Emilia Peyton
" She has to be here because the marriage is between Liam and Emilia my dear." Liam's father says.
Emilia could not believe her ears. She must have heard wrong.
" What do you mean." She asks looking directly at Liam's father. He couldn't be serious because as far as she was concerned, she was not going to be getting married anytime soon and even if she were, it was going to be with someone she loved. Not that she had any.
" Exactly what you heard dear." Liam's father says with a remorseful look that she couldn't quite understand.
" Okay, okay, I think there's a mix up here." Aaron speaks up.
" Mr. Kings, I think you have the names all mixed up. Well, it happens. Your son, Liam will be marrying my daughter, Julia, not the niece." He says while laughing.
Julia walks up to Liam, who had left her side minutes ago and attempts to hold him in the arm but is brushed aside by Liam.
" You see, Aaron, we're not denying the fact that the initial plan was to marry Julia, but seeing how her reputation with the media is, we just can't risk it " Liam's father retorts.
Confusion? That was too little of a word compared to what Emilia felt right now.
They were going to make her a wife to Liam Kings just because they saw her fit for their reputation. This was absolutely ridiculous.
" Risk what exactly, if I may ask Mr. Richard Kings."
Emilia says with annoyance. She was done playing the nice woman with the kings.
" Risk what? You're just going to ruin someone else's life just because it would be fitting to your reputation? You are not even asking for my consent and here I was thinking you were actually a nice man, Mr. Kings." She says referring to Liam's father. She had already started warming up to him. To think he would do this.
" Oh believe me dear, it wasn't my intention to do this, but we are in a dire situation and are in need of this right now, so when I remembered that Aaron had presented an offer to me 3 months ago, I decided to take it." Liam's father defends.
" Exactly, the offer was to get Julia married to Liam, Mr. Kings, not the other way around." Uncle Aaron says already getting angry.
If uncle Aaron was right, then they had no right to tell her to get married to Liam. This was all bullshit as far as she was concerned.
Liam's father looks at Liam, as if asking for help and Liam steps up while his father goes over to sit. Clearly not ready to argue.
" The documents that you signed Mr. Aaron Peyton, states that I'm to marry a Peyton. I wouldn't want to call you foolish, but considering your actions, I'm sure that word won't be wrong to use." Liam says.
Emilia was still confused. She now understood that her uncle had gone to the kings with a proposal, one that involved Julia and Liam. What she didn't understand is why she was suddenly in the picture. She had a feeling back in Canada that this meeting wasn't going to end well.
" What do you mean by ' a Peyton ', you know very well that it is Julia I want you to marry. You also know that Julia wants to get married to you. I wouldn't have drawn up a contract in my own if Julia didn't tell me that she was interested in you." Uncle Aaron speaks, his voice getting louder with each word.
" Daddy, you made a contract without actually including my first name?" Julia asks her father. 'How could he be so stupid', Emilia thought to herself.
" I- I, I thought that---" Uncle Aaron says in defense but is cut of by Julia.
" You what Dad?!! You thought? How could you be so stupid, for Christ sake dad!!" Julia screams at the top of her voice, her pitched voice getting even worse with everyone shout.
" Julia, honey, calm down. We're going to work this out, okay?" Aunt Claire says trying to console Julia while Uncle Aaron just sits on a chair with his head buried in his hands.
Emilia closes her eyes for a few seconds, trying to calm herself down before speaking.
" So, the documents state that you'll have to marry a Peyton, right?" She says looking at no one in particular.
" Right." Liam answers, already looking pissed with the whole situation.
" And it was signed by Uncle?" She asks trying to get clarification.
" Yes. Technically, it doesn't state that I'll have to marry you, Emilia, but you're the best option we have right now." Liam says.
The nerve of this man. This was her future he was messing with.
Emilia shakes her head and gives a low laugh as all heads turn towards her. They were all shocked see that she was laughing in a situation like this. She takes a few steps to him before stopping, although he was taller than her and she had to crane her neck to look at him, she still managed to muster the courage. She probably looked funny right now. A woman who was 5'8 trying to scare a 6'4 man. She was really fearless.
" Look here, Mr. Liam Kings. I don't know what makes you think you can walk in here with your father and impose a marriage on me. You maybe the most powerful, richest man in the country, but I've got some power of my own and I will never –ever let you have your way in this matter." She says looking at Liam in the eye.
He looked undisturbed, like he knew he was going to win. Emilia had to look away because, the more she looked into his eyes, the more she felt herself being trapped by them.
" Well then, I guess you'll be saying goodbye to Peyton Inc. , because you see darling, your uncle signed away your precious company in exchange for a wedding and the only way to keep it is by getting married to me."
Liam says and Emilia suddenly feels the air being sucked out of her.
What? How could uncle Aaron? How dare he. This was her parents company he was toying with.
With anger in her eyes, Emilia stares at her uncle hoping to get an explanation.
" He's lying, right?" She says referring to what Liam had said earlier.
" Don't give me that look. I did what I had to do. Julia wanted to get married to him and I had to use something to get them to agree." Uncle Aaron says without any hint of remorse.
This man was out of his mind.
" And the company was the most valuable Uncle Aaron." She asks fuming with anger.
Her uncle just looks away, clearly not happy with the situation himself.
" You know what, I don't care what you discussed with my uncle and his daughter, but I know one thing, you won't be taking my company and I won't be getting married to you Mr Liam Kings." Emilia says with all the boldness she had at the moment.
" It's my company, you ungrateful child." Uncle Aaron retorts as Julia and her mother also join in and begin throwing insults at Emilia, while she just stands there, not listening to them but thinking of a possible solution to this problem.
It is only until Liam speaks up that the family of Uncle Aaron quiets down.
" We did not come here to fight, we only came to create an understanding. I will be getting married to Emilia and that's final." Liam says in an authoritative tone that registers fear on the face of everyone in the living room.
" Any other objections?" he says, daring anyone to speak.
" I will not marry you." Emilia speaks boldly. She wasn't going to let this good looking, yet horrible man ruin her life.
" You don't have a choice Miss Emilia." Liam says in a bored tone. Anyone could tell he was already getting impatient.
" I'll be leaving now, the rest of the matter concerning the wedding will be discussed in Canada. I'll be seeing you all soon, especially you, Emilia." He says as his father gets up to leave.
" See you soon, Emilia." Liam's father says as they exit the building.
What just happened?