A m a y r a

The living room was well occupied by the members of Smiths and Willsons. Some were exchanging pleasantries while some were exchanging fake smiles and nods. Clearly, Smiths weren't happy with this marriage. But a certain Smith had a calm expression plastered on his face, as if he had the best trick to control everyone in the room, rolled up in his sleeves.

In the middle of a chaotic room stood Mr. James Smith, dressed up in a business suit that probably costed more than my monthly salary. He might have felt my gaze on him as he averted his eyes towards me. Before I could greet him, he displayed me a devilish smirk. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but nonetheless, I greeted him with a small smile.

"Oh she's here!" Sarah exclaimed excitedly. But then again... Why was Sarah excited to see me?

"This is Amayra Willson. Ava's step sister." She introduced me. I tried to ignore the fact how she used 'this' for introducing me and not 'she', as if I was a nasty little object.

I muttered a 'hello everyone' clear enough for everyone to hear me.

An unknown woman approached me with a gentle smile on her face. "Oh my my... So she's Amayra! Aren't you really preety?" She exclaimed excitedly. I blushed at the compliment and thanked her.

"Oh how impolite of me. Hey sweetheart, I am Malisa Roberts. But you can call me Aunt Malisa. I am your mother-in-law's best friend." She introduced herself as my mother-in-law's bes-

Wait what?

"I am sorry Aunt Malisa but Ava is the bride. Not me." I tried clearing her confusion.

She furrowed her eyebrows and looked back at Mrs. Sophia Smith, Ethan's mother, and then back at me. "Aren't you Amayra my dear?" She asked me, clearly confusion lacing her voice.

"I am. But I ain't getting married. My sister Ava is." I cleared.

"That's the topic we are going to discuss today. I want Amayra Willson to marry my son." James Smith declared.

Gasps echoed in the room. Ava was teary. Ethan looked baffled. Anger surged through my dad's veins while Sarah stood anxious. While I tried to process his words.

"What are you talking about dad? Didn't I tell you I love Ava?" Ethan interjected frustrated.

"Shut up Ethan. Let me complete what I wanted to say. No doubt Ava is going to be Ethan's bride. But I have a condition. I'll let Ethan marry Ava only if Amayra agrees to marry Alexander, my younger son." He cleared.

"Well speaking clearly, you'll have to marry Alexander, Amayra." He declared looking dead into my eyes.

"And who are you to take a decision on my behalf?" A deep voice boomed from the entrance. Turning around, I saw the same alluring stranger from earlier.

"Your father." James Smith said.

So the stranger with deep brown alluring orbs, swoon worthy voice, mysteriously dressed with a sharp jawline was.... Alexander Smith?

Alexander humourlessly chuckled and looked dead into his father's eyes. "You're no father to me." He declared. Another round of gasps echoed in the room.

"Alex. You'll behave." Aunt Malisa said in a firm tone. Alexander's strong gaze didn't flatter from his father.

"Amayra you're getting married to Alexander this weekend and that's final." James Smith declared.

"I am getting what?" I asked. "Why would I ever in this world listen to your Mr. Smith?" I revolted. "And what's with this absurd condition of yours? Why would I and this alluring stranger, who don't even know each other's name, would even want to listen to this baseless condition of yours, let alone actually marry over a weekend?" I asked in frustration.

I could visibly see Mr. Smith clenching his teeth in my defiance and Alexander's lips tugging up to form a sexy smirk. But not a second later, the smug look on Mr. Smith's face returned.

He turned towards Sarah and asked her. "I guess your family knows nothing about the contract?" He asked. Sarah visibly gulped. All the eyes were focussing on Sarah now.

"Erm.. I-I.. I have signed a con- contract about Alexander and Amayra's marriage in exchange of lifetime monetary exchange." Sarah stuttered. I knew this bitch didn't like me but did she hit me so much to practically sell me off for money?

My jaw ticked and eyes stung with tear. "Dad did you know?" I asked stealing everyone's attention.

"No." He said who was looking at Sarah with rage and disgust.

"And this was the motherly love the entire world wanted me to feel." I chuckled bitterly.

"Why are you getting Amayra amongst our family chaos dad? Alexander is capable enough to find a bride for himself. Let him take his decisions too dad." Ethan said. "Please cancel the contract. Let them live their lives on their own wish. Please dad." He tried pursuing his dad.

"None can do. They are getting married by the end of this week. Or the Willson family is handing over their company and retiring to the prison for fraud." He declared.

"Can I talk to Alexander? Alone?" I asked in a weak tone. Mr. Smith nodded and asked us to take tye adjacent room.

I strided towards the room with Alexander on my trail. Upon entering, Alexander closed the door and faced me. And awkward silence prevailed.

"I really want to get out of this." Alexander said. "I don't want to get married. Not to you. Not you anyone else. Not now atleast." He voiced out. "Don't mind me. It's not you. It's me. It's just that I am not ready." He said.

"I can understand. Trust me I feel the same. I can't get married now. I have a life back in Manchester and a tons of goals to achieve. And getting married is no where in my list." I said.

"I live in Manchester too. And I am sorry about my family, if I really want to address them so. I don't know how to help you. Only of your mother didn't sign it..." He clenched his teeth.

"She's not my mom." I said softly. "She's my step mother. And as evil as the tales portray one." I chuckled bitterly.

"Okay listen... Ms. Whatever-your-name-is, do me and yourself a favour then. Go out and say you can't marry me. You have a lover or.. or you found me way too rude to co-ep up with or throw a fit about how you're underage or something. But please please just deny and walk out of the mansion." He said, lack of patience laced his words.

"Ok- wait what? Underage? Hello. Mr. I-am-dressed-in-all-black- therefore-act-like-I-am-devil- and-bow-before-me, I am absolutely and completely 22 and running years old." I said pointing my finger at the 'mysterious billionaire'.

His eyes widened for a second but went back to its original place. His lips curled up to a devilish smirk, as if he just got a plan.

"Keep arguing with me. Only with a higher volume. Let them think we'll be disastrous to be connected." He whispered.

I nodded my head and breathed in and out a lungs full of air.

"Excuse me Ms. Underage, I have nothing to do with you or your family drama. Why must I pay for something your mother decided to do?!" He increased his voice.

I glared at him for addressing Sarah as 'my mom' even after a clearance. He just pleaded me with his eyes and asked me to continue.

"Listen Mr. Mysterious Billionaire, I TOO got nothing to do with you or your family drama. Why should I pay for anything YOUR father asked any of my family member to do?" I retorded louder.

"Do you think it's my mistake? Did I make the contract? Why are you shouting at me? Weren't you the one who called me in to talk?" He slowly and noiselessly opened the door so that our sounds could travel back to the members too.

"So you're trying to imply it's my mistake? Did I sign the contract? Why are you shouting at me for Sarah's mistakes?" I revolted.

He showed me a thumbs up in encouragement.

"Listen Ms-" he began but was soon cut off by Aunt Malisa.

"Shut up Alex. Is this a way to talk to any fine lady? Let alone be your future bride?" She lectured.

"I am not going to marry her Aunty. You out of all the people should know why I decline to marry." He said in a firm tone. Aunt Malisa's eyes visibly softened at his words.

"But I don't. So you're going to marry her this weekend or I am going to shut Mr. Willson's company down, put Willson's into jail, deny Ethan as my heir to the company, deny your authority on my propertied and finances, and destroy Roberts' lives too." He declared. "And you know better than to try me. Don't you, Alex?" He stressed the word 'Alex' to mock at his condition.

"But sir you can clearly see disagreement between the-" Ava tried to defend us but was again cut off.

"I have been this gentleman's father for past 25 years and I out of all the people know that it was a clear show of disagreement. I don't care if you guys are actually having disagreements, 'lovers', 'are underaged' or find each other 'rude to co-ep up with'. You're still going to get married this weekend. You may kill each other on your wedding night but you guys are still going to get married. That's final." James Smith made it clear and walked out of the room.

I looked back at Alexander, asking him what's next. He looked down with ticked jaw, as if somehow accepting his father's absurd condition.

"I am sorry Alex but I think you should listen to your dad." His mom finally decided to stop being mute. That seemed to give Alexander a final blow.

"Don't call me Alex. You have lost all your rights over me." He marched towards me, fished out a paper from his jacket, took my palm in his gloved hands and shoved the paper in.

My so called to be groom then marched out of the mansion.

What have I got myself into?

~•~

And here we come to the end of this chapter. Hope I could meet your expectations.

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