Chapter 1 - I will not marry you.

“Miss, you can’t go in there,” the secretary called out, as a silhouette rushed past her with her head bowed low to the boardroom.

Avery Smith was very upset about the news she heard this morning and was in a hurry to deal with it. She pushed the tall glass door and froze instantly. She never expected the man she was looking for to be the one heading such an important meeting and also, it wasn’t a casual officer meeting their manager as she had thought. This was a board meeting. The blood drained from her face and she was numb.

“Miss, I said you can’t go in there,” the secretary walked up to her. Avery’s face and palms were beaded with sweat instantly but she had come a long way.

“I will not marry you!” She yelled from the entrance when she caught sight of the man whose picture her parents had shown her. He was very handsome, even with his cold demeanor and everyone seemed to accord him maximum respect though he seemed like the youngest among them.

The boardroom went into silence, all eyes glued to the entrance, where a young woman of nineteen years stood, her long straight dark brown hair, covering some part of her face, as she lowered her head. Whatever gave her the courage seemed to have run and left her on her own. She began to tremble, as she stole a glance at Anderson, whose coldness could freeze the sea.

When he lifted his head and made eye contact with her, confusion distorted her face. The man she was looking for was Anderson Crown. She thought he was one of the officers and her eyes began to roam in search of him, whereas, every man present looked older than twenty-four except the one at the head of the table. He was the youngest yet seemed like the most powerful.

“Young lady, this is a board meeting. Are you lost?” One of the Board members scolded and asked, greatly annoyed by the rude interruption when he was giving his report.

Avery lost control of her chest, as it was gripped with a paralyzing fear. She couldn’t say anymore and neither could she move. The secretary was equally afraid and about to pull her by the arm but her fingers gripped the hem of her knee-length skirt stubbornly. If her intention wasn’t cleared at this moment, then she would be stuck in an arranged marriage. “Sorry, I was looking for Anderson Crown.” She still couldn’t believe that the man she saw in the picture was the same man sitting there.

The boardroom broke into soft murmurs. She just called the CEO by his name. Anderson’s gaze never left her but her eyes were still roaming as if looking for a non-existent person. If the CEO was indeed the man her parents talked about, then she was doomed and her internship program might be affected. The news was so shocking that she didn’t wait for explanations and rushed here when she inquired from the reception and was told that Anderson was here.

“Do you know him in person?” Anderson asked her, his countenance indifferent. However, his rich and sophisticated voice made her embarrassed and afraid.

Avery’s voice was so low that if one didn’t give her full attention, they wouldn’t hear a thing she said but Anderson heard her, and his expression changed instantly.

“No, I just heard his name from my parents and I want him to know that I won’t marry him.”

Avery’s head was still lowered, her nails digging into the palm of her hands to stop it from trembling. Anderson glared up at her coldly, and looked at his directors apologetically. They picked a cue and began to troop out. The secretary was the last to fall out and shut the door behind her. Anderson rose from his Executive black leather luxury chair and walked up to Avery. The tapping sound of his shoes, like drums in her chest. “What did you say?” He asked her.

She gritted her teeth and recalled what she had with her boyfriend. Boldness surged through her once again. “I said I won't marry you. You can’t force me and I won't allow it. I love someone and it’s not you.” She spoke very fast as if any pause would drain the little adrenaline she had.

Anderson’s glare turned piercing and though she wasn’t looking at him, she could feel it. His manly cologne scent was mesmerizing and his aura intimidating. She could feel her legs wobble as he asked in a mocking tone,

“Did I ask you to marry me?”

His question took her unawares because indeed, he never proposed to her. She never even saw him before until now and this was the first time they spoke to each other. Her voice became very thin.

“But my parents said that you asked to marry me.”

“So tell them you don’t want to marry me, Avery Smith,” Anderson spat coldly. He knew that this would happen if he tried the right way. It was the reason why he told his parents to handle it. He also knew that Avery was shy, not expecting her to be this bold to interrupt this important meeting. From the skirt and shirt she wore, coupled with her petite form, she looked like a teenager. He still couldn’t see her full face but didn’t bother to. The girl had just embarrassed him in front of his board members and he was upset.

“But..”

“I’m busy,” he cut her sharply. Avery lost every follicle of adrenaline she gathered earlier and couldn’t say more. She would do as he said and see the outcome it would bring. How could she have known that it would be so easy to refuse him?

Her small legs carried her out of the conference room and Anderson gnashed his teeth. He dialed his father’s number. “I’m sorry to be a pain dad, but please cancel the wedding arrangements.”

His father, Andrew, was both surprised and upset. “You have to give me a reason,” he said from the end of the line. They were close to signing the business partnership with Avery’s parents because this wasn’t just an arranged marriage but also a business collaboration.

Anderson could feel a pending headache, which would grow worse if he tried to explain. His dad wasn’t so simple. “I’m very tired dad, I will explain later.”

“When is Martin coming back?” His father asked just as he was about to hang up. Martin was his best friend and assistant. His father owned twenty percent shares in the company. As such, Martin was nominated as the deputy CEO but has been overseas attending to some company business. Anderson’s father thought that if Martin returned, then Anderson wouldn’t be so stressed out.

“In two days.”

“Alright, that would relieve you of the stress.”

“Yes dad,” Anderson said calmly.

“But you know your mum won’t be happy,” his father reminded him. Anderson was so close to his mother Susan until his third year in college, where he suddenly changed. His mother guessed that something was wrong but Anderson never told her what it was. He had promised to tell her after his marriage with Avery was successful but if everything was canceled, then no one would know of Anderson’s reason for wanting to marry Avery.

“Well, you get to go on your vacation earlier,” Anderson said to change the line of discussions and after a few more exchanges, he hung up the phone and called his board members to continue the meeting. His mood was ruined but work must go on.

Avery didn’t immediately return to the accounts office where she was an intern but rather to the washroom, being dazed by what she just did and how Anderson made it easy for her. Before she reached the washroom, her phone vibrated in her pocket. It was an incoming facetime from her boyfriend, Trent and she answered it, warmth feeling her heart.

“How are you Avery?” Avery held the phone in one hand, while her other hand turned the faucet and she began to wash her face with the warm water.

“It was bad but I took care of it,” she said honestly. She and Trent had dated for three months. They met in a coffee shop and instantly felt attracted to each other. However, they were still getting to know each other and aside from her parents and best friend, Trent was the only person she felt comfortable around and could tell anything.

“Tell me about it,” Trent said, a frown creeping onto his handsome face.

“Mum and dad told me this morning that a guy named Anderson wanted to marry me. I was angry and stormed out before they said any more. On my way to the office, I called Joyce and told her about it. She said the guy worked in the same company I worked as an intern so I came to look for him. I never thought he’d be the CEO.”

Trent was very upset. It seemed to him that Anderson was using his wealth to call shots and be a step ahead of him. If Anderson thought that he’d have his woman, then he had better think again. Trent wasn’t going to allow it. The only thing preventing Trent from proposing to Avery was his father. He had given Trent some projects to handle. If he was successful with it, then his billion dollar company would be signed off to Trent. As such, Trent was jealous that Anderson had his father’s trillion dollar company handed over to him on a silver platter.

“Nothing he has, was sweated for. It was all by inheritance. His father worked and gave it all to him,” Trent said bitterly. Avery didn’t seem to care about whatever inheritance Trent was talking about.

“Well, I don’t care about him. I only care about you. I told him that I won’t marry him.”

“You did?” Trent was shocked and pleased that Avery, though shy, wasn’t manipulated by Anderson nor moved by his wealth and position.

“Yes.”

“And he agreed?” Trent asked, still worried. He never knew Anderson as someone who would give up easily. He definitely must be up to something.

“Yes.” Avery responded, creating confusion in his mind.

“Just like that?” Trent asked again.

“Just like that.” Avery wiped her face with a tissue, feeling refreshed. Trent had doubts and sounded disturbed. Due to the project he was handling, he couldn’t join her any time soon to protect he so he cautioned,

“Anderson doesn’t give up. He is a fighter. Let me know what happens when you get home.”

Avery frowned a little. ‘Does Anderson and Trent know each other?’ She had to find out.

“You talk as if you know him very well.”

“Just do as I’ve told you,” Trent said irritably. Avery gave up.

“Alright, alright, you seem to be in a bad mood. I will go back to my office now. There should be something for me to do,” Avery said and was about to hung up when Trent called out,

“Avery?”

“Trent,” Avery said and waited for him to speak. There was a short silence before he said,

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” Avery said, relieved. She thought it was something serious.

Avery went back to the office and worked till her closing time. Trent’s words were still imprinted on her mind.

The sound of boxes and packing met her at the entrance of her house as soon as the door was pushed open. “What’s going on here?” She panicked and asked.