A step of faith

A preposterous demand

"Come again? I'm sorry dad. I...I think I misheard you," I stumbled out after giving him about a minute of blank stare.

The sad look he gave me was enough to know this was real, all too real. This isn't possible! This isn't the 1500s were people barter their children! She slowly withdrew her hands away from his. She stared at him for a second with squinted brows quite in disbelief of what was turning to reality. Eventually, she stood up and walked away from him then suddenly stopped then paced to and fro for quite a while trying to understand the implication of such an absurd request but she just couldn't. This was preposterous. She suddenly stopped then turned to him and rested both her hands on her hips, while she shook her head.

"Let me get this right... This very same man wants to... he's ready to forget everything, all we owe him if only I accept his marriage proposal?" She asked a little dried out about the entire situation.

She watched dad nod his head in accordance. Her brows slightly furrowed as she took her hands off her hips and folded them across her chest.

"And? What did you say... Did you... accept his proposal?" She asked suddenly Did you... accept his proposal?" She asked suddenly needing to know if her father was in on this. Was he ready to truly give her up in such a manner? Dad's eyes widened for a second before he shook his head as he got up from his seat and walked up to her.

"Savi, Of course not. I told him that I couldn't give up my baby girl to the devil himself. I...I initially refused but then... savi, I thought a lot about it and..." He explained as he looked right into her eyes but then he suddenly looked away.

"Savi, this company is both yours and your sister's inheritance. It would be an utter disgrace to your grandfather if everything is ruined in just a moment." He stated but she remained calm, watching and trying to understand where he was driving to. He shifted his eyes

Savi...I'm not...I'm not ordering you to marry him. I'm just asking you to think about the lives that'll be in lost if you... if you do refuse this proposal." He tried to explain but the more he spoke, the more she shook her head in disbelief. She shrugged her shoulders as she took a step back so his hands were off her.

Shw shook her head at him in disbelief while staring at the man she called father for years. The man she believed to protect her more than any other person in this world. It was this same man that was ready to throw her into the lake of burning fire just so everyone else can be better. The truth was that... she didn't even know if she could make such a huge sacrifice. I mean, she is not prepared for that at all.

"I can't believe you." She told him as she kept shaking her head. Refusing to hear or give him a chance more to speak up, she walked pass him, picked up her handbag from where she left it then stormed right out of his office without looking back.

She sat in her car and rethought everything in her life. Anger boiled from within, she and her dad never had any problems. They had never asked too much of one another. She understood he was desperate and it was his desperate self speaking back in his office. She was just too overwhelmed with emotions to let him try to reason with her. Truthfully, she hated seeing him so helpless, knocked down and beaten but then again, this was her life they were talking about. Marriage isn't a child's play. It's not something that can be decided overnight. It takes two to tango and in this case, they were so not in tango. She gulped down hard, hating this very stage of her life. She couldn't let this end this way. She needed to do something. Perhaps, a little talk with this strange man will put everything back on the right track. She will have to reason with him and let him know that she wasn't a pushover, someone to just say yes to his order because of his threats. She put her car in drive then drove off while preparing her mind for the unpredictable future.

Miss, I'm sorry... you can't go in there right now. Hey! Stop!" The receptionist called, but it was too late. Her mind was set on getting in there to see who ever that "Mr. Andrew man was.

"Miss please, you can't go in!" After her final verbal attempt, she tried to physically stop her, yet she was in vain. With a final step, she was at his door. She opened his door with a force that made it hit the wall.

"I'm sorry sir. I tried to stop her!" Exclaimed the secretary, defending herself as if her life depended on it. She couldn't care less about her apologies. Right now, her blood was boiling.

"It's okay, Linda. I'll handle it." He remarked, waving her off. Nodding, she left the office with a face overflowing with relief.

"Miss, can I help you?" He inquired with a tone of burden lacing his words. She immediately shifted her eyes back to him away from the secretary that just left his office. It only took her a second to analyse the man in front of me. Okay, he wasn't exactly what I expected but she got this. She can handle it.

She walked directly up to him and slumped her handbag on his desk. She could see that act alone took an effect on him as he took a slight look at the handbag before raising his eyes back to her. She leaned a little forward as she rested both her hands on his desk. Looking straight into his eyes, she spoke up.

"I don't know what kind of sick game you have planned out but I'm demanding this minute that you stop it. If you don't, I'm warning you Mr Andrew, the consequences are going to be too much for you to handle." She warned making sure her eyes reflected the fact that she meant exactly what she was stating but he just sat there, his head, a little titled to his right. No expression on his face. Not even a little fear in his eyes. It bordered her a little but she retained her position.

"Do I know you?" He asked still retaining his calmness. Her brows slightly furrowed for a second, recollecting the fact that "this man really has no idea who I was and yet he wants to marry me " she said barely above a whisper. The more this comes to light, the harder it is for her to understand what his deal was. She relaxed a bit, leaning away from his from his table. She folded her arms across her chest.

She watched him take in a deep breath before getting up to his feet, his body built clearly overshadowing the sunlight from the view behind him. Okay, he was huge or perhaps, she was the little one. No problem. I can handle this. She watched him walk away from his seat, past his table and only stopped when he was in front of her. Both hands buried within the pockets of his trouser. She had to take a slight step backward as she realised he stood too close for comfort. Still refusing to back down and ready to defend her future, she had to really raise her head up so their eyes met while he stared down at her. She could notice the mock in his eyes. God, he was tall!

"What did you think would happen? You would storm in here, give a really bad threat and then everything will be settled?" He asked, frustratingly calm.

"Look Mr Andrew, I'm not ready to get married and if I am, trust me, it won't be someone as self-centred as you." She quoted quite rudely. Well, if he can do it then she can do so as well.

"I suggest that you change your so-called solution or we're going to have an issue." She warned through gritted teeth. She noticed how he took a look at her index finger pointed right to his face.

"I suggest Ms. Parker that you take your finger away from my face or you're going to look for it in the nearest future." He added rather dryly, quite frustrated by his threat, she eventually took down her finger away from his face.

"This little issue will become prominent when I finalise my lawsuits. My many lawsuits and your father's company will crumble down with the fortune it's brought with it. So, Ms. Parker whose problem it will be will be up to you." His response sent shivers down her spine.

"This is absolutely insane. You're insane, this is insane!"

"That is debatable."

"You don't even know my name!" She rationalised.

She turned away from him and hasten her pace towards the door.

"One more thing, Ms parker." He suddenly interrupted just as she took hold of the door knob. She stood still forced to hear whatever c**k and bull story he had to say next.

"You have to come back here tomorrow morning by ten. We have a conference to attend. After all, the world needs to know of our decision." He stated. Each word from him enraged her further. She pushed the door open quickly walked out slamming the door behind her. She suddenly felt overwhelmed with tears as she realised she had to marry an insufferable man without any real choice.