YOUR FATHER WILL DO

Marry me

- VALKYRIE-

A buzz disrupts my sleep. I open my eyes to a surprise. Alario is gone. And from the cold sheets, I can tell he left long ago.

Did our time together mean nothing? I can swear that was a good f**k. I huff, reaching my hand to the side of the bed where the buzz comes from. I don’t even remember bringing a purse here, talk less of a phone. I manage to stare at the screen. The message notification makes my eyes widen.

It’s my father.

Alessandro has started making moves and the situation put my mother in a coma. From where I stand, it seems like I will lose everything. Every damn thing.

I force my body up the bed. A pang between my legs pushes me back down. I wince. Worst day to be f****d, literally. My life is crumbling overnight and I can barely move. I roam my eyes around the penthouse which looks empty.

Does this man have no sense of survival or is he so full of himself to know no one has the audacity to steal from him? Definitely the latter.

I try to get up. The pain has me retreating. A hot water bottle and bath will be soothing right now but the man I slept with did not think that. My phone rings this time. It’s a call.

I pick up and bring the phone to my ears. “Valkyrie SK speaking.” I say.

“I have been trying to reach you.” My assistant says, her tone full of worry. “Your mother’s condition is worsening and your company cards are declining. The hospital is refusing treatment.”

This makes my heart skip a beat. f**k the pain, I need to force myself and go to the hospital. And now.

**

I rush into the hospital, one I know. My company has been investing in this hospital for years so I cannot understand why we’ll be restricted treatment. I cannot understand why the company is not fitting the medical bills. I own it for crying out loud!

My father and assistant are at the reception, speaking to a nurse. I go to meet them.

“Valkyrie SK. What’s the update on my mother?” I pant. My legs feel like it’s about to explode.

“I know who you are.” The nurse says, her tone smug. “Your mother’s condition is critical, she needs immediate surgery.”

I swallow. “Then why haven’t you begun yet? Get her into the surgery ward. Do your job.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not possible,”

I run my fingers through my hair. “Excuse me??! Do you know who I am? I have invested in this hospital for years. It’s foundation is built in MY name. So you WILL treat my mother this instant!” I rage.

“We can only start treatment after going through the payment procedure.”

My jaw comes slack.

“Please pay.”

This feels like a jab at my existence. One look at my assistant and father makes me know that they’ve tried. I withdraw backwards slowly. “Understood.”

My assistant walks to me. “What is going on within the company?” I ask, obviously aware of how bad this is.

“You’re on disciplinary leave. All access you have to SK has been disbanded. You’re not the acting partner and every financial link you have in their name has been withdrawn, this includes your house and your assets. In other words, you’re left with nothing.” There is sympathy in her words but it doesn’t get to me. I feel like I am having a migraine.

Every single thing I own is registered in my company’s name. Every single thing I’m worth is registered in their name. My eyes water.

“Does the board know this medical urgency is my mother? Aren’t they inclined to amend certain protocols for this?” I can barely hear myself.

“They do.” My assistant says. “And they aren’t changing their rules. Especially not for you, in their words.”

My chest is heavy. I feel like I cannot breathe. “What of my father’s assets? What do we have there?”

“All have been used to sort out casualties caused by the scandal.”

The more she talks, the more difficult it is to breathe.

“You’re left with nothing, Miss Valkyrie.”

Miss? Has Alessandro publicly announced our divorce without my knowledge? This was well planned out. That bastard seriously left me with nothing.

“Call my lawyers. I need to fight this. I am being bullied out of my company!” I yell, frustration peaking in once again.

“You have no lawyers, every firm you used was registered with the company. And no public lawyer is willing to take your case. I tried, Miss Valkyrie, nothing is working.”

I bite my lower lip, forcing my tears in. I need more than alcohol to calm my nerves.

“Please give me some time to think.” I whisper. Nora, my assistant withdraws, leaving me alone and going back to my father.

Can I even take a loan from the bank? I don’t have any penny in my accounts. Will I find a friend to borrow from? Will anyone want to even help me? What do I do? I am searching my mind for answers but I’m finding none.

My head beams with a thought. That’s true. There is Alario. . . . Is there? Just like the world is acting against me, the hospital tv has the news playing, starring Alario Morietti, live.

So that’s where he went, leaving me all alone, I huff, watching him. In the report, Alario claims he’s found a wife. And he’s sure to wed and reveal her to the public soon.

A pain in my chest sends me falling to the ground. That is the last straw needed to break me. It was all for nothing. Alessandro won. And I am all alone, carrying his baby. A child he knows nothing about and can choose to claim it is not his. Even with a DNA.

My body shivers. I have no home to even go back to. I feel like I’m going to be sick but I don’t have the luxury to even fall sick.

“Nora,” I call, my voice a shadow of its own. Nora makes her way to me. It’s a miracle she’s even answering to me after all this. “Please take me to my mother. And take my father back to his mansion, I don’t want to worry his feeble heart.”

The only thing that belongs to us is the estate we have outside SK. And God knows if it is still ours. God knows if the real estate will be willing to sell our buildings in exchange for money. I’m screwed. Valkyrie Steven Kings let herself be screwed. And worse of all, by a man who claimed to love her.

I feel a hand support my body up the floor and lead me to a free room where my mother is. She’s unconscious. An oxygen mask is attached to her face along with a drip but that’s all there is. For someone in critical condition, these people sure are cruel.

Nora leaves me and I walk the distance to my mother, zombie like. My body drops to the ground again seeing her up close. I can’t even say her name, I have failed her. And she might die because of me.

A loud wail leaves my mouth. Tears run down my face like a stream as I break down on the floor like I’m mental.

The door comes open but I don’t pay attention to who walks in. It’s probably a nurse. Another reminder of my misery,

“The bride of a Morietti should not look unsightly.” Reverberates in the room. I sniff, looking up. It’s Alario. This scum. What does he even mean? I don’t respond. I’m way too drained to process this.

“I will solve all your problems, Valkyrie.”

I freeze, unable to process or understand. This man already found a wife, why does he care about me?

I sob. My head is not in the right place to even start asking questions so I just shut up and listen to him without expectations.

“My only condition being you will marry me.”