Chapter 1 Unexpected Proposal

• Sofie's POV
• I sighed as I rubbed my clammy hands on the apron that was firmly looped around my waist.
• The day had gone quite tiring for me.
• I wanted to do nothing more than go home, flop myself on my bed and sleep till the next day, even though I knew that was impossible.
• I was about to sit down on a stool behind the counter to rest my aching legs briefly, when I felt a shadow loom over me.
• Regardless, I sat down but I scoffed inwardly on seeing who it was.
• "Take that order to table fifteen and be fast with it. Stop being a sloth," Daphne Humphreys, a co-worker who was also the restaurant owner's girlfriend spat condescendingly at me.
• "I have been working since the day began, Daphne. How exactly am I a sloth? And if you cared to know about the affairs of the restaurant, you would know that we are on a break at the moment." I responded coolly, but with a warning note to my voice.
• I was exhausted, and I didn't want to take my anger out on anyone.
• Especially not on Daphne who could easily get me fired by the boss.
• I often wondered whether Daphne or the boss ran the restaurant.
• "Are you talking back at me? The fucking nerve you have, you dirty brat! Don't worry, I will report you to Richard. How dare you speak to me in such a rude tone?" Daphne barked like someone who had just gotten bitten by a dog.
• I squeezed my eyes shut to repress the biting insult that was threatening to tear out of my mouth before I fluttered my eyes open once more.
• I got up from the stool, and looked Daphne in the eye. "I never spoke rudely to you. I was just enlightening you on what you may have forgotten."
• I paused to glance down at her wristwatch. "I have to go now, break is over. Excuse me." And with that, I trekked back to the kitchen before Daphne could respond.
• I had lied.
• I wasn't on a break. My break had long passed.
• But since Daphne was dumb as fuck, I easily fooled her.
• I inwardly praised myself as I carried the tray of piping hot food to the main area of the restaurant.
• I made sure to avoid Daphne's piercing glare as much as I could.
• And before I knew it, I was done with work for the day.
• I peeled off my work clothes and placed them into my assigned locker before pulling on my t-shirt and denim pants.
• Afterward, I grabbed my bag and left the restaurant.
• The thought of heading home caused my heart to throb with trepidation and a heavy feeling of foreboding.
• I lived with my abusive parents in a small house situated a few blocks away from the restaurant, and I hated it.
• I hated going back home to my parents, and desperately hoped for the day that I would move out of their place.
• They were chronic drunkards, and thieves that always stole my money to fund their disgraceful alcoholic lifestyles, and whenever I confronted them about it, they would flare up at me and sometimes, they would even beat the living hell out of me.
• Lately, I had started saving some money to get my own apartment but I was yet to save a quarter of the money that I needed.
• With a sigh, I pushed the wobbly gate to the house open while inwardly hoping my parents were out of the house.
• The sight that met my eyes when I turned around made me gasp in fright.
• Four muscular men with clean-shaven heads were standing in front of the main entrance to the house.
• They were all dressed in black suits with dark sun shades to match which made them look even scarier.
• My voice failed me for a brief moment as I tentatively walked toward them.
• Had my parents borrowed money from a loan shark again? Had they come to take the house as collateral?
• "Welcome home, Madam." They all bowed to me in unison which made me frown and step back.
• Madam? What was going on?
• "Who are you people and what do you want?" I asked, ignoring their greetings.
• They didn't respond anymore and instead, they just stood stiffly.
• That made my heart hammer violently against my chest.
• It seemed my parents were around because I could hear low murmurings from inside the house.
• Were my parents being tortured? Who else was inside the house with them?
• Taking a deep breath to calm my anxiety, I hurriedly brushed past one of the scary-looking men into the house.
• "Mum. Dad. I told you to st-" The rest of my statement got hitched in my throat as I took in the scenery of the sitting room.
• My parents were comfortably seated on a sofa beside a strange, old man and they were chatting animatedly with him as if they were long-time friends.
• The man couldn't be their friend. He looked too wealthy to even be associated with them.
• Sitting at the center of the sitting room in his expensive suit and a cigar in between his fingers, he looked like a misfit in the midst of the shabby furniture.
• "Darling, you have arrived. We have been waiting for you for quite some time now," Mum spoke with a false cheerfulness to her voice as she darted a fake smile toward me.
• Something wasn't right.
• I couldn't even remember the last time I was called "Sofie" by my parents talk less of a pet name.
• They always called me a slut or a whore.
• "You were right, Alphonso. She is such a dazzling beauty." The man nodded as he lasciviously stared at me.
• I had to bite on my lips to prevent myself from rudely telling the man off.
• "Of course, she takes after her mother. She is Veronica's splitting image." Dad said and they all laughed heartily, the man's lustful gaze still not leaving my body.
• "Have you greeted our visitor yet?" Dad asked, in his usual demeaning tone as he darted a glare at me.
• "Oh, no. It's alright, Alphonso. She's probably shocked to see me. Don't worry about that." The man waved him off, and instantly, the fake smile was back on his face.
• "Sweetie, come sit next to your mother." Mum said and somehow, my legs led me to sit beside her.
• Mum wrapped a firm arm around me, almost crushing my shoulder in the process, "Alexander, this is Sofie, our daughter, and Sofie, this is Sir Alexander Guilon, my former boss and your soon-to-be husband." She grinned and I saw red.
• I yanked myself up from the chair and glared from Dad and Mum to Alexander who still had that shit-eating grin plastered to his wrinkled face.
• "What the fuck do you mean by that? Who is whose soon-to-be husband?" I barked.
• "Honey, calm down. We discussed this earlier and you were okay with it, what is with the sudden rage?" Dad lied smoothly and I scoffed.
• *You discussed what with me? Even if you did so, why the fuck would I have agreed with you? When it's not as if I'm insane or something." I hollered, enraged.
• Turning to Alexander, I mustered the sweetest smile I could offer. "I don't know what they may have told you but I never agreed to this bullshit of an engagement. I'm not getting married to you. You should look for your bride elsewhere, thank you."
• "Pearl, we can work this out like responsible adults, can't we? I will take good care of you, my darling. I will treat you right." Alexander said, to which I snorted maliciously.
• "I am not your pearl. I am Sofie and I would rather eat mud than get married to you. Excuse me." I retorted and darted one final glare at my parents and Alexander before I picked up my bag and trudged out of the house.
• I ignored the confused stares that I got from the bodyguards as I stepped past them and out of the gate with angry tears welling up in my eyes, and blurring my vision.
• I had no idea where I was even going at that time of the night but one question sizzled in my mind as I walked.
• What the hell had just happened?