Hazel Jackson, a typical normal girl living her decent life finds herself in the midst of trouble after being forced to marry almost a stranger for the sake of her father's job position at West inc.
Aiden West does nothing to help Hazel from her mis...
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"We can't do this to our daughter Jackson, marrying off our daughter is not a solution, we can-"
"There's nothing we can do" My dad snaps at my mom. A moment of silence passes and I decide to stop eavesdropping my parents argument, instead I step inside. Their eyes snap to my direction.
"Hey" I greet them with a small smile, pretending like I didn't hear them.
"Hi sweetheart" Mom gives me a sad smile. Something is really off . The word marriage repeats itself in my head and my curiosity get the best of me when I finally ask to no one in particular.
"Is something wrong, I think I heard....is everything okay?" I trail off and my mom sigh looking at my dad.
"Hazel" Dad calls me and I turn to look at him.
"Jack please" My mom pleads.
"Please what mom?, what's going on?" my patient is running thin.
"Which daughter are you planning to marry off"
"Did you eavesdrop our conversation" My mom's face is covered in horror.
"Does it matter now?" I grit and she remains quite, guilty is clear on her face.
"Don't talk to your mother like that"my dad growls."You need to listen to what am going to tell you" He starts.
"We all know what's going on with the company that am working, you might not know because we haven't discussed about it that's why am telling you now"
"Okay?"
"Am running out of shares at West Inc" He pause "And Kings is the main share holder and main company investor, and since am running out of shares, my position as chairman of board of directors will be altered either soon or later and am so sure we don't want that to happen, do we?"
I don't get it, am not working at West why should their bankruptcy affect me? What on earth.
"But Kings has offered me a lifetime opportunity, he's agreed to raise my shares only if I agree to marry you to their son, the purpose of this marriage is to strengthen our relationship with them but also to find people who will manage West after us" "We can't loss this, we can't let this go" He adds
He finishes his speech and I stare at him like he has grown two heads.
"You can't let this go, but you're willing to let me go?" I finally gather the courage to speak.
"What are you talking about?" Dad asks.
"You know...."I trail off "If you marry me to a stranger, you'll completely loss me dad, I won't be same daughter you used to know I'll not be happy I don't even know him" I sniffle.
"Your happiness doesn't matter here, you can't be happy if you don't have money" Dad says "This is not about you" He adds.
"It is dad" I urge.
"No it's not. Period" Dad silences me.
"Say something mom" I cry and my mom pulls me in a hug. I cry onto the crook of her neck.
"Am sorry Hazel" I hear her sniffles and my heart breaks because I know there's nothing she can do, this is my father we're talking about.
"Am going upstairs" I pull from my mom's hug and walk to my room.
When I make it there I don't cry, instead I just think over the fact that soon or later I'll be married to a total stranger and my whole life will be completely different. Few hours passed and am drifting into a heavy sleep when I hear heavy footsteps coming to my room, then I hear my mom calling me. I get up abruptly and strides to the door, unlocking it.
"Mom" I call my voice hoarse from the sleep."What is it" I ask rubbing the sleep from my eyes. She hesitate for a bit before telling me.
"Your dad...." Her voice cracks and my ears perk.
"What happened to dad" I ask and mom sniffles.
"Your dad passed out".
"What?" I shout.
I walk past my mom and run to the living room where I find my dad laying unconsciously on the floor.
"We were discussing about you and then he became angry and then he passed out" Mom explains behind me at the same time we hear the siren of ambulance.
We're in the waiting room at the hospital when the door is pushed open and a man in his mid fifties walks in wearing a white lab jacket. He approaches us and introduces himself as doctor Crispin.
"You must be Mrs Jackson" He says and my mom nods."Mr Jackson suffered from cardiac arrest which unfortunately led to the loss of effective circulation of the blood that caused concussion". My heart breaks when I hear the information.
"But how's he now doctor" Mom asks her hands clasped together and the doctor nod his head. "He's doing well, we've examined him and there wasn't internal or external bleeding, he just needs enough rest and less stress otherwise he can go back home"
Mom and I sigh in relief and thanks doctor Crispin before he exits the room.
"It's my fault mom" I sob and my mom who had no idea what was going on with me turns to look at me."It's my fault dad is here, I've caused him so much stress for not agreeing to get married"
"Hazel" Mom whispers "It's not your fault baby, it's no one fault that your dad is here" Her warm palms cover my wet cheeks and I just shake my head.
"Your dad is fine, see? we'll figure the rest later, okay?" She assures me and I nod.
My parents and I return home the same day, and I directly go to my room leaving dad and mom in the living room. We spent almost four hours at the hospital, now I wanted to take a long hot shower to calm my tensed nerve about the whole marriage thing and my dad condition. I spend about thirty minutes in the bathroom, once I've finished I walk into my bedroom and rummage through the closet for something to wear. I pull out grey shorts and black t-shirt.
When I reach downstairs I find mom in the kitchen but my dad in nowhere in sight."Where is dad?" I don't miss to breath in the sweet aroma of macaroni and cheese.
"He'll be here in a minute" Something is definitely wrong from the way my mom speaks and avoiding eye contact with me.
"Mom are you alright" I ask but she doesn't respond nor look at me."Mom if we won't commun-" I stop mid sentence when I see a tear fall from her cheek.
"Mom?"
"Am sorry sweetheart I didn't mean..." She sniffles "I didn't mean to cry in front of you" She let out a bitter chuckle."Hazel am sorry" I stare at her not knowing what to say.
"Am sorry because I don't know what to do" She admits and I feel tears welling up.
"But mom you said we'll figure this out together, remember?" I remind her and she shakes her head disapproving."Am sorry Hazel" She says looking anywhere but at me.
"Mom" I call her after few minutes of silence. she looks at me at same time dad emerges from his room."I've agreed to get married" I say surprising her and dad.
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