MARRIAGE PROPOSITION

CHAPTER 8

Cassandra fixated her gaze on her father. "Condition?" she asked.

Mr Briggs nodded in acknowledgement and took a sip from his tea mug.

Cassandra stared at him with disgust. She knew her father would never ask her to come home, propose to allow her to pursue her dream career and promise to restore her glory in the family without any condition.

"What's the condition?"

"You will marry Frederick Williams." Mr Briggs blurted.

Cassandra's eyes widened in shock. Cassie and Liam exchanged glances.

"Frederick Williams? William Carter's son?" Madeline asked.

"Yes, dear. She will marry my best friend's son." Mr Briggs confirmed.

"Over my dead body." Cassandra declared with clenched fists and abruptly stood up.

Madeline fell back on her chair like a pack of cards. There was no use talking. Her husband's decisions are always the ultimate. Liam and Cassie were as silent as a tomb. The unbothered Mr Briggs continued sipping his tea.

"I will never marry that man," Cassandra yelled.

"Then you risk losing your inheritance." her father fired and dropped his mug on the table.

Cassandra folded her arms across her chest and looked Mr Briggs straight in the eyes. "What am I to you? Some sort of artefact you can trade?"

Mr Briggs sighed and cleaned the corners of his mouth with a napkin. "I want the best for you Cassandra." he asserted.

"Oh cut the crap, Johnson Briggs." Cassandra retorted.

Madeline had a dropped jaw. Liam and Cassie exchanged mischievous glances. They were all stunned that Cassandra just addressed Mr Briggs by his name.

"Cassandra!" Madeline called out to her.

Cassandra turned to her mother with a tightened jaw. "Let me speak mom."

She turned to address her father. "You want me to marry Fredrick, don't you? Am I some sort of collateral? We all know that you want me to marry that swine based on business and I would not agree to this marriage." she said.

Fredrick William is a forty-year-old bachelor. He's the only child of Willams Carter, a billionaire who is into the construction business. Williams Carter and John Briggs are best of friends. There is a narrative about Frederick on the streets of Florida. He's addicted to women and alcohol. It is safe to say that the man is useless and has all his father's wealth to himself.

"I want to help you, Cassandra." Mr Briggs said.

"I don't want your goddamn help," she yelled at his face. Her hair which was tied into a bun loosened and fell on her face.

"So what are you going to do? Practice law in some damn state and live on scraps? Is that the life you want?"

"I'll rather work for my scraps than have my father milk a man out of his wealth," she replied and flipped her hair.

Cassandra could swear that her father wanted her to marry Frederick Williams so she could launder his wealth to her family since the man is utterly useless.

"Fine." Mr Briggs said and pointed to the door. "Get your luggage and leave my house. I disowned you when you returned from that damn law school by sending you away but it seems you haven't learnt your lesson. Today, I'll make it official. You are no longer affiliated with this family." her father announced and gave the table a tight slap.

Madeline gasped and placed her right hand on her chest. Tears were already rolling down Cassie's cheeks and Liam cast his gaze on the table.

Mr Briggs wasn't done yet. "You will no longer step foot in this mansion, Cassandra. I will ensure everything that belongs to you in this house is burnt to ashes and you shall have no inheritance. I'm striking you completely out of my will. You never existed." he declared.

Cassandra felt her chest congested. Tears were welling up in her eyes but she wasn't going to crash her vow and break down before Mr Briggs. He won't see her cry. She had told herself before leaving Miami.

She pulled back her chair and stepped back. "Then there is no use staying here. After all, I'm no longer a member of this family anymore."

"Get the hell out of my house and out of our lives for good." Mr Briggs yelled.

Cassandra nodded repeatedly and raced up the stairs. Cassie stood up and wanted to run after her but receive a glare from her father. The girl turned to her mother.

"Do something mom." Cassie implored.

Her mother gave her an apologetic look. There was nothing she could do.

Mr Briggs snatched his car key from the table and turned to Liam. "Let's go, son. We don't want to be late to work."

Liam lifted his head with a sniffle and stood up.

Mr Briggs turned to Madeline. "Make sure she gets the hell out of my house. She's never welcomed here."

He marched toward the entrance. Liam hurried after him

Cassandra pulled her luggage bag from her room. She got downstairs and was greeted by the emptiness in the dining. She knew Cassie and her mother couldn't bear to watch her leave. With tears in her eyes, she dragged her bag out of the mansion.

*****

It has been three days since Mr Johnson Briggs officially disowned Cassandra. She had managed to secure a condor in Orlando.

Cassandra used her entire savings to rent the apartment. What was left in her bank account would only sustain her for a few months until she gets a job.

She lay on the largest couch in her living room. She was facing the ceiling. Cassandra wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. She was thinking about the way Mr Briggs sent her out of the house last week.

All her life, Cassandra felt that she had been answering his call and doing his bidding. From childhood, she made friends with the calibre of people her father wanted. He had always insisted that she mingled with the rich and influential.

In high school, he forced her to join the mathematics club when all she wanted was to be a member of the debate club. It had always been business for Mr Briggs.

From the moment she switched from Business management to law, she had seen this backlash coming but had never envisioned it to be this cruel. After graduating with a first-class degree and coming out as the best in law school, Cassandra had expected Mr Briggs to embrace her but instead, he kicked her not just out of the house but out of his life.

Cassandra sat up with a sigh wondering about her fate. Did she bring this upon herself? Did she sin by defying Mr Briggs for once in her life?

She shook her head in disagreement. There was no way she was going to be like Liam. She wasn't going to give up on her dreams because her father had to be pleased.

Cassandra got up from the couch and moved to her refrigerator. She pulled out a bottle of cold water and emptied the whole content into her mouth.

Now that she had gotten an apartment, she'll hit the streets again looking for a job. There was no way she was going back to the GRAVIA law firm in Miami.

"Ferguson." she gasped.

Her father had promised when she came home that Ferguson would be released. She had been so wrapped up in her plight that she didn't call to check whether the poor man was released

Cassandra knew that Ferguson will embrace her with open arms and allow her to continue working in the firm if she shows up but she won't be going back. She can no longer stand the sight of Ferguson knowing fully well that she once placed him in danger.

She sighed and flung the empty water bottle to the side. She cast her gas on the empty wall. She couldn't even afford a television but that didn't matter to her. She knew she could call up old friends for financial support and Ruby will be glad to help but Cassandra had decided not to be a burden.

Cassandra wondered that maybe if she had agreed to get married to Frederick Williams, she'll be swimming in the pool of luxury. She smirked and was glad that she didn't accept the offer. The sight of Frederick disgust her and who would want to get married to the men who had fucked nearly all the ladies in Florida.

She'll rather feed on crumbs than be the wife of such a man and above all, she'll never allow anyone to dictate how she must live her life, not even her father.

Cassandra shut her eyes and rested her back against the wall. Her father's declaration came echoing in her ears.

"I will ensure everything that belongs to you in this house is burnt to ashes and you shall have no inheritance. I'm striking you completely out of my will."

Cassandra clenched her fists. Not only was she feeling miserable, but she was also getting mad with revenge. Mr Briggs rid her of her inheritance. She rose to her feet as she felt a sense of reinvigoration starting to envelop her.

Right now, she has one thing on her mind and will go to the end of the world to get it.

Revenge.

"I will get back my inheritance," Cassandra swore.