Love Ends at Christmas: A Holiday to Say Goodbye

"Dad, I don't want to get married", Elara practically yelled in front of her father who was too busy to be even bothered by her complaints, too much caught up in his files and materialistic world.

"You don't have any choice Elara, you have to marry him, he is the only one who can save my collapsing company", Cedric, Elara's father let out sternly.

"I don't fucking care, I was not the one who told you to waste the company's money on that gambling shit and now when you can't pay the debt you are forcing me into this unwanted marriage, how cruel father you are"?? Elara yelled with fire in her eyes.

"Ohh shut up, if I was that cruel I wouldn't have let you pursue your dreams and passion l ", Cedric said shutting down his laptop.

Elara sarcastically chuckled and said, "Oh please, Do you think of me as a fool??? I know Grandpa forced you to support me, if it wasn't for him you would've forcefully made me the CEO of the company of my grandpa, you actually ruined the company, grandpa knew how to run this company way better than you".

Cedric fumed in anger and stood up with force which made the chair to fall backward and lashed out saying , "Stop being disrespectful, I am your father okay, atleast do something for your family, you are so selfish,

didn't take over the company, chose to make your career in that shitty sports like fencing, i didn't stop you that time but now you have to obey me".

"Which family are you talking about?? The family in which you were never present, always used to to stay with your shitty characterless drunkard friends, have you ever thought about me or

Mom"? Elara asked loudly.

"Don't bring Suzanne in this matter, I have always cared for you both", Cedric said, this time his pitch lower, a contrast to his earlier yellings.

"Stop this melodrama, don't you get tired of pretending like a good father, atleast stop this bullshit infront of me, if you have cared enough

YOU WOULDN'T HAVE KILLED MY MOTHER ", Elara yelled as hot tears slipped from the corner of her eyes.

Hearing her yelling and the words that slipped past her tongue Cedric couldn't control his rage and,

Slap!!!

He slapped Elara hard which made her face turn sideways, Elara felt that sting on her cheek but the sting she was feeling in her chest was way worse.

"Stop bringing the past every time you feel like you are losing the verbal battle between us", Cedric let out ignoring Elara's pained expression and tried to control his inner turmoil.

"Is my mother's death a plaything to you, I am not like you , do you think I would use her to win a verbal battle ?? She is my mother for God sake, you heard Mr.Cedric Ashford, I , Elara Montclair will not marry the guy you chose", Elara finished.

"Even he is not dying to marry you, don't think high of yourself, he is marrying you only for business and not to mention Elara Montclair, you took your mother's last name gracefully but you will also fulfill HER LAST WISH OF MARRYING THE MAN I CHOSE FOR YOU respectfully", Cedric declared which left Elara out of words.

She recalled something, memories from a year back surfaced, crashing her in the bones, dark room, Suzanne laying on the floor with blood oozing out from her stomach, Cedric sitting next to her frozen, bloody knife in his hand.

Elara rushed towards her mother only to hear her saying, "Elara marry the man Cedric choose for you", everything stopped when Suzanne closed her eyes for forever.

"You are compelled to fulfill her last wish Elara, only that will make you a true daughter of Suzanne, she never backed away from her words, she gave me everything willingly, you- Elara will simply fulfill your duty", Cedric's words were sharp knife piercing her right in the chest .

She loves her mother as much as she resents her last wish, she still doesn't get why her mother wanted her to marry the man of Cedric's choice, the answers of her questions left with her mother a year back.

"I will marry the Man you chose, not because you won but because my love for my mother is way bigger than my hate towards you, I will help the company to be saved from being bankrupt not because you are the CEO but because it belonged to my Mom and grandpa before you got it as marriage gift", Elara said heavy heartedly.

"Okay then, meet the guy I chose for you tomorrow , I will soon arrange your marriage, don't create a scene in front of him, I will send you his picture", Cedric said normally keeping his rage within himself grabbing his phone .

"What's the point of this formality now, even if that man is not even worth looking at, I eventually have to marry him only as I am compelled to do that, you have chosen him then he must be an asshole only,

What can I even expect from you?? Don't know what Mom saw in you and decided to marry you on top of that gave you her company to handle ", Elara finished being very disappointed.

"If you are done with your dramas then leave, i have got tons of work to do", Cedric ordered Elara who huffed loudly and stormed out of the office slamming the door shut behind her which made Cedric flinch badly as he cursed Elara in her mind.

Elara got out of the company, she sat on the bench near the crosswalk, she felt that sting and heaviness of her father's words in her heart, she continued to stare at nothing, her eyes hollow but then it flickered with something.

Determination

She took a deep breath determined to make her father pay for the sin of killing her mother.