The Billionaire's Marriage

Selene Armenis. I drove Into the driveway of the mansion. I was at work when dad called me on the phone. He sounded really worried and I can't lie, I'm a bit scared. I rushed out of the office, leaving my work unattended to and my office in a mess of unsorted paperwork and files laying around messily. I parked in the garage. Leaning my head on the steering wheel for a few minutes, taking in deep breaths of air. I let out a huge sigh before stepping out of the car. With every step towards the house, I felt a feeling of foreboding creep up over me. I took steps towards the door on shaky feets, before I could reach out for the door knob, the door door was thrown open from the inside. I jumped back in fright, my hand on my heart, trying to stop the thudding of my heart. It felt like my heart was about to jump out of its cage. A body rushed out to sweep me in a hug. I could tell from the scent of roses, that it was my mum. She hugged me tightly, burying my head in her shoulder. Her actions put me at ease. My mother was a lover of hugs. She's the type of mother that's open with her love, you'd just know in your heart that you're loved. Both in actions and in deeds. I let out a deep breath, burrowing my head in her neck, taking in the scent of home. If home was a person. We disentangled from each other. I look at her. The smile on my lips fading as I took in mum's red rimmed eyes but yet she still managed a teary smile. "Mama what's wrong?", I asked, my brows furrowed. "Nothing's wrong Kamari mou", she said affectionately, smoothening my furrowed brows. "Where's baba", I asked my mum, remembering what brought me to the house. "He's in his office", she said with a sniffle, caressing my hair before walking inside the house. I walk into the house on shaky feets. With each step, the feeling of foreboding covering me like a warm blanket on a stormy night. I walked further into the house. The house looked like it normally did. The usual guards patrolling, the usual household staff, the chef. Everything looked normal. Although I couldn't help but feel like there was something off today. I couldn't help but feel like there was something almost ominous about today. I halted in my tracks trying to pinpoint what it was. The answer was at the tip of my fingertips but I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. I continued on in my tracks, I didn't have the luxury of trying to be a detective especially when I knew something was going on but I was out of the loop. I hurried on to my father's office. In my anxious state, I slammed the door open, forgetting to knock. I met him on a phone call in his office. He looked up, gave me a brief smile before holding up one finger signalling me to wait. The waiting further added to my anxiety. I felt my heart continue to pound erratically. Just as I was about to leave, to get a glass of water to cool my brain that was running a mile a minute, my father finally cut the call. A tense silence settled around us as he dropped his phone and removed the files from his table, depositing them Into his drawer which only his iris could open. He finally settled, cleared his throat and gave me a brief once over, a warm gaze in his eyes, dissipating the tense silence that took over. "Moro mou, I'd like to tell you something. What I'm about to say might even cause hatred in your heart for me", he said reaching out to hold my hands from across the table. "Papa…what is wrong?", I asked with furrowed brows watching the Zeus of my life crumble. "I'll never hate you papa", I replied, vehemently shaking my head. He just looked at me with a sad glint in his eyes. "Won't you tell me what troubles you papa?", I asked sadly. "I will. It concerns you Selene, so I will" Whenever my dad calls me Selene, it just means it's a matter of utmost seriousness. He clears his throat, in readiness to speak. But little did I know, whatever he wanted to say, would place me in the most precarious situation of my life. A situation which would take away my freedom and bind me to strangeness with loneliness as my only guide. "You're getting married the day after tomorrow moro mou", He said gruffly. "Oh Papa, Apollo and I aren't ready for such a huge commitment. You know that papa", I said with a chuckle. "Not Apollo my dear", He said with a blank face. The one he had on whenever he had to make serious decisions. And just like that, time froze. "W…what", I whimpered. I couldn't wrap my head around his statement. "What do you mean by not Apollo. If not Apollo, then who", I whispered confused. "I'm bound by a contract, I can not tell you to whom you'll be wed", He said looking at me with sad eyes. I felt like my world had come to a halt, a standstill. "W..w..what do you mean papa? You realise this has to do with my life don't you?"I pleaded. "The contract states that you must get married to the man in question once you're 22 and you turned 22 a few weeks ago", He said avoiding my gaze. "Does Mama know about this?", I asked gruffly. He answers with a single nod, telling me all I needed to know. My mother already knew about this, that's why she was in such a bad state. "Is there no way to break the contract?", I asked, trying to cling onto hope. "There is" Papa responded and I felt a full blown smile creep up on my face. I felt like everything was right in the world again. I had no idea life had it out for me. "So why can't we break the contract,"I asked, confused. "Surely my happiness should come above every other thing…right?", I trailed off on receiving no enthusiasm from him. "The contract can be broken", He stated gruffly, making my eyes light up. "But at a cost", He said, with his jaw clenched. "What's the condition papa", I asked with bated breath. I knew it was something I'd never agree to from the detached look in my father's eye. "Tell me", I whispered. "We have to give up our dynasty. The Armenis dynasty and heritage. We have to give up our companies, our factories, every single thing we've built up from the ground", He said dejectedly. It wasn't up for debate. What was my happiness compared to the hard work, toiling and suffering of my father, of my ancestors? What was my happiness compared to my parents? No way! I couldn't possibly give up my heritage just so I could marry someone of my choice. I shakily stood up from my seat, taking a step towards my father. "P..papa, I'll do it. For you, mum and the Armenis heritage", I whispered. I watched Papa's face light up and I undoubtedly knew that I made the right choice. The right choice for him… The right choice for them… But was it the right choice for me?