Laura's POV: Chapter 01

Chapter 01

Laura's POV

My night was broken. I woke up in a very bad state.

The previous day I visited my father who was lying on the hospital bed like a corpse with no movement what so ever.

May God forgive me for referring to my father as a corpse but just to be very realistic, that was what he looked like.

A corpse!

Lying, motionless, pale looking with a swollen face. Feet covered in socks to help keep them warm.

I stood hopeless staring at him for long minutes when the nurse looked from the door which had a see through rectangular glass frame above it, "give yourself and the old man a break," she advised making her way into the room.

"What about your sister?"

"She didn't come with me today," I answered slowly rubbing my father's forehead.

"Sick?"

"No, this situation is depressing. She doesn't want to go through that again today but I believe she'll be here tomorrow," I said slopping my shoulder.

She looked around the room and dragged the chair closer to where I stood, "please sit," she pleaded rubbing my back.

"I just need an answer to all this. When is he going to wake?"

She took a deep breath, "we don't know for sure but we are certain he is going to wake up," She answered and moved close to my father to examine his pulse.

"You know my mother had once been in this situation. She recovered pretty slowly after a major operation and I can tell you for a fact that those moments were the worst times of my life," she revealed.

"For how long was she in coma?" I queried.

"For four years,"

I gasped!

"Is that what you are saying with a calm voice? 4 years is a lot. My father has been in coma for barely seven months,"

"That's why you should calm down. Patients in coma need lots of care, patience, love, reassurance, trust me they can hear what you say. Their subconscious mind hears everything."

"What about patients who died from coma?"

"...and what about them?" She asked making conscious efforts to change the conversation.

"There are patients in that situation right? And which of them happens more? Do more people die from coma than they live?" I asked with heightened fear and curiosity.

"You know what, this is not the perfect time for that conversation but trust me, your father will wake up," she reassured.

I was still not convinced. I moved closer to my father, held his hand and perked it.

There were different tubes distributing different fluids into his body. The fluid on one was almost done when the nurse changed it to another, parted my back and walked out.

I rolled my blinds open to look out of the window to give way for more air. Not being a very active social media person I had an unusual urge to log into my Twitter account and the first headline I saw read,

"The Alpha conglomerates demands a contract marriage between their children and the Miss & Macs to foster both companies but the question remains which of their children the marriage was for. Some say between the first borns but a great majority are still speculating. Nothing is sure yet."

I got confused, for a minute, I forgot it was my family company being referred to. I jumped down from the bed and headed to Andra's bedroom. She was still fast asleep when I knocked her up.

"Have you seen this?" I asked thrusting my phone screen closer to her face as though she was a little bit blind.

"What," she asked with a dim look and sleepy eyes

"Look," I said turning her neck to the direction of my phone but she shrugged my hands off her head and yelled "if you wont read whatever it is out, you better get going."

She got down from her bed giving me the impression that she wanted to engage me only to head for the bathroom.

"You know what? I'll leave you to see this news yourself by then you would rush to my room because I know to a great extent that this news concerns you more than it concerns me," after my final submission I left her room, "thanks for not breaking my door," she yelled from the toilet after I banged her door.

About 25 minutes after I lef, there came a heavy knock on my door which really infuriated me.

"Who's it?" I asked despite knowing.

"Who else do you live in this house with," she asked turning the door knob without stop.

I walked close to my door and opened it.

"I just hope this nonsense isn't real and why do we have to see it online and not from mother," Andra prys.

"Do you know she can do anything. I guess she's trying to marry us off without our consent," I responded with a mild irritation.

"I don't doubt you because she can do anything," Andra agrees knodding her head.

"The worse part is admist all this, she hadn't been home for awhile now. If this is truly the decision, we don't have a way out," I said.

"We?" Andra asked sighing with an aggressive stare at me. "I always have my way out of her shenanigans, remember? You will do well to speak for yourself on that."

"I totally forgot,"

"Well, I just reminded you. Whatever stupid games this is, stupid prices must be won," she scowled.

She moved closer to her phone which she annoyingly dropped on the bed when she walked in and dialed mother's number which rang about five times and none was answered.

"She knows we must have seen the news. No one beats mum to these games. She plans everything head on, that's why she is not answering," I suggested.

Andra, dialed her number few more times before I told her to stop.

"In the absense of no form of communication, I suggest we go find her," Andra said.

"Lets wait till she's home. All this haste won't do much, don't you know our mother enough already?" I asked.

"I know her enough but one thing you don't know is, with our mother, you strike when the iron is hot," she replied and sat in front of my vanity mirror, taking one more look at her face before leaving.

I and my sister headed for our mother's office.

Chapter 02

Mrs. Ruth's POV

Earlier

"Ma, I will show you to a seat. Mr. Alpha will be at the office in few minutes time,"said the polite receptionist who had ginger hair swerved across her face and nearly packed at the back.

"Thank you so much," I responded looking back in close succession grabbing an empty seat close by to make myself comfortable with it.

The receptionist stood up, approached me and demanded I hand over my bag.

"Please follow me," she ordered.

She took me to another beautiful room where she showed me a seat with a glass of wine and made her way out.

"Oh my old friend I am so sorry I delayed this meeting for half an hour," came a voice from behind stretching his hands begging for a handshake.

I stretched out my hand to reciprocate but he withdrew his and rather opened his arms for a hug.

"I won't hug you Alpha," I said.

"All right, Alpha doesn't shake women."

"I know. As a serial womanizer I would be surprised if I see you shake a woman," I confessed and we both laughed it off.

His face, bloated from continual drinking, was of a yellow, even greenish, tinge, with swollen eyelids out of which keen reddish eyes gleamed like little chinks. But there was something very strange in him; there was a light in his eyes as though of intense feeling, there were even thoughts and intelligence plus a striking brilliance.

"To whom or what is this meeting for?" he asked lightening his cigar which seems to be a family legacy.

All his sons I have come across were always smoking which might be a coincidence or habitual ,but the latter seem truer.

"My business is failing,"

The Alphas have maintained their business from decade to decade handed down to them by their various fathers right from the 80s. They are also notoriously known for being shylocks whenever you run to them for help.

They have already acquired about four businesses in the whole of California. Businesses who couldn't keep up with daily demands and asked for a merger.

They had three sons and about four branches in different states, with their different sons managing one. Their companies ranked first to third followed by the others.

They were that affluent!

He walked to his wine shelf and brought out a bottle of Amarulla wine and a wine glass. And served me placing the serviette underneath the glass.

"Mr Alpha, I don't fancy Amarulla. You can just give me a bottle of water," I demanded.

"Or I can just change the wine and give you a red wine. A powerhouse of a lady like you deserves more than water," he insisted.

"What do you suggest we do?" he asked

I handed the file I came with over to him to see the paperwork of my company and how his help will prove beneficial for both companies in lots of areas.

"You are suggesting, I lend you some money?" He asked raising his voice in surprise and staring at me.

"I'm suggesting a temporary conditional merger coupled with a loan if you can go to more height for my sake," I pitched, trying to manipulate my way through in respect to our cordial business relationship over the years.

"I have another idea about this. First step is, why don't we arrange marriages for both our children, that way you not only have the money but also the influence and presence that comes with a union bound by marriage which is much more guaranteed," he said.

"What?" I said in surprise eyeing him.

Ruth dear, eyeing me will not ameliorate the sorry state of your company. You are either in or out, he reassured.

"I have two daughters who would never in their life agree to this. You have to change your terms."

"Likewise my sons but as the business demands, anything for it. I don't think my sons will like your daughters either."

"This whole request is ridiculous"

"What's your conclusion about the demand?"

"Now you are being very selfish, I thought you would understand. This is for us and your family as well," Alpha said.

Alpha moved closer and placed his hand on my arm trying to convince me even though my opinions weren't needed.

My husband built and maintained this business with sweat and blood for years and now it is gradually trying to give up on me. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure it stands.

"What about I go home and sleep over this? This whole meeting is just a circus to me. Do you demand same from all those businesses you acquire?" I asked in annoyance.

"Oh a lot of the businesses demanded themselves but I usually say no because my son can not just marry from any family. Consider this demand from me a favor. I don't do this often," he said smiling away.

"This is ridiculous," I yelled in surprise. The pride he exuded made it more annoying but I don't blame him.

"Nothing is more ridiculous than having the almighty Miss & Mac company lock up after years of existence due to bankruptcy. Doesn't that sound more ridiculous to you?" He asked.

When no response came, he knodded slowly and sipped from his wine.

I thought about what he said and it made sense.

I asked myself, "what would my husband do in this situation if he was conscious."

I heard all you said. I will go home and think about this. I will reach out to you in few days.

"You better not take time because a business goes down or up by more than 5% every single day. Each time you take, your business is decreasing. Never forget that," he advised.

I turned the door knob to open the door when he called me again, "Ruth you mind I take you out for wine one of these days?"

"I mind. I will have a meeting with my daughters and get back to you," I responded banging the door behind me.

Chapter 03

Laura's POV

"We want to see our mother," we told the receptionist who was sitting before her office. She ordered us to sit and wait for a while since a visitor was already inside.

My mother is the most workahocalic person I've ever come across. Also she comes off as stern, she can also be very ambitious to whatever extent it takes her. We just hope her desperation for the success of this company doesn't involve something that would jeopardize our happiness.

Andra was her copy both in facial features and mannerisms.

As soon as the visitor left. We bagged in without knocking.

"Hello ladies have you forgotten your manners? Better still, did I forget to teach you about a simple courtesy called knocking?" She querried.

"No ma we just decided to forget it at home today," Andra responded with a very stern look on her face.

"Laura, are you a party to this?" She asked slowly moving closer to me.

"No Mom. I'm not. I'm sorry for not knocking."

Growing up, Andra had always been the stubborn one. My mother would always advise me not to follow in her footsteps.

Whenever something shitty happened in school, she always asks me specifically if I endorsed it, a way to single me out from the whole chaos especially because I was the quiet type.

She's swiped her hair off her eyes and asked, "what's the visitation about?"

"Why was this meeting and the whole decision taken not communicated to us? We had to…"

"Watch your tone miss," my mother caught in interrupting her rude speech.

Who will marry the other had not been revealed but Andra being the first daughter took it very seriously more than I did because in the business world mergers such as this mostly happen between first borns who would be heirs to the respective companies involved.

"So I was considering calling you girls for a meeting but have not been home for a while. As you can see there are files all over my table. I have been compiling and arranging everything about this company that I haven't had the chance to," she explained.

Andra did a silent, "hmmm," and said nothing afterwards.

"This business is failing us. It is going down and down. The more I save it the more it is dying. There has to be a way out of it."

"So you want to sacrifice us on the alter of this company?" asked Andra.

She ignored her and continued with her speech.

"Recently I decided to seek the help of the Alphas, a close associate of your father and our company. He requested a merger legally binded by marriage between one of his sons and my first daughter, Andra."

At the mention of her name, Andra scoffed angrily and interjected.

Andra clapped both hands together and yelled, "Mom, I won't get married for the sake of the business neither will I marry who I don't like," she bemoans.

"Andra, honey this business has kept us abreast for years. I know Laura agrees with me when I say do this for us," she said looking at my direction expecting a reaction.

I have never seen her this lovely and soft spoken before.

"Mom I don't agree with you. You suddenly remember your innate motherly nature when you want something from us, especially when it is against our wish." I protested.

"Andra the only reason our life today is this way is because of the proceeds of this business. The status, the wealth, the name. Now imagine when you take on the name 'Andra Alpha'. How does that sound?" She impressively asked.

"It sounds nothing short of silly," Andra yelled back.

"The only thing or person silly here is you because I thought you would embrace this opportunity with both hands only to get this reaction," she said.

"There is no sensible human being on earth who would embrace an opportunity that wouldn't favor them." I protested.

"You didn't even consider whether I had a committed boyfriend," Andra asked.

"A so-called committed boyfriend that the family doesn't know needs to stay far away from you. You always bring yourself down below your level. A boyfriend without standards," she said disappointedly.

"Mum, I'm not marrying anyone. I will marry who I want," Andra sobbed.

"See girls, you knew your father well before he feel sick. How he managed to save this business for years. I want you to know that when you refuse to sacrifice certain things for this business, always ask yourself, "what would my father do if it was him?"

"All I know is father would never sacrifice our happiness for the business."

"Oh, he has done that before. When you both were little," she confessed.

"It doesn't matter. You should be the last person talking to us about it because what sacrifice did you even make other than running away when things seemed hard?" I objected.

Our mother had problems with anger. Sometimes and in certain conditions she's uncontrollable.

That statement made her mad that she did not know where she dived to her little pointy heels and aimed for my head.

I ran for cover and hid beside the table kept at the office bar where wine was served to guest. The shoe dogged me and hit at the center table which had a flowery glass design and shattered it.

"Don't you talk to me about any of it ever again in your life. You little brats you don't know what happened or transpired and you never will. You do not know the full story between I and your father," she yelled while sweats dropped down from her forehead to her chest. The sweats had the makeup on her face smudged.

Everyone froze. We didn't say a word for few minutes then I slowly crept out from my hiding place.

"You will marry his son just like I said and there is no in between," she ordered.

"Don't worry Mom. I'll create the in-between myself," Andra thundered and left while I followed afterwards and bangged the door.

Chapter 04

Richard's POV

"Can you imagine? I am marrying your brother, so I heard from my mother. I thought you would have called me to talk about this but you never did," Andra cried in disappointment.

"Wait are you serious? I refuse to believe this. It is a lie." I exclaimed like the discourse was strange to me.

"There is no way you haven't heard it at least your secretary must have briefed you," she said.

"My Secretary is not privy to certain company information especially with something that has to do with me, my brothers and my father," I explained.

She looked dull, her shoulders slouched. I approached her and rubbed her cheeks.

"When is the marriage coming up?" I asked.

"I don't know. You should know better your father came up with the idea," She answered slapping my hands off her cheeks out of anger.

"But your mother agreed. They both should know when the wedding would hold," I answered.

"I am definitely not going to sit and watch my brother have what is mine. He must never eat where I have eaten from. You mean everything in the world to me," I said moving closer to wipe off her tears which was already running down her cheeks.

"You know my mother very well. She would never listen to me. I have made her listen. She seemed to hear but not to listen. We have to come up with something. What do you suggest I do?" She asked with a cluster of worry written all over her forehead.

"Have you considered convincing your mother to seek another way for your father's business instead of merging with us?" I asked.

"You know this is a very ridiculous thing to ask. I know you know. My mother is the last person who would listen to anyone much less me when it comes to upholding her business through every means possible," she swerved off the hair across her left eye.

"Nothing is ridiculous especially when you are desperate and in this painstaking situation," I interrupted.

"I feel so single because why are you acting like I'm the only one stuck here? You are stuck too. Now you can do your best and at least add 'we' in the conversation. We have been dating for years and all of a sudden our parents wants to dash our years of effort we put into each other into the gutters in one night because of a dumb business collaboration," she loquaciously dabbled about.

"First of all, I'm not stuck. My options amass. You're the only person in trouble here," I thought, staring at her with indifference blowing puffs of cigarette smoke off my mouth.

A cascade of emotions bombarded me. Mixed feelings from anger to joy to indifference. I was getting married to Mr Cliff's second daughter while dating the first daughter whom I don't like that much but being around them for years I've come to crush on the second daughter more than I think is healthy.

Love has to take several seats back when it comes to this business. It matters more to me more than anything. Our business came to be this big due to mergers but this time my father decided to take one more step ahead through marriage something he never really considers.

Laura was beautiful, intelligent, has a motherly feel and dedicated. Observing her for quite some time now made me notice these things.

In business she may be a good match for me but maybe not in love and marriage but all that doesn't matter.

My father has not had any meeting with us but from all indication it would be me.

I am the heir to the company same with Andra, the heir to Miss & Mac but she was not very interested in business like I was. Her sister was the opposite.

I wanted our marriage and collaboration to be successful. The only way to do that was to convince her to run away so I brought up the idea immediately I had the brainwave.

"You know I have a suggestion," I chipped in.

"What could it be? I hope it is something that would work," she queried.

"Hopefully. I think you should consider running far away from home. Cut communications with your mother and sister for awhile."

The reaction I got was expressionless. Her face is coming from different feelings at the same time. I couldn't pinpoint one in particular.

"Okay ,no this is ridiculous," she lamented.

"Just like you said, in this situation no decision we take is ridiculous," I retorted.

"You will never be alone. I will always update you about the happenings on ground. Remember you're still mine and nothing or anyone changes that," I promised.

"I don't know how this is going to be possible but I'm not even going to think of its possibility because I'm going away," she ranted in disagreement.

"Then, prepare to marry my brother why are you complaining?" I asked with a fake show of disappointment.

"Do you have any place in mind. Where do you suggest I go to?"

"I'm suggesting Tokyo. It's a big accommodating city where you can have almost everything you need."

She slouched her shoulders, her face frowned at the idea.

"What's the problem," I asked.

"All bills on you?"

"Sure," I agreed wishing the conversation could end sooner than it began.

"How do I go about it?"

"I am suggesting you leave them a letter telling them you left for awhile but indicate you are in a good place so they wouldn't be worried to death," I advised.

"Oh spare me the sympathy. They put me in this position to begin with. If I had a way to make them worried forever, I would," she cried.

"Just leave a letter. You know all this is between us. No one gets to hear from you till I tell you to. I will update you about the happenings over here, you never believe whatever you see online. Just ignore them," I advised.

"You need not tell me. Tabloids have done more good than harm to my father's company most especially with their consistent fake and incomplete reports. I'd be a fool to believe whatever I see or hear from them," she assured.

"Tomorrow, we get this over with," I approached her and buried her lips into mine.

Chapter 05

Laura's POV

My sister left to God knows where and dropped this wacky letter with no address or anything.

Tragic!

My mother shifted the whole marriage arrangement to me, after all Mr. Alpha cannot differenciate who was the first between us and our mother knew, which was the reason she was milking their ignorance.

I pleaded against it, no one listened.

"Why do I always have to be the sacrificial lamb, the saving grace, the lamb who's always slaughtered so that others can live?"

Richard came with his father who was his manager and the company's secretary to finalize the marriage and success of both companies.

I have always been chatty and naive, probably one of the reasons Richard was having a hard time getting along.

While the meeting was ongoing, I signalled the orderly to call Richard's attention.

I called his attention to the inner room,"I'm Laura. I am sorry for calling you out of a meeting. I believe we both genuinely do not want this but we have to make it work because it seems we have no choice left", I asserted, my stare piercing through his eyes while I bit my nails intermittently. A bad habit I cannot let go of.

"Okay," he responded with his hands firmly inside his pocket.

I was disappointed and confused because I never expected the short response.

My clumsiness is always evident when I am nervous, while trying to bear my weight by placing my hand on the little ceramic table beside me, I accidentally flipped the glass on top of it, and it fell and broke.

I heard a thousand curses from Richard's facial expressions of disgust, disapproval, distaste, and total rejection. I could divulge from his expressions that my actions must have given him a sour taste.

"Sorry," I blurted.

"You know I genuinely don't want to marry you, it's all for the business" Richard established. "By the way, I didn't ask for your name".

"Sir, your attention is needed," said an orderly.

Richard walks out on me to answer the call. I burst into tears because for some reason I was already smelling hell. He made me feel worse than he found me.

"That was so rude, he repeated the exact things I said," I thought.

I stood motionless for a few minutes, lost in thought. My mother walks in, "What's that stern look on his face, both of you couldn't figure something out?" She queried.

"He stares at me like I'm foolish" I stammered with tears trickling down my cheeks.

Mrs. Ruth looked down and saw the shattered glass, she picked up the glass bit by bit and swept off the remaining little particles of it.

"You have to put yourself together today no matter how against your wish all of this is," she advised.

I scowled at her without saying nothing.

Both families had their conversations and signed the necessary documents. My mother walked in few minutes after leaving to ask whether I had packed my belongings. I glared at her without saying a word.

I looked at their family picture hanging on the wall and thought of nothing else other than shattering it. But I believed assuming the worst for the marriage wouldn't make me feel any better.

I had a little faith.

Three weeks after the marriage, Richard came to pick me up with his convoy, Richard was calm and said no words.

After a while, he broke the silence, "You know, I will organize a little honeymoon, you do your thing, I do my thing, do we understand each other?"

"Yes, where?" I queried

"Monaco"

"Oh, I have never been there before, I heard..."

"Can you increase the volume of that television, I want to hear that announcement from CBS News clearly," he interrupted paying no interest in whatever I was saying.

I felt awkward, angry then silent.

After we got to our new home, we settled in. The house was highly staffed that I had to demand privacy in some areas.

Richard was not chatty but very domineering. One thing I had here was a certain amount of freedom and privilege I never had at home.

I had to figure out how to stay happy for myself.

Richard organized the honeymoon, we took the jet. I was so happy and stared at some things.

We checked in, unpacked, and headed for Casino De Monte-Carlo where he met up with some old friends. The cheers when we walked in meant he's known there, he is highbrow afterall.

"Madame, Bienvenue,"

"Thank you," I answered.

Richard joined some of his friends at the table while they drank and conversed, after some time he joined the casino table.

"Madame," a pretty lady dressed in a mini pink gown that exposed her cleavage called.

"You can call me Laura," I suggested.

I stared at her for a while trying to figure out who she was. I remembered.

"The flight attendant?" I asked mildly interested.

"Yes,"

We both giggled. I offered her a seat beside me.

"Thank you, you know we come here a lot. This is such a nice place to relax. You are his sister, you both look alike a little bit. Beauty runs in your family."

I was disappointed at how unprofessional she was but on second thought, I wanted to have fun as well so I decided to play along.

"Your brother is a good man. Where have you been?."

"Oh, I I was in school. I just graduated," I lied..

"He said something about your marriage failing to be the reason."

"Yeah, I was married and studying in school. It failed and I had to come back home," I lied blinking heavily.

"Alright, I am sorry for that," she felt pity for me.

"You don't need to be, marriage is not a do-or-die affair anyways".

"Excuse me," I left and made way to my room. I couldn't hold the tears, I let some escape while trying to open the door.

Apparently, Richard told her I was his sister instead of his wife.

I put on some makeup and left the room.

In the hallway, "hello, you know you look beautiful when you cry," I blushed for a second not knowing what to say, and then he extended his hand for a handshake "I am Lamiel,"

I extended mine too.

"Laura,".