LOVE BENEATH RIVALRY

CHAPTER 1

(Elisa's POV)

I stormed my way down the hall, headed for my father's office, eyes blazing with fury as I marvelled at the audacity of the Greyhounds to demand my hand in marriage despite our decade old rivalry.

I finally arrived at the entrance of my father's office with only a wooden door standing between me and the impending confrontation. I forcefully kicked the door open, strutting in without a single sense of decorum as my gaze landed on our incredibly unwelcomed guests.

“Elisa! Darling, you're here” my father voiced, signaling for me to compose myself as he walked towards me with open arms, ushering me into the room.

I shoved right passed him, taking a seat at the very top of the conference table. All eyes landed on me as I melted into the seat reserved for my father, roughly placing my feet on the table whilst staring directly at the envoys sent from the rival gang (The Greyhounds) to propose marriage. “So…you're the envoys those bastards sent to demand my hand in marriage, right?”

The older looking one of the bunch sighed in disappointment as our eyes met. “It seems the rumors were true, the white rose of the darkhorse clan is indeed nothing but a pretty face masking a nasty personality. Little girl you should try restraining your unpleasantness and show some respect for your elders” he mocked.

I chuckled upon hearing his words. “Elders?” I repeated, pulling out a loaded gun, pointing it directly at him. “Would you like me to show you exactly what it means to be an elder?” I questioned, my fingers teasing the trigger right before his eyes. “When you're an elder, doesn't it mean you'll have the privilege of kissing your gravestone long before the rest of us? Because my nasty personality is really urging me to put a bullet right in that wrinkly old mouth of yours”

My father immediately stepped in, snatching the gun from my grasp. “Compose yourself Elisa” he pleaded in an attempt to calm my anger.

“Sir Eliot, it seems your daughters presence isn't of much use as it proves difficult for her to show some restraint. I suggest you excuse her inorder for us to reach an agreement regarding the matter at hand” the old man chimed.

“It seems you really do have some balls Old man, I mean they might be worn, dried up and wrinkly but it's still there so I commend you for that. Now listen and listen very careful, I'm guessing my father has already told you this but I'll repeat it once more only for the sake of your obvious hearing deficiency, I will not under any circumstances marry into your pathetic excuse for a bloodline. Now… why don't you take your stupid self and go report everything I've said to your master, like a good dog”

“INSOLENT!!!” He barked, slamming his hands on the table. “Shuuu…don't yelled too loud” I interrupted “you could raise your blood pressure to a dangerous level with that much anger. Please consider you age before acting out next time”

Father's fury finally boiled over as he raised his voice, desperate to call me to order. “ELISA!!!” He yelled “WHAT!!!” I responded, matching his energy. “Apologize, now!!!” He demanded.

“Apologize? Are you seriously siding with him over me? Don't tell me you're actually thinking of entertaining their proposal?” I question but my retort was met with heartbreaking silence from dad that subtly gave away his thoughts. “Tell me you're joking? you really intend to marry me off to the same people responsible for mom's death?”

“Elisa that's enough, the matter hasn't been decided yet” he responded, still avoiding my gaze. “Hasn't been decided? Why are you even considering it!!!? Have you forgotten what they did to mom, how they ruined our family? Why are you…” unwilling to continue indulging my antics, he interrupted. “If you're not willing to sincerely apologize to our guests, then leave. Your opinion on this matter will remain irrelevant as long as you continue behaving in such an undignified manner” just as he responded, the head of the Greyhound's family (Nicholas Greyhound) finally arrived.

“What an interesting girl” he commented.

My father immediately rushed over to his side. “Mr Greyhound, I didn't expect you to personally attend the meeting to discuss such a trivial matter. Please, have a seat”

I watched in confusion as my father attentively severed the same man that had brutally murdered my mother right before my eyes.

“Dad, what do you think you're doing?” I question barely holding back my tears but he completely ignored me and continued tending to his guests. In a fit of rage I stormed up to them, grabbing a cup filled with scotching hot tea and dumped it all over Mr Greyhound. His eyes blazed with fury as he raised his hand to strike me but before he could make contact, my father's hand came crashing down, landing a crisp slap that echoed across the room.

My body went stiff as my vision began to blur, it was the first time my father had ever raised a hand at me and he did it just to defend my mother's murderer. I stared at him in disbelief as tears streamed down my face. Before I could even say a word, he forced me head down whilst apologizing on my behalf. “Mr Greyhound, please forgive her foolishness, after all young kids often tend to make mistakes”

My gaze still remained fixed on the floor as my father roughly shoved me out of his office, the force causing me to twist my ankle. “Dad, it hurts” I cried out in pain, expecting him to support me but instead he shoved me to the ground and shut the door behind him. I sat there silently in pain as I listened to my father sign my life away to my mother's killers. Feeling disappointed, I finally opted to leave but I unfortunately lost my balance whilst heading up the stairs and was about to fall when a strange man caught me, gently carrying me up the rest of the way. I was about to express my gratitude when I looked up at him only to notice a striking resemblance between him and Mr Greyhound.

“Elisa, right?” … “I'm Damian, your fiance. It's a pleasure to finally meet you