Chapter 7
**I am not getting married!**
Dinner in the palace was chaos waiting to happen the moment Adonis walked down the stairs to find his favorite set of dishes on the table—A perfect medium rare steak with hollandaise sauce and scones, as much as he wanted to act stubborn he couldn't deny how good the food looked. Slowly he sat down, cleared his throat and placed a napkin neatly on his shirt as dinner started.
He made eye contact with his father for a moment and frowned deeply as dinner continued in silence, Queen Evalene tried her best to form a conversation all to no avail as both her son and husband just murmur in response. She sighed deeply and focused on her food to avoid any more embarrassment from the two hardheaded men she loved dearly.
It was awkward, Adonis thought, the strange way his father looked at him, something was obviously going on, ‘Is there something you need to tell me?'.
‘I don't think your father's has anything to—'
‘Actually I do Evalene', Gerard cleared his throat as it was time his son finally learns the truth, ‘It's time you take your duty as the prince and the heir to the throne seriously Adonis'.
Adonis scoffed loudly, ‘I never wanted my title...nor do I want the throne. What are you keeping from me?'.
‘You're getting married'. Gerard blurted out loud and his son blinked in confusion, tension started to peak and Evalene knew there was going to be an outburst any minute from now with the way her husband broke the news.
Adonis started to laugh, a meek toned laughter that sounded deadlier by the second as it was the most berserk thing that has ever come out of his father's mouth—not only was he deceived into coming back home and skipping on an important business prospect, now he was hearing about marriage...that he was getting married?!.
‘Is this a joke?'. His laugh died down immediately as both his parents had blank expressions written all over their faces. They weren't really serious were they? he thought to himself, surely they were joking about the whole marriage thing were they?
King Gerard shook his head vigorously, ‘It's not a joke Adonis. Your mother and I have arranged a wife for you, she's a wonderful—'
‘I am not getting married!'.
‘You are Adonis. It's your duty as the prince of this great nation'.
‘To hell with duty!! I don't care about my damned duty Dad and you know that. For you to arrange a stupid marriage between me and some old hag is beyond evil, I have never wanted to marry....it was never my intention and it will never be'. He rose to his feet in anger and made for the stairs.
‘Your father will lose the throne if you don't get married Adonis'. His mother said and he remained transfixed on the spot.
Slowly he turned around, ‘What are you talking about?'.
‘Your father', she cleared her throat as she threw a death stare at her husband who made a stupid decision, ‘And his best friend Marcus Brynn of Brynn industries both made a brotherly pact. They signed a contract of an arranged marriage between you and his daughter Liliana.....of course no one has seen her ever since she was a teenager but if the both of you don't get married, your father will abdicate the throne to your uncle and Marcus Brynn will lose his company'.
It was hilarious and at the same time excruciatingly stupid to Adonis, it was an old trope from a romance novel, that his father—the monarchial ruler of a great country would do something as radical as binding their family and the throne by a measly contract....it was just unbelievable.
‘I don't care about your throne or Marcus Brynn's company, I am not getting married', He paused for a moment, ‘By tomorrow I'm taking the first flight out of the country and there's nothing you can do to stop me'.
‘You're not leaving Adonis'.
‘Watch me then'. He smirked and finally went up the stairs.
*******
It was already past midnight when Liliana woke up again, her face was battered with sweat from her soggy sheets due to the incessant crying she did after her parents told her the news of her marriage. Slowly she tiptoed to the door and opened it carefully only to jolt when she saw the huge bodyguard standing beside her door.
‘Good evening ma—'
‘I need a glass of water'.
‘I'll have one of the maids attend to your needs'.
She scoffed loudly and placed a hand on his shoulder, ’How much do you want?'.
‘Pardon ma'am?'. His brows arched in confusion.
‘You know what I'm talking about', she winked and placed her mouth close to his ear, ‘I can pay you whatever you want...just let me go and you are a rich—'
‘Your father warned me that you'll try to coerce me into letting you go', he chuckled softly as he gently pushed her back into the room, ‘I'll have a maid bring you a glass of water ma'am. Goodnight'. He shut the door and Liliana groaned in anger as she threw a pillow across the wall.
She needed to leave, she wasn't going to be forced into a marriage just to pursue her father's greedy ambitions, there was no way she would let herself be dragged into an archaic system of marriage. She paced back and forth, nipping on her bottom lip, pondering on a way to escape when her mother walked into the room.
‘Lili.....'.
‘He can't do this to me Mom', She clasped her hands over her mothers, ‘I am not getting married'.
Megan sighed deeply as she cupped Liliana's face with her hands, ‘Your father signed a contract Lili, he might lose the....he will lose the company if you don't get married. It was a stupid decision but one that could ruin our family if you don't step up'.
Liliana's brows perked, ‘Wait....you're...you're saying that if I don't get married, dad will lose the company?'.
‘Yes'. Megan nodded.