Chapter 2: Used
1631 Words
“What do you mean by you won't marry me, Alex”. Eleanor screamed at the back.
“What are you doing here, Eleanor? “ Alex asked without any emotion.
“ Well, I came to surprise my fiancé, but I'm clearly the one surprised here”, Eleanor said furiously.
Alex was dissatisfied with seeing Eleanor there; he wanted to discuss everything with his grandpa before breaking it to her.
“I'm sorry, Eleanor. I never wanted you to find out this way”, Alex said, looking down. He didn't want to hurt her, but he knew he couldn't marry her.
“ What do you mean by that, Alex? You know this marriage has been planned by our families, so you can't just back out like that. Grandpa please tell him”, Eleanor said with teary eyes.
Alex sighed. He knew there was no single truth behind those tears. Eleanor always tried to play the victim card to get her way, and he was already used to it. Looking at his grandpa, he said.
“ Grandpa, we need to discuss this calmly.”
“There is nothing to talk about Alexander. I have worked my back off to secure this alliance so it is not up to you to decide whether it will push through or not”, Charles said sternly.
“I'm sorry grandpa, but my decision has been made. You don't have to worry about the company. Like I said, I will build my company alone”, Alex reasoned, and his grandpa didn't look pleased.
“ You are starting to lose focus," Alexander said. Do not prioritize pleasure over power. I have told you this countless times. "Do not bring shame on our family, or you will regret it. "You had better consider your decision. I won't repeat myself”, Charles said angrily.
Eleanor was happy to know that grandpa was on her side. She has sacrificed so much for this engagement, and she wouldn't let anyone, not even Alex himself, ruin it for her.
Alex left angrily without saying a word. He knew it wouldn't be easy convincing his grandpa. After all, that alliance had been planned since their birth to merge both companies for it to be managed by their grandchildren.
Alex knew he had to find that stranger, but when he went back to the club, he was told she no longer worked there.
…..
Lily had just resigned from her job the morning she woke up.
She couldn't believe she had slept with a stranger, but what hurt her the most was that he was no other than Alexander Ford, a multi-billionaire who had just been engaged.
She saw it on the news this morning after waking up by his side. She knew she couldn't see him again, not if she had some self-respect.
She had to resign from her job because she couldn't afford to commit the same mistake. When she arrived home, she was greeted by her aunt who was talking with some strangers.
When the strangers left, Lily was shocked to find out that her aunt Margaret had arranged her marriage to a stranger without her permission.
She told her aunt about what she had done with the stranger and her aunt's reaction was that of disgust.
“How could you lose your virginity to a stranger, Lily? "I thought I had raised you better. How is the marriage supposed to push through after this? "He wanted you untouched”, her aunt yelled.
Lily couldn't believe all her aunt cared about was the marriage. She knew her aunt was materialistic, but not at that point.
“I had plans to marry you off to a wealthy family so you could make us rich, but you've ruined everything. "Daniel wouldn't want you now that you're no longer pure”, she held a look of disappointment.
Lily was done with her aunt's ranting. She couldn't believe she just threw herself in the arms of a stranger last night and now she was getting married without her permission. Furious, she left the house without saying a word.
A few days later...
Alex woke up with determination in his eyes. He knew he had to convince his grandpa to cancel the engagement.
He met his grandpa sitting on the sofa with a cup of tea.
He joined him on the sofa with a determined gaze, he said.
“ I won't be getting married to Eleanor grandpa.”
“And may I know why, not that I care. Listen son, in life you have to know what is most important and money is the most important of everything”. Charles said indifferently.
Alex hated his nonchalant tone. He wanted to make this man understand that there were things more important than money or power. And he felt it that night. He knew that woman was very important to him and he would find her.
“ I'm in love with someone else,” Alex said sternly. Was it love? He wasn't sure, but he knew he couldn't stop thinking about her.
Charles held a grave expression on his face when he said “And who is this woman?”
Alex hesitated before saying, “I don't know her well nor where she is, but I will find her no matter what.”
“I refuse Alexander. "I won't let a stranger come and destroy everything I've worked hard for”, Charles said sternly.
“I wasn't asking for your permission grandpa, I was simply informing you”, Alex said with determination before leaving.
….
Lily sat on the edge of the bed, the late afternoon sunlight creating a soft illumination through the drapes. With trembling hands, she looked at the small white stick before her. It's a digital screen portraying just one word, “pregnant.”
“Are you sure this is accurate?” her best friend said, walking anxiously round the room.
“Yes, I took several tests, and it gave the same results”, Lily said, with worry written all over her face.
“OK, let's get this all together. "So you slept with a complete stranger 14 days ago, and now you're pregnant with his child.” Emma looked even more anxious than Lily.
“Yes,” she said, head facing the ground.
Lily had told her best friend Emma what happened that night because she couldn't shake the guilt she felt. She had slept with an engaged man and she couldn't forgive herself.
Emma reassured “It's going to be fine, you're not alone in this you have me. Don't be worried, we'll figure this out together.”
Lily took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "But what am I going to do? He is engaged, and now..."
“Calm down Lily. I'm sure you didn't mean for this to happen.”
“ I should never have slept with a stranger. "What came over me?” Lily sobbed.
"First things first, Lily, let's go to the hospital for confirmation before deciding on our next step”, Emma assured.
Lily took a test at the hospital, and it was confirmed she was pregnant.
Lily was scared. How was she supposed to break this to her aunt?
“ What should I do?" Lily asked.
“Well, we could get rid of the child.”
“No, that is not an option Emma,” Lily said furiously.
“OK, then I suggest you tell the baby's father. Do you know him?”
Lily paused for a second before she said “it's Alexander Ford.”
Emma was speechless. “Hold on, do you mean Alexander, the CEO of the Wolfe Enterprise?”
“Yes,” Lily answered skeptically.
“Oh my gosh, that is massive. You hit the jackpot. Can you imagine bearing the child of a billionaire?”
“I'm not interested in his wealth or anything whatsoever. "I just want him to be aware,” Lily spoke frankly.
“Well, I know the location of the company, we could go there”, Emma suggested, which Lily accepted.
That afternoon, Eleanor came to visit Alex at the office. One could tell he was not pleased to see her as he asked with a bored expression on his face. “ What do you want, Eleanor?”
“I just came to make sure we were on the same line with this engagement. "I know you don't love me now, but with time love will come. "I've heard of many couples that had arranged marriages but ended up falling in love”, Eleanor explained.
“ This is not simply about loving Eleanor." This marriage is a sham, and we all know that, so quit the act”, Alex replied nonchalantly.
“Is there another woman? I'm sure there is. "How dare you cheat on me even before our wedding, Alex”, Eleanor began to cry.
“Please stop the tears, it doesn't work on me.” Alex couldn't stand this woman anymore. She had spent time manipulating the emotions of her grandpa, but he knew she was no saint.
Eleanor furiously said, “I don't care if you're in love or not. "This wedding will take place as decided and, if there is anyone, I will destroy that person.
Eleanor left fuming with anger. No one ever dared to take what belonged to Eleanor Harrison. Alex was her's. She had loved him since they were young and waited patiently for this day to come. She wasn't going to let anyone come between them.
Eleanor was about to step out of the building when she saw a lady requesting to see Alex, and she knew that might be the other woman.
- Writer
