Chapter 2 The Deal

I stood in front of a huge double door. My hands were both on my sides, cold and sweaty. Closing my eyes, I took another deep breath before raising a fist to knock.

"Dad, this is Cindy."

"Come in."

I entered his office. I instantly found him sitting at his table and doing his paperwork. Leon Foren.

He was always like that, busy with his never-ending piles of work that he had never given me his attention.

My father had always been a workaholic, but he had also managed to find some time to spend with us before. But since my mother died, he had forgotten that he still had one remaining family left. He abandoned me.

"Dad-"

"Take a seat," he said without even looking at me.

Letting out a silent sigh, I sat on a chair in front of his table and waited for him to speak.

"How's the meeting?"

He didn't even ask if I had a nice flight. The thought that I was tired probably didn't even cross his mind.

"Have you met Mr. Montero?" he added, now taking a glance at me. His ash gray eyes had no life as they pierced through me behind his eyeglasses.

"No," I shook my head. "Not even once. It was just his secretary who talked to me throughout my stay there."

Dad heaved out a sigh and let go of his pen. He leaned against the backrest of his seat as he pinched the bridge of his nose as if something frustrated him.

"Alright," he shook his head. "Anyway, I'm already informed about the success of the deal. You've done a great job, Cindy."

My heart leapt at the compliment. To be more honest, all I did in the meeting was sit and listen, while my secretary was the one taking down important details. My father only sent me as his representative since he couldn't go because he was sick, and he said this was extremely important, so I agreed even if I had no knowledge about this kind of stuff at all.

But hearing him compliment me even with my little efforts made me happy.

"Thank you, Dad-"

"I have expected it, anyway," he cut me off, causing my smile to fade as my eyebrows furrowed. What did he mean by that?

"Mr. Montero called me before your flight to attend the meeting," he added, intently watching my expression. "And he asked for something in return for investing with us."

"W-What?" Did that mean the deal had already been closed even before I left?

"You know that Dion Theron Montero is a successful man, right? He's the owner of the most successful chain of hotels."

Yes, I knew all of that. And my father had had a connection with their family for years aside from being business partners.

"Now he's looking for a wife."

My throat went dry. I stared at my father and patiently waited for his next words. I already had an idea where this was going, but I still kept my hope up that what I was thinking was wrong.

"He wants to marry you."

"Dad!" Eyes wide, I stared at him with panic and disappointment. "You can't just marry me off to someone I've never met!"

"That's the reason why I asked you to attend the conference on my behalf, Cindy Riella. I wanted you to meet him," he tapped his fingers against his table with obvious impatience. "But it didn't go as I planned, as you can see."

"Dad, please-"

"Their family helped us when we're about to fall down long ago. And this is the first time the Heir asked for something in exchange," he stated with his stern voice, sounding like he was not accepting a rejection.

If it was some other normal day, I would just keep my mouth shut and would never disobey him. But this time, it was all different! My future was at stake! Marriage wasn't something simple that I could easily enter and find my way out whenever I please!

"But I'm not just a thing that you can easily give or sell off to anyone!" I cried out. I couldn't believe what I was hearing from my own father! "And was he the one you're planning to arrange Lyna with?"

My father and Matilda had been discussing arranging Lyna, my other stepsister, with some businessman in a marriage. However, my stepmother was against it.

"Matilda didn't want it. Besides, Lyna is near going abroad to take her Masters."

So I should be the one to suffer?

I clenched my fists, lips trembling as the corner of my eyes heated up. I had just broken up with Rey, and now my father was forcing me to an arranged marriage.

How could he set me up to be with a man who was only popular with name, but physically unknown to the world?

Dion Theron Montero was extremely popular as he came from one of the country's well-known families. He wasn't officially introduced to the public until his father died in an accident and he had to take over all their businesses, the reason why the media was going rampant at this revelation. However, even with all the news of his sudden appearance and claims to be the only Montero Heir, no one knew what he was actually like.

He was a mystery.

I was like being arranged with a phantom!

"Dad... Don't do this to me, please," I bowed my head, not letting him see the tears that were slowly forming in my eyes.

"My decision is final, Cindy. Go back to your room and take a rest," he continued with his work, leaving me hopeless. The way he talked and treated me was like his servants who had no choice but to follow his commands.

And that's how I felt. The need to obey him in everything he commanded me to do was slowly getting deeply marked within me.

"Tomorrow, I'll arrange a family dinner with Dion Montero. Better get ready."