Chapter 8
**The Meeting **
She paced back and forth, biting her nails nervously as she pondered over the sacred decision of getting married. Her father made a stupid deal with some man she didn't know about, their family company was on the line and as much as she didn't care about the company—it was her father life's work, he built Brynn industries from scratch with a penny and a dream, now it was all going down the toilet just because of a stupid decision.
The sun started to rise and she groaned as she peered out the door to see the bodyguard still standing, doesn't he sleep?, she wondered as she came out the door. He opened his mouth to speak and she threw him a death stare, letting him know fully well that she was just going down for breakfast and that he was just a mere staff like everyone else.
Her favorite breakfast was on the table, it was a bribe she knew, but one she would gladly take. Marcus and his wife were already at the table when their daughter joined them, there was a magnanimous amount of tension looming in the hair which brought about an awkward silence between father and daughter. Megan chuckled nervously as she made a terrible joke, one that her husband and daughter didn't pay heed to so she pursed her lips in embarrassment.
‘There's a meeting today'.Marcus finally spoke up.
‘I don't care'. Liliana responded.
‘You're meeting Adonis today Lili'.
‘Who the hell is Adonis?'.
‘The man you're marrying'.
‘I never agreed to such thing', she scoffed loudly, ‘I know your company is at stake but you're not selling me off to some old man for your selfish desires....I am more than that'.
‘He's actually not and old man Lili', Megan spoke up, ‘I can actually show you his picture if you—'
‘No'. She blatantly refused. What was the point of seeing the man she was being forced to marry when she wasn't going to agree anyways? it all felt like a dream for a while, that her father was forcing her into an arranged marriage but he was actually persistent. Her appetite was ruined and she has him to thank for that, she got up and excused herself back into her room where a new bodyguard stood beside her door, he was buffier and way scary than the last guy.
Marcus sighed deeply as she regretted his decision to make that deal with the king a year ago, his wife placed a supportive hand on his shoulder and smiled, ’She'll come around once she meets the prince....I promise they would like each other, they have more in common than they actually think'.
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‘No'.
‘But the king said—'
‘I said no', Adonis glared at the butler who came into his room, ‘I don't have a meeting today with anyone and even if I do it's with my flight....not some stupid girl'.
‘Liliana Brynn has grown into a fine young woman your highness', the butler who was trying hard not to lose his job by keeping his patience intact, ‘I can show you some of her recent photos if you'd like'.
‘No'. Adonis refused again, his hair was all disheveled as he got up from his bed and poured himself a glass of water. What he really needed was a shot of whiskey and a quick flight out of the country, but no—drinking was banned in the palace and his father had restricted all flights out of the country until further notice.
He wanted to leave immediately after the argument they had last night only to be bombarded by the news from Angeline about all flights outside the country were banned. It was a petty but a pretty good attempt by his father to keep him in place, one that was working and he didn't appreciate the fact....now he was being forced to meet a woman that he didn't know or care about, his so called ‘future wife'.
‘Tonight is the yearly jubilee ball your highness, shall I prepare a good tuxedo for you?'. The butler asked.
Since he was stuck in the palace anyway and his father's words of upholding duty still rang in his head, he nodded and the butler left few minutes shortly. He needed to get out of the country and he needed to do it fast, but that meant his father was going to abdicate the throne to his greedy uncle. For a moment Adonis's heart was torn between to decisions, leave the country and never return or get married to protect his family's legacy and save his father from a disgraceful abdication....he didn't know what to choose.
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It was a pastel pink dress, bare backed with strings of pearls hanging down from the sleeves, there was a slit at the corner and as much as Liliana hated the idea of being forced to attend the yearly jubilee gala...She adored the wonderful piece of sewn fabric in front of her. As much as she loved digging in the dirt and hiking inside the caves of Thailand, she also loved being dolled up and wearing fancy dresses....the people she would be associating herself with she didn't like so much.
Tonight she was going to have fun at the gala and probably escape through there, she had the plan mapped out inside her head—Act like everything was okay and she didn't have a problem with her father, then escape under the blink of an eye.....she would be well out of her father's reach, even if it was the same country, she would escape before he could even breathe.
A mischievous smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as one of the maids helped her into the dress. She was dressed for seduction but she didn't care, she was dressed for escape as she slid one of the spare keys to the car inside her tigh-high stocking. Her hair was laid and her makeup was laid....it was time.
Marcus felt the tears welling up in his eyes as his beautiful daughter walked down the stairs smiling. He felt like a proud father as he linked his arms with hers, whispering how happy and proud he was that she finally agreed to marry to attend the ball. Liliana felt a sudden pang of guilt knowing what was to happen at the ball....she was going to hurt him but her freedom was way more important, she hated the idea of marriage and until be realized that the better it was going to be for both of them. So she placed a soft kiss on his cheek, urging for them to leave as she was only a few steps away from her freedom.