Chapter 2

Emma's Pov

For minutes, I couldn't decide what to do.

“Ma are you still there,” asked the voice.

“Yes I'm here, alright,” I finally replied.

“Tomorrow at 5pm, I'll meet with Mr Logan and he can decide the venue.”

“That's good, I'll get back to you regarding the address,” he said and dropped the call.

“Emma, may I come in,” asked my mum.

“yes mum,” she opened the door, came in and closed the door.

“Who was that?" she asked,” I couldn't tell her the truth, she'll surely flare up.

“Just a friend's mum, she just sympathized with me regarding what happened today.”

“Ohh alright then, dinner is ready” she said.

“That was fast,” I replied.

“Yes, just as Anna said there wasn't much food stuff so she just made rice and potato mash, and some veggies.” 

Those foods were something my mum would never take on a normal day.

We went out to dinner and dad was there already.

“How are you dad?” I greeted pecking his cheeks. “I am fine, daughter,” he replied.

“And how's your nose, I see the bleeding has stopped.”

“Yes it wasn't anything serious,” he replied.

The rest of the meal was taken in silence, after dinner we all returned to our room.

A few days to go before we move out of this house. I hope tomorrow's meeting with Mr Logan goes well so at least we'll be able to save the house. I thought to myself, I kept thinking of different things and eventually drifted asleep.

The next day, around 4 as planned I received a text from Mr Logans PA or whoever called yesterday, the venue was at the Logans company.

Was this really a means to embarrass me I thought, if not why didn't he choose a secluded area. 

Anyway, I prepared and went to the address.

An hour later

Logan's office

“No.” I replied almost screaming.

Silence followed.

I looked at Logan, his expression did not change, not even a little bit, he simply rested on his chair, folded his arms and stared right at me.

“I expected that answer,” he said, finally talking.

“Then why did you ask?” I said.

“Because I know you'll still change your mind” that confidence infuriated me.

“I beg your pardon,” I said .

“See I am not asking for forever, I don't even want that from you, it would only be for a year.”

“You must be out of your mind if you think I'll marry you, and I don't care if it's even a day I fired back, I have answered you, it's a capital NO.”

A smirk crossed his lips, it wasn't mocking, he was sort of amused or so.

“What if I show you the offer?” he asked.

“That won't change my mind,” I replied.

“Why not check it first,” he said.

Reaching out for a file neatly placed on a desk, he took the file and handed it to me.

“Open it,” he said, I collected the file and opened it.

The file contained different documents including bank statements, Loan records, debt statements and so on.

“How did you get this?” I asked him. 

“This document contains every single debt my family owes, did you investigate my family?”

“No,” he replied.

“Then how do you have all this,” I asked him.

“I bought them,” he replied.

“I don't understand,” I asked looking confused.

“The bank wanted to auction your family's debt, so I just purchased them.”

“Now your family doesn't owe the bank, Instead, you now owe me,” he said smiling.

The room suddenly felt smaller and I lost my voice for a moment, I couldn't believe what I just heard. 

“You are a monster,” I said, finally finding my voice.

“I am no monster,” he said looking into my eyes, “Instead I have given your family another chance.”

“You mean by forcing me into a marriage right?”

“Not really, see Emma, it's not like I have feelings for you or am marrying you out of convenience, but I need a wife for a year and you need money to clear your family's debt, it's a win-win situation," he said.”

“See if you marry me I'll be paying half your family's debt and give you a year to source for the rest of the money, now tell me how am I a monster?”

Listening to him I finally thought about the matter, with half of my dad's debt gone that means we get to keep the house, the car and my dads savings account that was frozen, with that my parents could survive for that one year meanwhile still sourcing the remaining half of the unpaid debt, the offer was tempting.

Logan looked at me and smiled.

“So are you considering the offer,” he asked.

“I am not considering anything,” I replied.

He stood up from his chair and walked over to the window.

“My grandfather has only a year left to live,” he said, his voice becoming quieter.

“And he has only one wish,” he said, taking in some air or whatever kept him silent for a minute.

“He wants to see me married before he dies.” 

“Okayyy, sorry about that,” I replied, “but what has that got to do with me,” I asked.

He turned and looked at me, “obviously it has everything to do with you, I am marrying to make him happy.”

“But you could have chosen any other girl in the world, so why me, I asked looking confused.”

“I choose you cause I know you need this agreement as much as I do,also not every girl would jump at such an offer and even if they did jump it means they were cheap and desperate for money and I don't need such a woman.”

“So you're basically taking advantage of me," I asked , looking at him disgustly.”

“You can think whatever you want but are you in or out?” he asked while heading into his seat.

“So you're marrying for him,” 

“Yes,” he replied.

“And after a year we divorce,” I asked.

“Yes, just a year,” he replied.

“Also no love just contract,”

“Absolutely none,” he replied.

“But I have a rule,” he added.

“What? I asked.

“You must make everyone believe the marriage is real.”

“That's not up to me to decide.” I replied.

“I know but you must still act your best at our engagement ceremony which will be announced soon,” he stated.

“You must have lost your mind, how can you plan an engagement party when I haven't agreed.”

“Well I know you'll agree that's it” he replied.

That did it, I took my bag angrily, “I'm out of here,” I said to him.

“Wait,” he called out, “you have 24 hours to decide and get back to me.”

Without looking back I opened his door and walked out of the Carter group.

I stood outside the Carter group finding a taxi when my mum's call came in.

“Hey mum,” I greeted, picking the call.

“Emma,” she called out, her voice shaking.

“What's wrong mum? I asked.

“Some men came today, they reminded us we had 6 days left to pack out of the house.”

“Emma, they want to take our house,” she said crying, hearing my mum's voice broke me.

With tears swelling in my eyes I looked back at the Carter group.

Now did I really have a choice?.