Sixteen

My father's eyes widen as he sees me screeching like Hades's Cerberus is after me. Mr. Langdon just leans back impassively when he sees me dash out half-naked from the bathroom wearing only his son's shirt.

Then it takes me a moment to realize that I'm running straight to hell.

I halt, catching my breath. I begin to splutter an explanation, but my father holds his hand up to silence me. "I see what's going on."

"This is all a misunderstanding," Gray's mellifluous accent comes from behind me and I nod fervently. "She mistakenly slept here last night. Nothing happened, as you can see."

"As we can see, your clothes say otherwise," my father says as a matter-of-fact. "Will you find yourselves some proper clothes? It is inappropriate to talk to your parents with scarcity of garments."

"I agree. We can wait here while you do so," Mr. Langdon adds, sitting comfortably in the couch. Gray and I nod solemnly, trudging to the oaken drawer near the half made-up bed. Just seeing it brings me the memories of last night and I swallow hard, blushing fiercely. I rummage through the drawer, finding nothing but a silk bathrobe. I shrug it on, snugly tying the ribbon around my waist. Gray is slipping in a pair of dark blue Super Mario pajamas and I snort in disgust.

"Are you going to wear a SpongeBob shirt, too?"

"Shut up," he snaps and glares. He grabs my arms and pulls me back toward our parents, his grip so firm I think my veins stop pulsing blood. His father indicates the seats across from them and both of us robotically sit.

It's clearly my fault for exposing myself—I'm not denying it—and my attempts to say something are stopped by a scolding glance from my father. He is completely shocked seeing me in Gray's room, in Gray's shirt, wearing nothing but underwear underneath. It looks like he needs a Heimlich maneuver. He's tolerant of every rule I've broken but I know this time I really screwed up. I won't be easily forgiven for this. Mr. Langdon, on the other hand, is as calm and cool until this time. Maybe he's already used to situations like this. Figures. His son is a stupid ass.

I squirm uncomfortably, feeling strangely sore down there. Holy hell. I could remember everything that happened last night. Despite the haze, I could remember how it had hurt when Gray pushed himself inside me and the strange feeling after that. Shit. I could feel my cheeks redden just thinking about it!

"This current situation is… unanticipated," my father says. His voice is neutral, the emotion completely unreadable. I try to read his expression, but his green eyes and blank face betray nothing. "I am very much surprised of this, ah, quick development in your relationship and I'm certain Cornelius feels the same. But I think this situation is in perfect timing with our cause."

"Look, daddy—I mean, father," I interject, slightly raising my voice. "What happened between him and I is just—"

"You shall not speak when you are not asked," he says sternly. Uh-oh. I straighten in my seat and shut my mouth. I look down at my intertwined hands and press my lips into a tight line.

After a moment of silence, father speaks again. "Where was I? Ah yes, the cause. As we have pointed out to Gray before your sudden arrival, the administration board wants us to give them an assurance that Helterground will continue to prosper even when we pass the positions to you. But the media is nonstop about your misdemeanors, deeming you unfit to handle the company. So, Cornelius and I have come to a decision, a most timely decision I must say."

"Is that the only problem?" I ask cautiously.

"The only problem we need to discuss at the moment," Mr. Langdon answers smoothly, a small smile playing on his lips.

My father, on the other hand, looks shocked at my question. "My dear, the whole world believes you are both an albatross to Helterground. A lot is at stake here, you must understand. If the media's clamor gets louder, then our company will collapse as soon as you take over. It would make you ineligible owners of the company."

"Guess what, daddy. I have no intentions of running Helterground in the future." I can't believe he's bringing out the topic now. I've already told him I don't want anything concerning the company but he's still adamant about it.

"Lucy, we're already done with this discussion. Now if you may, allow me to continue explaining what we have to do to save Helterground from shame. As I was saying, Cornelius and I have come to a decision."

This is answered by a chuckle from Mr. Langdon. His brown eyes sparkle with humor and amusement but there is also hope aside from the obvious delight. Oh, my. I don't like this feeling. "Are you ready to hear it, Gray and Lucy?"

"I guess so," I answer nervously. I could feel Gray take a deep, shaky breath. I guess he's as tense as I am right now. Good. He deserves it. After a beat, it's my father who drops the bomb.

"We have decided that you are getting married."

Gray and I leap to our feet almost at the same time. "What?"

Impossible! This is too imfuckingpossible! Gray launches to a series of protests but I couldn't process what he's spewing out. I'm too shocked to register any information at all. Married? To Gray Langdon? What a joke. I collapse in the couch, suddenly feeling weak. Then I finally hear Gray's rumbles.

"…you can't do this to us! The problem of the company has nothing to do with our personal lives. I can't get stuck with this old hag forever!" I'm starting to feel numb with distress but this last remark of his instantly presses the "bitch mode" button.

"Did you just call me old hag?" I ask defiantly, rising from the couch. "Do you think you're some prince charming? Some well-mannered aristocrat? You're a troll! You're a freakin' troll!"

"Witch!" he yells.

"James Bond wanna-be!" I spit back.

Gray's flustered face reddens even more with fury and he violently turns to our fathers who, by some reasons I don't understand, are watching us with definite calmness. "See what I mean? This is what would happen—and a lot worse—if you're going to force us to marry each other. If you're thinking this will save Helterground, you are utterly wrong!"

For the first time, I find myself agreeing with him. Arranged marriage in 21st century? What the hell? I tell myself to calm down, to think clearly and to prevent my hormones from taking over my emotions, but I couldn't.

Who keeps calm when your father tells you to marry your mortal enemy?

"She's not for me!" Gray grumbles, his arms swaying wildly around him.

"Doesn't matter," Mr. Langdon answers rather dismissively.

"Yes, it does!" Gray bellows. "This is an accident. We were both drunk!"

"Will both of you please settle down? Don't be so childish." By some miracle, Gray and I obey Cornelius Langdon, throwing ourselves back to the leather couches. After a moment of silence, he speaks again. "Gray, this is what I've been preparing you for—your future."

Mr. Langdon leans back to look at us, his deep-set brown eyes glinting. His lips curve up in a wide smile and his prominent cheekbones protrude even more. "Now, we are aware that you detest each other since day one. We keep receiving reports of how you pull pranks on each other with such effort I can't fathom how you exactly plan those things. But looking on the bright side, you are very creative geniuses.

"We figured you need each other to work successfully. If you combine your skills, Helterground will achieve so much more than it already did during our time. Showing our enemies you can be united will prove that the company won't collapse if you take your positions someday. You really are the future of this company and we need you to help clean our slate. You will help us on that matter, won't you?"

"Of course not," I shake my head firmly. "There's no way I'm getting married. I'm only twenty-three, for chrissakes. I have bigger dreams than marrying this jerk to save some stupid company."

"Legal age to get married is eighteen, my dear daughter. You're five years ahead already. Besides, this has been your destiny even before you were born. You are meant to lead Helterground together with the son of the Langdon clan." My father looks at me with intensity, a look of desperation I haven't seen before.

"You couldn't plan my own life, father. I can make my own decisions in life!"

"Alas, such is the destiny of the children born bearing the Woods and Langdon names. We have faced the same fate when we were your age. We married with such difficulty, but we loved your mothers until their unfortunate deaths." Mr. Langdon shakes his head, trying to explain.

"Tim Michaels is my boyfriend and I love him," I lie, hoping this would slow down things a little bit but my father chuckles knowingly.

"Honey, you detest that man."

"No, I don't! We've been secretly dating for two years and he has already proposed to me. I said yes." I keep my face straight but I catch Gray glancing at me with disbelief. Fuck, where is my brain when I need it the most?

"Regardless of what this insane woman is saying, I think you should give us a decent time to think about this." Gray leans forward and rests his arms on his lap. I look at him with incredulity and then I note that his face is serious.

"As much as I want to acquiesce to your request, I regret to say we don't have the luxury of time to dilly-dally." His father's expression softens and looks at us tenderly. "I know how distressing this news is for you, but tradition is tradition. We must follow the steps of our predecessors."

"You have the absolute power to break from the stupid traditions of this company. I don't want to get married!" I beg, almost sobbing from too much pressure. It feels like my chest is going to burst open in anger and disbelief. I don't even care what to call my father anymore. "I see a very bright life ahead of me. Don't you dare ruin it, old man."

"Your life as a Helterground owner is very bright indeed," intones my father.

Arrgh!

"So, we have no choice?" Gray asks, his voice tight with dissent.

"I'm afraid none, son."

"Fine, I will agree to this." I look up suddenly, startled of this development. Gray's face is void of any emotion. His jaw is clenched and his lips are pressed in a thin line. His brown hair is more disheveled than ever and his curved eyebrows are pulled together in grim determination.

"I sense that you have a few conditions." Mr. Langdon smiles. Even my father leans forward, eagerness clear in his bright, emerald eyes. I hold my breath, waiting.

"Only one: my Scare Crew is to be given positions in the company."

"That's all?" Father's sly grin widens as Gray nods.

"That's all? You ask for a condition and it doesn't even include yourself?" I ask in disbelief. "Well then here's my condition: I want a divorce once everything is settled."

"Are you out of your mind? Filing a divorce is like handing the media a silver platter, you idiot." Gray glares at me.

"At least I came up with something that would put an end to this stupidity. We just need to convince the administration that we're fit for ownership, right? Once we're the owners, we can divorce and be done with it." I look at the two old men, waiting for their reaction at my proposal. Gray, thinking about what I've just said, seems to agree. He shifts his eyes to our fathers.

It's Mr. Langdon who finally speaks after three minutes of silence. "Will you keep the divorce a secret?"

I haven't thought of that. I respond uncertainly. "I don't know."

"The media will definitely make another scandal out of it," my father says. I internally scream at him. I can't believe he really wants to marry me off to some fucking troll!

"We'll just have to deal with it when it comes. I swear to the goddess, I won't agree to the marriage unless you agree to my condition."

"All right." Mr. Langdon sighs in defeat. "File a divorce after five years."

"What!" I sputter. "That's a long time!"

"Lucy, it takes time to establish your power over the company. Helterground is a conglomerate that extends all throughout the globe."

"Three years then," I say grudgingly. I can't believe this is happening to me. It's a miracle I haven't broken down yet.

"What do you think, Gray?" His father looks at him inquiringly. The jerk is leaning against the couch, his fingers tented under his chin, as in meditation.

His eyes narrow into slits and he breathes deeply. After a moment, he straightens up. "It sounds appropriate."

"We have an agreement then." I clear my throat and pretend to be nonchalant about it. I'm so grateful my voice does not crack.

"Very well. We have an accord." My father extends his arm to Gray and they shake hands solemnly. "The announcement of your engagement is due on the third of November and your marriage is set a month after that. Until then, please try to have a reconciliation before we let you live in one house."

This staggers me. "Wait, what? No one said anything about living together!"

"Oh, but that would upset the idea of husband and wife, don't you think? We're not only expecting you to be the future owners of our company. We are also expecting a future heir, regardless of your impending divorce." Mr. Langdon smiles wickedly, smiling even wider at my evident horror. He and my father rise from their seats and Gray stands to shake hands with them again. I remain rooted in my place, disoriented.

"We shall depart now." Father walks over to kiss my forehead but I ignore him. Gray escorts them to the door and the room is suddenly too quiet for me to bear. When Gray returns, he sits calmly beside me and says nothing.

"We need to do something to prevent this," I say gravely, staring at the fireplace and the unburnt logs in the middle.

"Give it up already, Luce. We're done for. We can't run away from our fathers even if we team up and devise something magnanimous."

I jerk my head and glower at him. "So that's it, then? We're getting married?"

"You've seen the old men, Lucifer. They're desperate. My father would never ask me something like this unless there is another way." He meets me eye to eye and I cringe, struck with his forceful gaze. I've never seen him this serious, this determined.

I look away. "Fine."

"Let's make a deal," Gray says after a passing moment of uncomfortable silence. When I turn to him, he's smiling humorlessly. "No one falls in love."

"Like that's even happening." I glower, dismissing his dry chuckle and wicked absurdity. I know I have no way out of this, only the proposed solution of divorce after we fix everything. But what happens if we fail? Are we going to be stuck with each other for the rest of our lives?

I sure hope that's not going to be my case.