Chapter 2 Your daughter or nothing

"Please, scars, I promise, I will pay up_ I will never hide from you again. I promise" he pleads as the men pull him.

While Tory pleads, a portrait of a younger Tory, his late wife and a little girl of about ten caught his eyes. The little girl was the exact image of her mother, small lips, and bright blue eyes. Lovely portrait of a beautiful family. He thought.

"You should start thinking of starting a family of your own '' the perfect family portrait reminded him of Lolly's recent recommendation. Lolly is Mrs Benedict, she was his nanny and now his oldest domestic staff and she had being on the subject of marriage and family for a while now. Lolly is the only family he has, and she means a lot to him. Ramsey was thinking of giving her suggestion a good thought. That's why this family portrait reminded him of her constant advice.

"Your ma and pa look down on you to keep the family line going. You need to find yourself a girl to start a family with" he smiled at her nagging from this morning.

Not now lolly, he shook his head to shake off the reflection.

But when he tried to look away, his eyes went back to the little girl smiling at him in the portrait, and the craziness idea that would please Lolly and get her off his back and also be a good way to punish Tory came to him. He made a dark grin and listened to Tory pleas.

"Please, I'm sorry, would never hide again , I would do anything to make things right" Troy begs.

"Let him go,"Ramsey ordered.

Tory quickly readjusted his rumpled shirt and looked at Ramsey in gratitude.

"Will you do anything?" He asked.

"Just anything?" Tory confirmed.

"I want her," he declared, pointing to the girl in the portrait.

Tory froze.

Tory has been on biddings, business negotiations, and pitches but he admits this was the most ridiculous request he had heard. It was outrageous and from a man like scars he wonders if he should take it seriously.

"What do you mean by her?" Tory asked as Ramsey drew on his cigar and popped up smoke in the air that burned his nostril.

"Her. Your little girl, the quicker you catch up, the better for both of us" Ramsey suggested reaching for an ashtray out of habit, when he didn't find one he dropped the cigar ash on the polished floor.

"You want Helen_ what for?" Tory asked like a father ready to defend his little girl.

"Helen_ how does Helen Phil sound like? " he laughed, enjoying the idea and the shock of realization on Tory's face.

"You bastard_ you bloody son of a fucking bitch, you will never get your evil hands on my little girl" he roared.

"Not so little anymore, heard she just turned twenty-one" he remained Tory as he moved toward the portrait.

"You are crazy to think I would let a monster like you to have my little girl for a wife"

"A wife, that's the word, it's a good thing you are catching up. Ramsey mocked him as he continued staring at the girl in the picture, caring less about her father and what he was saying.

"You can't be serious, she is all I have got_ you can have me, anything, this building, The Tory Textile company, anything. I will give but not Helen. Please" he begs.

"The Tory Textile company is dying, this building isn't worth half what I lent you, and you" he half laughed as he turned to face him.

" I can't have you, I'm as straight as an arrow, but she_ your Helen would make a fine play thing on my bed" Ramsey spilled out when he got close, looking down on Tory's broken nose.

"How dare you?" Tory roared, striking Ramsey across the face, so hard. Ramsey quickly raised his right hand to halt his men from swinging into action.

"Raymond, the next time, Tory, tries that. He loses his arm. Got it?" he declared and stepped back.

"Got it," Raymond confirms. As he and the other men went back at ease.

"Now let me finish my request that comes with an offer" Ramsey sat back on the chair and gestured for Tory to take the empty opposite chair.

"You should sit, it's turning out to be a business meeting" Ramsey Suggested when Tory didn't even glance at the offered chair.

"I will right off you debt, invest in The Tory Textile, make sure it is back up and running"

"And what's the catch_ my daughter? I give you Helen in exchange for your help. What kind of a father will that make me? A coward who uses his daughter as a means to an end. I won't do that_ what kind of a father does that?

"One who is smart and makes smart decisions. Tell me which of these scenarios you prefer. The Tory Textile finally goes bankrupt, you start selling pieces of it to your enemies, friends and competitors who have been dying to have a piece of the company. The government slams you with a taxation lawsuit. Or you give your daughter to me in marriage we both have an arrangement and bring The Tory Textile back on board and everyone is happy. He grinned watching as Tory's face moved from anger to Confusion, he was beginning to see the bigger and brighter future.

"Now which of this media headline do you want to see "How the might has fallen: The Tory textile goes bankrupt or multi billionaire Remsey Phil secretly weds billionaire daughter Helen Tory"

"Oh Lord help me!" Tory prayed in his heart. He would definitely prefer the latter if his circumstance was different and the groom wasn't the devil himself. Tory would have jumped at the idea.

"I can't do this," he whispered.

Tory was confused, it was a hard decision to make as he remembered how himself and Florence struggled to build the Tory company from scratch.

I'm still waiting to hear which?" Ramsey calls Tory back to the present. From the looks on Tory's face Remsey could tell he was going to win the negotiation.

"What did you say? Ramsey asked again, intensifying the pressure.

"Why her? Why my baby? Why her_" Tory holds himself back from breaking down in tears.

"Why Helen? You could easily have any woman in the world_ why her" Tory managed to finish.

"Because I'm pressed for a wife. She is from a rich family, for now" he smiled at his emphasis.

"She is a perfect trophy wife" he finished.

If losing an arm was not at stake Tory would have given Ramsey another slap on the other side of his face. But he rather stormed off to the little hidden bar in his closet, picked out a bottle of whisky, a glass and came back to the devil and his men in his bedroom.

He pulled out the cork in one pull, poured the glass half full and drank all at a goal. Still holding the glass and bottle he moved over and took the chair opposite the devil so he could look him in the eye while they bargain.

"Wow! He finally sits, '' Remsey smiled. Tory hated his smile , he wished he could wipe it by smashing the bottle of whiskey on his head. He hated him and the look of victory in his face.

"State your terms clearly" Tory demanded.

"I marry Helen, I take over the company"

"You retain the name of the company The Tory textile remains" Tory requested.

"Okay my me" Remsey agreed. He wasn't interested in the company, this was the easiest way he could get a wife to please Lolly then so be it, he wasn't ready for courting and then marrying anyone. He was Scars, he doesn't date or court. When he wants a woman he gets it.

"The children from the marriage get The Tory textile" he insisted.

Ramsey paused and looked at Tory. The man was smarter than he gave him credit for. children he never thought of that or saw himself as a father. But as the only surviving Phil he needs an Heir one who will keep the family legacy going.

"Fine" again he wasn't in any way interested in the company for now or in the future. He just wants a wife for lolly's sake.

I see we have come to a balance and an end to our negotiation." Ramsey expressed his thoughts and was glad of the outcome.

What have I done? If I agree to this, now my baby is trapped, with no way out. Wait! There is a way out" a wise thought came to him in the midst of his troubled thoughts.

"The marriage ends in two years after the child who gets The Tory Textile is born" He quickly demanded and was happy with how the smile on Ramsey's face disappeared.

Make it three. I have good and fast swimmers that are equal to the task, I don't know if your daughter is equal to the task. She might need the time to deliver_ I mean conceive" Ramsey sarcastically suggested.

"You do the needful, and when the child is born, he or she gets the company and the marriage ends" Tory stated as he fought the image of the hand of the monster on his daughter off his head.

"We have a deal," Ramsey announced.

We do" he answered and took Ramsay offered hand for a crushing handshake.

"Raymond!" Ramsey called, breaking the handshake.

"Fetch my bride-to-be"

"Yes sir" he responded and signaled the other men to follow as they went in search of Helen.