The kingston Marriage arrangement

chapter two

Kingston's POV

She looked so beautiful and innocent. I had never seen a woman so stunning, yet so confident. I could tell she was nervous, but she held herself together remarkably well. I couldn’t stop smiling. She was my assistant, yet she had no idea who I was. That amused me more than anything, but I didn’t blame her—she was new, and this was my first time showing up to work.

The document about the theft that happened years ago was sitting on my desk, and I needed it for the dinner my dad had set up. It was his way of making sure I’d come see him. My office hadn’t changed a bit since the last time I’d been here. I had come specifically to grab the document and review it before the meeting. Whoever was responsible for the theft had better have a solid explanation—otherwise, they were going to rot in jail for as long as I could make it happen. My phone rang. It was my dad calling. I rolled my eyes in disapproval as his name appeared on the screen. Reluctantly, I answered.

“Hello, son.”

“Hello, father.”

“I thought you’d call me about the meeting. Aren’t you excited to finally learn who stole the money?” He sounded unusually enthusiastic, which was rare for him.

“I am, and that’s why I’m at the office now, retrieving the documents,” I said, my voice tight with frustration. “Whoever did it had better have a good lawyer, or else they’ll be spending a long time in jail.” My words were sharp, barely restrained, enough for him to hear.

“Okay, son, see you at 5. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Dad,” I responded calmly. After finding the file, I left the office and headed straight home to prepare for the evening.

Marvis's POV

"s**t," I cursed out loud. It was almost 4:00, and I hadn’t gone home yet. I’d been so consumed with work that I completely forgot about the time. Thank God for the alarm. I quickly cleared my desk and rushed out, eager to get home.

Once home, I jumped into the shower. My mom had already started getting ready by the time I came in. I was starving, so I hurriedly showered, ate, and then got dressed. I chose a simple gown, but its simplicity only enhanced my beauty. Red wasn’t my favorite color, but it always complemented my skin tone, so I opted for a knee-length, body-hugging red dress. I wanted to make a good impression tonight—there had to be an easier way out of this situation.

I applied nude makeup that highlighted my facial features, adding just the right touch of blush. I slipped on a pair of heels that elevated my height, giving me an air of confidence. I looked both intimidating and elegant. Grabbing my mini black bag, I headed downstairs.

“Oh my, you look stunning, my love,” my mom said, her eyes glistening with tears. I smiled, touched by her compliment.

“I’m so sorry for how I treated you all those years. All you ever did was show me love, even when I was foolish enough to push you away. I was jealous because I couldn’t have children of my own, and I was bitter about the love your father showed you. Please, find it in your heart to forgive me, Marv,” she sobbed, her voice breaking.

I rushed to her, not wanting her to cry because I didn’t want to cry too.

“Mom, don’t make me cry—I’ll ruin my makeup!” I laughed through the tears that were already threatening to spill. The truth was, I never held a grudge against her. In fact, I had longed for her love all along.

We hugged tightly, sharing a long overdue moment of reconciliation, before stepping out together, ready to face the world as a united front.

Kingstone’s POV

I arrived at the venue on time, hoping to see my dad and finally put my curiosity to rest. However, he wasn’t there. After 30 minutes of waiting, he casually strolled in. I had to control my temper, as lateness always triggered my anger. Yet here I was, face-to-face with my father, who was 30 minutes late, and there was nothing I could do about it.

“You’re early, son,” he said in a calm voice, eyeing me up and down as if assessing whether I was dressed appropriately.

“Didn’t you read the invite? It’s a dinner, not a casual outing to meet your cousin’s newborn,” he remarked, his eyebrows furrowing in displeasure. Clearly, he was upset.

“I didn’t realize it was a dinner because I didn’t read the letter. Besides, I can dress however I see fit,” I replied, trying hard to keep my frustration in check. I was 32 years old, yet he took every chance he could to scold me like I was still a five-year-old. I kept my head down after speaking, not even realizing my dad had been standing the entire time until I heard the chair next to me slide out. He sat comfortably and waved over the waiter to bring us drinks. You'd think we were just regular guests, but in reality, we owned the hotel. We sat in a quiet corner, where we could enjoy our drinks undisturbed. I glanced at my watch—4:50pm.

I noticed my dad smiling at the waiter as she served our drinks. She smiled back, and that made my blood boil. Girls and their stupid antics, always trying to worm their way into someone’s bed, I thought bitterly, sighing immediately after. "What’s the problem, son?" My dad looked at me with concern, clearly sensing something was off. I had sighed loud enough for him to hear, so of course, he needed an explanation.

“Nothing, Dad. Just a random, unpleasant thought,” I replied, avoiding eye contact. My mind drifted back to the beautiful girl at my company—my assistant. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since our awkward encounter in the elevator.

Marvis' POV

As we approached the venue, it finally hit me that we were going to have dinner at a five-star restaurant. The confidence I had been carrying suddenly vanished, and I became a nervous wreck. I felt a cold touch from my stepmom, who had clearly noticed how anxious I looked. I had stopped moving, just standing there, staring at the building in shock. She gently pulled me along into the restaurant. The sight inside was breathtaking; I silently admitted to myself. The decor alone must have earned this place its five-star rating. He must be incredibly wealthy to invite us here for dinner.

"We can't afford a meal in a place like this," I whispered, just loud enough for my stepmom to hear.

"Don’t worry, we won’t be paying for anything. He owns this place," she replied as we continued further into the restaurant.

My mom walked with such confidence, as if she was familiar with the place. As we made our way toward a table, I recognized a face—it was my boss. He had a smug smirk on his face. I started sweating, despite the cool air from the AC.

"What is he doing here? I hope it's not what I'm thinking," I thought, anxiety creeping in. We were heading straight toward his table. The closer we got, the more my legs felt like they were giving out. His piercing eyes and that smirk were making me feel increasingly uneasy. We finally reached my boss's table. I greeted him, mustering up as much confidence as I could.

"Good day, Marvis. Good day, Mabel," he said, shifting his gaze from me to my mom, where he lingered with a warm, seemingly genuine smile.

"Please, have a seat," he offered. I glanced at my mom, seeking her approval to sit, and she nodded.

We placed our orders, and as always, my love for food had me ordering as much as I could finish. It felt like he was waiting for something or someone, so rather than diving into the reason for our meeting, I decided to wait until my boss seemed comfortable enough to start the conversation.

Kingston's POV

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, I excused myself to use the restroom and explore the restaurant.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" a woman, who looked like she was in her 20s, asked me angrily, glaring at me with obvious hostility. Normally, I’d avoid drama and walk away, but she suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, as if accusing a thief.

"I just want to take a tour of the restaurant," I responded politely, hoping to calm her down.

"You can’t take a tour here. Who knows, you might be a thief or a spy," she snapped, staring me dead in the eyes.

To say I was angry would be an understatement. Other customers were now glaring at me as if I were guilty of something.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked, still trying to keep my cool and find some reason for her She was about to hit me again when another woman stepped in and stopped her mid-swing. This new lady turned to me, apologizing for the rude behavior. As she touched my face, it felt like heaven—her soft hands against my skin and her face so close to mine made me want to kiss her passionately. It was my assistant. She looked at me, a realization dawning on her face, and smiled.

"Take your pathetic boyfriend out of here before I do something you'll both regret," the rude woman spat. I had enough of her nonsense.

I glanced at her name tag—Sarah.

"You're fired, Sarah. Pack your things and leave this premises before I sue you for harassment," I said, my voice thick with anger.