"For a moment there, I thought you said marry you." She shook her head, internally laughing at herself.
She believed she was hearing things. She supposed it was due to the fog in her brain from her hangover.
Damnit! I should not have drunk that much.
Anyway, she came to see him with a purpose. She needed her money to start her new life, away from her past and the pain.
"But, of course, that is hilarious." She knew he would never ask her to marry him. She must be thinking of what she heard earlier.
"Anyway, Lucas, I am here to ask if you can help me with my trust fund." It was one of the few things her parents had left her.
Her father's business was already having trouble before he died. Bennett Corporation was already on the verge of bankruptcy, forcing her to sell everything her parents owned to cover all their debts.
Yeah! It was a crappy life, losing everything in one blow.
But they said she was still lucky because she was alive. She did not know about that. Truthfully, it was dumb luck that she had survived with just a few injuries.
But if it had been her choice, she would have liked to die with her family. Why did she get to live while her father, mother, and brother had to die? It was just not fair.
"Daddy Frankie said I should talk to you about that."
She remembered what the lawyer said about her parents' will. She could get her inheritance once she reached her 21st birthday.
I could finally be free.
It was not much, but she thought it would be enough to get her a decent tiny apartment and a car. Now that she had a job, she could finally sustain living by herself.
The Preston family did not have to care for her. She did not need to be their charity case anymore. She could finally live her life the way she wanted it.
"Sure, Andy, I can arrange for your trust fund to get released." He sat back on his desk and started typing something on his phone.
"Thank you, Lucas." She said, but he hardly acknowledged her as he continued tinkering on his phone.
She guessed that was her cue to leave as she inched her feet backward toward the door, excited to tell her friends about her plans.
"Before you go, I also need an answer." He stopped her before she could take another step. "By the way, you didn't hear me wrong."
Of course, curiosity forced her to look at him, wondering what he was talking about. Then, he finally glanced at her.
"What do you mean?" She did not want to jump to a conclusion. It was just impossible as she raised her eyebrows in confusion.
"I did ask you to marry me." He enunciated the last part, emphasizing his intent. "So, I suggest you sit down and close your mouth so we can discuss it."
She remained standing for a few minutes longer, temporarily paralyzed on her spot. Well, it was a shock. She did not expect that in a million years.
Just like any woman, she dreamt of marrying the man of her dreams. In this case, she thought it would be Jeremy who would say those words to her.
"Marry me? I mean, marry you? But why?"
She did not expect that it would be him who would utter those romantic words to her. However, there were no flowers, romantic gestures, twinkly eyes, or sparkling diamond ring when he proposed to her.
If ever she could call that a proposal.
Technically, it sounded more like a business transaction that he could not wait to close. There was nothing romantic about it at all.
"Yes! My father wanted me to marry you as soon as possible." Lucas confirmed what she had heard earlier.
So, her suspicion was correct. Daddy Frankie was indeed talking about her. He wanted her to marry his son. But again, why her?
She believed there were many women more qualified to be Lucas's wife. Then, she also remembered what this man said about her.
"Why me?" She did not understand. It did not make sense. "I am sure many women would line up to marry you."
He placed his phone on the side and withdrew a folder from his desk drawer before turning to her. Then, he shoved the file toward her as if they were conducting a business transaction.
"Because Dad chose you." He decisively responded as if that would suffice as enough explanation.
Still, she did not get it. Why would Daddy Frankie choose her? She understood that the older man felt obligated to care for her. But now that she had turned twenty-one, he could stop.
"Well, I don't think that is a good enough reason to marry." Of course, she was not jumping into the idea. It was not as if she loved the guy. "This is insane."
However, she could not deny that she had a crush on him before. She thought it was love at first sight. She had followed him and adored him like a lovesick puppy. But he never felt the same way.
Eventually, she had outgrown those feelings after he kept ignoring that she existed. Then, she met Jeremy, her savior. Since then, she had loved Jeremy.
"Actually... this is your fault." He seemed to point the finger at her figuratively. "We are in this situation because of you."
Her?
"My fault?" She had no idea what he was talking about. Why was he blaming her?
"Don't tell me you don't remember what you did last night." He asked with eyes slightly blazing with accusation.
What was he talking about? "Last night?" She remembered partying with her friends. After all, it was her birthday yesterday.
Then, I saw Jeremy, my friggin ex, with another woman.
But when she looked at him and stared into his eyes, something in her brain lit up. It was like lightning struck. Then, the neurons in her brain fired up her memories, replaying the events of last night.
"No!" She gasped, covering her mouth with the palm of her hand as she vividly remembered what she had done.
No way! That was just a dream!
"Oh my!"