The first light of the day filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a soft glow that gradually illuminated the room.
Avery had already taken care of herself by washing up and getting dressed for the schedule she had today. She plans to meet her father and report what happened yesterday to him.
Avery went for her photoshoot and took snaps for the hair brand. She was about to leave when she received a message on her phone from her father, instructing her to come to the company in the next thirty minutes.
Avery, who had already planned to visit her father after completing her scheduled activities, made her way out of the company.
When she stepped outside, she discovered that her father had already sent one of his men to drive her to the company.
Avery was surprised to see her father treat her nicely because he would never do that. She got into the car, and the chauffeur drove her to her father's company.
"He said he will be in his office room," the chauffeur delivered the message to her.
"Thank you," Avery replied, walking inside the company.
She took the elevator and reached the tenth floor. Her high heels made soft sound on the marble floor as she walked towards her father's office. The secretary stood up and bowed before her.
"He is inside," the woman said, maintaining a neutral face. Not too friendly, not too stoic.
Avery nodded her head and gently knocked on the door. When she got inside, her father was sitting in one of the office chair, facing her, while another man sat in front of him with his back turned to her.
Avery had already tried to quietly exit the room without interrupting the two men who were deep in discussion but her father caught her.
"Avery!" Her father exclaimed happily.
Avery smiled awkwardly as she bowed her head in greeting. Her father never acts like this to her so why is he so nice now?
"Come, come. We were discussing your matters. Come and sit down." Her father said with enthusiasm.
'Wait! Discussing her matters?' Avery thought as she began to walk to where her father was.
' Did my sister already come here to badmouth me again or what?'
' But he is smiling at me,' Avery thought in silence as she walked awkwardly towards them.
A guest was sitting opposite him. Avery took a seat beside the man who had been quietly discussing matters with her father since she arrived. She didn't take a glance at him since she was in haste.
And her father's company matters don't have anything to do with her. Her father chuckled, smiling warmly at her and the man before him.
"Meet Sebastian, your soon-to-be husband," he revealed, his smile widening.
"Mr. Sebastian, this is Avery, my youngest daughter," Walter said, facing the man and showing his bright white teeth at him.
Avery's jaw dropped in shock. The room fell silent and the hairs on her back stood straight, goosebumps forming on her skin.
"Dad, what are you talking about? I don't have any fiancé" Avery said, her voice barely a whisper as she tried to see if her father was joking with her. Her eyes widened.
All hell broke loose when the man presumed to be Sebastian turned his head, his lips pulled up to form a smirk. He gently offered her a handshake.
Avery almost screeched in her chair as the man faced her.
It was the same man who had saved her from Logan and shamelessly undressed her.
The man she met in the club. The one who refused to take any compensation from her.
The same handsome guy who knew her apartment even without describing it to him.
And now, a marriage!
A marriage with a fucking stranger she met last night?
'No, this can't be happening!' She screamed in her head, while the man only smiled at her.
Her lips were pressed against each other.
Her hazel eyes stared at him in shock and bewilderment.
"My name is Sebastian. Nice to meet you, Avery. You are beautiful, just like how he described you," Sebastian said, still holding his hand out for Avery to shake.
Avery felt the urge to scream at her father for agreeing to something like this.
How could he?
Walter is rich and influential. Why would he propose an arranged marriage for her?
'I'm only 23 years old! Fuck!" She cursed in her mind.
Avery stared at her father in disgust, hoping to discern whether he was playing a joke on her.
Walter noticed the emotions on Avery's face and he wasn't ready for her bantering.
"I will give you two privacy to discuss things and get to know more about each other,"
Walter said as he stood up from the chair.
Bowing his head, he added,
"Thank you, Mr. Sebastian."
This even surprised Avery more, her father was showing respect to this guy.
As soon as her father left, Avery stood up from the chair and rested one of her hands on her hip.
"I don't know what game you are playing, but I already thanked you enough yesterday for saving me. I don't understand why you're talking about getting married to me when I don't even know you from Adam." Avery snapped at the guy in front of her.
Sebastian looked at the woman before him. His dark eyes lazily look at her from head to toe.
"Did you think I'm in love with you or something?" Sebastian asked, staring into her deep hazel eyes.
"Ask your father, and he will explain everything to you better," Sebastian said slowly, standing up from the chair and picking up the briefcase lying on the table.
Avery staggered back at his words. She couldn't believe it.
'Where did it all go wrong?'
"I will send one of my men to pick you up in the evening. Get your things ready, Avery," he said, making his way out of the room.
It now dawned on her why the man who drove her yesterday knew her house and where she was living without asking her. She tried to piece everything together not until the door opened, and her father walked into the room.
"What is going on here, Father?" Avery asked her father as soon as he walked in.
"Explain to me! What... Is... Going on?" she said out loud, banging her hands on the table.
"You don't raise your voice at me, Avery. I did what any reasonable father would do in this situation. My company is failing, and he offered to help me out even though we owe him a substantial sum of money."
"What are you saying, Father? We've already paid off all the debt when you pleaded with Logan to marry my sister in my place just because he was wealthy. Even when you knew he was my fiancé!" Avery yelled, her eyes stinging with tears.
"Father, what did I do so wrong? You are robbing me of my freedom—" Avery snapped.
Her words cut short. A slap landed on her cheek.
"How dare you talk back to me like that, Avery? After your mother left with a rich man just because my company went bankrupt, I stood behind you all and trained you till this age, and this is how you want to repay me?"
"Logan paid half of the debt, but I had to meet with Mr. Sebastian because he is the wealthiest in Los Angeles. He helped me, and I promised to pay him back. I was supposed to pay him back next month, but you know what happened, right?"
"Someone reported our product as fake, causing a significant loss for us. Just marry him, Avery; that is all you can do. You need to help your father." Walter explained, his voice laced with anger.
"But why me, Father?" Tears were already streaming down her eyes.
"You blamed me for everything. You blamed me for my mum's disappearance, accused me of my sister's inability to give birth. Embarrassed me by saying I sleept with Logan behind my sister's back just because of what my Jessica told you." Avery explained pausing. Her lips parted again.
"I wanted to report what happened yesterday at the party organized at..." She continued only for her words to be cut short and whatever she was planning to say remain untold.
"Enough, Avery... I don't want to hear more of your lies. I know you hate your sister because of what happened a year ago, but Logan chose her over you. You can't keep blaming her." Walter snapped at his daughter. His clenched his fist in anger.
"Then I won't marry that man," Avery whispered.
"You dare not defy me, Avery," Walter declared, his voice full of confidence.
"You had better do it, and it's a contract marriage. Once I pay his debt, you will be free." He added.