CHAPTER 4: CHANCE MEETING III
Back at the car, James sat fuming. The air around the car was so stifling that Angelo and Antonio both found it hard to breathe at the same time.
When he had first come out of the office, Angelo saw him and felt that Diana had pissed him off somehow because his face did not look too good it wasn't until they had entered the car did Angelo understand how he had underestimated his anger.
Immediately they got in the car, he had broken the door knob of the car out of anger.
''How dare her!'' James repeated for the umpteenth time under his breath. well if he did not teach her a lesson then he wasn't him.
"Head to Holland Gardens", he suddenly said. At first no one reacted because the tension had made everyone sit still. It wasn't until he barked the order did Antonio move almost immediately.
nb; Holland Gardens is located at Kensington Palace, one of the richest places in London.
From her office, it took Diana about 25 minutes without the traffic to get to her humble home in Clap ham where she stayed with her family. As she got inside, the sight of a huge living room with well decorated wall, fireplace and expensive sofa greeted her. Her eyes searched around for her mother but she couldn't find her. She climbed upstairs, headed for her mother's room as she shouted
"Mom! Mom!! Where the fuck are you?".
Mrs Katherine Pierce shouted back at her daughter, "in here darling.''
Valerie came into the house and sat on the sofa to wait for her boss.
Diana entered her mom's room and saw her playing African Jazz while humming and painting her toe nails on a stool. Diana dropped the file she carried by the side of her mom on the bed she sat.
Katherine looked at her daughter and saw she was not smiling. She reduced the music and turned to look at the file she dropped. She picked the file and opened it. After scheming through the file, she looked back up at her daughter.
"Mom is this true?" The tears that had been threatening to fall from Diana's eyes were already dropping.
Katherine didn't answer at first until she asked her again.
"Mom i'm asking if this is this true? Did you and dad make this kind of deal with the Higgins?" She was already half shouting.
Katherine sighed before she answered, ''yes honey, we did."
"You did what?" Diana asked again as if not believing it.
"Look honey its really not what you think. Your dad and i were in a very difficult position so a friend of his introduced him to Harold Higgins and then we were asked to give something in return for the huge help he had to offer. Your father and i had nothing to give so Mr Harold asked if we had a daughter, and when we responded, he suggested that we give our daughter's hand in marriage to his son".
Diana did not wait for her mom to finish before she harshly cut in, "So you and dad just gave me up like that? Mom for crying out loud, you could have given away my other sisters but you chose me why? You sold me off for money Isn't that what this is?" Diana was no longer half shouting she was practically shouting at her mom.
Katherine got pissed and stood up shouting back at her daughter. "Now you hold your mouth right there young lady. Giving you up for marriage was one of the hardest things your father and i had to do".
"Oh yeah, it doesn't look so hard to me now i think about it".
Katherine ignored her barb and continued, "if we hadn't made that deal do you think we will be leaving in this kind of house hmm? Do you think you would have finished your business school successfully and have the kind of job you have now and in the location you have it? No that's cause everything had already been planned out for you don't you get it. It was even more beneficial to you than your other siblings and that family has been fair to us for giving them just your hand in marriage and let me tell you even if their son is a cripple you will get married to him whether you like it or not, you have no choice in this matter". Katherine finished and sat back down with a deep breath trying to calm her nerves.
Diana slumped on the bed devastated. she looked at her mom as the tears continued to drop,
"I guess you haven't even seen their son then?" Katherine chose not to answer her daughter.
"But mom i'm just 23," Diana pressed amidst tears.
"Well, girls your older than are getting married and having kids so that's not an excuse and your wedding is in two days according to that contract so you had better start getting yourself ready". Katherine said her piece and turned back to her earlier work of painting her nails before her daughter interrupted her.
Diana stood up, took one good look at her mom before exiting her presence. she cleaned her face and went down to meet her secretary.
Valerie saw her boss come down the steps and went to her. Her boss had given her a little gist on the situation before they got home hence why she asked "so what are we going to do now?"
"Well it seems i'm really getting married". Diana said resignedly.
Valerie raised her brows and blinked.
Diana smirked at her reaction and gave a wry smile. "At least he's not that bad."
If only James had heard her describing him a guy girls practically died for as 'not that bad', he would have probably vomited blood.
Valerie patted her back and led her to seat on the sofa. "You know i'm always here for you not just as your secretary but as your best friend too no matter what".
Diana smiled and hugged her close, "i love you too Valerie".
Valerie had been her closest ally right from when they were teens. She was an African woman who had come to America with her parents when she was still a baby. Her father was what you could consider rich because he ran one of the wealthiest business then in America and made a lot of rich friends home and abroad. As she grew she became a citizen of America as an African-American. She went back home to Africa almost regularly until some circumstances led to her Father going bankrupt hence why her fathers friend introduced him to said Mr Holland. Now she understood why they had all reluctantly moved to London she, her parents and her 4 other siblings. yes they were 5, with herself being the second to the last and that was where she met Valerie on her first day of school. The catering business has always been her dream and her friend had Supported her all the way. It wasn't like if she wanted to have her own life she couldn't, her parents were also what you would consider rich but she just wanted to stick to her like any sister would and she was more closer to this her friend than her other siblings.
Valerie pulled away from her friend and looked at her, "i think i have to leave now before your elder sister comes and meet me here and starts giving the usual cold shoulder she normally gives, you know she hates me".
Diana laughed at her friend, "no really Val, she doesn't. My sister gives everyone the cold shoulder she's not much of a smiler like me obviously".
Valerie smirked at her, "then i wonder how she's gonna get laid like that".
The person they were talking about suddenly walked through the door with her cold face. "Uhm thanks Valerie. I think i'm going to get laid just fine, and if i am eventually gonna have a problem with it i will not forget to talk to you".
Valerie turned to Diana with an i told you look and stood up. "Dee, this is my cue".
Diana stood up too and saw her to the door as her sister ignored them and walked upstairs. After Valerie left, Diana shut the door behind her and went upstairs to her room to think about the wedding she was being forced to have.