Chapter 4 Love is in the Air

Edmund's POV

I try to sneak inside the mansion, I was sure that I wouldn't get caught since I have done it a million times.

"Where do you think you're going after what you just did today."

Busted! I hear my dad from behind. His voice was a lot calmer, and I wasn't expecting it. I thought he'd yell at me and tell me that I embarrassed him in front of her friend's daughter.

I turned around and he gestured me with his stick to follow him. I was ready to get scolded, but it wasn't my first time. He opener the door to his study and I followed him inside.

"Sit, I have something important to discuss," he says and I could tell that it was something serious. I knew he wasn't going to let it slide this time.

"What's wrong, Dad?" I ask.

"Edmund, I gave it a lot of thought and I've come to a conclusion. I'm going to give you an option, either you get married to the girl you kissed today, the one you said you liked or I'm going to give away all of my shares to charity," he takes a deep sigh and I wonder if he's messing with me right now.

"How can you donate everything in charity, I have worked so hard for years to maintain what you had built. You can't do this to me," I clenched my jaw in anger.

"Then get married. You were afraid that I might not accept a low class girl, but I accept her. That's what you wanted, right? Get married in three months and I'll hand you everything," he keeps testing me.

I know he wants to make sure that I'm not playing any tricks on him, and getting married to that delivery girl was the only proof. I thought that he would stop asking me to get married, but he wasn't going to let me off the hook this time. He had me trapped in his plan, either way I had to get married.

"It's your choice now," he raises his eyebrows, waiting for me to give my verdict.

"Okay, if that's how you're going to be then I'll marry the one I like and not Harper."

"You have three months. Good luck my son," he gives me a smile and for a moment I felt like he wasn't my father but a devil in disguise.

That delivery girl is the only one who can save me now. I can't let my father give everything I've worked hard for to charity.

................................

'I don't want to see your face ever again.'

Her words linger in my mind and I don't know if she'll ever agree to marry me. My first impression wasn't very great, but I'll do everything in my power to make a deal with me. She'll have to agree, I can't afford losing from my father.

Noah's POV

"Are you kidding me, Edmund. You want me to convince a delivery girl to marry you," I scoff. The stress he gives me is enough to commit suicide.

"Offer her everything, just give her everything she asks for and it's not like I'm asking her to stay married to me forever, it's just for a small period of time until my father hands me the company papers," he replies and I can see that his tensed body. He's anxious, I know how hard it must have been to make this decision.

Edmund hates marriage, his father and mother never got along and that's why his mother abandoned him when he was just a kid and ran away with his Russian boyfriend. Her mother never once called or came back to check if Edmund was fine. He had a hard time living without a mother.

"Don't worry, I'll try my best," I say to give him some sort of comfort, after all he's not just my boss but also my best friend.

First things first, I need to find out about that girl who came here that day. I ask the receptionist that was on the counter on that day.

"Her name's Ella, she works in the café owned by her Aunt. I love their pastries so I visit their café a lot," the receptionist informs me.

"Okay, good. Send me the address of that café," I order her.

I arrive at the café and enter, hoping to meet Miss Ella.

"Hello, is anyone here," I ask after seeing the empty café. At first I thought it might have been closed, but the lights were on the door was open indicating it was still open. It was getting dark outside, still weak rays of light from the sun made the inside of the café look magical.

"Yes, how can I help you?"

My eyes landed on the girl behind the counter, she was already staring at me. Our eyes met and her gaze made my heart pound. She was beautiful, her light brown eyes, soft pink lips made her look a goddess. I felt a strange sense of familiarity.

I cleared my throat and asked her. Something inside me didn't want her to be the one who came to the office that day.

"Are you Miss Ella?"

"No, she went out to deliver some orders."

She's not the one I came looking for, I let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm her friend, Nora. She left me in charge here, she'll be back soon. Is there anything I can help you with," she says politely and I force myself to not glance at her lips after every few seconds. I've never wanted to kiss someone this badly. I think I just fell in love with this girl at first sight.

"Okay then, I'll just wait here till she comes back," I don't want to leave just yet, I want to keep looking at this beauty in front of me. And I have to talk to Ella to get her on board in our plan.

"Should I make something for you?," Nora asks and I couldn't refuse so I asked her to make a latte.

I kept stealing glances, not to make it too obvious. She placed the cup of coffee in front of me.

"Here you go."

Her voice was like honey to my ears I wanted to keep listening to her talk. I thank her for the coffee. She leaves me there and gets back to work. I think I might want to get married as well.