Chapter 2
The suitcase handle slipped out of my hands, landing with a thud on the floor, the room tilted, Mom gasped, and Ally made a noise. I wasn’t sure if she was shocked or happy.
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked in disbelief.
“I’m sorry; that’s why I kept pressuring you to find a job. He called and said he will be sending someone to get you.” He said,
And it hit me; he wasn’t having a heart attack. He faked it to get me back here.
“And if I refuse?” I asked quietly.
“Then. They’ll kill us all,” he said. We heard a knock at the door, but no one moved, and then the knock came again. I walked over to the door and opened it. A man stood there, tall well-built dressed in a black suit.
"Ms. Ryan I am here to bring you to the Thorne Residence,” he said.
I turned and looked at my father and mother. “Did you know?” I asked, looking at my mother, but she remained quiet; she looked ashamed. I looked at Ally, who now had a smile on her face.
“Please,” my father whispered. They didn’t care. If they had told me, I would have helped them, but they kept it from me. I was always ignored, forgotten. Maybe this was what was supposed to happen.
“Okay.” I said, walking back and picking up my suitcase. He took it from me.
“Zia,” Mom said.
“There is nothing you can say that will explain it. The minute Ally was born my life became nonexistent. Important moments of my life were tossed aside because she was having a bad day. I was unwanted and still am to this moment. You chose me because you never really cared about me. I never want to see any of you ever again,” I said, walking out the door.
I heard my mother crying but didn’t turn around. As I walked down the pathway, I knew I would never return here. I saw the car driving into the driveway. I looked at the man.
“Can you give me a minute to speak to my friend?” I asked.
“Of course, miss.” He replied, nodding.
I walked over to the car, and she got out. “Zia, what’s going on? Who is he?”
“They… I’ll call you and tell you about it. I need to go with him for now. Did you bring the stuff?”
“Yes.” She said, grabbing a small laptop bag and handing it to me.
“Your credit cards, passports, documents, and everything.” She said. I opened it and pulled my wallet out. I handed it back to her.
“I don’t know where I am going or what’s about to happen, but I will probably need money. Keep the rest. I’ll meet you as soon as I can, and we’ll talk, okay?”
“Promise?” she asked.
“I promise, boo.”
She hugged me. “Okay, be careful and call me to let me know you’re safe,” she said.
“I will.”
I walked over to the black SUV, the man opened the door for me, and I got in. He got into the driver’s side, and we left. I didn’t ask him anything or look ahead. I just stared out the window. I could see him sneaking looks at me, but I couldn’t really care. The only thing going through my mind was my parents basically sold me. They gave me up because Ally was too precious to them.
After what felt like an hour on the road, the car pulled up to iron gates; before us was a mansion. This was the wealthier side of Fairmont City. The car stopped at the door, and a man opened it. The man turned around and looked at me.
“Your suitcase will be sent to your room, Miss. Please follow Jordon,” the man in the driver’s seat said, and I nodded. I got out of the car and followed him. The hallway was filled with paintings. Every single piece looked like something you'd see in an art gallery, not something you'd curl up on. There were no family photos, no little trinkets anywhere. Just huge, abstract paintings on the wall.
Everything went quiet, like someone had turned down the volume. It felt less like walking into a house and more like walking into a giant, silent box made of money.
The entrance hall was massive. Everything was just so modern and... clean. The walls were mostly light colors or big, dark wooden panels. Huge windows stretched from floor to ceiling, letting in tons of light from outside, but it still felt like I was completely separated from it, like looking at a picture. I couldn't see any wires or gadgets, but I could feel the hum of technology everywhere. The air was perfectly cool, perfectly still. It felt less like a place someone actually lived and more like a very rich, very quiet museum, built to show off just how much power someone had.
When we walked into the living room, I almost stopped short. There was an older man sitting in one chair and three men and three women. They were sitting two by two in chairs, and in another chair, looking like he was mad at the world, was another man. I didn’t pay any attention to any of them.
“Master Thorne. The young lady” The man that led me in said, Pulling aside. I found them all looking at me. The older man sat forward, looking at me.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.
“No,” I answered, which was the truth. I heard someone scoff and murmur. He raised his hands, and everything went quiet.
“Do you know why you’re here?” he asked.
“Not in details but in regard to a loan”
“Correct. Now you will do as I say, or your family will pay the price. You will get married to my grandson….”
“Grandfather…” A woman said,
“Father, you cannot…..” One of the men said.
“SILENCE,” he yelled, and everyone went quiet.
“Xander, you will marry her and remain married to her for two years, or I will remove you as CEO of the Thorne Group,” he said.
“Father, with all due respect, Xander is engaged to Ms. Montgomery,” the woman said.
“He will do as I say, Isabella,” the old man said. He waved his hand to one of the guards, who left the room. He returned a few minutes later with another man. Who came over to me.
“Please sign here,” he said, holding the marriage certificate in front of me. I took a deep breath and took the pen and signed my name. After he looked at it, he walked over to the old man and showed him.
“Xander, do not disappoint me,” he said.
The one named Xander stood up and walked over to him; he took the papers and signed. The old man stood up.
“Let us return home; we shall see you soon,” he said, walking out. They walked out one by one, leaving us standing there. I looked at him. Tall, fair, and fit, he had muscles. Black hair and piercing blue eyes. He had sharp facial features, and his clothes fit well.