Confined Four Years

Convincing Arguments

~~~~~Julia~~~~~

            No one could convince Julia that going through with this would be the end of their absurd demands. Marcus glanced at her for a second before looking back down at his paperwork. The man could be cold, completely aloof at other times, and now his nonchalance about the entire ordeal made her grind her teeth in frustration. He said he did not want to do it either, so why did he agree to it? What makes it okay to have s*x with a complete stranger? As these thoughts rose in her head, her fists clenched and she put the spoon into the bowl, letting it go so she could think without distractions.

“Honestly, we should have known that marrying would not resolve all their requests.” Marcus replied with a deep frown on his lips. “Our tasks as far as the people involved in this marriage is to do what we can to keep our parents at bay until we can gain proof of their blackmail. They have to have a motive to do something like that.”

“And just how are we going to gain proof?” She questioned, pushing the empty bowl away. “You haven’t even talked to me about this.”

“We have to prove their intent.” He said it simply, as if that answered all the questions she had. “Right now, most of the Board of Directors follow along with what our parents say, regardless of if it’s true or not. Even though I am the CEO, most of the Board still answers to our parents. Until we can prove that intent exists, and the Board is accepting bribes from our parents, there is nothing we can do.”

“So, what you’re telling me is… we have to go along with their requests, no matter how absurd?” Julia countered, shoving the stool back as she stood. “That I just have to ‘deal with it’ and get over myself?”

            He did not reply to that, just sank into thought. She lifted her bowl to carry it over to the sink without another word. What could she say? If she did not agree, thousands of people were going to lose their vacation time, her parents would stop paying her tuition, Marcus would lose his job, and their siblings would have to have an arranged marriage as well. The weight of all those people rested squarely on their shoulders and she felt her body sag, knowing that her parents would not mind screwing over all those people. It was unfair this was the hand life dealt her.

“Like I said, I don’t like it either. Sure, you are an exquisite woman, and I am lucky in that regard, but I’m not attracted to someone just because of how they look.” Marcus countered, adjusting his suit cuffs as he spoke. “Just the idea that they want us to do it makes me sick to my stomach. They only think of themselves, not how their actions effect thousands of people.”

            Julia could tell he was genuine when he said that. His anger was palpable in his expression, and the disgust with which he held the idea clear as well. Their parents acted as though pushing two north poles on a magnet would work if they used sheer force. She sat back in her seat as she considered this and glanced at Marcus. He was a handsome man, too, but that would never be enough for her. He always wore suits, always smelled nice, took care of his body, and paid their bills, but was lacking in other areas. She wanted someone she could connect with on an emotional level, and Marcus often seemed to lack those.

“What I said at the meeting still stands. I will not let them do to my child what they’ve done to us. Any child we may have together will not be bound by their demands, and if they try, then I will take them and leave.” She finally said, determining this was her only course of action, fixing him with a glare. “That is one point I will stand on, regardless of how many people risk losing their vacation time. It is the one thing I absolutely cannot give on.”

“If they did that, I wouldn’t blame you. In fact, I would probably help you.” Marcus replied with a sharp nod to show his understanding, his brown hair swaying with the movement. “Does this mean… you agree to have a child with me?”

“I’m assuming the child cannot be adopted?” Julia asked, watching as he shook his head no. “They probably thought we would try that. Hah. Especially when they asked if we consummated our marriage. But, just so we’re clear, I am NOT happy about this.”

            For a moment, a tense but awkward silence settled in the room before Marcus nodded with a grim expression on his face and left the room. This decision, while she is completely against it because of her personal morals, will save many people a lot of trouble. She washed out her dish before walking into the living room, where Marcus sat with a phone ringing in his hand. When the person he called finally answered the phone, a familiar voice rang out, causing Julia to flinch. It was her father, the man responsible for her current situation, and her fingers clenched into fists.

“Were you able to get that stubborn girl to agree?” Her dad asked with what seemed like a sneer in his voice. “I’d really hate for anything to happen to your sibling’s freedom.”

“Yes, but this is a messed-up situation you’re putting us in, Mister Sinclair.” Marcus replied, his brown eyes narrowing in his anger. “Do you not care about anything but what she can give you?”

“…” The line went quiet for a minute, causing the atmosphere in the room to tense again. “A daughter her age that remains unmarried and cannot seem to find a man on her own?… What other purpose is she supposed to serve?”

            The phone clicked off, signifying her father hung up and she could feel the nails of her fingers digging into her palms. Her jaw tensed as well, making her lips thin out as she glared hard at the phone in his hand. She felt the desire to hit something curl through her from her head to her toes, and her vision blurred a little under her anger. ‘What other purpose is she supposed to serve?’ Her own father only sees her as a tool he can use for his own selfish reasons. She would not wish this kind of fate on anyone, especially not her brother and sisters.

***

            That evening, she sat with him in the dining room after he returned home from work. Since he left that morning, the two talked little, not that it made today any different from any other day. She still felt angry, like she wanted to punch something, because of what her parents and his planned for them. No matter how they tried to condone their actions, the fact of the matter is they are blackmailing their oldest children to accomplish their own goals. They were selfish, evil people who only cared about their own interests, and being stuck in this situation was not fun. She had no one to talk to about it either, since she had to hide the blackmail from her siblings.

            Once they finished their dinner, which she could not even taste, she picked up the plates and took them to the kitchen. She knew dwelling on it would not make her feel any better; she thought as she turned on the water in the sink. Usually she loved cooking, would enjoy the aromas that would fill her nose, but tonight, she could not even smell the steak she made. Her shoulders slumped a little and tears came unbidden in her eyes. ‘A daughter her age that remains unmarried…’ She never thought she would hear her father speak about her like that. It felt like a stab to her back.

            Julia chewed on her lip before turning back to the living room and walking there to find Marcus. There are some things she needs to confirm with him before she started something like this. She sighed and made her way over to the leather sofa to sit as far away from him as she could while close enough to hold a conversation. He glanced at her before turning his attention back to the stocks channel he always watched after eating dinner. Though she never understood what they talked about on this show, she never complained, since she had her own television in her room if she wanted to watch something.

“What’s up?” He asked, sending a sidelong glance at her. “Usually after dinner you go to your room.”

“I… hm…” she trailed off, turning her attention to the television. “How much… experience do you have with women, anyway?”

            Her question seemed to catch him off guard because the remote he held in his left hand dropped to the floor. The silence that followed made her shift awkwardly as he stared at her like she grew two heads. She knew it was an odd question, but one she needed the answer to, since he would be the first person to ever see her like that. Under his gaze, her cheeks heated, because she knew just how inexperienced that made her seem. Julia frowned while the silence persisted before Marcus’s voice finally startled her from her thoughts. His shock was still clear in his voice when he spoke.

“Are you…” Marcus hesitated a little before looking directly into her eyes. “Are you a virgin?”

“Yes…” she replied, looking down at the floor. “Since I lived a sheltered life… I never really was around men.”

            Of course, she had limited experience with men. The only ones she knew were her little brother, who was still a teenager, and her father. Since she was bookish, she did not have many friends to talk to about guys, and focused instead on her studies. Julia was even too embarrassed to look at s****l materials, such as p*********y. Just the thought of exposing her bare self to the man in front of her had her cheeks heating, though not as much as she thought. More than that, she was full of disgust for her parents because she would give something important to herself to someone she did not love.

            In this situation, it was better to be honest, she thought, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She did not want to think he would view her any differently because of how little experience she had with men, but she did not know how he would respond to the news. Marcus turned off the television, causing her to startle a little when she looked back up at him. When he turned to look at her, she felt trapped, like a bird in a cage. She could tell he had a lot on his mind, but did not know what to say to him to break the tense silence.

“I see.” Silence engulfed the living room before he sighed. “I’ll be gentle.”

            She could feel the tears entering her eyes, but did her best to will them away. There was no point in crying, because it would do nothing to change the situation. Julia agreed to have a child with him. It was a business transaction; one she could not refuse. As much as she wanted to run and hide in her room, she had no choice but to face this like an adult. For a while, they simply sat there staring at each other before she looked away. How did one start something like this? She wondered, her naïve brain working in overtime. Did he approach her? She was clueless.

“Um… is there anything I need to do?” She wondered aloud, into the tense air around them. “Because I have no idea.”