CHAPTER TWO
1144 Words
Breathe Isabella, Breathe. She said to herself. At that moment, she didn’t know what to do. She fiddled with her bag and whenever Lukas looked her way, she shrank into her chair.
Did he see me? She used some files to cover her face. She knew she had to leave now. Her eyes darted to the corner in search of her dad. He was laughing with some business man. While she was here sweating like a pig, her father still had the ability to laugh? Finally he came to sit beside her.
“Dad” she hissed. He turned. “What are we doing here? We need to leave now”
He didn’t get to respond as the event began. It was a project bid for big companies. The host company was Parakis Company.
Isabella shut her eyes as the event went on. She wanted it to end as quickly as it had begun. She was in conflict with herself. A new project meant money. And yes it would be enough to solve their predicament but at the same time, the thought of working for Lukas made her stomach churn.
Oh God, why does it have to be him?
When the man with the microphone dropped it, it signaled one thing. The bid was over. Isabella breathed a sigh of relief but as soon as she turned in her seat, the look on her father’s face made it evident. She was being selfish now. She sighed.
“Dad” she shoved him gently. “Come on dad, let’s go”
“Wait” he stood as he stretched his neck. As if looking for someone.
“Dad what is it—“he grabbed her by the hand.
“Come let’s go meet him before he leaves” he said as they combed through the crowd.
“Who?” she looked up and froze, Lukas was standing there and they were heading towards him.
“Dad—“she began.
“Hush Isabella, we need to meet Lukas. Maybe he can help us” alarm bells began ringing in her head. Isabella’s heart was pounding loudly as she looked across at Lukas. She had not told her dad, Lukas had asked her to strip to loan her the money. They were reaching Lukas fast. Her father had increased his pace. There was no time to tell her father the truth.
“Good morning Mr. Parakis,” Edward Ferras said immediately. He stretched out his hand.
“Mr. Ferras” Lukas shook Isabella’s father with a warm smile. “I was surprised that you could make it”
What? Lukas knew that my father was coming for the bid? Isabella thought.
“Isabella” Lukas gave her a half smile and nodded in her direction.
“Hi Lukas” she said deadpanned.
“Mr. Parakis—“her father began.
“Please just call me Lukas” Lukas said smiling. Isabella strongly resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
“Lukas” her father began. “Can we speak in private?”
Lukas smiled. “Oh sure, let’s go up to my office” and so they left. Lukas’s bodyguards, Lukas, Isabella and her father. While they rode the elevator up, Isabella kept thinking of ways to tell her father that Lukas was a rogue who just wanted to sleep with her. She kept nudging but her father didn’t listen. He was all smiles and talked with Lukas as they discussed Football on the elevator.
They got to Lukas’s office and every trace of joviality in the two men had vanished. Isabella couldn’t believe it.
“Please sit” Lukas gestured to the seat. When they did, her father cleared his throat. Isabella squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t want to watch the embarrassment on her father's face when Lukas said no.
“…. We need a loan and we will be happy if you can give my company one” her father finished.
She waited for the inevitable.
“Okay I think there’s one project, no company has taken” Lukas had a thoughtful look, as he rummaged through some papers. Isabella opened her eyes wide. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“It will be an honor to have us at Ferras holding one of your projects,” Isabella’s father said. Lukas looked up from those files. He arranged them. He still had not said a world. Isabella thought that if she had to wait any longer, she might just die.
“Mr. Ferras.” Lukas rolled the sleeves of his shirt. “If I give you that project, what will you do for me then?”
Isabella turned to her dad. Her heart raced. She hoped her dad would not fall for this. Her father sat straight and cleared his throat. It was a known thing in the business world. Nothing was ever free.
“What do you want, Lukas? Anything can be done” her father said. Isabella looked from Lukas’s smug smile to her father’s thoughtful look. Isabella almost jumped when she found Lukas staring intently at her. She swallowed as she wondered what Lukas must be thinking.
“I want Isabella’s hand in marriage” it was like a bomb had just been detonated. Isabella couldn’t believe her ears. How could he? She glared at him. Then she turned to her dad. She smiled at herself. She knew what her father would say.
“Let us get back at you Lukas” Isabella spun her head around in shock.
“Very well then” Lukas said with a half smile.
********
“Dad, how could you!” came Isabella‘s shrill cry in the car.
“Calm down Bella, it’s not like that” he said looking away.
“It’s not like what! Dad you literally are selling me off” she cried.
“no I’ m not. Bella we need to solve this before it gets out of hand” he tried to make her listen but she was not having it.
“No! No! Dad I am not marrying that conceited man… never!" She came down from the car but not without slamming the door.
She had not yet reached her office when she got a call from her dad. She didn’t want to pick up but then she did.
“Please come to my office” and the line went dead. Isabella twisted her head to the side. Something was wrong. Her father never talked like that. It was like she was speaking to a robot.
Isabella twisted the knob to her father’s office, letting herself in “I still—“Isabella didn’t get to finish that statement as she clasped a hand over her mouth. Horror etched over her face.
A man dressed in black had a gun to her father’s head.
- Writer
