Married To My Rival

Chapter Two: Chessboard

Alvara's pov

I looked at him, completely irritated.

“Look, I'm not in the mood for arguments, so, if you'll excuse me”. I turned and walked towards the stairs. But before I could take a step, he moved in front of me. Placing one hand firmly against the railing, blocking my path.

“It seems like you and I are both just pieces of a chessboard laid out by those old folks”. He smiled. “I think we need to do some thinking about…. weather we'll be pawns…” He leaned closer,his face nearing my ear

again. “Or if we'll move the pieces ourselves, don't you think?”

He looked at me with his face inches away from mine.

I immediately pushed him away. “I don't want to marry you”. I said slow and clear. “So when you go in there, you tell your dad”. I stormed down the stairs and headed straight to my car.

Why does my dad make it feel like I don't have a choice. Why is he so bent on making me marry Dorian? I got into my car and sat behind my car wheel. The thought of Dorian's presence immediately came to my mind.

Why was he looking calm about this situation? Ooh I see this game. He's trying to be the perfect son while I'm the bad daughter. I pulled out of the restaurant parking lot. For a moment, I considered going home, but my apartment is the last place I want to be alone with my thoughts.

Then I thought of my mother. She's the only one I could think of right now.

My mum and dad are divorced. The divorce affected her a lot. She now spends most of her time in the hospital. The woman who had once filled our home with love and laughter became quiet and more withdrawn.

I quickly changed direction and headed towards the hospital. The drive wasn't long, but my mind was still filled with everything that had happened at the restaurant.

Why did my dad even lie to me? I dressed up thinking I was meeting a client only to meet Dorian and his father there. I shook my head, trying to shake the thought away.

I arrived at the hospital a few minutes past 9 pm. The hospital was quieter than usual. I walked through the corridor and reached for her room. I stepped in. Luckily, she was awake.

Her eyes immediately met mine. I tried to force a smile, but she noticed.

“What's wrong, Alvara? Why are you here so late?” She stood up and took me to the couch.

“Dad wants me to marry Dorian”.

“Oh he finally told you”.

“You knew?”

“He told me he was considering it, though I tried to talk him out of it, but he refused”.

“But I don't want to. He's threatening to give my position to Ryan”.

She smiled softly. “Your father isn't just threatening your position Alvara”.

My heart skipped a bit. “What do you mean?”

She held my hands. “Your inheritance”.

I blinked several times. “I don't understand”.

“He said you won't be getting any portion of his wealth and controlling shares in the company if you don't get married.

“what?” My eyes widened.

She stood up and started pacing back and forth. “Once your father sets his mind on something, he doesn't change it”. She sat down and held my hands again. “You can't let Verena and her son take what we've built”.

Verena. The name alone makes me mad.The woman who was once my dad's secret.The woman whose affair with my dad destroyed my parents' marriage. And her son, who I never knew, existed until I turned 23.

She tightened the grip on my hand. “Don't trust her and her son for any reason."

“You've nothing to worry about, mum. I don't even like them”.

“You must protect yourself from them. They're not good people”.

She placed her hand gently on my cheeks. “She is very corny, She smiles and acts nicely, pretending she likes you, just to make everyone believe she's a good wife and stepmother”.

“I know mum”.

“Don't let anyone make you feel like you don't belong in your own family”.

I looked at her. I know what my mum is trying to warn me about. Verena and her son want to take everything I have worked for. I can't let that happen, I worked tirelessly for years to get here.

I'm Alvara Hayes. CEO of Hayes castle group. I won't let anyone take that from me. I can't let Ryan take that from me. He obviously can't run the company.

My mother hugged me. “I should have protected you. She looked at me with her eyes filled with tears. “You must never break down like me”.

I wiped her tears with my hands.

“Don't give up anything, don't let anything be taken away from you, even if it means marrying Dorian”.

“Don't worry, mum, I will never let anything be taken away from me, nothing at all”.

“Good, you should start going. it's already too late”.

I picked up my bag and hugged her again “Take care mum”. I stepped out of the room and gently pulled the door behind me. I stood there for a while, my hands rested on the doorknob for several minutes, and my mind was clouded.

Seeing my mother like this breaks me every time. Seeing the woman who was always filled with joy suddenly became quiet always made me cry.

My phone vibrated on my hand, pulling me away from my thoughts. But I didn't bother checking it. I got into my car and rested on my chair for a while before checking my phone. It was a message from an unknown number.

“Alvara it's Dorian, I think we need to talk”.