Forced To Be His Bride

Two-Galen

Joyce wanted to argue against her orders, so I stepped in, deciding to put an end to the unnecessary drama Mrs Natasha was craving.

“It's fine, I will serve the family.”

Back in the kitchen, Joyce refused to spare me a glance, so much I felt bad I annoyed her.

I proceeded to put the plates on a serving tray, but she stopped me.

“You shouldn't let anyone step on you in this way. You won't serve her or anyone else. I will get Alex to do it.“

Micheal popped a response to her, walking into the kitchen with a disappointed look. “ Mrs Natasha sent the maids out to go the store. I am the one taking them there.“

Joyce heaved exasperated, irate. “The hate has eaten through her senses. I will serve her myself.“

I stepped in front of her. “No, you won't do that, you will open yourself to undeserving humiliation in my name. It's fine. I will serve them.“

“Would you rather disobey me and endure Mrs Natasha's humiliation?” She asked, she wanted me to choose, but I had made up my mind.

“Yes, I would rather disobey you than have you humiliated. It's fine.“ I picked up the plates and walked to the dining room. A satisfied look etched on Mrs Romano's face.

I ignored her and placed the servings in the polished desk center.

As I was about to leave, I heard footsteps with the depth of a man's shoes echo in the dining room. I turned and walked back to the kitchen before I knew who it was. Next was Mrs Natasha boiling broth. It steamed on my face, producing mist on my glass and blurring my eyesight for a second as I picked it up.

It was also heavy.

I held it firmly and made my way to the dining room, since it was heavy and hot I had to be extra careful not to spill on anyone.

I walked around the table, my eyes firmly focused on it. Looking down at it, I almost bumped into someone. A man in a suit, I couldn't study him or look at him properly. I was more focused on serving the family and going back to my room to avoid everyone. Fortunately for me, he stepped out-of-the-way in term. “Sorry,” I muttered at him. Passing behind Clarrisa's seat where he was about to sit beside her. I cross my heart. I could swear I felt a foot project outwards. I don't want to think it was Clarrisa doing, but her mother was at the other side of the table, so it had to be her. Unable to avoid it and my steps jumbled up, I fell hard. The pot clattered on the floor as the contents spilled on the tiles and some directly on my hands.

The man I initially avoided had some spilled on him as well.

Realizing what had just happened, I looked around in horror of what I had done. A furious look etched on Natasha's and Clarrisa's faces.

“You stupid bit'ch.” Clarrisa cursed, standing from her seat and walking over to the man standing.

“Galen, are you okay?” She asked, rubbing through his shirt briefly in a soothing manner.

“I am fine.” His voice had the depth of a cave.

Some of the broth had spilled on his clothes.

Natasha's shrill voice hit my ears. I noticed my hands burned. Her voice only made the pain more intense.

“You spilled my broth!” She yelled at me. “I don't care how long it takes you will make it again from scratch.”

Galen, the man standing beside Clarrisa, left her side. I stood on my feet to apologize to him.

“I am so sorry about your clothes.” I said, stretching out my hand to wipe them off, but whimpered as pain spread across my hands.

A tear slipped off my eyes, as I glanced at my hands. They were red and had flared up, parts of my skin peeled backwards.

“She's hurt.” The man said, before capturing my arm in his hold, making me go with him.

Joyce stepped out, probably wondering what the noise was all about.

“Sweet mother of God!” she exclaimed when she saw my hand, following us immediately. “Marie, did the soup spill on you? I warned you not to serve the meal, but you were so stubborn about it.“ She sounded like my pain was hers.

I sniffled, the heat rising up to my arm. “ I stumbled and fell. It was an accident.“

Galen led me to the sink, my skin all red and wrinkled out, it was scalded.

“Stretch out your hands.” I did as he ordered, his voice had this authority to it. Almost domineering and he seems quite older.

He sprayed the sink's cool water over my hand, providing me with temporary relief.

He continued to pour until my flare up reduced visibly.

I stared at him, distracted by his intoxicating smell and strong features. Micheal wasn't lying when he said he was equally handsome.

He had rusty, almost red-coloured hair, but it was disheveled. I guessed it was probably the wind. Brown streaks of hair in between.

Tanned golden skin and a vibrant aqua-coloured pair of eyes. His eyes resembled the shining surface of a tropical ocean, sparkling on the surface.

Something you can't get tired of staring at. And his lips, I only took notice of them, refusing to stare for too long. One of the deepest shades of red a lip can get, very plump too. That is the kind of lipgloss he is wearing, right?

I frowned, why does he look so enticing? Almost edible.

I smelt a fresh whiff of man's shave and a musky compact scent of forest moss mixed with fresh alluring mint. It was an intoxicating and unforgettable scent.

He looked at me concerned, bringing me back to earth my disturbing obsession with staring at him. “Does it still hurt?”

“Not as much.” I said, my voice small.

Clarrisa appeared with displeasure written on her face. “Galen, let's eat. I am sure Joyce can handle her injuries.“ He seemed conflicted.

“I am fine, thanks for your help.” I said, appreciatively. He said no word and left with his fiancée.

Galen

I was furious at Clarrisa. I shrugged her arm out of mine.

Looking at her sternly.

“How could you do that?” I asked as we settled on the table, drawing her mother's attention.

“Do what?” She asked, feigning cluelessness.

I hissed at her, irate by her denial.

“I saw you, Clarrisa. You don't need to lie to me.“

Natasha frowned, “How dare you accuse my daughter of being responsible for that girl's clumsiness?”

I ignored her, looking sternly at Clarrisa, who knew what she was doing.

“You placed your foot on purpose for her to trip?”

She raised her hands in the air, “Whoa-whoa! Hold up?! You are accusing me of something so vile. Why would I trip the maid on purpose? What will that fetch me?“

“You tell me.“

“Nothing. You are being delusional, Galen.“ She brushed off.

“Yet you showed her no pity when she fell and burnt herself.”

Clarrisa dropped her napkin in anger on the plate. “Are you here to talk about a dumb maid who fell due to her own clumsiness?”

A footstep echoed above our voices.

I turned around, and I was met by Mr Romano, who stared at me surprised and confused at the noise in the dining area.

“Galen are you here?” He asked in surprise. I gave a brief nod, deciding to sit beside him instead.

Just then, the maid who spilled hot soup on herself walked past us. Her hands were bandaged, she used her index finger to push the eyeglass to rest properly on her nose bridge.

I noticed Mr Romano staring oddly at her.

“Marie?” He called her by the same name Joyce had called her.

She turned to look at us, she seemed tensed the instant she saw him.

He glanced at Mrs Natasha.

“Why did no one inform me she was here?”

Natasha snickered, well aware of her obvious contempt for the girl. I wasn't expecting anything less.

“Of what importance is she for me to do that?”

“She is my daughter, Natasha.”

I blinked. His daughter? The round of news made waves in the media about the illegitimate daughter of the Romano family.

I thought it was just a try to stain the family name. Or a hoax, for Mr Romano to admit so…

I regarded her for a moment, she looked young, much younger than Clarrisa. In her late teens or she was twenty. She looked a bit like Mr Romano, his frizzy hair, thin pinched nose but fuller lips.

Her eyes a shade of brown, light like the sun encased behind her glasses, which made her look timid, but I guessed she wasn't all calm, just reserved due to how badly she was being treated in the house.

He looked hard at his wife, but she kept her head high and strong, unflinching.

“Come eat with us, Marie.” He said to her. The girl's eyes dropped to her bandaged hands.

“I am not hungry.” She says softly, a sad look etched on her face before leaving. Mr Romano was speechless and settled down instead. A solemn look on his face.

“What happened to her hands?” He asked.

I answered, as Clarrisa and her mother became mute. “She had a little accident…”

Mr Romano wanted to say something but kept quiet, a still silence followed and a ring on my phone broke. It was from my office.

I stood up despite being angry at Clarrisa. I loved her still, so I leaned towards her and gave her a kiss.

“I have to leave. I have an appointment with my engineers. Excuse me. “ I said, and excused myself from the table. Clarrisa decided to follow. She was displeased I was leaving.

We walked outside in silence. I reached where my car was parked.

“Are you leaving because you have an appointment or something else?” Distrust in her tone, her eyes judged me too.

“What are you insinuating, Risa?”

“You are leaving because of that girl's accident. You care oddly for her.“

I narrowed my eyes at her. “You referred to your younger sister as a maid. And I have forgotten about this whole issue, you just brought it up.“ She averts her face from my view.

“She is not my sister. She is my father's affair product. It would please me if you didn't give her such attention ever again. We are engaged, Galen, remember that.“

“Give her attention?!” I scoffed out in disbelief.

“Clarissa, I have made it clear I am in love with you, I want to get married to you. Don't tell me you feel insecure because I helped that poor girl out? I never knew you to be this vile and malicious.“ I breathed out in disbelief. Deeply confused.

“You piss me off. Do well and help her poor ass by marrying her instead.“ She scoffed out in fury and turned her back on me and walked back into the house.