Chapter 2 The rules and regulation

• After the formalities, the Kings’ left our house. Then I spun to face my parents cos we really needed to discuss about that contract they had just signed.
• “So mum, dad, first of all, I really don’t understand why the Kings’ were at our house. I certainly remember that I told you I wasn’t getting married to Sebastian. Also, I heard you signed a contract, is that something I should worry about?” I mentioned.
• “They were here to finalize your wedding because the contract we just signed was to seal the deal of partnership we had with them. We signed the contract because we were afraid you’d run away after you strongly refused to get married to their son”, mum uttered, for the first time since this matter rose up.
• “”Mum, dad, do you both understand what you’ve just done? You just sold me off to the Kings”, I cried out.
• “Don’t be ridiculous, child. We just became multibillionaires. We are rich!!!”” dad exclaimed, laughing alongside mum.
• My chest started aching. My head was spinning. My eyes were getting moist. My own parents just sold me off and here I was terrified that Mrs King was a bad person meanwhile my parents were too. Indirectly.
• I stomped to my room and sat on my bed. Those words kept haunting me.
• “Anyways, since you’ve signed the contract, the wedding will take place in two weeks”.
• “They were here to finalize your wedding”.
• “We just became multi billionaires. We are rich!!!””
• “Arrrrrrrrrrgh”, I screamed out in frustration. I started thrashing things around my room. I was beyond upset. I was mad at my parents. I felt like a commodity in the mall that had just being sold off.
• Hot tears began to pour down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and cried out the resentment I felt within. My parents just sold me off. That truth is gonna hurt forever.
• I lay on my bed in stillness and just stared at nothing in particular. Looks like I am bound to get married to Sebastian anyways. I thought over the hell my life was going to be when I get married to him. I would have to suffer in silence, with no one to rescue me.
• The supposed day came and I was in a room staring at the mirror in front of me. I was dressed in a white ball-gown wedding dress and a veil was resting on my head.
• My face had been padded up with various cosmetic products, some of which I’ve never heard of. I was looking glamorous on the outside however on the inside, my soul was shattered. I was unhappy and scared at the same time. Unhappy to be getting married to someone I do not love and scared about what would happen after we say I do.
• I was ruminating over what my new life will be when I heard the door open. I looked up to see the man I was going to be married to in a few minutes. I wondered why he was here but since he came here to see me privately, it must be something important.
• Maybe he came to tell me the wedding has been cancelled.
• “I won’t waste your time. I came here to inform you on what you should not expect from this marriage.
• Don’t expect love because this is not a love marriage to begin with. Don’t expect that we’d become close or get familiar with each other. I’ll give you a list of the rules and regulations later after the wedding”, he said and stomped out before I could realize what was going on.
• I blinked twice at the door he had just walked through. I haven’t even said ‘I do’ and he has already making life difficult for me and has already told me what I should be expecting.
• Should I just run off? If I did, mum and dad or even the Kings’ would hunt me down. I sighed and buried my face between my palms of my hands.
• The door opened again and I looked up to see what more he wanted to say but I came face to face with someone else.
• It was Javier himself who had just walked through that door and towards me. I was astounded and was expecting him to converse with me in the very same manner his son did.
• “Sorry I walked in without your approval. I have been knocking on the door for a while and when I got no answer, I let myself in”, he said.
• “No, it’s ok. I hope there isn’t a problem sir”, I replied.
• “No, I just wanted to talk to you and give you a few advises before walking down the aisle with my son”, he replied.
• “Sure, no problem”, I replied, expecting him to taunt me.
• “I want to apologize for whatever you might go through after you get married to Sebastian. He may seem brutal, tenacious and cold sometimes but then again I believe he has a good heart.
• He had a brawl with his mum over this arranged marriage and I know he’s going to make life a living nightmare for you and that is why I’ve come to ask for forgiveness on his behalf.
• I see you’re a good woman and I guess that’s what my wife saw too. We were both tired of his wild lifestyle and that was why we chose you for our son”, he spoke.
• I was obviously shocked.
• I thought he didn’t like me. I felt wetness on my cheeks and when I touched it, I saw tears. I didn’t even realize that I had been crying. “Oh come on, don’t cry my dear. If there’s anything you need, you can meet my wife and me”, he added.
• “Ok sir. Thank you”, I replied.
• “Oh please, you can call me dad”, he mentioned, with a smile.
• “And you can call me mum”, a feminine voice said and I turned to see who had spoken. I turned to face the door to find Sebastian’s mum standing just in front of the door.
• I didn’t even hear the door open. She walked in and had a bright smile on her face. I felt relaxed at once and thought, ‘even if I am marrying a bad man, I’ll get to have good in-laws’. That was a consolation.
• My face lit up and I had a little hope within me. She pulled me to herself and held me in a cosy embrace.
• “I’m sorry dear. I might have messed up your life because of my selfish intentions for my son and I also know this is not the kind of marriage you’ve dreamt of having but I’ll be here whenever you need me”, she guaranteed. She pulled out of the hug and continued.
• “It’s time to get you married. You look beautiful in your gown by the way dear. We better move on, we’ll send in your father so he can walk you down the aisle”, Naomi uttered.
• They both walked out of the room, hand in hand, looking so beautiful together and happy to be with each other. That was the kind of thing I wanted to experience but I could never have it now.
• I dried my tears with a hankie on the table in front of me and luckily my makeup didn’t smudge. Thank God the makeup was waterproof; otherwise, the makeup artist would have my head.
• He spent 2 hours trying to make my face look perfect. I waited for dad to come and walk me down the aisle. Not like I wanted him to after what he did to me; I guess that’s just how it’s supposed to be done at weddings. Otherwise, I'd have walked myself down the aisle.
• Minutes later, he actually walked through that door. He beamed when he saw me.
• “My beautiful daughter is getting married. Come let me walk you down the aisle”, he said, reaching his hand for mine.
• I was still mad at him and mum. They acted like they did nothing wrong and expect me to pretend too. I’ll never forgive them for as long as I live.
• After saying ‘I do’, I’m cutting off my ties with them. They cease to become my parents the minute that ring enters my finger.
• I stood, ignoring his outstretched hand. I stepped out of the room but heard his footsteps behind me. I stood at the giant door dad and I will walk through. Soon, he stood beside me. My heart was thumping hard in my chest. My palms were beginning to feel sweaty and shaky.