The kingston Marriage arrangement

2 years back Marvis pov I couldn't stop crying. The pain of losing a loved one, especially a father, was indescribable. It felt as if a part of me had been torn away. I was 17, but I still needed him—our ice cream outings, trips to the beach, dinners, and lunches together. I missed it all. Even after marrying my stepmom, he always made time for me, despite her constant complaints. She disliked me for no reason, but my dad gave me hope. And now, he's gone." Present I worked at a large firm as the boss's assistant. It was a privilege, and I handled the role with great care. Mr. Kingstone was known for being ruthless, arrogant, and mean, yet undeniably handsome. He was considered the most eligible bachelor, and many had given up hope that he would ever marry. At 32, with immense wealth and influence, he was still single. I had been his assistant for two months, but I had never seen him in person. He always worked remotely, and I only communicated with his home assistant, Bernard. I had no firsthand experience with the boss. There were no pictures of him anywhere, not even online, so I had to rely on my imagination. The frequent visits from the bigger boss, although retired, were starting to get on my nerves. He was the only issue I had, and I couldn’t figure out what he wanted, apart from coffee." "Get me coffee!" His voice boomed from a distance, even though I was standing close by, as if I were deaf. "Here’s your coffee, sir, just the way you like it,’ I said, trembling as I handed him the cup, terrified of what he might do next. He glanced around the office as if searching for something, and then his gaze fixed on me. A smirk spread across his face, and it took everything in me not to slap it off. I had no choice but to stand there until he was done staring. Finally, he got up and walked out. "Phew,’ I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “What does he want?” Cita asked, her face showing anger. She had always been my closest friend at the company and genuinely concerned about me. “He just walks into the office, demands a cup of coffee, looks around, and then stomps out,” I explained, recounting what had happened. “It seems he really likes your coffee,” she laughed, trying to lighten the mood. Just then, my phone rang. I couldnt help how my mood mood dampened immediately after smiling. “What’s wrong, Marvis?” Cita asked, concern in her voice. I had thought my day couldn’t get any more complicated, and now my stepmother was calling. “Nothing, love, just an unwanted caller,” I replied with a light smile, hoping she would drop the subject. “An unwanted caller or a secret admirer?” she teased. I smiled and shook my head. My phone rang again, and this time I had no choice but to answer. Kingstone POV "Why won’t he stop taunting me? He made me this way, so he should get used to seeing a reflection of himself in me," I thought, exhausted by my father’s constant complaints and demands. My father, widely known as "the Bigger Boss," was a powerful man who always got what he wanted. Marriage was never something I cared about, and he was the reason I hated it as much as I hated my mother. The last time we met face-to-face, the topic was still marriage, and now he resorts to sending me letters and notes about it since I stopped answering his calls. But all I could think about was a serious theft that happened at the company three years ago. He knows exactly what went down and only promised to tell me the truth when I bring home a wife. What a ridiculous condition. That's an impossible mission. Marvis POV I rushed into the house as quickly as I could, only to find my stepmom looking despondent. She sat at the table, her expression as though the world had turned against her. “Everything is gone, Marvis. The house, the cars, all the properties your father left us... gone,” she said, tears streaming down her face. Saying I wasn’t confused would be an understatement. “Mom, what do you mean everything is gone?” I asked, carefully choosing my words to avoid upsetting her further. For the first time, she looked at me, and I saw pain and fear in her eyes. I held her close as she let out a bitter cry. Though I was still confused, I comforted her until she eventually fell asleep.I waited for her to wake up, knowing she had to explain everything. After about two hours, she woke up, and I made her dinner. Once she finished eating, she began to explain. “Your father was in massive debt, and the creditors’ lawyer came by to inform me,” she sighed before continuing. “He was supposed to work for the lender for eight years, but he died with two years still left. The lawyers are confiscating the properties to cover the debt, and if that doesn’t settle it, we’re responsible for the rest. If we fail to pay, the penalty is a jail term for the remaining years he was supposed to work.” She paused and looked at me, waiting for a response. I was shattered, wondering how much money he could have borrowed without ever telling us, now that everything was falling apart. “Do you know what he used the money for?” I asked, dreading the answer. I knew he wasn’t a gambler, but whatever he borrowed must have been substantial for all the properties to not cover it. “He used it for your mother’s hospital bills years ago, before we got married. He told me about it, but I never knew the exact amount or the gravity of what he had done,” she sobbed. “I don’t want to go to jail. The man he borrowed the money from is dangerous.” “You won’t, Mom,” I assured her. “I’ll do everything I can to get us out of this mess.” Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was my father’s lawyer. He came in and explained the situation further, telling us that the lender wanted to meet with both of us about how to repay the remaining debt. There was something off about everything he said, but I had to push my instincts aside. Adding more confusion to the situation wouldn’t help. It would only increase the pressure my mom and I felt. I had a mix of excitement and fear. I hoped the lender would be merciful enough to give us time to pay without threatening us with jail time, but on the other hand, I feared he might intimidate us even more. My mom was hypertensive, and despite our differences, I still wanted her alive. I thanked the lawyer and mentally noted the date and time of the scheduled meeting. That night, as I lay in bed, I had no idea my life was about to take a drastic turn. "May God help me," I whispered aloud as sleep finally took over. 3rd Person POV Marvis woke to the sound of her alarm. She got up, slightly annoyed, feeling like her sleep had been cut short. She wanted to stay in bed longer, but knowing it was Saturday and she had work to catch up on, she forced herself up.Even though it was a non-working day, she had tasks piled up on her desk that needed to be cleared. She hurriedly gathered her dirty laundry, took a quick bath, and went downstairs to make breakfast. For the past two days, her mom had been unusually kind to her, and although she wasn’t fully conscious of it, she enjoyed the rare warmth. Despite her lingering resentment, Marvis cared for her stepmother. Once she finished breakfast, she got ready to head out. “Don’t forget we have the meeting with the lender, Marvis. Try to be back in time so we can leave together,” her mom said, giving her a reassuring smile as if to say everything would be alright. Marvis had nearly forgotten about the meeting, and the nervousness she’d been trying to push away rushed back in. She summoned all the strength she could and waved goodbye to her stepmom. It didn’t take long for her to arrive at the company. The building stood tall and sophisticated, an all-glass skyscraper that gleamed under the sun. Marvis POV I stared at the building for five minutes before stepping inside. I felt uneasy, my mind still lingering on the meeting later that day. But for now, I needed to clear my head and focus on what I came to the office to do. I hurried into the elevator just as it was about to close. Someone was already inside, but I didn’t mind—I was just relieved to get up faster. Inside, I stood next to the man and casually greeted him with a smile before looking away. But something about his face caught my attention, and I couldn’t help but steal another glance. He was breathtakingly handsome, easily the most attractive man I had ever seen. He stood there in a navy blue suit, looking flawless. From my side view, I noticed his deep, dull blue eyes, thick eyebrows, and long lashes. His dark, sleek hair looked like something I wanted to run my fingers through. His lips...they appeared so soft that I could almost taste them. I suddenly heard someone clear their throat, snapping me out of my trance. It hit me that I had been staring. Embarrassed, I quickly turned away, hoping he hadn’t noticed, but the familiar smirk on his face told me otherwise. Out of sheer awkwardness, I felt the need to say something. “Hi, I’m... M-Marvis, the boss’s assistant,” I stammered, mentally cursing myself for being so nervous. He smiled, amused. “Do I make you nervous?” he asked, fully facing me now. In that moment, I wanted to disappear, but I forced myself to keep my composure. I didn’t want this gorgeous man thinking I was some woman desperate for him, though deep down, I knew I’d do anything to have him. I mentally scolded myself again. “No, you don’t,” I lied, but my response seemed to disappoint him. “Do you work here? Care to tell me your name?” I asked, flashing him what I believed to be my most charming smile. My cheeks were starting to burn from smiling so much. Before he could answer, the elevator stopped, and he stepped out without saying a word. To say I felt bad was an understatement. No man had ever walked out on me like that. Sure, I’m only a little over 5'4", but I’ve always been undeniably attractive to men. And now, the first man I noticed in ages had turned out to be a rude snob. His loss. With a huff, I walked confidently to my desk, deciding to forget both the evening dinner and the stunning man who had just walked out on me. With a huff, I walked confidently to my desk, deciding to forget both the evening dinner and the stunning man who had just walked out on me. I put on my working face and started my day.