Chapter 2: Arranged Marriage

Mandy is at the cafe with her friend Mercy, she is not taking a sip from her coffee. 

"Hey girlfriend, what is wrong with you?" Mercy asked her. 

"Nothing, just in a bad mood." 

"No way, I know you, you only sulk when you have issues." 

"Fine, Dad wants me to marry a boy, remember that boy we all call ghost?"

"Oh my God! The son of the richest man in Singapore?" Mandy nodded. "Why you? What happened to Sharon, she loves that type of life?" 

"That is it, she doesn't want him, she claims he is ugly, heartless, characterless..."

"What are you going to do?" Mercy asked with a sad voice, she felt sorry for Mandy

"I don't know, Dad is going to throw me out of the mansion if I disobey and I am sure that my account will get frozen, the very minute I rejected the offer." 

"Not now, what will happen to Noor now that you are into what we call an arranged marriage?" 

"Shit! I didn't think of Noor, I haven't called him since last night, I need to see him, talk to you later." She pecks Mercy and hurries out, Mercy feels sorry for her, she and Noor have been dating for four years, and she loves him, and so does him, how will she survive without him? 

"Hey, waitress your bills." Mercy dropped the money on the table and left too.

*****

Leah has been watching Lauren since he arrived at the condominium, he is all cold. 

"Lauren, what is it?" 

"Can you survive without money?" Leah ogles at him, like the answer is on his face, apart from the fact that she claims she loves him, one of the numerous reason is that he is handsome and have money, and she is among the few people who know the boy is handsome not some kind of beast that people had to label him. 

"Go on and answer me." Lauren's voice came up. "You can you survive without money?" Leah asked him, he pressed his lips together, all his life, he had been used to luxury, he had never tasted poverty before, he was born with a silver spoon, it would be difficult really for him, he might not be able to survive without a coin. 

"Fine, I know but I can't get married to another." He voices the words out in frustration. 

"Wait, what did you say?" Leah walks in front of him. 

"Fine, Dad wants me to get married to one strange girl, his best friend's daughter or so.' 

"Oh no! You are going to leave me."

Leah's face darkens, and she frowns. 

"Of course not, I love you, If I don't love you, I will never have show you my face." Lauren was right, he had never made the mistake of showing any girl his face even with all the numerous concubines he had, a long silent go on then she smiled. 

"What is funny?" 

"You don't have to marry her, you two can also have an agreement, she should act like your wife and then pay her off." 

"Really?" Lauren's face lightened up. 

"Yes, most girls will want your money not love, so pay her for it like a contract marriage instead of an arranged marriage." Lauren smiled wide. 

"I know that she will agree, like marriage for six months after that, you go your separate ways, and you and I can then get married." 

"You are the best, I will make arrangements to meet the girl, so I could discuss with her." 

"Perfect, do you have her number?" Lauren shakes his head. "Don't worry, I am sure Larry could help you." Lauren grabbed her, pulling her to himself. 

"I missed you, I need somebody to treat me." Lauren kissed her as he spoke, he just can't get enough of Leah, whenever they are together, the next thing, they are in bed, no good communication, Lauren isn't complaining because he is not much of a talker, he throws a bunch of money at her, after their intimacy, off he goes wearing his mask. Larry was playing a game in his room with Lisa when he pulled out the door. 

"Hey, big bro!" Lisa jumped on him. 

"Hm! My princess is getting bigger." He presses a soft kiss on her forehead while hitting Larry on the shoulder slightly. 

"Hey man, I need your help." Larry looks at him. "Yes, I need to talk to that girl, dad wants me to marry." 

"Why bro?" Larry asked him, as he folded his legs staring at Lauren, he too was handsome, friendly, and easygoing, Lauren used his eyes to tell Lisa to close the door, she locked it and came sit back. 

"I want to pay her..."

"Hell no, she will tell on you, from the information I gather from a reliable source, she is not money-conscious but I think she has a boyfriend." Lauren looks at Lisa. "Yes, I want to help you because you are hurting and it breaks my heart to see you hurt." Lauren ran his hand through her hair, these two Siblings of his love him. 

"Since she has a boyfriend, I think, she will agree to just stay with you for a few months and then divorce you to go back to her boyfriend," Larry said. 

"That will be fine, can I get her pic?" Lauren asked, Lisa burst into laughter. 

"Not a social media type, she is like you, private life." 

"Then how did you know she has a boyfriend?" Larry asked Lisa because of her words. 

"It's simple from her almighty sister, Sharon gorgeous." Larry and Lauren burst into laughter. "You need to see Sharon, she is super hot, she dresses gorgeous and richly too, she would have made a good wife for..."

"Shut up!" Lauren said, at this point, the only thing on his head is to meet with Mandy before the fortnight and explain everything to her. 

"Sorry!" 

"Better, Larry; look for ways for me to meet her by the weekend." Lauren grabbed the door. "Neither mother nor dad should know about this." He opened the door and walked out, Mandy had already told Noor everything, and the boy was all sad, Mandy circled her hand around his neck. 

"Stop sulking, I am sure the boy too doesn't like me, he should have a girlfriend concerning the fact that, he is rich."

"Are you sure?" Noor asked her. "I don't want to lose you, I don't want to be apart from you, I don't want anything to come between me and you, I could die..."

"Stop talking about death." 

"What if we run away? Let's go away, I don't want you to stop loving me." 

"Don't you trust me, I will never get married to another but you." She pouted as she said that. 

"You promised!" 

"Cross my heart." 

"Fine, come here, I love you," Noor said, Mandy looked at him. 

"I don't love you," Mandy said, he tickled her, and she laughed uncontrollably. "Stop!" 

"I won't until you tell me what I want to hear." He tickled more making her laugh more. 

"I love you." She said admixed of laughter, Noor pulled her to himself. "I love you and I will always be yours." She hugged him tight, breathing on his neck. "Noor don't ever leave me." She said in a mix of tears, that she was breaking down gradually but she was just holding on. 

"Come on, stop it, let's go watch the stars, it's getting late, so you go home." 

"Those artificial stars of yours?" Noor wall in his room is full of painted stars, he notices that Mandy likes stars and most times, she is gone before the stars appear, so he makes his stars. Watching it Mandy and Noor fall asleep, sleeping for three hours, Mandy left, and she received a message on her phone, from Larry. 

He asked her to meet him at Five Star Hotel, his brother wanted to talk to her but she should let her sister or mother know. 

"Oh! I will just text Noor to go with me, I don't want to get kidnapped." So she texted him, that they should meet up, she didn't even know how Larry got her number or if she knew he wanted to meet with her.