Chapter 3

Julian's POV

I was in my father's office, and he just dropped a bomb on me.

" Dad. What did you just say?" I asked in disbelief.

" You heard me, son. You are going to marry Henry Hart's daughter. It has already been arranged."

I felt my heart sink to the pit of my stomach. How can he just casually say that as if it doesn't matter? When he called me to his office this afternoon saying he had food news, this was not what I was expecting to hear. Well, it started well when he told me he had finally acquired Starlight Industries, but that quickly turned into bad news.

" How could you agree to that, Dad? You didn't think to ask me before setting me up with some random girl I don't even know!"

" What are you fussing about? I should have asked you before agreeing to the arrangement. I am your father. I know what is best for you. Iris is a good girl, and she will be obedient and do whatever you want. No other affluent man would marry her after her family got ruined, so she will be humble. Besides, all this is a small price to pay for everything we achieved."

I couldn't believe what he was saying.

" What? A small price to pay. Father, this is my whole life you are talking about. I will be stuck with this girl for the rest of my life."

My father got up from his seat and went over to the mini-bar in his office. He took out two glasses and handed me one before pouring me a stiff drink.

He poured for himself and clinked our glasses. I just watched him feeling frustrated. A stiff drink wouldn't make this alright.

" Calm down and have a drink. You know the way of men. Business comes before everything. Even love."

What was that supposed to be? He saw the expression on my face.

" Look, you don't have to love the girl or anything like that. You just have to live with her. You can love anyone else you want. I don't have any objection to that as long as it doesn't attract unwanted attention. You know what I mean right?" He sipped his drink and smirked at me.

" Wait. Are you suggesting I marry a girl and then cheat on her?"

" So you do get what I mean," he chuckled and went back to his seat.

" I can't believe it, Dad. You know I'm not like that," I slammed the glass in my hand hard on the table, exasperated.

The only thing I admired about my Dad was business and that's about it. He was never a good father, hardly there and my mother left him when I was 10 years old. I knew since then that he was cheating on my mother because I would hear them argue about it when they thought I was asleep.

My father always tried to deny it even though he was caught red-handed in his office when my mother thought she would be dutiful and take a home-cooked meal for him. She came home in tears with my father on her trail looking like a mess. When he had no words to defend himself anymore, he told my mother she could cheat as well. As long, she keeps it under wraps.

I saw pain flash in my mother's eyes as it dawned on her that my father didn't love her as much as she loved him. He was fine with another getting intimate with her. I didn't know that it would be the last straw.

In the next few days, my mother acted strangely. Like she was fine and nothing was wrong. It seemed like that, but only she was plotting to leave the house. She took me out the day before she left. She said I could do or buy anything. We went to the park and I played with other children while she sat on the bench with the other moms watching over their children.

That day, she smiled the brightest as I was swinging and going higher. After playing, we went to the ice cream shop, and she let me have two servings of ice cream, which any other day she would never have. We went to the toy store, and she helped me fill the cart with whatever toy I wanted. That day was simply "Yes" to everything.

After a long and fun day, I was spent, and I went to bed early. The next morning, I woke up, and my mother was gone. All she left me was a note on my pillow telling me to live my life and forget about her. I cried for days and my father decided to stay out, leaving me with a nanny. When he came back a week later, he told me to forget about my mom. He never cared to comfort a kid who had just lost his mother. I hated him for causing my mother to leave, but as I grew up, I let it go. I never even confronted him about it.

I understood that it was their marriage and their life and there was nothing I could do about that. All I could do was live my life differently than theirs. But now he wants me to become completely like him and I can't allow that to happen.

" Look, son. I know that you don't want to do this, but that's how life is. Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to get what you want. It's just a small sacrifice you will have to make to be victorious."

Sadly he was right. Even if I would hate to admit it, he was right about that. You have to lose something to gain another. But I don't want to lose Meghan. I can't even think of a life without her. Meghan is my girlfriend. We have been together for 2 years and life has been wonderful. Although I hadn't thought about it, I knew that one day I would propose to Meghan and start a life with her. Now I have to marry someone else instead of her.

I took the drink my father offered and gulped it down.

" You are still young Julian. One day you will understand how life works and you will remember me. Trust me. It's all worth it in the end."

I inwardly scoffed at his words. I'm not sure what a child is supposed to learn from a parent, but I know my father hadn't taught me anything that makes me a good person. Now I have to betray the woman I love and start a life with a woman I don't know for business. Business is everything and comes first after all.

" Fine. Do whatever you want and I'll follow your lead old man. I hope it's worth it in the end," I said sarcastically and got up to leave his office. I better go and talk with Meghan. I never thought I would have to have such a conversation with her.

How will I even tell her? " Hey, Meg. I love you so much, but I'll have to get married to another woman. I don't love her. You are the only one for me, so can I keep you as my Mistress?" Yeah. That should go well.