Married To The Disabled Groom

*Scarlet's POV* On Friday evening, it was past 9 p.m., and I was in my room, preparing to sleep as I was done studying on my laptop and assessing some files online. However, the sound of intense knocking on my door cut through the air, breaking my chain of thoughts. (Knock, knock, knock.) I tensed as I heard my mother's voice behind my door, and I moved over to the door to pull it open. I was taken aback to see my mother standing there and looking anxious. She donned a white nightdress and a black pair of slippers. "Mom, what's going on? What do you want?" I asked, gazing at her fair face. She was a 50-year-old woman. It was past 9 p.m. , and I was already exhausted, wondering what she wanted. My family knows that I don't like to be disturbed at a time like this, but I was done studying for tonight. My family was rich, but I was a neurologist working in a private neurological hospital. I had an exam on Monday, as I was still studying to improve in my medical field. I had a younger sister, Annabelle Jefferson, and we were the only two children of our parents. Annabelle was 24 years old, and I am 26. However, my younger sister was a model, but she had fled out of the country six months ago, and my parents were running a search for her. This was because Annabelle was in a previous relationship with Jack Tristano, the CEO of Tristano Group, a large technology company in this city. However, Jack was involved in a car accident two years ago, after his 28th birthday, and up till date, he hadn't recovered yet. Jack was now 30 years old, and Annabelle fled as she was already engaged to Jack. They had the perfect love story that you wouldn't believe that my sister would dump him. While I was focused on my studies as a neurologist, my younger sister was touring with her rich boyfriend until that unfortunate incident. But what happened right now was that Annabelle had traveled abroad. She didn't inform any of us, but information reaching us was that Annabelle had dumped Jack for his childhood best friend, Henry Kingston, and my sister refused to return home. The Tristano family were now running a search for a bride for Jack, as he was a wealthy billionaire. They didn't want Jack to remain single, and thus, they offered 10 million dollars to any family that was willing to allow their daughter to marry Jack. But from what I heard from the online gossips, Jack had rejected many women, and he rejected the offer to accept a contract bride, but his family wouldn't give up. I pitied Jack Tristano. I felt like reaching out to him, but knowing that he was my younger sister's ex-fiancé, I knew that Jack wouldn't want to see me. However, seeing my mother standing in front of me and looking anxious, I could only wonder what the problem was. "Mom, what is wrong?" I asked her, as I donned a white nightie too. "Scarlet, you have to come with me downstairs," she replied anxiously. "Why? I already had dinner, and I want to sleep. What's wrong, Mom? You look anxious," I said, my arms crossed around my chest. "Yeah, I am anxious. Actually, we have a guest too, and you have to come and see him." "What?" I gasped, looking at my mother's nervous face. I was slightly taller than her. "Mom, relax. Who is the guest?" I asked her, and she said, "Just come, and you will get to meet him and find out." I felt slightly uncomfortable, and I nodded. "Fine. Let's go and see him. Just give me a moment to turn off my laptop and wear my slippers." "Alright," Mom replied, and I moved back into my room to shut down my laptop, my mind wondering what the matter could be. But I braced myself and walked out of my room. Then I accompanied her to the first floor of this white duplex. However, as I got to the first floor, I was taken aback to see the tall man in a black shirt and trousers standing there and looking at me. Aiden Williams. I immediately recognized him as Mr. Jack Tristano's assistant, and he stood in the living room looking at me. Previously, Aiden used to come and pick up my younger sister or drop her off. I wondered what he wanted at this time of night. Though I had a crush on him, I never voiced that out. My father, Mr. Jefferson, stood in the living room. He wore a white shirt and black trousers. He smiled upon seeing me, cleared his throat, and said, "Scarlet, good that you are here. Well, I hope you know who this is?" "Yeah, Dad. I know him," I replied, moving away from the stairs to step further into the living room. "Good. So why is Aiden here?" I asked with a subtle blush on my cheeks. "Hi," I waved at Aiden, and he waved back at me. "Hi, Scarlet," he offered me that charming smile on his face, and I tensed and looked back at my father. "Um, so Dad, what's wrong?" I asked, and my father said, "Scarlet, I want you to go with Mr. Aiden Williams here. He is actually Jack Tristano's assistant." "Why?" I asked my father, turning to face him. "Well, Scarlet, you are aware that Jack and Annabelle were engaged before the terrible car accident that left him unable to walk." A deep frown crossed my father's features as he was a 55-year-old man. He continued with his deep voice, "Well, Annabelle already left this city, and the Tristano family are looking for a bride for Jack. I want you to go with Mr. Aiden here to, you know, be with Jack." "What?" I gasped, looking at my father in shock. "Dad, if this is a joke, just stop it. How do you expect me to go with Mr. Aiden to Mr. Tristano's mansion? Jack dislikes me because Annabelle dumped him after five years of them being together. How do you expect me to fill in her place?" My father sighed deeply and said, "I also regret Annabelle's actions, but you are her sister, and you are a neurologist too. I believe that you can help Mr. Tristano with his condition. Just do this for us, and for your sister's sake." "No, Dad...I cannot," I totally declined, and my father's features turned strict as he said, "Scarlet, you do not have any options in this. It's either you go with Mr. Aiden, or I will disown you as my daughter and leave your inheritance to the orphanage." "What? Dad! Haha," I laughed sadly first, before looking at my father. I cannot believe that he was threatening me to fill in my sister's place. "Scarlet, you have to accept the marriage and help Mr. Tristano. He helped me before, and I deeply regret Annabelle's actions. What do you say?" Dad asked, and I took a deep breath knowing that he was a man of his word. "Phew!" I sighed and looked at Mr. Aiden's face. "It's okay, Mr. Jefferson. You don't have to force Scarlet if she doesn't want this contract marriage or to follow me to my boss's mansion," Aiden said, his voice breaking the tense silence in the living room. My father shook his head and replied, "No, Aiden. This isn't for the money alone. Scarlet is a neurologist, and she can help Mr. Tristano. Please, I only want to make amends for what Annabelle did to him, and that's why I called you here because I know Jack will decline. Please..." I stood watching my father plead with Aiden to take me to his boss's mansion. Dad wanted to trade me off to be with a disabled man, who my younger sister dumped. Aiden sighed and said, "Alright, but that's if Scarlet will accept to follow me. We do not have to force her. My boss, Mr. Tristano, has been difficult of late, and if Scarlet is being difficult too, as he has rejected many women, not needing any woman's pity, then the two of them are not going to work." My father sighed, glanced at me, and asked, "Scarlet, make your choice now, unless you want me to make your life a living hell." "Dad..." I frowned and laughed out again. "This is not a joke, and you're threatening me. Well, I want to help Mr. Tristano, but that's if he will accept me. If he doesn't, I will be back," I said, and my father sighed with relief. "Alright. You can come home, but you have to try to make the marriage work," Dad said, and I sighed. Mom chimed in and said, "It's okay, honey. I think we should still give Scarlet some time to process this, and maybe when she is ready, she can go with Aiden. We cannot force her like Aiden said." Mom tried to interfere on my behalf, as she knew that I wasn't comfortable being pushed into a contract marriage with my younger sister's ex-fiancé, as he was on a wheelchair now. "No room for some time to think about it. The longer we wait, the more Mr. Tristano loses interest and calls off the offer. So Scarlet has to go with Aiden here." "Alright," I replied calmly, looking at my father's face and knowing that he was serious. "Just give me a moment. Let me go and pack my stuff as I was unaware of this." "Okay, Scarlet. Don't take too long," My father said, as I turned and went upstairs to my room to pack a few of my things.