Chapter 3
1303 Words
Rose's POV
The men behind me laughed “Get your ass up
“Don't worry mum. I'm fine, someone helped us. I need to put something on and see him off.” I explained as little as I could to my mum and I went up to my bedroom and put on some pants and a baggy tee.
The man was still waiting outside. It became more glaring to me that I don't know his name. It didn't feel right, especially after he'd saved me and my father.
“You did not tell me your name.” looking at his side profile, I muttered.
“Derek, Derek Rivera.” His name sounded familiar but at that moment I couldn't remember exactly where I'd heard it before.
“Thank you for saving us… I looked down at the ground, “how did you–?”
“Your step father should stay out of trouble and avoid debts.’’ Those words sounded more like a warning.
The nerves!
Naturally I would've been angry that he'd done that but I was so glad he did if not… I didn't even want to think about what could've happened.
“Thank you for paying those men… that was a lot of money. I promise I'll pay you back every dime”
“There's no need for that. I do expect a payment but I don't need money”
“What do you mean…?”
“Marry me.” How he manages to say that without any shame amazes me.
He'd asked me to marry him. But it didn't make any sense. He barely knew me and I knew nothing about him either. Why would he want me to marry him?
“That's the price you have to pay for my help.”
“I don't understand you… why would you want to marry me?”
“I need a wife to give me an heir. I do not have the time for relationships.”
I stared at him incredulously. Not only was he talking about marrying him but he was also talking about kids too. What was this man on?
“I can't marry you or give you an heir. I'm only twenty four.”
“You're old enough” He said dismissively. “You'll come with me to the court tomorrow for the wedding and then you'll move in with me”
“I really do appreciate your help but I'm not getting married to you. I'll pay you back your money.” I said as I turned around to leave.
“Those men haven't cashed the cheque yet. All I have to do is put a call through to the bank and soon they'll be back here requesting for their money.”
His voice was low and threatening and it sent shivers down my spine. I couldn't afford to put my family at risk again…
“You're threatening me.”
“Call it what you may. I'll meet you in court tomorrow at 10am and don't think about not showing up. I know where you live and even if you run, trust me when I say I will find you.”
“Why me? You could have anyone else, why me?” I asked panting out of a mix of fear and desperation.
“You interest me.” He said simply before getting into his car and driving away.
I ran up to my room and refused to speak to my mum. I threw off my clothes and went into the shower to scrub myself clean of all the dirt and filth I felt that day.
I couldn't cry even if I wanted to. I felt… helpless in the strangest way possible. If I didn't marry Derek those goons would come looking for us again and I had no way of paying them back.
I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I couldn't put my parents in danger. There was only one thing I could do. Marry the man and give him an heir.
When morning came, I got ready. Put on a simple black dress and left without saying anything to my parents and I made my way to the city court where I met Derek waiting outside in a black suit as usual.
“You're on time. Good.” He said as I walked up the small steps to meet him. I didn't give him a reply. All I did was walk behind him to meet the registrar.
Surprisingly, it didn't take anytime at all and the entire process felt so cold and formal. It made me wonder why people opted for court weddings.
I'd never really had a princess fantasy idea for my wedding. I'd never thought much about it but I just knew I wanted to marry someone I love. Yet everything was happening in the exact opposite.
“Now that we're… married can I at least know why you wanted to get married so desperately?”
He scoffed.
“I wasn't desperate, if anything you were the one in desperate need of my help.”
“I never asked you to help”
“But I did and you owe me for i.t”
“I've paid my debt to you and now I never want to see you again.”
You seem to be forgetting something.” He looked at me with a smug expression which I seriously wanted to punch off his face. “The deal was that you marry me and give me an heir.”
I knew he was very rich but he still looked young. Why did he need an heir already?
“You can go home to your family and let them know you're now a married woman. I'll have my driver pick you up tomorrow morning and bring you over to my house.”
“Come with me. They should at least get to see who their daughter has been cursed to spend her life with.”
“I have other engagements. Here, take this.” He pulled out an express card.
“Why? I don't need it”
“You're my wife now. What you do with it is your choice, just because this is an arranged marriage doesn't mean I won't fulfill my duties as your husband.”
I felt my tummy do little flips at the word husband. How crazy was it that the man I met just a few minutes ago was officially my husband. I accepted the card wordlessly, still reeling in the shock of it all.
“I'll see you tomorrow, wifey.” And with that, he left.
I got a cab to take me home and all I could think about was what I was going to tell my parents. When I got home, only my mother was in the kitchen.
“Oh honey, where have you been? I went to your room to wake you but you weren't there.”
“I had… an engagement.” More like a wedding. I didn't dare voice that out. My mother looked at me clearly confused, so I sighed and took her hand.
“Come sit down mum. There's something important I have to tell you.”
“What's wrong? Please don't scare me.”
“You remember I said a… kind man helped us yesterday and he even paid off our debt?”
“Yes. It's a pity I couldn't meet him to thank him.”
“He wanted me to pay him back.”
“What?” my mother looked visibly worried at that. “Didn't you say he even gave them extra?”
“Yes, five hundred thousand dollars.”
“How are we supposed to get all that money!”
“He didn't want money, he needed something else as payment!”
- Writer
