CHAPTER4
1642 Words
Jason stepped into a room and he locked the door behind. He turned to Claire who was tied to a chair with a sellotape pressed to her mouth
Claire stared at Mr Arrington and she watched him grab a bottle of whiskey, decanting it into a glass cup.
He drank the content in one gulp and exhaled.
" Claire Walker. " Jason muttered, leaning against the table.
" You know I never could understand what my daughter saw in you. But you just might be useful after all. " Jason said.
He walked towards her and he peeled off the sellotape from her mouth.
" Please… I didn't do anything to your daughter. I swear. " Claire cried.
" Oh, I know. My daughter committed suicide, Claire. Of course you have nothing to do with it. " Jason said.
" I have a proposition for you. As you know, my daughter was supposed to get married in two days. "
" Yes." Claire whispered. " I was supposed to be her bridesmaid. " She added, gazing down as tears slipped her cheek.
" What do you think about being the bride instead? " Jason Arrington questioned and Claire raised her gaze to him.
" What?... What do you mean? " Claire asked.
" I know you have no parents and you are obviously poor. What if I gave you a million dollars, huh? "
" Why… Why would you want to give me a million dollars? " Claire questioned.
" Because you will take Josie's place. You will become the bride and your name, Claire Walker will cease to exist. " Jason said.
" You are asking me to pretend to be your daughter? "
" Except you won't really have to pretend. You two share the same looks. It shouldn't be hard. Actually, with the amount I am offering, it's a fair deal. " Jason said and Claire couldn't believe her ears.
" Your daughter just committed suicide and you want me to replace her? " Claire asked, wanting to be sure she heard him clearly.
" I am pretty sure that's what I said. " Jason said and Claire scoffed.
" What kind of a man are you? " She asked before she could stop herself
" I am a business man. And in the business world. No matter what happens, business has to go on. " He said, smiling and Claire shook her head.
" This… this is madness and there is no way I am indulging in it. "
" Josie was nice to me. She took me as a friend and I won't do this to her. No. " Claire said adamantly.
Jason nibbled on his lower lip, gazing down.
" You see, Josie wasn't just nice. She was a good little girl who does what Daddy tells her to do. But I guess that's what makes you two different so I would have to do things the hard way. " He said and Claire felt her heartbeat thud against her chest.
She swallowed nothing, watching him open a drawer and her breath seized for a second when she saw him bring out a gun.
" What… What are you doing? " Claire asked and he pointed the gun at her.
" When I made my proposition. I failed to add one thing. This isn't a request, It's a demand and you will comply whether you like it or not. " Jason said.
" You think I am afraid of you? Or that gun? Go ahead, pull the trigger. Hell, you would be doing me a favor. " Claire blurted and she could feel her heart beating loud against her chest when he c****d the gun and moved close to her.
Claire shut her eyes when he pressed the gun to her head and her entire body shook with fear.
" I wonder if to call you brave or stupid. " She heard him say and Claire slowly opened her eyes to see he had lowered the gun and she exhaled softly.
" But you see, I had my guys do a little background check on you and guess what they found? "
" You are not only an orphan but you have a sibling who is 12. I kinda figured you would be like this so I told them to pay him a little visit " Jason said and Claire felt her heartbeat hammer against her chest.
" You are lying! " She said.
" Oh, but I am not. " Jason uttered and the door burst open as two guys walked in with her younger brother, Cole who had his mouth sellotaped.
" Oh, my god. Cole! " Claire yelled, struggling in her seat and Cole was pushed to his knees as tears streamed down his eyes.
" Let him go. Let him go! Please… please. I beg you. Let him go. " Claire cried, tears brimming her eyes.
" It's your choice to make, sweetheart. You will take Josie's place and your brother gets to live. "
" I will do it. I will do anything. Please just let him go. Please! " Claire pleaded.
" I am sorry I didn't hear you. " Jason said, pointing the gun in his hand to Cole whose eyes widened.
" I said I will do it. Anything, I will do it. Just let him go. I beg you! " Claire said, struggling in her chair and Jason smacked his lips, dropping the gun.
" Now, that wasn't so hard was it? " He asked.
" Please… " Claire sobbed.
" Take him away. " Jason said and the two guys grabbed him.
" Don't hurt him. Please. I am begging you. I will do anything you want. Don't hurt him. " Claire shouts, watching them take her brother away.
" Now. Are you ready to comply? " Jason asked and Claire sniffed, nodding her head.
" Your brother will remain here until the day of the wedding. " Jason said.
" What? No. I already agree to do anything you want. "
" You see, that's not how business works. I make sure to have a leverage against my opponent so they won't turn back on their words. " Jason said.
" So your brother will remain here until you have married into Gold's family. " Jason said.
" The Gold? " Claire asked, her brows knitted.
" Yes. Ryan Gold. That's the name of the man you will be getting married to. " Jason said.
" What's going to happen to Josie's body? " Claire asked.
" I do the questioning and the telling. You just do the listening. "
" No. If I am going to do this. I need to know exactly what I am getting myself into. " Claire said.
" Fine. Josie's body will be cremated. "
" What?! "
" Yes. That is the only way. We can't bury her. It will draw attention and there will be questioning. " Jason explained and Claire was mute as she swallowed.
" Do you have any friends? Relatives? Boyfriend? Ex boyfriends? " Jason asked.
" No. " Claire murmured.
" Good. An orphan with no one at all but a brother. This will be easy. "
" I am going to hold on to your phone. You will be given Josie's phone. Your life as Claire Walker has ceased to exist from this moment forward. " Jason said.
" Why is this so important to you? Why can't you just tell the Gold's what happened and grant Josie a proper burial. Why are you trying to cover things up? " Claire questioned.
" Because their marriage was something discussed by my family and their family for each person's benefit. "
" An arranged marriage? " Claire asked.
" Yes. " Jason affirmed.
" So you killed her then? " Claire asked and Jason narrowed his brows.
" What the hell are you talking about? "
" You killed your own daughter for your own selfish gain. She probably committed suicide because she was done living with a controlling maniac like you. " Claire blurted and it took seconds before he spoke.
" You have got a sharp mouth. " Jason said.
" Did you go to college? " He asked.
" Yes. Studied business administration. "
" Great. Cause you will be taking up Josie's position as the CEO of AJ Enterprise. "
" And finally, your money will be sent to you as soon as the wedding is done. " Jason said.
" I don't need your money! " Claire said.
" Well, your loss. Do we have a deal? "
" No. I am only going to do this on one condition. Once I get married. My brother is leaving this mansion. "
" No. Your brother will remain with us here, even after the wedding. We can't afford any of his friends seeing him. "
" So you are just going to keep him locked up? "
" No. He will be sent to a boarding school. Out of town. I will fund the bills. "
" I don't need your charity. " Claire gritted.
" Oh, but you do. You don't want his life being put to a stop, do you? " Jason asked.
" Fine. But I need your word that you will not hurt even a strand of hair on his head. "
" Well, as long as you comply and do not tell a soul of our little deal. He will be perfectly fine. "
" So… Do we have a deal, Miss Claire. Oh, no it's Josie now, isn't it? " Jason asked and Claire inhaled sharply.
" As soon as you ask your guys to untie me " Claire said and Jason smiled.
- Writer
