Chapter 3 CONSPIRACY

SLAP!

A crisp sound of a slap echoed in the whole room. Zane was caught off guard by the sudden strike that fell heavily on her face. She staggered backward and went out of balanced. She was about to fall to the marble floor but a pair of strong arms caught her just on time!

"Are you okay?" The guy asked, concern was apparent in his voice as he steadied the teenage girl beside him.

He darted his gaze back to Laira who looked eveqqn angrier at the sight unfolding under her steaming nose.

Zane went totally dumbfounded. Her mind didn't work for a long time. Her face went blank and her sight blurred with tears threatening to fall from the corners of her eyes. Her face stung but she didn't dare pay attention to it! She blinked hard and stared at her mother defiantly who had slapped her hard without asking the reasons behind the chaos. What did she do? What had she done to deserve such kind of treatment?

"You little bitch! How could you sleep with him? He was your sister's boyfriend for christ's sake!" Lydia shouted in full rage with her body shaking due to her unreasonable anger.

Zane was stunned and her face turned deathly pale. What?! Sister's boyfriend? Sleep with him? How come it went this way? It's a big misunderstanding! She opened her mouth in an attempt to defend herself but the guy beat her to it.

"Excuse me, Ma'am, we didn't do anything wrong... and I'm not your daughter's boyfriend." The guy explained clearly word by word as to clear himself from being misunderstood.

Laira's face fell instantly when she heard the man's remarks. She was framing her sister into sleeping with him but she hadn't seen it coming. They had been having sexual intercourse several times and she assumed that he would acknowledge her as one of his girlfriends. She wants him to marry her to have a good future.

"No! No! We're in a relationship remember? We... we already did it several times..." Laira insinuated shamelessly as she grabbed his hand but he only shook her off from him.

Zane went numb, her cheek was burning from the hard slap as she could feel her face go swollen. She couldn't even bring herself to speak. Her hands trembled slightly in fear. She will be punished later at home and she couldn't even do anything about it. She was so scared at the thought of it!

Roland, Zane's father stared at her indignantly. His eyes were full of resentment towards her. Same as Lydia, and Laira. The trio shared the same hateful eyes towards the teenager but why? What's going on with them? Aren't families loved each other? Her family looked at her like she had grown a pair of horns on her head. It has been frigid before and now it went even more solitary this time. They were so close to her grasp but she couldn't catch up with them like they were miles away from her. For a family member, she felt strange about it!

Zane went forward in difficulty and tried her luck. She faced her parents bravely, "...Mom, Dad, it's not what you think it is..." she tried to explain herself that she didn't sleep with the guy and that she was just instructed to get something according to her sister and had fallen unconscious in the process but the Brooks couple wasn't buying it!

Her words went all in deaf ears!

"Shut up your filthy mouth!" Roland interjected furiously. He grabbed his daughter's hair and slap her hard on the cheek refusing to believe the latter.

THUD!

"Ahhh!" Zane shrieked and fell on the marble floor heavily again the second time around and it was her father's doing this time!

"Don't fucking hurt her!" The guy defended the beaten girl and caught Ronald's hand but he was too late as Zane had already suffered the heavy blows.

Laira hates her younger sister even more. She hated Zane so much ever since then! Her parents had told her something that made her blood boils! She was hell-bent to make the girl suffer until she would end up killing herself!

"Let go of me young man, I had the right to teach my daughter a good lesson!" Roland hissed angrily as he struggled to get away from the man's tight grip. "She must know her specific place and who to messed up!" he added gritting his teeth.

"Sir, why don't you check on your daughter's condition first before you go on hurting her?" The guy suggested thoughtfully.

He had... had enough of this family drama and he wasn't that interested to witness any of it. He was a busy person and wasting his time on such irrelevant persons isn't his style at all especially Laira's family! Her scheming family!

"Young man, my daughter was only 17 years old and she had the guts to sleep with you? And you are Laira's boyfriend, you must marry my daughter, or else this scandal will circulate the city!" Roland threatened maliciously.

He gaze back at his daughter and nodded slightly but his hand motioned her to keep silent.

Laira's greedy eyes started to sparkle with so much joy. She was picturing herself wearing a snow-white wedding gown while walking on the aisle with him!

The guy squinted his eyes towards the middle-aged man. He eyed him viciously and give out his cold chuckle. "Do you think, you can threaten me with that shit old man?" He asked and glanced in Laira's direction. He caught sight of her joyous expression and decided to cut it off cruelly.

"I'm accustomed to any scandals in the business circle and threatening me with it is just a waste of your time," he added nonchalantly.

Laira's face contorted into a deep shade of ugly purple. She clenched her fist and didn't mind her long nails digging into her flesh as she tried to absorb the guy's state of reasoning. She was going crazy as she pictured out his rejection of marrying her! The guy glared at Laira sharply wishing that he could strangle the woman for being such a scheming bitch but he chose to restrain himself. He also threw a sideways glance at the young teenager and noticed that she was trembling in fear while crouching helplessly on the floor. His eyes flashed a sudden sympathy for her. He gathered his thoughts and made a sudden decision without contemplating too much.

"But if I went directly to the police authorities and sue you for harassment, what should you do?" Ronald flashed a devious smirk thinking that he was only threatening a mere business guy with no powerful background.

"Well, if you really insist then... I'm going to marry your daughter. And it should be..." he trailed off his words and pointed his slender finger towards the teenage girl and blurted out his choice. "I want to marry her!"

Now it was Laira's turn to be dumbfounded. What the heck? Had she made the wrong move and failed to calculate the results? Based on how the guy ravished her body, she was confident that he would choose her instead of a mere teenager! What's going on with the horny guy that she pleasured so much a couple of hours ago? Suzy? He couldn't marry her younger sister, could he? She should be his choice and not that little bitch! Even if he was seen staying in one room with her younger sister, she didn't give a damn as long as she would get the opportunity to be with him in the end! She would deal with Suzy after their marriage and let the latter be her punching bag!

"Maxwell Davis! Suzy is still a minor! You can't marry her, you should choose me instead!" She insisted hysterically. She was going to be crazy if he wasn't marrying her! Her efforts in framing her sister would end up wasted if that's the case!

Maxwell cocked his brow and took a good look at Laira, "...why should I need to marry you? He sneered. "I'm not the first man that you slept with! I don't have any responsibilities on you but your sister is way too young, and I'm her first..." he then threw a playful wink at the stunned Zane and smiled fondly at her.

"Maxwell Davis! You pervert!" Laira rushed towards him and was about to slap him hard but the man caught her wrist and held it tightly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, please restrain your daughter, she's having a very bad temper," Max stated playfully as he loosened his grip on Laira's wrist and throw her carelessly at the nearby sofa.

Roland and Lydia began to exchange weird glances towards each other. They were stupefied by the truth revealed under their foolish noses. They gazed at their daughter with questioning eyes and then to the young man, then back and forth.

Maxwell Davis?

The young CEO of the Davis Textile Corporation? Was it really him? They had heard a lot of gossips circling the city about that name but they didn't pay any heed to familiarize his face as it wasn't their business anyway. The man was rumored to be famous for dating in some hotels in their city with different women now and then!

Roland broke into a cold sweat! He couldn't let his baby Laira marry such a rogue person! He wouldn't let his favorite daughter suffer in this man's hand! No way! He glanced in Zane's direction and finally made his decision after having a little irrelevant contemplation.

Lydia also glanced at her with a firm resolve. She nodded to her husband meaningfully and finally opened her mouth.

Laira's heart skipped a beat. She felt rather uneasy as she watched her parents nodding their heads in understanding towards each other. She also broke into a cold sweat and she regretted that she failed to inform her parents about the man's status. What should she do?

Zane on the other hand stared back at her father while praying silently. She was hoping to hear him considering her situation firsthand but her hope was abruptly shattered in a flash!

"Young man, if... if you want to marry my younger daughter, you can take her away now... you can do anything you desired to do with her! Just stay away from us!" Lydia mumbled shakily chiming in. She seemed to be shaking in fear as she spoke.

"Take her! You can do whatever you want! Just stay away from us!" her father declared openly with all his might! His face revealed a stern and determined expression.

"Please, dad... I beg you... Don't dump me like this..." the 17-year-old teenage girl pleaded desperately bowing her head on the floor with her swollen eyes and cheeks.

"Don't call me dad! You're not my daughter!" her father shouted furiously and raised his hand to slap the teenage girl again.

THUD!

Zane had suffered another slap again from her father. The corners of her mouth were bleeding due to the strong intensity of the slap. She pursed her lips tightly and closed her eyes hiding all the pain that she felt. Tears started to pour down her cheeks as she lowered her head helplessly.

"Think of this day as your engagement or whatever but for sure won't be taking her with us!" He added hastily as he dragged his wife and daughter towards the door and decided to leave the teenage girl behind. He didn't even bother to spare a glance at his younger daughter and proceeded to walk ahead.

"Dad, what are you doing? He can't marry Suzy, it should be me!" Laira protested crazily.

Lydia stood at the door defiantly, look behind her, and pointed her finger towards Suzy, "...from now on, you can't go home and stay away from us!"

And with that, the Brooks couple finally took their leave and dragged the hysterical Laira with them.

Suzy was frozen in shock on her spot. Everything happened so fast that she wasn't ready to absorb it! Her mind was in turmoil. Her mother's words lingered on her mind and brought her back to her senses.

Did they just give her to a man that easily? What's going on? What was she to them? Was she only a thing for them? He was a stranger to her for god sake!

She was about to run after them and beg to take her with them but a pair of strong arms caught her by the waist. She went stiff on his arms and uneasiness settled in her heart! She felt so heavy!

"Young girl, don't bother to run after them, they were desperate to dispose of you away..." Max gathered himself then spoke softly as he could to avoid scaring the young girl.

"But... but... how about me? I... I have nowhere to go..." she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Maxwell hugged the crying girl and patted her back in a gentle manner, "...shhh. I'm here remember? I'll be the one to take good care of you..." he sighed deeply and started to stroke the young girl's long black hair.

He had just turned 24 years old last night and now he had a 17 years old fiancée? What was he thinking? He released out a long sigh again. He couldn't even put himself in the right place and yet he managed to add another responsibility on his shoulder.

What's wrong with him? He questioned himself with uncertainty. But he was relieved to take care of this young girl than to marry a scheming bitch! He was baffled on why the young girl's parents seemed to hate her so much and were desperate to sell her out. Whatever the reason is, he was determined to protect the young girl with his entire life.

"Are you okay now?" He asked. His eyes looked at her tenderly.

"I'm... I'm fine Mr..." Suzy stammered nervously. She was baffled by the man's strange behavior towards her.

"What's your name, little girl?"

"S-Suzzane Brooks..."

"Well, hello Suzzane... I'm Maxwell Davis, can we start as friends?" He reached out his large palm towards the young girl for a handshake and Suzy reluctantly took his gesture with a shy smile.

"Hello, sir..." she shook his hand in a friendly manner.

"You shouldn't call your fiancée that way, you can call me Max or whatever you want..." he joked to lighten their moods.

Suzy was stunned. She wasn't seeing this fiancé thing coming! What?! Fiancé? Does it mean that she... she would sleep with him if he wanted to? Her eyes went wide in horror as she stepped back a step from him. She was scared as she could see that the man has a perfect muscular body, what would happen to her?

"Little Zae, come on... I'm just kidding..." he released out a soft chuckle and stepped forward towards her. He then patted her head fondly as if he was taming a little pet. The young girl then relaxed with his touch and nodded her head shyly. Still, she was confused as to why he was so good to her when they had just introduced themselves a few seconds ago.

"Come, let's have breakfast together and I'll bring you to my home..." he then lead her towards the table and dialed the room service.

Ten minutes later, there was a cautious knock on their door. Max stood up from his seat and walked towards the door gracefully. He then welcomed the room service carrying their breakfast in a trolley and gestured his hand towards their table.