I am Forced to Marry the CEO

"Come on Mike, just take me with you," as I cling to my brother's arm, I didn't what him to leave. We were having breakfast when he told me that he needs to go to Europe for a business meeting. That's when I stand up and end up clinging to my brother and here, I am acting like a kid whining-, hoping-, persuading my only brother to take me.

"Elle, even if I wanted to, you still have a few weeks before summer vacation, I doubt Dad will agree to take you with me..." it's as if he already knows what I'm thinking...

"Arrgg! You just said a few weeks, they wouldn't kick me out even if I take a week of absence, come on Mike..." I whined like an eight-year-old

"What's going on here?" Heard Dad's voice echoing before we even hear his footsteps

"Dad, I'm persuading my brother to take me with him, it's only for a few da..."

"No!" I didn't even get a chance to finish what I was saying when Dad suddenly screams.

We are both shocked by his sudden outburst

"Is something wrong Dad?" I ask as I approach him

"No, nothing... Michael sends your sister to school, then go straight to the airport" Dismiss us just like that

-------

"Is something wrong with Dad?" I ask my brother as he drives me to school

"Must be the company"

"Why? What happened?"

"That's not something you should concern yourself with, just focus on your studies," he said calmly but his eyes say otherwise, but I did not ask more obviously, he didn't want me to know

"Hey!" He suddenly rubs my head like I'm some puppy

"Off you go." I wasn't paying attention, only when I heard my brother's voice that I realize we have already arrived. As I close the car door, and give my brother a flying kiss, he just laughs at me and waves goodbye

------

As soon as the bell rang, I receive a phone call from Dad, telling me to go home immediately. I wanted to ask why, but the call is already cut After saying goodbye to my friends, I run out of school, there was this gut feeling that something isn't right, that's why I hurriedly run to my family's car and Uncle Fred our family driver is waiting.

Once I got in, I ask him "What's wrong?" He just looks at me with a worried expression from the rear mirror.

That made my heart beat so fast, it felt like I run a mile. The moment we arrived, I immediately open the car door and run inside the house

BANG!

What is that shot!? That made me pause for a second, then I proceed to run upstairs to Dad's office where I heard a gunshot. The instant, I open the door and was greeted with blood splattered on the wall and pooling on my dad's feet

"AHHHHHHH!!"

'Ugghh' I slowly open my eyes as they adjust to the brightness of the room, which left me thinking...

'This isn't my room.' I push myself up as I remember what happened

~Flashback~

As soon as I opened the door there, I saw my father bathing in his blood. I wanted to run to him but I was so shocked that my feet remain rooted near the door.

'Elle' is when I realize I am not alone. I slowly move my head toward the direction of the voice that called my name, I saw him.

~end of flashback~

I started to cry, then I heard the door opening I tried to look tough, but my tears won't stop.

"You're awake"

"You!" I point my fingers at him

"What have you done!?, where's my father?!" I shriek at him

"The only thing that I can tell you is that, he's gone," he says it like he doesn't care even the slightest, how could he, after what my father did for him

"How could you?!, he treats you like his son" It made me so furious that I stand up from the bed, approach him, and punches him as hard as I could and I kept on punching him.

"Stop Elle! you're hurting yourself" He then caught both of my arms to stop me from punching him

"I am already hurting!" I'm crying so hard that I almost slump on the floor, I lost all of my energy trying to hurt the man who did this.

-----

"Ian!" I screamed his name for the fourth time, why wouldn't he tell me where my father is? Here I am starting to get frustrated by this man, while he just looks at me like I'm some kid having a tantrum, oh! I'm having a tantrum all right

"Please I beg you, I promise I won't tell you what I saw, just... just tell me where my father is." I keep on begging him as my tears keep on flowing. I didn't hear when he started to walk to get to me all I know is that he was already in front of me hugging me

"Trust me ..." he started, but I didn't let him finish, I push him as hard as I can, away from me

"Trust? trust? Are you kidding me!?! You killed my dad, you!? Whom he sees as his second son, but you betrayed him!! How can I trust you!?!" Hope me scream will get on his head

"Think whatever you want, you won't get out of this room, and you wouldn't know where your father is" and he left me just like that, crying my heart out.

I haven't noticed, but it seems like it's already in the afternoon, meaning I've been here the whole day. I stand up and look out through the window

"I'm on the second floor", muttered my brain started to form a plan, to escape.

"I'm going to find my father" That's when I remember

"Mike" he needs to know what happened. I started to look for my phone, of course, I already assumed it isn't there but I still had my hope. So, I still look

Knock Knock

That made me stop, before, whoever comes in, sees me looking for something I crawl onto the bed.

"My lady" he looks so familiar. I just can't seem to remember where I have seen him

"My lady?" He called me again. I was lost in my thoughts thinking where have I seen him

"Yes?" I say with a poker face

"Dinner will be served in a few hours. Master says you need to come down" I thought he would imprison me in this room

Nod

Then he left, closing the door behind him That reminds me, I just notice, for a guest room this room sure looks a lot like a master's bedroom

I know Ian is rich, didn't know he was this rich, the room was decorated in black-to-grey color with a high ceiling this room sure exudes a more masculine smell like someone is already occupying this place before I do. From where I am, the bed, to the far front right is a door, on the opposite side is another door that must be the bathroom, across it is another door that probably leads to a closet, the typical bedroom set up of rich people.

Then on my left, a few feet from the bed the balcony, where I can see the garden half of it, must be a very wide garden. Enough with the thinking, I need to find my phone, to call my brother I need him here

Maybe. He'll find out where Dad is.

-----

As the butler has said, the guy from earlier the one that looks familiar is actually, butler Joe's son. Well, I won't be able to figure out if it wasn't for Ian, he told me after he saw me staring at the butler

"The hell Elle?!" That startled me

"What?"

"Focus on eating, not on staring!" Which made me realize I have been staring at Derek this whole time, embarrassment will be seen on my face, as I can feel the heat

"Finish your food" he demanded; I was about to take the last meat when suddenly he grabs me and drags me out of the dining

"Ow! What is your problem!?"

"...."

"Let go of me!"

"...." He just continues to drag me upstairs

"I said let go" I pull my arm as hard as I could

He did not see it coming.

"STOP DRAGGING ME! NOW TELL ME WHERE MY FATHER IS!??" I was so mad, I have been patient, and I've been distracting myself by not crying, the least he could do is tell me where my father is.

"Not now" Then he walks away, leaving me in the hallway

That's all he has to say 'Not now?'. It made my blood boil. After he drags me here. I haven't even done with my food. In my furious state, I stamp my feet as I walk back down.

I made my way down and turn to the corner just beside the staircase, there I saw a phone, and I threw away the thoughts of going back and finishing my food. I tiptoe my way to the phone, it's obvious that he hid my phone cause for whatever reason he wouldn't want me making a call

"He's not smart enough to hide this phone" I whispered to myself. I took the phone trying to remember my brother's number.

I was about to dial my brother's number when a hand stopped me from doing it. That scared the living shit out of me, I turn my head so fast I almost got dizzy

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"

"Derek!"

"You're lucky I was the one who caught you"

How is that lucky? I was caught nevertheless

"Of course, you're lucky, if it was the others, Master will already be here," he says with a smile on his face like this is some kind of joke

"Let go of my hand" and he immediately removes his hand from me. I took one step back, as he watches me, readying himself if I were to do something

"Please, let me call my brother" I beg

"I won't tell him where am I. I just want to talk to my brother" I can't help it, my tears start to fall

"You can't!" That's when I notice him there already standing at the end of the staircase looking at me like a predator, ready to pounce its prey.

I got scared, and the rational thing I did was to run... away from him.

It's been a week since the staircase incident, and still, I'm not talking to him.

Knock Knock

"Come in"

"Master says to have dinner with him," said Derek, while smiling, which is kind of weird because we are still not on friendly terms, I don't mean to be rude or something, it's just there is something in his eyes...

"I'm not hungry" He just nods and left

"I lied, I'm so hungry, why can't he just ask someone to bring me my meals just like what he did last week," I muttered while walking out on the balcony.

"You can just ask me" That made me jump on my feet.

"You scared the living daylight out of me, What the heck?!" I screamed.

He just stands there looking façade. I didn't even hear him come in, as well as opening the door. But that's not my issue here. It's him!

It boils my blood, that unaffected, unemotional face of his like when he shot my father.

"Can't you just at least give me my phone I need to call my brother!" Still looking unbothered.

"NO! And no food will be delivered, dinner is downstairs." He left slamming the door shut.

------

I'm so bored the only thing I've been doing here is eating and sleeping, it sucking the life out of me. Since he told me that the food won't be delivered, I make it a point that I will only come down when I know that he was done. So, it's been weeks since I last saw his face or show his face to me. Which is good because I don't feel like interacting with my dad's killer.

"My lady" yes, it's only been Derek that I'm having a conversation.

"Yes"

"Your lunch is ready"

"Thank you" If you call that conversation.

I got up from me from my throne, the bed, for the last few weeks. Then went down, I still make sure that annoying killer guy is not around.

I finished my lunch with ease, then I went back to the room. I didn't bother doing the dishes because the last time I did the maids were being lectured by none other than Derek himself. And defending them only gets worst.

"Waking up from the afternoon nap surely gives you enough energy" I got up, and went to the bathroom, I make sure I'm presentable enough to face him.

"I can do this" I plan to have a deal with him.

As I walk through the hallway to his office, which I already memorized, I'm starting to get nervous my heart beats so fast it feels like it's going to have a nervous breakdown.

Now that I am already in front of his door, I'm having second thoughts....

"Should I?" I turn my head so fast I got dizzy

"Derek! you scared me!" Holding my chest, trying to feel as if my heart is still beating.

"Well, you've been standing still for a full minute, though you need a hand"

"Thank you, but I don't need it" glaring at him

He just shrugs and leaves

I twist the doorknob opening it, only to find the room empty

"Great, just when I got the courage." I open all the doors I could open and found no one

"Where the hell is he?" I muttered to myself. I went downstairs trying to look at every crook and cranny, but still no signs of him. I went to the front door, hoping I could go out but there are stationed guards, they stared me down thinking I will be intimidated, that when they were wrong, I never back down.

So, we did a staring contest, we'll see who's going to end up losing, laughing to myself

"It's useless, they won't bulge they'll only listen to me"

"You, do you enjoy startling people?" He just shrugs

"Then tell them to open the door" I screamed in frustration he just looks at me opening then closing his lips as if contemplating if will or will not tell them

"Ummm, no can do my lady, even if I did tell them, we still need the master's approval." his word made me roll my eyes

"Fine!" I walk out, and the only place I haven't visited is the garden, good thing they let me

I got curious, and from my window, I could see half of the maze, the best thing to do is explore.

"Maybe he's here, trying to hide from me" I laugh at my silly thinking.

"This isn't so hard" I keep walking towards the sound of splashing waters, right there in the middle of a fountain

"Wow!" It's amazing, it is flat in the ground with pebbles around it, what amazed me is that there is a vortex right in the middle and the water is flowing creating a glass-like feature around the vortex.

Enough of this I need to find him! I took the path it took earlier to go back

"I've already been here" looks like I'm lost. A while ago before making it to the center, I remember the grass walls is full of flowers, now all I see are some torn and dried flowers on the ground, I'd been walking in a circle. Still, I again tried to find my way out, but its no use,

"yup definitely running in circles here" I muttered.