Chapter 4: 3 Months Zora POV…

“She would be getting married to this gentleman,” Dad repeated his words, his hands resting on Adrian, who looked equally surprised. What?

“Getting married? To Adrian? What is going on here?” It took me minutes to realize myself and speak up.

“Honey! I will explain everything to you, but as for now, I want you to retire to your room with your mom.” Dad was standing next to me, his hands resting on my shoulders.

I shook, shoving his hands off. “I should retire to my room? What the hell is going on here? Don’t I deserve to know? To get a clue?” I hissed in frustration. I still couldn’t understand, and I didn’t want to believe what I was thinking either.

It was clear what was going on, but I wouldn’t believe it because it’s never possible. It can never be possible.

“Darling! Please take her to her room.” My dad didn’t answer any of my questions. He just gave my mom a simple instruction, like my words meant nothing. That really annoyed me.

“Are you seriously going to dismiss me without saying anything to me? Are you really going to dismiss me like I don’t matter?” I couldn’t fight the tears building in my eyes anymore. I am such a crybaby.

“I won’t ask you what is going on here anymore, but I hope it isn’t what I am thinking, because it will be over my dead body.” Without waiting for Mom to take me to my room, I took the stairs leading to my room in a hurry.

Tears sprinkled from my eyes as I hurried off to my room. To be frank with you, I am scared to death. I am really scared.

Adrian POV…

I watched Zora hurry to her room from my standing point. I am still finding it hard to understand whatsoever is going on here.

A minute ago, my dad called me and informed me of a problem, and the next minute, Zora’s dad is showing me off to dine with strange men as Zora’s fiancé?

What exactly is going on? I need to understand because I am way more confused than she is, and these men aren’t even helping matters. They were whispering in secrets like I don’t even exist.

It Is obvious they don’t want me to find out whatsoever they were saying. They rounded themselves in corners and spoke too softly.

“I will show you around.” Someone gripped my hand. I turned for my eyes to rest on Zora’s mother. I had even forgotten she was there.

I wanted to decline her offer or better still ask her what was going on between the men, but I knew it wouldn’t help, so I just gave in.

I bowed slowly and followed her without saying a word or complaining. I believe I will get to the root of things sooner than expected.

Zora POV……

4 hours later…

We all sat around our large dining table; Mom, Dad, Adrian, and of course, Adrian’s dad.

The air was thick around us as no one dared say a word. Every lip was sealed as if waiting for the first person to break the silence.

The strange men had left, and now it was just the five of us in this big, mighty house.

I didn’t want to be the one to break the silence, even though I desperately wanted to pour out my heart and ask all the questions ringing continuously in my head with no break.

“I know everything came as a surprise to you two,” someone finally spoke. It was my dad. He had always been the one to take the bull by the horns.

His eyes quickly darted between Adrian and me before he fell silent again and lowered his head, like the weight of what he wanted to say next was crushing him hard.

I decided to step in, to make him spill the beans faster. “What was that you said earlier?” My eyes swam around him like I could tear the words out of his lips.

At first, he was quiet. He didn’t say a thing, but he eventually opened up. “Something happened many years ago before you were born,” were the next words he spilled.

I didn’t say a word, a beckon that I wanted to hear more from him. He understood the assignment. He continued.

“You see,” his eyes were dancing around me, “you were supposed to get married to one of those men by the weekend, but Adrian’s dad intervened.” His words were a hard slap on the face. So that man was right about me being his wife?

“I know it’s a shock to you, but many years ago, before you were born and before I became successful, I took a loan from that man to start up a business.”

“As of then, we only had Charlotte, your elder sister, and your mom was pregnant with you.” Dad paused and continued, “He loaned me a very huge sum to start up a business, which I did, and I promised to pay back yearly.”

“Fortunately, the business was a blast, but unfortunately, I stopped hearing from him after two years of paying my debt. I couldn’t reach him, and I searched for him until I gave up.”

“It was shocking he showed up again just last week and demanded that he use you as the loan exchange.” My dad’s last words hit me hard in the chest. A loan exchange.

“What the hell!” I erupted from the chair with full force. “Am I some exchange commodity?” I wasn’t having it. How dare he? My fists were seethed in anger.

“He was pressing charges and I couldn’t let you get married to such an old, wicked man, and that was why I teamed up with my friend, Adrian’s father, to get you married to Adrian this weekend so I could scare him away.”

“What?” Adrian and I screamed in unison.

“Get married to Adrian? So you were really serious about that, Dad?” My eyes were blazing fire.

“Would you rather get married to such an old man? I have the money to pay him, but he isn’t accepting it. What more can I do?” my dad stressed.

“Take him to court. Take the dirty old hag to court, because there is no way I am getting married to this thing!” I pointed at Adrian with so much hatred in my eyes.

“I can never get married to him, over my dead body. Never!” I was already seeing red. How could my dad suggest I get married to my worst enemy?

“I can’t get married to her either. She has a dirty character, and I don’t intend on getting married soon,” Adrian clapped back.

“We are not compatible, and I see no reason why I should be involved in your family mess,” he turned to my dad. “It’s that simple. Let her get married to the old man.” There was no compassion in his eyes as he said these dirty words.

I was shocked by his words but I wouldn’t be a loser “You stink of arrogance, and that is why I hate you so much,” I hissed in defense. “I would rather marry a goat than get married to you. You disgust me.”

“If you two don’t get married, then everything will be taken from both of us, and we will go poor,” Adrian’s dad spoke for the first time.

“Both of us? How does this affect you, Dad?” Adrian questioned in shock.

“I also took a loan from him,” he confessed bitterly.

“What?” His words were a great shock to everyone.

“Get married for just 3 months and save us from going poor forever,” both men said.

“Three months?” Adrian and I chorused. Now things are getting too ugly.