After Frank answered the call, he asked with an edge to his voice, "What is it?"
"Frank," Audrey called out his name, her voice trembling and filled with emotion. She took a deep breath and continued, "I, I," she stammered, struggling to find the right words.
"You what?" Frank said, cutting her short impatiently. "You know what? I knew you never loved me and you were just using me because I'm wealthy."
"No, Frank, I love you," Audrey replied, her voice quivering as she tried to hold back her tears.
"Well, actions speak louder than words," Frank retorted, his tone cold and dismissive. "You say you love me, but your actions are saying a completely different thing. If you truly loved me, then you should have done as I asked yesterday, but no... You made up that clumsy excuse and ran away."
"No, no, no, Frank, I love you," Audrey insisted, tears now streaming down her cheeks. "Please believe me."
"Well, if you want to prove to me that you love me, you have to come to my house and let's make love," Frank demanded, his voice devoid of any warmth or affection.
Audrey kept silent for some time, the weight of his words pressing down on her. Finally, she said softly, "I'm sorry, but I won't be able to come. My brother won't let me."
"I thought as much," Frank said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Your brother won't let you? What an excuse. By the way, I asked your best friend Linda out on a date and she accepted."
"What!" Audrey exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief.
"And guess what? We're gonna make love tonight. And just so you know, it's over between us," Frank declared, his words like a final blow.
After saying this, Frank hung up, leaving Audrey to break down in tears, her heart shattering into pieces.
Meanwhile, in another part of the house, Jake and Zach were sitting in the dining room, engaged in a serious discussion. Finally, Zach said, "Can I speak with Audrey in private?"
"Sure you can," Jake replied. "After all, you'll be getting married to her. But remember our deal."
"Sure, I will as long as I get Audrey," Zach said, a determined look on his face.
After their conversation, Zach climbed the stairs and knocked on Audrey's door.
Audrey, who had been leaning against the door, immediately got up and wiped her tears, thinking it was her brother. But when she opened the door, she was surprised to see Zach standing there.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of confusion and anger.
"Won't you at least let me into your room?" Zach replied, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.
Audrey stared at him for some time before reluctantly saying, "Come in."
When Zach entered the room, he sat on her bed and looked at her intently. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"I want you to marry me, and you have no choice but to accept me," Zach said bluntly.
Audrey stared at him with rage in her eyes before responding, "No, you're wrong. I do have a choice, and I can choose to say I won't marry you."
With this, Zach smiled, a smug look on his face, while she continued, "You rich men, being spoiled from childhood, think that you can get anything because you're wealthy. Well, I'm sorry to crush your hopes, but I'm about to go through that door, all the way downstairs, and tell my brother I'm not marrying you."
"If I were you, I wouldn't do that," Zach said, his voice taking on a more serious tone.
"What makes you think you can stop me?" Audrey challenged, her eyes blazing with defiance.
"Well, I never wanted it to be this way, but it's time you know," Zach began, his tone softer. "Your brother's suffering from a lung disease and needs a large sum of money to treat his illness. And I'm sure you love your brother, right? Never mind, but if you do, you'll accept me because we both know I have the power and money to help your brother."
Hearing this, Audrey broke down in tears once more, the reality of Zach's words hitting her hard. She knew it was true, as her brother was a heavy smoker and had been struggling with his health for some time.
Seeing her distress, Zach said, "Please don't cry, Audrey. I don't like seeing you like this. I never wanted to tell you, but you gave me no choice. I'm so sorry, but all you have to do is tell your brother you've accepted me and you're willing to marry me, and things will be fine."
Finally, Audrey agreed and went downstairs, her heart heavy with the burden of her decision, while Zach followed closely behind her.
She approached her brother and said, "Jake, I've accepted to marry Mr. Zach."
Jake's ears couldn't believe what they were hearing, and a smile appeared on his face as he said, "I knew you'd eventually accept him. Zach's a nice man. All you needed was just time to think things through."
Audrey forced a smile onto her face just to make Jake happy, and then she said, "I'll go pack my bags so I can sign the documents and leave with Mr. Zach."
After speaking, she stood and went upstairs, leaving Zach and Jake together. As she packed her bags, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sorrow and resignation. She knew she was making a huge sacrifice for her brother, but it was a decision she felt she had no choice but to make.
Audrey's mind raced with thoughts of what her future would hold. She wondered if she would ever find true happiness or if she would always be bound by the decisions made for her by others. She thought about Frank and the love she once believed they shared. How could things have gone so wrong? She wiped away more tears as she continued packing, each item a painful reminder of the life she was leaving behind.
Downstairs, Zach and Jake continued their conversation, unaware of the turmoil raging inside Audrey's heart. Zach felt a sense of triumph, believing he had won Audrey over, while Jake was relieved, thinking his sister was finally making a practical decision.
As Audrey descended the stairs with her bags, Zach and Jake looked up. Jake smiled warmly at her, but she could only muster a weak smile in return. Zach, on the other hand, looked at her with a possessive satisfaction that made her skin crawl.
"I'm ready," Audrey said quietly, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Good," Zach said, standing up. "Let's get this done."