Chapter 1 I Hate You

Hera sighed deeply as she entered her father's office. She may appear desperate for what she is about to do, but her love for Achilles drives her decision.

She rapped on the door and twisted the handle. She peered and saw her father skimming over the pages. The old man smiled when he noticed her.

"Hera... come in," he murmured, smiling.

Hera smiled and walked into his office. She took a step closer to his table.

"What brought you here?" her father inquired, closing the packet he was reading.

"How's Achilles's business doing, Dad?"

Her father shrugged. "Achilles is working hard to find a solution for the investors. Because your aunt Edna is crippled, you knew she couldn't assist."

Yes, Achilles's mother, Edna, suffered from hypertension and had a small attack that weakened her nerves when her husband died.

"Would Achilles be able to handle that, Dad?" she inquired.

Her father glanced at her. "Hmm... do you still have feelings for Achilles?"

As much as she wished to hide her face from her father's queries, it was too late, as her father laughed. "Oh. Achilles treated you like his own sister, my daughter, and he already had a fiancée. What was her name once more?"

"Laila."

They've been together for about nine years. Achilles proposed to her last year, just before her Uncle Bryle died, and they were meant to marry after two months, but his father died.

"Right. Isn't Laila Bryle's secretary's daughter?"

She gave a nod.

"How did you end up here?"

She let out a long sigh. "I needed to ask you a favor, Dad."

"Anything my daughter," her father answered with a smile.

"I'd like to marry, Achilles."

Because of his disbelief, her father did not answer right away.

"Please let it be the only way to revive their company, dad," she implored passionately.

Her father shrugged. "I can't-"

She rose to her feet. "The Watsons are in a pickle, and Achilles is already struggling with it. Aunt Edna requires adequate medication. Dad, aren't we family? You have the authority. We can assist them. But, knowing Achilles, he will deny your assistance."

"You're right, Hera. And I can't just give you whatever you want-"

"I love Achilles, Dad. I love him so much that it pains me to see him happy with another lady who reminds me of myself."

Her father exhaled a sigh. "You can't just have him that way, Hera. I didn't raise you to ruin other people's lives, especially Achilles. He's been through enough, and you don't know the complete tale. I apologize-"

"Then forget about me as your daughter," she remarked as she exited her father's office.

"WHAT did you do to your daughter, Simon?!" the voice of Simon's wife roared on the four corners of their room. "If something will happen to my daughter, I won't forgive you!"

Simon sighed. "Let her be until she will realize that what she wanted was not right."

"Do you hear yourself?" his wife stood in front of him, hands on her waist. "She was just your only child. And you knew she never asks you anything! And now, she's asking you a favor, you can't grant it?"

Simon pinched the bridge of his nose as he controls his temper. "You must not tolerate Hera, honey. She's asking the impossible. We've been friends with the Watsons for a long time, but just because of Hera's obsessed feelings towards Achilles, she wants me to ruin other's life. Achilles has a fiancé, you knew that-"

"But looked what just happened, your daughter is missing for two days! What if something bad happened to her?"

Simon lay on the bed, "she will come back. Just let her be-"

"No! You will grant her wish, Simon. That's final."

Simon got up and looked at his wife. "Hera became a brat because you tolerate her ugly behavior, Fiona. In case you didn't know. Bryle and Edna were forced to marry each other, and looked how did Edna end up, though she loves Bryle, Bryle still treats her just like a toy-"

"But Bryle was born to be dominant and it's Edna's fault to accept to be his submissive. Achilles is different from Bryle. He's not dominant. Look, he only had one serious relationship-"

"I'm still afraid that Hera might experience it since he got Bryle's blood. And happened that Achilles saw how Bryle treated Edna one time. Hera was about to ruin Achilles's life."

"I'm sure, Achilles won't do that. He respects us and treats Hera well. The difference is that they will marry each other and it's the only way to bring back the Watson empire. I will talk to Edna about this-"

"If something happened to Hera, I would not forgive you, Fiona."

WHEN Achilles arrived home, her mother informed him about the news.

"What did you say, Mom?" Achilles asked once more her mom, who was sitting in the wheelchair. He went closer to her.

"Your uncle Simon will help you with the company and promised to bring back all the losses."

"I don't need any help, Mom," he said as he removed his necktie. Laila is out of the country since she had a photoshoot. His fiancé is a bikini model at a famous modeling agency in California, at first, he doesn't want her job, but he trusts the girl.

"I'm sorry, son," his mother shook her head.

Achilles then looked at his mom, confused. He went closer to her and kneel in front of her. He saw how a single tear fell from her eyes.

"What's wrong, mom?"

"I... I don't want the company where your father spent his whole life to be put a waste."

"Of course, me either. I won't let it happen."

"Thus, I signed an agreement with the Miller-"

"What? You did what?" he asked, even if he heard it, loud and clear.

"I signed an agreement with the Miller."

"What agreement?"

"You will marry Hera, son."

Achilles went deaf when he heard about it. He doesn't know what to think. Why? Why does his mom do such a thing without his consent? He can fix the problem in his company on his own. It may be hard to collect the big losses, yet he's trying.

He looked into her mom's eyes, "Mom, why?" he almost choked. "You knew I have a fiancé. I love Laila. I'm trying my best-I'm almost there. I can bring the company back."

Her mother shook her head as tears started to fall down her cheeks. "I-I'm sorry..." she sobbed.

Achilles caresses her mom's back. "Shh... mom, the doctor said it's bad for you to stress yourself. Stop crying." But his mother can't control her tears as she also regretted what she did but it's the only way to save her late husband's company. "Mom... please, stop crying." The concern in Achilles's voice makes her cry more.

Achilles went out and called their maid to bring water upstairs before he gets back to her mother's room.

"I will talk to Uncle Simon about it, Mom. Don't worry."

But his mother shook her head again. "It's... it's the only way to save the company, son. The Miller is powerful, and the agreement can't be unchanged. Not unless Hera will be the one to break-"

"I will talk to Hera, Mom. Don't worry."

Her mother shook her head again. "It's the only way, son."

"No. I will talk to Hera," he said before he left the room.

HERA was more than happy when her dream of having Achilles, will finally be fulfilled. She was rolling in her wide bed when her phone rang, and her heart almost jumped out of her chest when she saw the caller's I.D.

She hemmed and cleared her throat before answering it.

"Achilles-"

"Let's talk."

"Oh. Okay. I'm in the mansion. You could come-"

"No. Let's talk outside. Meet me at the coffee shop near your subdivision," he said and hung up.

Hera sighed as she already knew what he wants.

She wore a simple floral dress below the knee and a sandal and her small sling bag.

"Mom, I'll just grab some matcha coffee," she said as she gave a peck on her mom's cheek, who was busy reading a magazine.

She texted Achilles when she got inside the coffee shop. And after a minute, Achilles came.

"Let's order-"

"No need. I won't stay longer," he said.

Hera gulped and nodded, "okay. Hmm... what do we need to talk about-"

Achilles cut the hum into her words, "call off the wedding. There's no way that I will marry you," he declared using his deep cold voice.

"I can't-"

"I treated you well. We've been friends for a decade. Why do you have to do this to me? To my mom? To my life?"

She was about to hold Achilles's hand when the latter move it away. She sighed. "I wanted to help you. And it's the only way to save your company and to give Aunt Edna proper medication-"

Achilles scoffed. "Only way? You're a heartless pathetic bitch!"

"The agreement has my name and I'm the only one who will break it. Aunt Edna signed it. Dad can't do anything about it. Accept it or not, we're getting married-"

"Do you hear yourself? You sound like a desperate, insane bitch-"

"I love you, Achilles-"

Achilles stood up and glared at her as he clenched his fist, "and I hate you, Hera," he said and left.

A pain throbs into Hera's chest. "I know, Achilles. I know," she whispered. 'But I will do everything for you to love me back,' she thought.