"Dad, I'm sorry..." Lana released her father's hand. She had thought about it thoroughly, but she couldn't bring herself to marry someone she didn't love. She couldn't spend her entire life with a stranger.
"I can't marry Sky," she stated.
Arthur looked at Lana with sadness. He wanted to persuade Lana once more, but he knew his eldest daughter was incredibly stubborn, and he always lost to her. Lana had a strong personality, and there was no one who could challenge her.
"Alright..."
"I'll help you, Dad, but not by getting married," Lana said. "Tell me, what should I do?"
"There's nothing. You can life your day as usual."
"But... what about your debts and the company?"
"Since you refused the marriage, let Hana marry Sky."
"Hana?! But she's still in college, Dad!"
"I have no other choice. Didn't you reject it as well? Hana will surely accept my decision."
Hana was very different from Lana. Her younger sister had a soft heart and never argued with their parents. Lana lived by her unchangeable choices, while Hana followed the path their father had set for her. Hana even chose a business major when Lana knew that Hana loved the arts. It was all because Lana didn't want to take over their father's company, so Hana had to carry the burden.
Lana was a terrible sister. She had often made her sister suffer. She had made Hana sacrifice too many times. Now, once again, Hana had to give up her future because Lana refused the marriage.
"Ellie, contact Hana and have her come home immediately. I want to talk to Hana right now," Arthur said. Mother, who had been silently observing the conversation between her husband and daughter, nodded and rushed to grab the phone.
"Don't." Lana held her father's hand tightly again. "Don't ask Hana to come home," she said with a racing heart.
"Why? I have to talk to her right now," Arthur replied.
"There's no need to talk to Hana because I will accept it," Lana explained.
"What?" Arthur's eyes widened at Lana's words.
"I'll accept the marriage, Dad. Let me marry Sky instead of Hana," Lana clarified.
Arthur smiled broadly. He hugged Lana again, exclaiming happily, "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."
Lana couldn't return her father's embrace as tightly as before. Her heart was still in turmoil because of this decision. She was very sad, but she had to do it to spare Hana from suffering.
Lana didn't want to be a bad sister to Hana anymore. She wanted Hana to enjoy her life and stop sacrificing for her and she didn't want Hana to suffer anymore. She wanted Hana to enjoy her life.
"Tonight, you should dress beautifully because we're going to meet Mr. Jonas and Sky," Arthur said.
"Yes, Dad," Lana nodded weakly.
Lana excused herself to go to her room after the conversation with her father was over. Usually, Lana spent her time after work making some cakes with her mother. Then, the cakes would be distributed to the children at school. However, this time, Lana used her time to cry.
As soon as she closed her bedroom door, tears began to flow heavily down her face. She had never imagined that she would get married so soon, especially to someone she didn't know at all.
"Everything will be okay. Besides, dad said Sky is a good person," Lana thought to herself to calm down.
Sky is a good person. That's her current hope. A good person wouldn't hurt her.
—or would they?
All of Lana's hopes shattered when she saw Sky's sharp gaze on her. After introducing themselves, Sky did give her a wide smile, but that smile disappeared when their parents told them to enjoy their time together.
"So, you're Lana Hollander, who will be my wife?" Sky asked with one raised eyebrow.
Sky scrutinized Lana's appearance from head to toe, then deliberately snorted heavily. Lana was sure a good person wouldn't behave like that. But what could Lana do? Nothing.
In the end, Lana had to accept that the man in front of her would be her husband soon, no matter if he wasn't a good person.
"Yes, I'm Lana who will be your wife." Lana reached out her hand to Sky, but he completely ignored Lana's hand.
"So, you're the hundred-thousand-dollar woman," Sky said as he circled around Lana, continuing his assessment of her.
Lana lowered her neglected hand, suppressing her annoyance. Now, she just remained silent, observing Sky's behavior. If she could, she would have loved to scream at Sky to stop staring at her, but once again, she couldn't do anything.
"Don't look at me with that hateful gaze," Sky remarked, turning his sharp gaze back to Lana.
Lana cleared her throat, then shifted her gaze to the beautiful lanterns in the garden. It felt better to look at something else rather than Sky's annoying face.
"Rich family homes are indeed different," Lana thought.
Lana was even certain that the size of Sky's garden was equivalent to her entire house. The garden was incredibly beautiful and filled with various plants. If only Sky weren't so annoying, she might have wanted to explore the garden with joy.
"You can't hate me because I'm the one who saved your family," Sky quipped with his arrogant tone, forcing Lana to reluctantly look back at Sky's cold face.
"You should be grateful because my father is a good person. Otherwise, I would have certainly put your father in jail for breaking the promise of not being able to repay the debt."
Both of Lana's hands clenched. She wanted to hit Sky because of his arrogance, but she couldn't do anything except endure all of Sky's trash talk.
"You're not even my type. You're very far from my level, but my father tells me to marry you," Sky complained.
"You're not my type either," Lana replied. She tried to control her breath as best as she could to avoid her emotions from exploding in front of Sky and ruining everything.
"Me? I'm not your type?" Sky asked with wide eyes. "Are you blind? There's not a single flaw in me, which is very different from you," he continued, oozing confidence.
"You lack manners," Lana replied in her heart.
Indeed, Lana wanted to unleash a torrent of curses at Sky, but she couldn't. She didn't want to get her father further involved in the trouble anymore.
"I think you need to learn to be grateful. You're very lucky to marry me," Sky asserted.
Lana just rolled her eyes lazily. Besides being arrogant and rude, Sky was also a very narcissistic man. It felt like all the flaws were in him. Oh, he was also hypocritical. Sky appeared good only in front of their parents. Then, his mask shattered when they were alone.
"Stop making that face. I told you it's not just you who feels burdened by this marriage," Sky warned.
Lana nodded in understanding. She tried to show her best smile, even though it was forced.
"Well, that's better. You should respect me because I've bought you."
Lana's smile fell. Sky's words hurt her deeply.
"Bought me?"
"Yes. You."
"Wasn't it your father who was sold to pay off his debt?" Sky smirked. He enjoyed seeing Lana's expression change. He knew she was holding back her emotions.
"Now, let's go inside. Our parents must be waiting. Don't forget to tell them that I'm a good husband," Sky said as he walked away from Lana.
Lana stared at Sky's back in a daze. Even though she was very angry, there was a sense of relief in her heart because it wasn't Hana who was marrying Sky. She couldn't bear to see her sister living with a man like Sky.
"Hurry up! Are you deaf?!" Sky shouted because Lana hadn't followed him yet.
"Yes!"
Lana hurriedly approached Sky, not forgetting the curses that lingered on the tip of her tongue for that man.
"You arrogant person! I will definitely pay you back someday!"
At that moment, Lana realized that her married life was a battlefield.