My wedding dress.

“Are you insane?!”

Her high-pitched scream made me frown and pull the phone away from my ear slowly.

I have enough on my plate already, I don't need anyone scolding me right now.

“Hilda…” I started, but she cut me off right away.

“You are going to marry him? Do you know what that means?! You are getting committed for life!”

“It’s just for a few weeks, Emerald is going to wake up and then return to her place,” I explained to her.

“And what if she doesn’t wake up anytime soon? You can’t let your parents do this to you. They are selfish and you know they will never hesitate to use you over and over again as long as it benefits them. What about Aidan?! What about your dream?! The audition is coming up in a few months and marriage is definitely not what you should think of. Especially not to a person you don’t love. This is not a movie that…”

“Do you think I want this either?!”

I didn’t know when I yelled. With the way I had screamed, I am sure my voice could have traveled to the living room or my parents’ room.

It is not like I want to do this either. I don’t want to!

I have got no choice!

At twenty-six, I have nothing to myself except a car that Hilda had gifted me on my birthday early this year and that was all. Emerald was the managing director of our father’s company and I was left to be a stay-at-home daughter.

My father believed she could do better than me and I didn’t argue with them. I knew it was not going to be worth it.

Hilda was the only one who knew of my dream to be a model. She supported it, and I kept attending auditions hoping to get picked till I finally got a call two weeks back to come for the final audition which was going to be held in the next three months.

“You think I want to end up being a substitute wife for a man I know nothing about?! Do you think I wish for my dream to not come true? I have no choice! This is the least I could do. Someone else is going to suffer because of me and you think I want this for myself too?!”

I swept my hair to the back and cried profusely. I have been trying to hold it in. The little Hilda had said to me triggered it. I needed to cry, after all.

“I am being locked inside my room till I agree to what they want. I have to do it. I have no choice. Now, our family is holding on to me to save them,” I rolled my eyes and scoffed.

“What have they ever done for me too!”

“But what? I have no choice. I have to do it. Why? I have no choice. Am I insane? Yes! Call me whatever you want, I don’t care but I can’t let Aidan suffer for my stubbornness. I will forever blame myself if things go wrong for him. I…”

“Saphy, it’s alright. I am sorry, okay?” I heard her sniffing and I closed my eyes for a second.

“I will talk to you later,” with that, I ended the call and threw my phone on the bed. I walked to the bathroom, rinsed my face, and dabbed it with a face towel as I walked back to my room.

Sitting on the edge of my bed, I picked up my phone to dial my father’s number when Aidan’s call came in and I breathed out.

What do I tell Aidan? I don’t want him to get a whiff of what is going on at all. I hesitated for a while and then picked up the call.

“Babe, how’re you doing? Your number hasn’t been reachable. Are you okay? I’m in town, do you wanna meet?”

“Erm… Aidan, I… I am actually busy right now.” I breathed in and tightened my fist.

“Oh, really?”

I am sure he knew something was or might be wrong. I had never been too busy to meet him before.

“And I would get busier. I am traveling out of the country and it wouldn’t be so easy reaching you. I hope you understand…”

“Sapphire… Are you going through anything? You know you can talk to me, right?”

I wanted to cry again.

I knew that I could.

The least he was going to do was tell me to not marry that man and he didn't care if he lost his job. Like my conscience could ever accept that.

“I know, come on!” I faked a laugh.

“It’s just that… My father is opening a new branch and he wants me to oversee it. Good news, right?”

“Are you serious?! That is such good news! I am so happy for you. When are you leaving and when will you be back?”

“I… don’t know yet and I heard the reception over there is not very good so it would be hard to reach me.”

“Oh… Really?”

The eeriness in his voice was quite evident.

“I will be fine and back before you know it.”

A long silence ensued and I knew this man wasn’t cool with this, but I wouldn’t mind. I was doing this for him. For us.

“We will talk later… or?”

“Yeah… we should.”

***

“I am sorry ma’am, but Mr. Rodriguez ordered us not to let you out of the room.”

I rolled my eyes and swept my hair to the back. “You think I didn't hear that?! You know what, just bring him to me. Tell him I have an answer already.”

“But ma’am…”

“GET MY PARENTS HERE… RIGHT NOW!”

____

“Open the door.’’

I heard my father’s voice after a while and I stepped back a bit.

If you can’t beat them, join them… And that is what I am doing. 

“What is going on? I hope you are not just wasting our time,” he said and I glanced at my mother who entered the room too.

“Surely, I am here to say only what you want,” I said and tugged my lips in a soft smile.

“Let’s have it.”

“Daniel… I will marry him,” I said and locked eyes with my father’s glittering eyes.

“You will?” He raised a brow and tilted his head.

“On one condition,” I shrugged my shoulders.

The excitement on his face vanished slowly and he snapped his brows together.

“You are going to place me… YOUR FATHER… on a condition?

He drew his words on purpose. Like he was reminding me of my place… where I originally belonged to.

Well, I don't care about that right now.

“No harm must befall Aidan.” 

I said regardless. Whatever he thinks of himself doesn’t concern me.

“What?” he feigned ignorance, frowning.

“The moment anything happens to Aidan… I will tell Daniel everything. You know what that means, don’t you?” I raised a brow.

A shocked look registered on his face and he went mute for a few seconds. “I looked up the internet, I mean, I searched all crook and canny of the internet about this man and I don't think he his your average billionaire. That family is no joke,” I said, my eyes shooting daggers.

“Are you threatening me?”

‘‘Threatening you? Come on, papa. I wouldn’t do that. It is just a… erm… warning?” I smiled which definitely annoyed him more.

“You are insane,” he chuckled dryly and turned to look at my mother.

“You will not touch Aidan or The Prestons will know of this,” I said again.

“You won't leave unscathed either,” he raised a brow.

“Me? I have nothing to lose. I don't mind if we all die together!” I bursted into a faked loud laugh.

While he glared at me in annoyance, I glanced at my mother who looked half worried, and ran my hand through my hair.

“When will my wedding dress be ready?”