Prologue

 Damian 

I signed the contract before me, pressing so hard the track of my signature left a groove on the paper. I looked at the papers one last time before sliding the papers over to Hope’s side for her to sign too. Both our parents were in the room as witnesses, after all they were the reason we were doing this in the first place. 

I looked at her again and for a second our eyes met, she was still a child, her eyes were puffy and red from all the crying. I quickly looked away as she looked back down at the papers that were going to bind us together for life. 

She focused on the papers in front of her for a while before she looked up at me again, unable to hold the tears, as if asking for help, I looked away she turned her gaze to her father her father. 

He was her father, he was supposed to protect her, that was literally his job, but instead he sold her to us, to my family to my father in order to pay off his debt. 

But his father just kept his gaze focused on the ground, unable to look his daughter in the eye. 

"We do not have a lot day Hope!" my father said, startling her. 

"Just sign the papers Hope." Her father chipped in. 

I wish this had been the first family, my father or rather our family was tearing apart. But it was not, my father did not become the most feared man for being kind, he was ruthless and cared about no one. Even I his own son couldn't stand up to him. No one had ever stood up to my father and lived to tell about it. 

She took a deep breath, which I wondered if everyone heard it or it was just me because I was sitting so close to her. I saw the rapid pulse of her heart beat, her hand was completely shaking as she picked up a pen. 

She quickly signed the papers,and looked up at me again, her cheeks stained with tears. 

Something in me twisted when I saw her beautiful young round face looking at me, and in that instant I felt like I had failed her. She was not even eighteen yet. Girls her age were thinking about college and prom, but Hope had just signed her marriage papers. Her childhood had been taken away from her just like that, and a part of me hated myself but mostly my father for it. 

My father picked up the documents and went through them with an evil grin on his face completely satisfied. He then put the documents in an envelope and gave them to my younger brother Tony. 

Tony was my younger brother and also my father's favorite son. Unlike me, he was born for this life, he thrived for nothing but power he didn't care on who's toes he had to step on to get it. He was just like my father which is why he would have been best suited to ran the spears empire. 

But I was the first son, and it was tradition to take over the empire. 

All my life I had tried to ran away, i never wanted to be involved in my father's business which is why I went to study abroad, far from home as possible. 

And for a while I though I managed to get away. I built my life in London, was working as a lawyer and i settled in well until one week ago when my father summoned me to come home. 

Of course I didn't know what he had in mind, his summon sounded urgent.

My father had recently had an heart attack and if his enemies knew he was getting wek they would use it to their advantage to overthrow him, which is why he wanted me home to take over the company. 

Getting a good wife was part of the deal, he had said he didn't need me distracted by women, so he arranged a girl few for me to marry. The only explanation he gave was that, there was a nice beautiful woman. He failed to mention that she was fifteen years old and war being forced to marry me as a debt being paid. 

I had tried to refuse, but it wasn't really discussion. My father gives orders and you just follow them. That's how it always was. 

My father walked out together with Hope’s father and my brother leaving me and Hope stil in the same spot. 

"Are you okay? Do you need a minute? Maybe say goodbye to your father?" I asked her, "You might not see him again in a while."

"I don't want to ever see him again." She said between clenched teeth, tears flowing down her beautiful face. 

Not knowing what to say, I just sat there in silence as she cried, for a few seconds she was silent, but then she got up and headed for the door leaving me still sitting in my spot. 

In that moment I swore I will never put through any family anything like that. Her life was completely changed now. She was a part of the spears family. Her life from now on will be under a microscope, she will always have security guarding her at all times. We had enemies everywhere, you could never be too careful. Not after what happened to my mother. I thought about her for a minute. I wonder if she was still here what she would think of all this. God, I miss her. 

After a while, I got up and walked outside without talking to anyone, i needed some fresh air. All this was too much for me.

My driver was about to pull out of the parking lot, when I saw my father and brother approaching me. I slowly stepped out of the car. 

"Where do you think you are going Damian?" my father asked, 

"I need some air." i said putting my hands in my pockets. 

"You do realize, you are in charge now right? You no longer cant be acting like a small boy if you are going to ran my empire. Go back in there and tell your wife the rules she needs to follow." 

"Come on bro, you just got married and she is pretty too. Go spend some time with your bride bro." my brother Tony chimed in. 

"She is a fucking child you pervert!" I fired back as i walked back into the house.