Fated to love him

Chapter 2

Emily shuffled through the front door, her heart pounding and tears streaming down her face. Her sole wish was to flee to the safety of her room, away from the world. Mr. Stone, her uncle, intercepted her as she approached the corridor, his intimidating presence obstructing her path.

"Emily, hold on," he commanded authoritatively. "I need to talk to you about something very important."

Emily's eyes met her Uncle's scrutinizing gaze. She could already imagine the type of talk that was ahead of her—one in which her aspirations and desires would be trumped by his expectations and demands.

"Uncle please, not now," she begged, her voice breaking. "I can't handle any more right now." Please, just let me be."

Mr.Stone's severe demeanor softened for a moment, a worried expression crossing his face. But it rapidly stiffened as he took a deep breath, preparing to reveal the secret that had been gnawing at him.

"Emily, listen," he began, his voice laced with hesitation. "Our company is in a severe financial crisis." We're on the verge of going bankrupt."

Emily's eyes widened in shock, her problems were temporarily forgotten as the weight of her family's situation fell on her. She had never imagined their stability would be jeopardized in such a significant way.

"What have you done, Uncle?" she questioned, her voice fearful.

Mr. Stone sighed, with worry lines carving further into his brow. "I made a deal, Emily," he admitted, barely above a whisper. "I struck a deal with a billionaire named Liam." He agreed to invest a substantial sum of money in our company, but there is a catch."

Emily's heart skipped a beat, a gloomy feeling settling in her chest. She could practically taste the sting of her Uncle's price.

"The condition is that you marry Liam," he said sternly.

"Emily, it's an arranged marriage." But that is the only option to save our company."

Emily's eyes welled up with tears as sadness and rage consumed her. She shook her head, unwilling to accept the fate her Uncle was trying to instill in her.

"No, Uncle!" She screamed, her voice trembling in defiance. "I will not give up my happiness for the sake of the company." I'm not going to stay in a loveless marriage!"

Her Uncle's face furrowed in rage, his dominating attitude radiating in every word he spoke. "You don't get it, Emily. This is our only opportunity. I've already taken care of your fiancé. Nothing is stopping you, I've paid him off. He will no longer be a part of your life."

"Or how did you think he earned his contract? You believe it's because of his hard work?"

Emily gasped, her palm leaping to her mouth in shock. The dawning of realization. The information hit her like a bolt of lightning, leaving her feeling betrayed and manipulated.

"How could you,?" she asked, her tears flowing down her cheeks. "You bought my freedom." This is unbelievable!"

Her Uncle's visage softened partially, a tinge of guilt in his eyes. "I did what I thought was best for our family, Emily." Sometimes you have to make a sacrifice. Plus…Xander made that choice."

Emily's voice was determined, but her eyes were filled with tears as she glanced at her Uncle. "I'm not going to give up my happiness," Love should never be sacrificed for the sake of profit. "I am entitled to choose my path."

The rain outside continued to tap on the windows, creating an eerie silence in the room.

"My decision is final." Mr Stone stated firmly.

Mrs. Stone entered the room with a sense of urgency before Emily could react. Her expression mirrored her husband's, and her eyes were filled with disappointment.

"How dare you oppose your Uncle's decision!" Mrs. Stone exclaimed, her voice harsh and frustrated. "You are ungrateful and self-centered. We've given you everything; how are you repaying us?"

Emily's eyes welled up with tears, her heart aching with betrayal. She felt like a pawn in their survival game.

Mrs. Stone's hand shot out, connecting with Emily's face in a thunderous slap. As the sting of the strike resonated through Emily's body, the room fell silent. Her eyes were filled with pain and anger as she held her reddening cheek.

"You will marry Liam Blackwood," Mrs. Stone snarled, her voice hard and emotionless. "You're going to do it for the sake of this family. You don't dare to compare yourself to your cousin who understands her responsibilities without question."

Here we go again… Emily thought inwardly.

This same cycle of being compared to her younger cousin Sarah and putting her down for not being good enough. They were only two years apart, and ever since they were little, they had always favored Sarah over her. They always praised and showered her with love and affection.

"Sarah would have gladly done this without complaint." Mrs. Stone continued. "Had Liam Blackwood not demanded your hand in marriage specifically, Sarah would be the one to become his bride. Don't you know how much we stand to gain if you marry him?"

"But he and I won't be happy."

"And what is it that makes you say that?"

"He is not required to love you. Just think about how much money and recognition his name will bring us." Mrs. Stone said without remorse.

Emily gasped. "What?"

"Prepare yourself in a nice outfit, you'd be meeting him by 1:pm tomorrow at Goldberg restaurant" Mr. Stone cut in, "And don't even think of messing this up." He muttered while turning on his heels.

Without wasting a second, Emily dashed into her room, locking the door behind her. She flopped on the bed and attempted to cry herself to sleep. Amidst the tears, she decided if she was going to get married to a stranger she might as well prepare herself by learning what she could about him.

With curiosity and dread, she wiped her cheeks, powered up her laptop, and immediately sprung into action.

She tapped on the laptop, typed his name into the search bar, and clicked enter, hoping to find any trace of her billionaire-arranged husband-to-be.

Her eyes widened in surprise as the search results loaded. There were no social media profiles, public images, or personal information. It was as if he didn't exist outside of the business world. She furrowed her brow, a tint of worry creeping into her head. How was someone of his importance able to maintain such a low media profile?

Determined, she continued her search. She combed through numerous websites, clicking on articles and forum conversations in the hopes of gaining some information. Only a few people seemed to know what her future husband looked like. Other few mentions were guarded and shrouded in mystery.

Then her gaze was drawn to an unusual site. It appeared to be an old bulletin board where anonymous members spread rumors and gossip. Emily's curiosity won out, and she clicked on the thread that had piqued her interest.

Her heart sank as she read the comments. Whispers of his unusual appearance began to circulate, and a terrible rumor of him being ugly, even beastly, took shape. The thread was full of speculative claims from anonymous sources that painted a picture of a man whose appearance deviated from conventional norms.

Her spine tingled as her mind produced images of a disfigured man, a monster concealed behind closed walls. The dread she felt was intense, and a pang of doubt clutched her heart.

Her mind was racing with questions, each one adding to her anxiety. Why was his physical appearance shrouded in mystery? Could she overcome any physical differences between them?

She sighed and closed her laptop, unable to shake the unease that had crept deep within her. She was left to deal with her worries and uncertainties. Unsure of what she would find in the arms of the man she was going to marry, she drifted off to sleep.