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How dare I use Chester’s financial status as a way for Frederic to accept a new deal. My love is not focused on his money or his status. It shouldn’t be about money, but for my brother and my mum, it is.
Chester has way more to offer than just a large bank account, but Frederic would never listen to anything else but the amount of money someone has. Money speaks in his world, and I used the most disgusting argument to convince my brother.
Frederic is quiet, as he mulls over my question. He scratches his eyebrow before raising them both. My teeth start to clatter before I bite my lip to keep still. I don’t know what to do with my hands, so I play with the ends of my thin coat. I hear him sigh even louder, and I realise I made a mistake.
Frederic rules; Frederic decides, and I’m but a foolish girl, hoping to have some power left.
“How much are you talking about?” I breathe out a sigh of relief.
But a sour taste is on my tongue, and it almost keeps me from answering. This isn’t about money. It’s about me falling head over heels in love with Chester.
“A one percenter.” The words roll off my lips, and they feel dirty.
“Bullshit.”
“It’s the truth,” I whisper, and my cheeks turn red out of shame. Frederic stares at me with disbelief in his eyes. He shakes his head slowly. But even though I want to hide and never show my face in public, I hope for a positive response. I need a different future. One that doesn’t include Thomas as my husband.
“Who is it?”
“Does it matter?”
“I don’t think it does.” My shoulders lower, and relief overwhelms me, as my new future slowly shapes in my mind. A future that belongs to me and not to my puppet master.
I can’t keep the smile from my face. I’m brimming with happiness, and my heart is already singing. I feel like I conquered something difficult. I don’t have to marry Thomas Meyer.
I breathe in deeply, and turn around, tugging my coat closer to my body.
When my hand touches the door handle, Frederic speaks.
“You can marry him as long as he remembers it’s one thing for another. You for the money.” I bite my lip and nod slowly. I walk out of his office, and that feeling of joy leaves me instantly.
What have I done? Love shouldn’t be traded. I shouldn’t be forcing Chester to lay down money to marry me. Something he doesn’t want. Something he despises.
What was I thinking? This shouldn’t have gone any further than just a wild plan in my head. I will be stooping as low as Frederic if I ask Chester to agree to something so absurd. I’ll rob him of his choice. I’ll be the puppet master demanding marriage, instead of my brother.
I fight for freedom, but I’ll be the one taking it away from Chester, if I dare ask him. My stomach becomes even more nauseous with the ridiculous plan shaped into my mind.
I can’t go through with it. I can’t. I refuse to be selfish, refuse to be like my brother. And it doesn’t matter anyway because Chester will never agree to it. At that realisation, my shoulders sag and I drop my head in defeat.
It was okay to dream for once, to believe I had some control over my own life, but I won’t force Chester into something he doesn’t want.
And he doesn’t want to have a wife, even if I would give just about anything to stay with the love of my life.
Anything at all.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Evangeline
Ishould have let go of the idea, but instead, I sunk so deep into it that it became the only thing I could think about for days. A fresh idea that turned my life upside down, and it was impossible to let go of it.
I wish it hadn’t sparked inside my brain, but now, I’m corrupted by it, and it creates a significant amount of doubt, resulting in sleepless nights.
I will not be a selfish person. I will not force Chester into his worst nightmare. I won’t be my brother.
“You okay?” I shake away the thoughts before smiling at the handsome man behind the kitchen counter. A curl hangs over his eye, and the first few buttons of his dark blue dress shirt are unbuttoned.
“All good. How’s dinner coming along?”
