Chapter 1.

Nate’s POV

“The fuck you mean I have to get married?” I demanded in a calm voice, my fisted hands laid by my sides as I dragged in deep breaths and puffed them out immediately to suppress the anger I could already feel building up in my insides.

“Language, Nate.” My dad reprimanded but I only snorted before starting to pace in a small line.

“I don’t care about that right now,” I snapped and ran my fingers through my hair frantically, “Why the fuck do I have to get married? Did I ever inform you that I needed you to help me look for a wife?”

“If you had calmed down and listened patiently like I asked you to at first, you’d understand why I’m doing this, but once again, your immaturity has taken over as usual.” My dad stated and I paused in a spot then turned back around slowly until I was staring down at him. He was sitting behind his desk, his hands folded and placed before him, looking relaxed as fuck.

Yeah, of course, I knew he was going to bring my said ‘immaturity’ into this but do I look like I give a fuck? Absolutely not. It’s not news to me that my father sees me as a disappointment and has called me that to my face more times than I could keep count. At this point I didn’t even care anymore, there was no point- I’d always be a disappointment to him.

When I kept on glaring at him without saying a thing, he pointed to the chair in front of him in which I’ve been sitting since the moment he demanded I see him in his office immediately- that was until I had stood up instantly on hearing that I’d be getting married.

“Sit, son.” He gestured towards the seat and I snorted not so quietly, of course he’d refer to me as ‘son’ now, because I could just tell that I wouldn’t like what he was about to explain to me about the supposed marriage. I ignored his offer, my glare still fixated on my face and pointed towards him hard.

“Have it your own way then.” He dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief before shoving it back into his pocket and moving the files around on one part of his wild desk. He picked out a heavy looking file from the middle and threw it on the desk towards me. “Go through that.”

I rolled my eyes and glanced from the white file to his face for a few seconds before picking it up and examining the cover. I swiped open the file and the first thing I saw was that the company was in a debt worth millions of dollars.

I glanced up from the file immediately, my eyes meeting my dad’s the very next moment.

“Holy shit, how did the company get into this amount of debt? When did you all start borrowing money from banks?” I demanded, flipping through the pages fast and seeing more debts and more debts to my bewilderment.

My father only chuckled quietly despite the fact that there was nothing funny about what I was currently reading. “The company has been in debt for months now, and we started borrowing money since the beginning of this year to be able to pay our thousands of staffs and buy equipments which we can’t work without.” He paused for a moment, “But you wouldn’t know that since you’re barely in the family business, would you? All these have been happening right in your future company and you’re just finding out now.”

“How the fuck was I supposed to know about all these without you telling me yourself?” I snapped, my anger resurfacing around me in an instant.

“You’re supposed to know stuff like this before I do as the future heir to this company, Nate.” I made to speak but he lifted a hand, cutting me off. “You’re supposed to be leading the company forward, you’re supposed to be extremely current about everything concerning this company than I am. Files like these,” He gestured towards the opened file still clutched in my hand. “Should be in your own care at this point, and not mine and your cousin’s. But you barely come to the office five days a week.”

I remained silent as I went through the remaining parts of the file before dropping it on his desk, my hands shoved deep in my pockets and my foot tapping away on the sparkling neat tiles.

Now what?

“This is where you come in. If you get married to the daughter of the owner of our former rival company, they can pay off the company’s debt immediately after the wedding.”

I shook my head slowly as my father’s words sank in.

“I’m not getting married, father. You have to find another way.” I started quietly.

“Well there’s no other way! And besides you’re not getting any younger. You’re in your late twenties for heaven’s sake, when do you plan on settling down? Your mother and I think this is the perfect opportunity for you to get married and start a family, and also save your future company in that process.”

I started pacing again, I couldn’t help it. My head felt like it was about to explode as all what my dad kept saying sank in one after the other, making my head pound hard. The only reasons they felt it was a ‘perfect opportunity’ for me was just because they were looking for a grandchild from me and nothing more, not caring if I was fine with the stupid arrangement, if I was going to be happy in the stupid marriage or if I was even attracted to women to begin with.

“Look dad, I’m not getting married to some chick...” I started to say but my father cut in immediately, “She’s not some chick, she’s the daughter of someone who can help this company from its current problems.”

“Well I don’t care! I’m not getting married to some girl. You and mum can’t decide when I get married, that’s my personal choice. You’d have to find another way.” I growled, glaring at my father whose facial expression was perfectly mirroring mine.

“You’re getting married, Nathaniel Blake Harlow!” My dad snapped loudly as he got to his feet and slammed his hands on the desk for emphasis, face red and booming voice echoing around the office walls. I knew the office was soundproof, meaning the outburst didn’t make it past the office walls.

I wasn’t fazed one bit, funny of him to still think I’d be affected by him raising his voice and calling me my full name all at once, we’ve been through this kind of situation thousands of times.

“I’m not getting married.” I echoed again without blinking and watched as my dad sank back into his seat while puffing out a hard, frustrated breath. I didn’t need to think twice to know what’s going on in his head right now.

Stuffs like ‘I wish you weren’t such a disappointment, Nate.’

Or, ‘I wish God gave me more than one child, then perhaps I wouldn’t be wasting my time shouting and trying to warn you every damn time.’

Yeah, I’ve heard it all, I knew just how it sounded in my dad’s voice.

“You’re acting selfish right now, Nate. Now isn’t the time to bring in personal feelings.” He tried again but I remained silent and just kept staring at him.

I picked up my suit jacket and swung it over my shoulder, “I’m sorry dad but you’re going to have to find another way, I can’t get married to whoever the chick is.”

I turned around and made to leave his office but his loud voice made me pause for a moment. “Get back here, Nathaniel.”

I stood still, my fingers almost touching the door knob before dropping my hand back to my side and turning back around until I was once again, facing my angry looking father. He was now on his feet, anger making his face red.

“Where do you think you’re going? We’re not done yet.”

“We are, I already told you what I think, and it’s that I’m not getting married to the girl- whatever her name is.” I reminded him as calmly as I could, with my heart still beating super fast. I wanted to go into my office and catch my breath without having it choke my throat, being in the same room as my father always ends with one of us storming out on the other, which in most cases was me.

“So you’re going to stand back and watch the company go completely bankrupt, have the bank lock it up? Until everything’s gone? When you can perfectly save everything by just agreeing to the marriage.” My dad mused quietly and I puffed out a breath, scrubbing my hand over my face and pulling on the roots of my hair in agitation.

“I’m sorry dad, but I can’t.” I replied honestly, my voice quiet. I turned around and pulled the door open, ready to bolt, but then his next words stopped me dead in my tracks.

“If you don’t agree to marry her, then I’d be left with no other option than to give your inheritance to your immediate cousin.”

I slammed the door shut and turned back around instantly, my heart starting to pound madly.

“You can’t do that.” I breathed out unbelievably, feeling my chest tighten up but he only shrugged and sank back into his seat.

“Try me.”

I left immediately without saying a word and this time, he didn’t try to stop me.