Chapter 2 2

The Interview

Megan

With my head hung low, I returned to my father's house, and when he opened the door, he simply did what I needed at that moment: he gave me a comforting hug. I clung to his arms tightly, feeling a bit of peace wash over my tormented soul. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped away my tears.

"Don't say anything, Dad. Maybe deep down, you're right, and Harry isn't the right man for me," I said with a trembling voice.

"I won't say anything, sweetheart. Maybe we're both discovering the truth on our own. Come on, I'll make you some hot oatmeal."

"With a pastry, Dad?"

"Yes, with a pastry," I sat down next to my father, and ate what he had brought. We didn't exchange more words after the argument we'd had; there was simply no need.

Suddenly, he raised his phone upon hearing a notification and read a message. Then, he took the last sip of his coffee and looked at me intently.

"Tomorrow, you have a meeting with Jordan. Dorian sent me a message confirming the interview."

I looked at my father sadly, not understanding why he insisted on the crazy idea of me entering into a contract marriage with my boss.

"Dad, please, I've told you, I don't want to marry him. Jordan is a monster. Everyone says that after the accident, he became unrecognizable, which is why he never opens the windows, which is why he's the way he is."

"Oh, please, stop acting like a child. Tomorrow, dress appropriately. Don't believe everything you hear. You'll have an interview with him, Megan, you have to be Jordan's wife."

"Why are you insisting so much, Dad?" My father's eyes filled with tears, he approached slowly, and took my hands.

"We're about to lose the house, the only thing we have left, Megan. Besides, you can't just remain a gardener. It'll only be two years, and with the money you'll get, we'll pay off the mortgage, and you'll be able to finance your education in design. You'll become the successful designer you've always wanted to be."

A deep void gripped my chest. My father was using me, or perhaps, he was exacting payment for what he had done for me. I loved Harry deeply; I was in love with him. Marrying for convenience and without love was not in my plans. I wanted to have a family, children, and a beautiful home. My father was thwarting my dreams.

"Father, you're selfish," I let go of his hands and retreated to my room. I couldn't even sleep, but they were his orders, and I couldn't disobey them. I would do everything in my power to ensure that Jordan didn't choose me; I wouldn't marry a monster like him.

The Next Day

Reluctantly, I obeyed the orders of Carlos, my father. When something got into his head, there was no way to get it out. Besides, I had to go to the mansion since that was where I worked. Although Jordan seemed to completely ignore me, I was still just an employee in his house and had to do my job.

Dorian met me in the mansion's hallway, a place where employees were not allowed to enter. His gaze was somewhat disdainful; he seemed upset with me.

"Megan, why are you late? I told Carlos you should arrive early. The gentleman is waiting for you."

"I got delayed," I responded firmly as I crossed the threshold of the mansion. A deep cold crept into my bones, and the loneliness in the atmosphere was palpable. It felt as if I had entered a chilling castle. In the background, classical music played, which made me question the strange image I had of Jordan. When people talked about him as a "monster," I imagined him disfigured, maybe in a wheelchair and covered in scars.

"Please, continue," Dorian instructed me to advance into a spacious living room. Immediately, I was enveloped in the scent of a masculine cologne, which I liked. I timidly moved forward to the large armchair where I was supposed to sit.

When Jordan's figure appeared in front of me, my hands began to tremble. He walked with a slow and measured limp, but his physique was impeccable. Where was the monster? The only flaw I could find at that moment was the paleness of his cheeks due to the lack of light because his gray eyes and dark hair, impeccably groomed, made him look spectacular. His body seemed to have been sculpted by the gods, his nose almost perfect, and his pink lips were admirable.

"Are you Megan Parker?" He approached me and extended his hand. I reached out mine cautiously, and our fingers barely brushed.

"Yes, sir, it's me. I've worked for you for five years."

"Yes, that's what Dorian told me. I'm sorry if I hadn't noticed; I don't pay much attention to employees," his sarcastic tone began to make his beauty fade in my eyes.

"I understand, sir. And what do I owe this pleasure to?"

"I'm getting to know the wife I'll have by contract. My lawyer will contact you and have you sign a clause. It will be a fictitious marriage for two years, with no intimacy or contact between us. It will simply be a marriage of convenience."

His words hit me like a blast of overwhelming information. He was assuming that I had already accepted the proposal without even asking me. This had to be my father's doing.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jordan, but I won't marry you. Nobody consulted me or asked if I agreed."

"According to Dorian, your father has already signed the clause for the first payment. He has the contract in his hands. If we don't comply, he will be arrested for fraud," his words were sharp and direct, making everything crumble beneath my feet. This couldn't be real.

"When will the wedding be?" I asked with a thread of voice, without another option.

"In two weeks," he replied relentlessly.

I got up from the chair without saying another word. My father had sold me like a worthless commodity, and he still hadn't given me a reason. I left the mansion feeling as if I had been handcuffed and led straight to the slaughter. I had to marry a man I barely knew, while my heart still belonged to another man with whom I had shared three years of my life. He was my only love, the man I wanted to marry.

The rest of the day, with tears in my eyes, I immersed myself in the task of fixing the mansion's garden. My fate seemed sealed without my consent, and the sum my father mentioned, though exorbitant, was not the price I was willing to pay for my love and freedom. When I finally finished my work and was about to go home, Harry appeared at his trailer to pick me up.

"Hey! Come on, let's go for some beers," he invited me enthusiastically, but my mood wasn't up for celebration.

"I don't want to drink today, Harry. Could you take me out to eat something?" I asked him wistfully.

"Do you have money?" he asked somewhat brazenly.

"Yes, of course I have money," I assured him and got into the trailer with him. We headed out to grab a quick bite.

"Darling, I'm sorry about the other night, but you made a fool out of me in front of my friends. I can't host you in my trailer; it's crowded," Harry apologized.

"Don't worry, Harry, it's okay. I'll stay with my father. But I have something to tell you," I informed him.

Harry spat out the food he had in his mouth and looked at me with fury.

"What the hell are you talking about, Megan? What did your father do?"

"My father signed a marriage contract with my boss. Now I have to marry him," I confessed, and immediately I collapsed onto the table, drowning in heart-wrenching sobs. Telling my boyfriend was a tragic experience. I didn't know how he would react, and it tore my heart apart.

"A marriage contract, Megan? Your dad is crazy. And in exchange for what?" Harry asked anxiously.

I lifted my face, tears streaming, and replied, "I have to be married to him for two years, and in return, I'll receive 10..."

"10 what, Megan? 10 what?" he asked, visibly intrigued.

Looking deep into his eyes with my tears even more intense, I responded, "10 million!"

Harry lifted my chin and looked at me intensely.

"Are you kidding me, Megan?"

"No, of course not. It's the truth. I don't want to marry that man for money. I love you, Harry."

"Megan, my love, calm down. It's 10 million. Can you imagine what we could do with that money? We'd travel the world, we'd be millionaires, and we'd live like kings without having to work."

"No, Harry. That's not right. It wouldn't be money earned fairly."

"Since when do you care about values, Megan? Just accept the contract and that's it. We'll be happy with that pile of money".

"I won't do it!" I replied with determination, regardless of the consequences.

Harry grabbed my chin again, but this time applying a little pressure.

"Yes, you will, Megan. If you want to stay with me, you will. Now go get some rest. First thing tomorrow morning you will go to your boss and tell him yes, you will marry him".

Harry got up from the table and left me there alone. I couldn't believe what he was asking me, but if I looked at it from another point of view, he was right. With that money, we could make all our dreams come true. Although I didn't like the way he treated me, I had already accepted his cold personality. After all, he was all I had in the world. My father, having sold me out, no longer had a place in my life.