At least they know what my intentions are now and if they think I'll be the obedient daughter this time then they're in for a surprise. Which is why I agreed to go out with Henley, especially after that kiss we shared. At least he's not boring like his brother. I suck on the straw attached to the juice carton I am holding in my hand as the sweetness of the fruit juice slides over my tongue. I'm going to have to be discr
EIGHT YEARS AGO…: MERC PUBLISHING FIRMHENLEYI don't really know how to feel about this. Jason has always been one proud prick but I really do need the support I can get from him.At this point, I am in dire need of support. Someone to believe in me and back me up.I could use a confidence boost."Why would you even think of running a publishing firm?"Mother had demanded. Apparently not liking the idea of me running a company similar to the family's business.Well, Mother never likes any of m
HENLEY "What? What do you mean you can explain?" I stuttered. Mr Daniels Snr heaved a sigh from his end and took a very deep breath. "I promise to explain everything to you when you come over. This is not a conversation that can be discussed over the phone. Please, son, hear me out." He pleaded. I shake my head repeatedly, still in denial even though it's beginning to make sense to me. "It means it's true, right?" Mr Daniels Snr said nothing to that. "It means that woman speaks the truth," I say strongly, a faint echo of the British accent that normally slips out without notice especially when I'm stressed. I am pretty much stressed right now. "Henley, just come over. I'll be waiting," the call goes dead. My phone drops to the table with a clatter as I groan in frustration and bury my head in my hands. "No, no, no, " I say over and over. I have two options, stay here and wallow in denial and ignorance or get out there, face the press that have no doubt assembled at
KAREN"Drugs, Karen,"Henley's voice echoed in my head as I stared blankly at my computer screen. Apparently I still haven't digested the news properly. How could I?I see no reason why Jason would want to destroy my family and all we have worked for. I just don't get it. None of it makes any sense. I force myself to concentrate on the task at hand which is finding out for myself if Henley is right. I don't want to believe him, even though a small but significant part of me believes everything he told me. Why would Henley lie against his brother? To paint a bad image of him, maybe?Jason's image is rotten where I'm concerned. Henley is not the kind of man who back bites and certainly not the type to spread rumors about his rival just to get the girl. No, he's not that type of person. There's a stiff muscle in my neck and shoulder that makes itself known as I type in a search word. Turning my head this way and that, I wait for search results. As expected, nothing unusual pops up