A Beautiful Lie (COMPLETED)

Part One

"Are you serious?" Disgust registered across her face as she gazed at her father, a furrow forming on her brow. He occupies the space opposite her on the plush white couch, leaving her baffled by the revelation.

He leisurely accepted the wine she had extended earlier, taking deliberate sips like nothing had happened. His eyes scrutinized every detail of her apartment, assessing it inch by inch. After a brief survey, his gaze returned to her, observing the shock etched across her face.

"I don't joke around, Nicole, you're aware of that," Lucas replied firmly. He then locked eyes with his daughter, his gaze unwavering.

His impassive behavior sparked irritation in her. The news he told her blew her mind and her father just sat there as if nothing happened, keeping his cool while she was flipped upside down.

She was unsure why he visited her. Upon laying eyes on him, she couldn't shake the familiar anticipation of another potential business deal or an urgent proposal seeking her insight. Her father often consulted her on strategies to expand their business, engaging in lengthy brainstorming sessions. In her hopeful naivety, she convinced herself it was just another one of those routine moments – a belief that, in hindsight, branded her as a fool.

"I can't marry someone because you ask me to do it, Dad! That is not fair, and you're aware of that!" She shouted in frustration.

Her father delivered the unexpected news, revealing her engagement to the son of his dear friend. He explained it was a shared dream to unite the two families. The absurd arrangement of these two men had been set in motion even before they even had their own families, before it was certain whether they could have a son and a daughter.

Fortunately for them, it did come true.

The discussion had been dormant for a while, only resurfacing recently due to an unfortunate circumstance.

It sounded even more ludicrous when the demand appeared in a will, legally binding Nicole to an unknown son of this so-called friend. Lucas agreed to this arrangement freely, without her prior knowledge.

She deems it utterly outrageous and absurdly ridiculous!

"Nicole..." he sighed, a tinge of disappointment in his tone at her outburst. "I understand how this may seem, but you must trust me. It's for your future, for the sake of the business. I won't jeopardize your safety, trust me, honey," he calmly reassured.

"For my future? Really? It's the 21st century, Dad. Arranged marriages are nearly obsolete and considering I'm your only daughter! I deserve the right to carve my own path. If this is your true desire, why not lead by example? Get married yourself and find an older woman who can sustain the business for the next 50 years!" Her words dripped with sarcasm.

Her father shot her, a look filled with rage. She noticed his grip on the wine glass tightening, a silent display of his simmering anger.

"Watch that tone, young lady!" He exclaimed. "And because you are my only daughter, it compelled me to make this decision. They are from a good family. He can make you happy," Lucas tried to soothe her, his words attempting to calm her.

"Don't force me to do something I don't want! Throughout my life, I've been a dutiful daughter, following your rules, pursuing the course you desired, taking over the business without any objections. I did it out of respect and love for you, but this, Daddy, this is wrong," she pleaded with a sense of desperation in her voice.

Her father gazed at her, then let out a sudden sigh. She had known Lucas her entire life, and he wasn't someone who allowed anyone to defy his orders easily.

"I've made up my mind. You might not understand the reason for this now, but someday you will. He is the son of a long-time friend, successful in his own career; he'll be good for you. Give him a chance, Nicole. You might eventually come to like him," he said, attempting to convince her further.

Nicole pushed herself up from the couch and with all force shouted at her father.

"I am not a business deal, Dad! I am your daughter! For the love of God, you're robbing me of the future I want for myself," she choked on a sob.

Without uttering a single word, her father rose and headed for the door. "This is a done deal; you will marry him whether you like it or not," he declared. With those final words, he slammed the door shut.

Nicole stared into the vacant space in her apartment, attempting to calm the anger within. She had the urge to scream, to hurl things across the room, clawed at her, but she clasped her hands tightly. She was beyond mad.

She couldn't fathom why her father would do this to her. He had always encouraged her to exercise her liberty and independence. When she decided to move out and get her own place, he was supportive. Yet, how was this supporting her dreams and desires? It was a confounding contradiction that left her bewildered and hurt.

She closed her eyes and released the breath she had been holding for a while.

Nicole reached out for the nearest couch for support; suddenly, she felt weak, as if all her energy had been drained by that recent conversation.

An engagement to a man she had never met? The absurdity of being committed to someone she knew nothing about felt like insanity to her. At the age of twenty-five, what on earth was he thinking, subjecting her to this madness? She pondered with frustration and disbelief.

She had been in previous relationships, but none of them were ever serious. Her aspirations were grander – to explore the world, to achieve success. The idea of tying the knot had never crossed her mind, let alone marrying a stranger.

She took a deep breath. She needed time to think. Nicole does not want to have a life orchestrated by other people, especially not by her father and certainly not with someone she didn't love, it was not the future she envisioned for herself.

She clasped her warm palm, a blaze of fury in her eyes as she suddenly decided. Determined to defy her father's manipulative schemes, she resolved not to let him take her future away. She refused to let him seize control of her life. "Never again," she whispered into the wind, a vow echoing her newfound determination.