Be careful with my heart

Chapter 4

Ariana's Pov

I was rounding up my first shift at the restaurant when I got a call from Mrs. Blackstone's bodyguard to go to a special ward in the hospital.

When I got to the special ward's corridor, the outburst I heard shook me. I heard a young man's voice referring to me as a gold digger.

'Nah! I won't have anybody disrespect me like that I thought to myself and entered the ward.

"Excuse me? I am not a gold digger" I said firmly.

Then he turned to me, the Dustin Blackstone, whom every girl in the country dies for. He stood before me staring into my soul with those beautiful copper brown eyes, his beautiful lips slightly parted, his sparkling amber hair, neatly slicked back giving a clear view to his facial features.

'Everything thing about this man is ideal and dreamy'

I shook my head inwardly to gear myself awake from my imaginations.

'Come on Ariana, snap out of it, comport yourself, we can't let him know the effect he has on you.'

"We all have reasons why we go the extra miles for the ones we love. You are your grandma's reason and my dad is my own reason" I blurted.

He looked at me all over and scoffed.

'Hey! What was that?' I thought

"This is what you bought? For me? said to Mrs. Blackstone.

"Bought? What right do you have to speak to me like that?" I scowled.

"I don't have the right to say that? Tell me, why are agreeing to marry a man you have never met before. Yes, you must have seen me on the magazine front page or heard about me from people but have you ever met me personally?" He said sternly.

I hate to admit he's right, aside from social media and Mercy's constant talk about him, I had never met him personally to be precise.

"You see? You are speechless because you know I am right. Now, do you agree you are being bought?" He asked coldly.

"Dustin?!" Mrs. Blackstone cautioned him.

I thought of backing out of the agreement but I thought back to my dad, how would I be able to settle the hospital bills? Opportunities like this come probably once in a lifetime. And Claire, I promised to get Justice for her......

His phone rang and he stepped out to receive the phone call.

"Ariana dear?" Mrs. Blackstone reached her hand out for me to hold and I held it.

"I am so sorry about my grandson. He is crude with words but lovely at heart." She tried to cover up for him.

"It's okay if you don't want to do this, I will understand." She said.

I thought over her words. 'Do I want to do this or not?"

"We had an agreement and I should stick to it, besides I had already braced my heart for what was going to come. I suspected this would happen so I am not shaken at all." I assured her with a smile.

"Then are you willing to carry my child then?" He blurted from the entrance.

My eyes googled at his question.

'No! I wasn't prepared for that.'

"Carry your child?" I asked shocked.

"Oh, you thought this was just one of those A rich Ceo marries the poor girl and falls in love with her' s**t you read? This is a serious business! You are not marrying me for the fun of it because you won't be getting any from me. You are marrying me to carry my lineage in that small stomach of yours." He affirmed coldly.

"Oh, shut up Dustin. We all know you don't like children." Another man's voice from the ward entrance.

Well, they looked different from each other, so I don't think they are brothers.

"Hi, I am Benjamin but you may call me Ben... I am that shitface best friend since childhood that is. You would have met me here if only I didn't step out for fresh air." He smiled genuinely stretching his hand forward for a handshake

"Ariana," I said politely as I shook his hand.

"Ben! Do not interfere, this has got nothing to do with you," Dustin said in a warning tone.

"If only you had listened to me, it wouldn't have gotten here." Ben said casually.

"I do not care. All I know is I am not getting married to a gold digger, I'd rather marry a beggar on the street." He spat furiously.

I never thought a day would come that I'd tagged as a gold digger. But this was nothing compared to what I have been going through so far.

Dustin turned to leave the ward but Mrs. Blackstone stopped him before he could leave.

"If you step out that door, then I will take it as I mean absolutely nothing to you." Mrs. Blackstone said sternly.

He stopped in his tracks but did not turn to look at her.

"I am old, death will come knocking anytime. All I ask of you is to get married, have a family and be happy, all I ask of you is to give me reasons to rest in peace. Is that too much to ask of the grandson I gave all my love?" She blackmailed.

He said nothing but stood at the same spot, his back still turned to us.

"Fine! Leave, go away if that is what you want. I am as good as dead to you anyways." She said and laid back on the bed.

He said nothing still then left the room.

"Dustin?" Ben called out but no response.

"Well, I guess I will be seeing you more often then." Ben said with a smirk and left the room.

I was confused at his last words.

'Will be seeing me more often?' What does he mean by that?

Dustin did not say anything about wanting to proceed with the marriage.

"Don't think too much." Mrs. Blackstone said to me.

"Uh?" I was confused.

"I guess we should start with the wedding preparation then? I have to start calling my friends to share the good news with them." She said enthusiastically.

"Wedding preparations? But he didn't say anything about the wedding." I said as confusion laced my features.

"Well, what do you think? He can't win against his old woman here. I already had him where I wanted him." She said joyfully,

Oh, I guess him not saying anything means yes. That was what Ben meant with his words earlier.

"But I still need to convince my Aunt though?" I reminded her.

"You are right dear but do not worry he will be doing that with you." She said.

"Thank you, Mrs. Blackstone..."

"Shush! You are going to be the next Mrs Blackstone so I am Grandma to you, okay?" She cautioned me.

"Okay, Grandma." I smiled.

"Jasper?!" She called out to her bodyguard.

"Yes ma'am?" He answered.

"Come take me back home, my job here is done" She said struggling to get out of bed and I offered to help her.

"Thank you, dear. How about we drop you at your destination?" She offered.

"Erm... No, am good. I need to check on my dad before I head to my second job." I said politely.

"Do not worry darling, your multiple jobs will end soon." She assured and I nodded.

She left with her bodyguard and I went to see my dad.

*******

When I got home, I explained to Mercy how my meeting with Dustin went and how he called me a gold digger, an item or toy his grandmother bought for him to play with. Of course, she got so mad and said her likeness for him had dropped to 10 percent, she said she thought he was a good guy.

She asked if I wanted to proceed with the agreement and I told her, I had already made up my mind to marry. I think he was right when he said, I was only marrying for the money involved.

I don't care whatever name he calls me, all I want is to see my father healthy and walking again.

*******

The next day at work, I got a call from an unknown number and when I picked up, it turned out to be a call from Mr. Blackstone's assistant, she said her boss would like to see me at a restaurant which happened to be the one I worked at. Well, it's an elite restaurant purposely for the rich.

I gave her my schedule but she said, he doesn't need my schedule because she had already set the date and time for the meeting.

I was so angry Who or what does he think he is? I have got other things to do with my life aside from marrying him. Well, I shouldn't blame him, I am the one that needs something from him.

I told the assistant I was okay with both the time and the date. She hung up and I continued with my business.

'I am only doing this for my father, I am only doing this for my father' I repeated in my head.

********

I sat at a table in the restaurant for over an hour waiting for the Dustin guy. I tried calling the assistant but she wasn't picking her phone. I was starting to get irritated.

"Ari? Why are you here? Isn't today supposed to be your off?" My co-work Mark asked me.

"Erm..... No, I am not here to work..... I am meeting someone here." I replied.

"A date hm? He smirked.

"It's not a date. It's a meeting." I said to him.

He smiled and went back to his work.

I was starting to run out of patience, was about to leave when I saw a young lady dressed professionally, approached me.

"Hello, Miss Bond right?" She asked formally.

"Yes, you are?" I asked

"Mr. Blackstone's assistant. Please come with me." She said and I followed her to a VVIP room and there he was sitting in all his glory talking to another man sitting beside him.

'When did he get here?'

"Hello, Mr. Blackstone." I greeted.

"Hello." He answered casually.

He said something to the other man and the man looked at me.

"This is my lawyer, Barrister Ken. He will be documenting every word we are going to conclude on today." He said to me.

"Hello, Ms Bond." The lawyer greeted and I nodded politely.

"Grandma didn't tell me about this." I said.

"Grandma?" He asked surprised.

"She told me to call her that." I replied defensively.

He scoffed and turned to the Lawyer.

"Here are the agreement forms and you will have to sign after you are done going through them" the lawyer gave us each a copy.

"An agreement form?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes, any problem?" Dustin asked in an irritated voice.

"Why do I have to sign an agreement form?" I asked.

"You think, I'd let you call the marriage off after you have been given everything you are promised? I told you, this is not some romance novels you read, this is reality and you have to accept it." He said sternly.

I looked over the agreement with tears welling up in my eyes. This is like signing life to the devil.

How come he suddenly made this agreement all about him? I had the agreement with his grandmother, not him.

"I am not signing this! I will sign the agreement with your grandmother. She was the one I agreed with you and you weren't even there when we had the agreement. So, you should stop acting like you are the boss of me." I said confidently.

He sat in his chair and fold his hand over his torso, his tilted to the side smirking at me.

"And you must have felt accomplished with the gibberish you just spouted. Uhn?" He said coldly.

"Listen to me, you had an oral agreement with my grandmother and I want a written agreement as the man who is going to be marrying you, do you understand? So, stop thinking you are smart and sign that paper before I change my mind." He snarled.

If this is the man I am going to be marrying, can I have a rethink?

But I am doing this for my dad and also to get Claire the justice she deserves.

I picked the agreement paper and read through it.

"What?! I can't leave until you or your grandma wants me to?" I pointed out.

"Yes, you will be paid a huge amount of money so I guess that's fair enough." He said coldly.

"I am not some slave you are buying!" I screamed at this time tears were streaming down my face.

"You called yourself that not me." He shrugged.

I was shaking with anger but do I have a choice? No, I don't.

I continued reading through the agreement.

'He hates babies and pets?!' Is this person even human?

'No parties in his house.'

'No constant visit from family or friends.' This is more like imprisonment.

At least one is in my favor I get to go out whenever I want but with at least one bodyguard.

I read through everything in the paper and I signed.

I gave the paper to the lawyer for his stamp.

"Two more things." Dustbin said.

That's my new nickname for him.

"This is an open relationship; do not disturb with your life and I won't disturb you with mine." He stated.

Well, that's more like. I dislike you enough to not want to have anything to do with you.

"And the second?" I asked.

"Stop your multiple jobs. I do not want to be embarrassed." He said.

"Okay," I replied.

We all stood up from our seats.

"Get ready for next week." He said

"Why?" I asked

"For the wedding." He said and left with the lawyer and his assistant.

'What?!' I screamed in my head.

'Next week?!'

I thought on how to convince my Aunt before then, what would I say to her, to make her believe me?

It figures that Dustin wouldn't care how I convince my Aunt, I think there is no point waiting for him to convince her with me. I have got to do this on my own.

********

"What?! You are getting married next week?! Are you out of your mind or something?" Aunt Matilda yelled.

I had to tell her when she came home for just a few hour break because I might not be able to before next week gets here.

"Aunt, calm down and listen to me." I said to her.

"No! You calm down and listen to me! For how long have you been together with him?." She interrogated.

"Erm..... It's been.... Few-"

"Ari, are you marrying him for his money?" She asked in disbelief and I was shocked.

"Because it is obvious it is one of those contractual marriages." She said.

There was no point convincing her further, she caught on quickly.

"Is this because of your dad?" She asked in a low voice.

"Are you selling yourself to some rich man because of your dad?" She asked again.

"There was no other way." I whimpered.

She sighed and held my hands in hers.

"Do you think your dad would be happy to know his only child sold herself away for him to live? As a mother myself, I am telling you no....... I wouldn't be happy if I find out Mercy gave herself away just for me to live..." She raised my chin to look at her in the eyes.

"You don't have to do this." She said lowly.

"I have got no other way Aunt Matilda...... I am sorry." I whispered.

"Well, I won't allow you to do it.... It is my responsibility to look after you, so it's a 'No'." She concluded.

"Aunt Matilda, please...... I have to do this." I pleaded.

She went to her room ignoring me.

I thought of what to do, how to convince her. Then, I thought of one person.

******

Mrs Blackstone came to my house to convince my aunt. She told her, she asked me to marry Dustin because she saw some qualities in me. She also commended my aunt for bringing me up well. She further convinced her by promising to look after me herself and would give me anything I so desire. After a long hard talk, Aunt Matilda was convinced and allowed me to get married to Dustin.

"If you ask me, i'd never allow Mercy do this no matter how hard anyone tries to convince me. Do you want to know why? Because she has me to be here for her. I know I promised your mother to look after you but I know no matter how hard I try, I won't be able to meet up to them......" She sighed and continued.

"Ari, if this is what you have to do to bring your father back, then do it but give me your words that you will take care of yourself." She said smoothing my hair with her hand.

"I promise and I won't allow anyone take advantage of me." I,promised.

"And if you feel it's too hard and can't take it anymore, you are always welcome to come back, okay?" She assured and I nodded

It was settled, I will be getting married to that emotionless jerk, the following week. How I feel? Well, nervous, anxious and a lot more. I still do not know what is waiting for me but I have got to be prepared.

'Mrs Ariana Blackstone' not even sweet in the ears.

*******

Author's Pov

Ariana is getting married to..... I'd have to loved to say 'to the love of her life' but we all know what the situation is.

Dustin is a jerk towards our sweet Ari. But who knows, romance could sprout between these two humans from different worlds.......but you will have to follow me to be a part of their love story because I still have a lot twists for them??.

Take care lovelies??.

See you in the next chapter. The beginning of Ariana's life as Mrs Blackstone ??