‘About a week now,’ says Andreas.
Teddy scowls at him.
Andreas shrugs. ‘He’d find out eventually.’
‘And neither of you felt like giving me a heads-up?’
The mood shifts slightly in the car. We’re all painfully aware that while our father actively loathes me, it doesn’t mean he has any real love for Andreas or Teddy. None of us are really safe from his manipulations; they’ve always just been better at dealing with him than me. Out of the three of us though, Andreas is clearly the favourite – if you can even call not actively hating his eldest son a form of favouritism. So it doesn’t surprise me that Andreas has known about my impending forced nuptials for a not insignificant amount of time.
Itdoessurprise me that he didn’t say anything though. When it comes to our father, the three of us have alwaysbanded together and looked out for each other as much as possible. That Andreas would leave me in the lurch like this is uncharacteristic.
He does, at least, have the decency to hold his hands up apologetically and look somewhat ashamed. ‘I wanted to tell you,’ he says carefully. ‘Believe me, I did. But he made it very clear that if either of us intervened that he’d… escalate.’
‘Escalate how?’ I snap before I can stop myself. I’m trying to remember that Andreas and Teddy aren’t the enemy here, but my patience for our father’s schemes is running thin and they’re an easy target right now.
‘He said he’d take the French resort from me,’ Andreas says.
Teddy grunts and mutters, ‘And he threatened to lock me out of the family account. Said something about teaching us whatrealconsequences are for once.’
I exhale slowly. Our father has never once given up an opportunity to remind us that everything we have is technically his.
‘So we stayed quiet,’ Andreas finishes. There’s genuine regret in his voice, which irritates me more than an excuse would have. At least I could’ve had a reason to snap at an excuse. ‘I also wasn’t entirely sure that he was serious about it. You know how he gets sometimes, throwing out any random idea and seeing what sticks. But then he kept bringing it up over and over again and I eventually realised…’ He trails off and gives me another apologetic wince.
‘There’s a pretty big difference between “let’s build an underwater hotel” and “I’m going to marry off my son to astranger in order to get a deal over the line”,’ I point out through gritted teeth. ‘One is slightly more realistic than the other.’
Andreas hums thoughtfully and tips his glass in my direction. ‘Debatable. The underwater hotel was a solid concept. Just bad execution.’
‘And this is all a moot point anyway, because you’re not going to do it,’ Teddy chimes in. ‘You’re not going to marry her.Obviously.’
I open my mouth, close it, open it again, and then clamp it shut.
Teddy suddenly looks alarmed. ‘Uh,what?’
‘I’m going to marry her,’ I say quietly.
Teddy reels back like I’ve just slapped him. ‘No, you’re not. Dre, tell him.’
Andreas just purses his lips and Teddy’s eyes widen in shock. ‘Andreas.’
Andreas turns to look out of the window, stubbornly refusing to meet mine or Teddy’s gaze. After a beat of silence he says, ‘I think he should do it.’
‘Have youbothlost your minds?’ Teddy squawks, looking between us both. ‘If this is some kind of prank, I’m gonna need you to end it now.’
Even I stare at Andreas incredulously. ‘I know I just said that I’m going to do it, but I didn’t think you’d be on board.’
Andreas is still refusing to meet my eye. ‘Obviously,’ he says, and his voice sounds strained. ‘I’d prefer you to find love on your own. But, I think, ultimately, this could be good for you. And for your relationship with him.’
‘In what way?’ Teddy blurts out, still staring at Andreas like he’s just sprouted another head. ‘Am I seriously the voice of reason here?Me?’
Teddy has a point.
Andreas shifts awkwardly in his seat. ‘I’m not saying it’s an ideal situation—’
‘Well, thank fuck for that,’ Teddy drawls. ‘That means you haven’t completely lost your mind.’
‘I just mean,’ Andreas continues, ignoring Teddy like he’s not sitting directly opposite him. He looks up and finally meets my gaze. ‘This could be what you’ve been waiting for. You do this one thing, and maybe he’ll finally ack—’
‘I get it,’ I say bluntly, cutting him off before he can say out loud what we both know he’s getting at. An unpleasant mix of shame and embarrassment starts to build inside me.
