Her Only Choice

Chloe moaned as she felt warm strong hands trailed up her thighs. She looked down to see a mess of brown head beneath her. “What are you doing?” A feverish smile lay on her lips. “Good morning to you too” Adam whispered back, as he came up to kiss her. “What are your plans for today? Let me take you out for lunch” She watched him as he looked at her, arousal and admiration clear on his face. “Did you forget the rules? No dates. You don't want to get attached” she said as she wrapped the duvet around her, standing up to go to the bathroom. She picked up her underwear that laid on the couch before putting them on. She let the duvet drop before grabbing her bra. “It doesn't have to be a date. I want to spend some time with you” Adam said as he continued to watch her move around the room, his eye keen on her curves. “Adam_” she began to say before she heard her phone ring. She went towards the dresser and picked up the phone. It was her dad. “I need to see you right now” was the first sentence he uttered. Chloe fought hard not to roll her eyes. These days she's been doing a lot of that and now it's becoming a habit. He couldn't even ask how she was. It's been months since they last saw each other. She knew he only thought of her as a disappointment but she was still his daughter, his only daughter. Couldn't he be sentimental for once? “You know I can't do that, Dad. I'm in New York at the moment, and coming to Los Angeles will take about 6hours” “It's just 5:45 here, which makes it 2:45 where you are. You can still make it. It's urgent, I need you here” “I can't make it Dad. I have a show to perform next tomorrow. I promise I'll come down there when I'm done” “Take a flight to Los Angeles this moment or I cut off your allowance. I'm your father, so you're going to obey me” “You can't do that, dad!” “Watch me!” And then the line went off. “If he thinks he's going to say go and I'm just going to obey every command, he's mistaken. I'm a fully grown adult and I make my decision. I mean, who does he think he is? God?” She grumbled as she put on her clothes. “Is something wrong?” Adam stood up and asked her. He grabbed her waist stopping her from moving. “Nothing to worry about, just my dad being him. I have to go” “Wait a little, please” he begged “I can't, Adam. I have things to do” she said trying to hide the irritation in her voice. Reaching her house, she went straight to her bathroom wanting to take a cold bath. It was a little bit warm outside. She waited for the water to get a little warm before she stepped in. The way her muscles felt relaxed the moment she stepped into the water, she didn't mind the cold temperature at all. She slept off in the bathtub without meaning to. Back in Los Angeles, Charles Elliot, Chloe's father was restless as he walked back and forth in the sitting room while his wife Zoe rested her head on the palms of her hand. She didn't know what her husband was thinking when he agreed to give his daughter hand in marriage to pay off some debt that was his fault. “Stop looking at me that way,” Charles said to his wife, fuming with frustration. “How should I look at you? Tell me! How could you agree to do such a thing to our daughter? Your only daughter!” She stood up in anger, ready to face him. “What other choice do I have? Give my company? The company my ancestors have worked so hard to build. Am I supposed to break all that down in one day? What would that make me?” “And what kind of father does your recent decision make you?!” “A responsible father! Because without that company we're nothing. No roof over our heads, no designer shoes on our feets. Our pictures will no longer be seen on billboards” “Well, I rather let my daughter happily marry a person who she's well acquainted with and someone who she has learned to love than have my face posted on every pretentious magazine” “She's acquainted with him. Don't you remember when she was three and they met in that gala that Winston Smith organized?” “Three? She doesn't even remember a memory from when she was six, Charles! Why are you doing this? Your parents never forced you into a marriage with a stranger. You were allowed to marry the person you fell in love with” “Well look at where that love has brought us,” Charles said with so much disdain that Zoe had to recoil back like she had been hit with a brick. She looked at him and wondered if this was the same man who did everything just to have him call her his wife. “Did you ever love me?” She couldn't help but ask. “Of course I do,” he said like the answer was obvious enough. “Looking at you right now doesn't seem like you did” “How did we go from discussing our daughter's marriage to you asking me if I ever loved you when we've been married for over twenty years” “Because you're making me feel so small. And there's no marriage because I won't let you give off my daughter to that Cassanova because of your selfishness and greed” “Making you feel small? How did I do that? I told you I loved you, didn't I?” He said fuming with anger And then something clicked. Charles confused with the look she was giving him asked “what?” “Our love was not one at first sight, was it? It was planned” The look in her eyes, Charles noticed, couldn't be quenched. He couldn't tell her a lie. Zoe was too smart for any lie he would say at that moment. “Well, what do you think?” Charles said, his eyes daring.