Chapter 6:
1782 Words
Jeremy's pov ....
I I hate my life right now.
I f*cking hate my life right now.
I hate my father for making this decision, I hate her parents for being so foolish, what kind of parents offer up their own child as payment for their debt?
They live a freaking fake life, trying to be what they're not and pass the bulk up to their child.
But more than anything, I hate how helpless I feel.
It’s like my life is rapidly falling apart, right before my eyes and I could do nothing to stop it.
I know my dad can be ruthless, that's how he could amass so much wealth, but I never imagined he'll one day use that ruthlessness on his own son. His own family.
Someone knocked at the door, making me lose the ball I’d been bouncing off the wall absentmindedly. I adjusted myself, sitting upright on the bed, before letting out a low call for whoever it was to come in.
I wasn't exactly in the mood to receive visitors.
“Hey son” dad said as he came in
But I turned away from him, he was the last person I want to see, right now.
“You don’t look excited to see me.”
He chuckled as he grabbed a chair, making himself comfortable.
I muttered the words “go figure” underneath my breath but he still caught a whiff of it.
“Still mad huh?” He asked.
“You threw me to the wolves unprovoked, it’ll take a miracle for me to not be mad."
“I did it for your own good.”
" No dad, you did it for your own good.
You did it to suit your own agenda.
Dad, I'm might be seventeen, but not for long.
you need to understand that I am my own man.
I should be allowed to sleep with whoever I want to sleep with.
I like women and I like s*x dad.
I am being extra careful, I even make them sign NDA 's.
But that's not a reason to misbehave like a child so I don't.
Do you know why I can get a woman like that?
It's because I am a matured grown man.
“Yet you think, you did this for me.
Newsflash dad, I'm not falling for your crap.
You did this because you like to have people at your beck and call, begging you for mercy.
Eating the crumbs from your table.”
“Son, you make me sound like some sick, twisted bastard”
I shrugged my shoulders “be my guest, your actions already speak for you.” I replied hotly.
He relaxed into the chair, visibly fighting the urge to be upset
“Is there any chance we could have a proper conversation , right now?”
I didn’t miss a beat as I said
“No. Absolutely not.”
“Very well then” he got up and stretched his legs, making his way out of my room.
He paused in front of the door and said
“Son, I need you to know that when I make decisions, I do it with your best interest at heart.”
I scoffed in response as he opened the door to leave then poked his head back in, and asked.
“Also, are those wedding jitters I sense?”
He didn't wait for a response, shutting the door quickly behind him.
I instantly had a flash of anger and hurled my ball at the door.
The next day I was woken up by an insistent banging on my bedroom door.
I cursed underneath my breath as I dragged myself to the door, to unlock it.
"Hey baby." My mom cooed as she walked into my room.
I completely ignored her and made to go back to bed. She was being unusually sweet.
And I didn't want you deal with a patronizing parent, it's way too early for that.
"What are you doing?" She shrieked.
"What does it look like ma?
I'm going back to bed." I said in a matter of fact voice.
"No no no, you can't do that." She said as she grabbed my arm and dragged me away from my bed.
" What is it nowwww ?" I asked in exasperation.
"Stop whining like a child, go get ready we have a meeting with the family of your bride."
She said in a sharp tone.
"You guys can all go, I'm not interested, dad can make decisions for me, like he did yesterday and he's been doing all my life."
I stated.
"Don't be like that, you need to be at the meeting, it's you that'll be in the marriage,
not me or your father.
Trust me you'll be glad you were there and involved in these discussions." She said, but
I just sighed and walked into my bathroom.
It took me fifteen minutes to get ready .
I put on a plaid shirt, a pair of deep blue jeans and sneakers, the same color as the jeans, before going to the driveway to meet up with my parents.
The drive was short, just ten minutes.
And as is the new normal, it was a silent drive.
I busied myself thinking about my actions and questioning my decisions.
I have good grades, I do everything a good son should.
I have never really been a disappointment to father.
This brings about the reason why.
I do not have any plans to marry.
Until, last night, I had believed that I was the perfect son.
Hence, my confusion at my punishment.
Besides, why is s*x with a particular person bad, my parents know I have s*x alot and I sleep with a lot if girls from school, but father doesn't frown at that.
But he disapproves, when it's an older woman or someone that works for him?
We finally arrive and walk into an exclusive five-star hotel.
A dinning room had been reserved for us, the maître d' led us to the room.
She was seated with her family, and I instantly shook my head in disgust at her.
They were here with someone else that i assume is their lawyer.
Our lawyer, Dominic is here as well, he'd arrived earlier.
" Good morning sir James, ma'am, young Jeremy." Her father greeted and I had to curb the need to spit in his face.
His wife and daughter greeted is in the exact same way, except she greeted me by just saying Jeremy. But her mother instantly rebuked her and she corrected herself and said "Sir Jeremy."
I contemplated the entire scenario, and it doesn't seem like things would be all that bad, because as my wife she'll have to do exactly as I say or I send her back home and her family will be forced to pay their debt.
I hummed lowly as my parents began to make the necessary introductory small talk.
They asked about another child of theirs named Zoe. If you ask me these two people shouldn't be parents, they should never have had kids. But it's not my place to lecture them on what to do.
Finally, father cleared his throat lightly and the real discussion began.
Let it be reaffirmed that you owe me two million six hundred and eighty thousand dollars.
With added interest that amount has risen up to three million eighty-four thousand dollars.
You have decided to pay in kind.
By offering your daughter to my son in marriage.
She will work in our home and be a wife to my son.
Her renumeration will be used to pay off your debt.
The calculation had been done and until the debt is paid in full she will belong to our son and be in service of my family.
Now, my son turns eighteen in two weeks, the wedding will be held the day after.
"Are we in agreement?." Father asked.
" Yes yes we are." Her parents chorused and my father turned and gave my Dominic a nod.
The older man got to his feet and began to speak.
Jeremy you will be allowed to make requests and rules to be added to the marriage contract, Uhmm miss, you will be allowed say a word or two." Dominic said to the girl.
Mother handed me some papers.
A smile stretched across my lips as I skimmed through them, these were comprehensive terms drawn by father and mother.
If putting the swine of a bride in her place is a stress reliever for me, let's just say I would never be stressed in my life again.
The terms my parents drew up for me, was really comprehensive.
"There is no need for words these are my terms." I said and handed the papers to my family's lawyer.
Their lawyer skimmed through the paper and nodded his head in agreement.
In reality, he should have requested for time to go thoroughly go through the papers , but in a town almost completely owned by a few families.
A lawyer like him can be easily bought by my father.
" Miss, do you have anything to say?"
Dominic asked.
She swallowed hard and managed to look nervous, but before she could say anything, her mother spoke up for her.
"No no don't worry she doesn't."
"No, I have something to say."
Her mother tried to shush her, but she still spoke.
" Mother please I want to say something."
She stressed in a low voice.
" Let the girl speak." Father ordered.
"Please dear sir, I will turn eighteen in three months time.
I know Jeremy will be going to college, please can I also go to college and after that the marriage can continue?" She asked, then quickly added.
"I promise I'll fulfill the terms of the contract."
There was silence for a few moments.
Personally I don't care what she does, I don't want to be here, I don't want be discussing marriage to someone I abhor.
I do not want to be punished like this.
But my father wouldn't relent.
" I'll only agree to that, if you promise to, at least have one child for my son after college."
Father requested.
" Yes sir I agree." She said immediately.
The meeting went on and on about a gazillion details.
But I didn't care I had tuned out.
At some point I just got up and walked out without excusing myself.
Rude, maybe, but I don't care.
Not anymore.
If my life is going to go to sh*t because of them, then they shouldn't expect to be accorded any form of respect.
- Writer
