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I take a deep breath and begin to explain, "It's not just about the pictures. My parents want me to marry Jewel."
"Wait, Jewel? The same Jewel?" Jake asks disbelief in his voice.
I nod. "Yeah, that Jewel. And it's not because we kissed. My parents are giving me an ultimatum: marry Jewel within the next three months, or they'll hand over the CEO position at Anderson Corp to my cousin, James."
The room falls silent for a moment, and my friends exchange bewildered glances.
Mike finally breaks the silence. "That's insane, Kyle! Why would your parents do something like that?"
I lean back in my chair, frustration evident in my voice. "It's all about having an heir. They're obsessed with continuing the family line, and they think marrying Jewel will secure the future of the company."
Emily shakes her head in disbelief. "That's not fair to you, Kyle."
Jake chimes in, "Yeah, and what about your own happiness? You can't just be forced into a marriage you don't want. And let’s not forget the fact that you’re anti-marriage."
I appreciate their support, but I'm feeling trapped. "Tell me about it, guys. I can't believe I'm being blackmailed into this. Butif I don't marry Jewel, James will take over, and that would be a disaster for Anderson Corp."
Mike leans forward, determination in his eyes. "Kyle, we've got your back. We'll help you figure this out. There has to be a way to get out of this mess."
Emily and Jake nod in agreement. "We're here for you, Kyle, no matter what," Emily assures me.
Their unwavering support is a glimmer of hope in the midst of my turmoil. Maybe, just maybe, with my friends by my side, we can find a way out of this ridiculous situation and salvage my life from becoming a complete disaster.
Chapter 3
Jewel
I can't take it anymore. The pressure from my parents is suffocating me, and that damn picture of Kyle and me kissing just won't die down on the internet. It's like a never-ending nightmare. So, I decide that retail therapy with my best friend, Jasmine, is just what I need to clear my head.
Jasmine and I have been inseparable since high school. She's the only one who truly understands what I'm going through right now. As we stroll through the aisles of my favorite boutique, I can feel some of the tension in my shoulders melting away.
"Jas, this is exactly what I needed," I sigh, picking up a cute dress and admiring it.
She grins and winks at me. "Retail therapy always does the trick, doesn't it?" She picks a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes admiring them before placing them in her shopping bag.
“Yeah, every single time.”
One of the things I love about shopping is that each time I pick up a fashion item, I always try to get into the designer's head, I try to figure out what was going through their head when they created that design and how best they would want the fashion piece worn.
My friends call me the fashionista because I always know how to pair the right fashion pieces together.
Jasmine and I shop until we are about to drop and our shopping bags weigh a ton. We are both giggling with excitement as we approach the checkout counter.
But the excitement is short-lived because when I get to the checkout counter and hand over my credit card to the cashier, the payment doesn’t go through.
“Do you perhaps have another card?” She asks with a stiff smile.
My cheeks burn with embarrassment as I stammer, "Uh, can you try that again, please?"
The cashier gives me a sympathetic look and swipes the card once more, my heart sinks as the cashier tries to swipe it a few more times, but the result is the same—declined.
"I'm so sorry, miss, but it's not going through," she says softly.
I can feel the panic rising in my chest. I've never had a problem with my credit card before. I quickly take out my phone and check my bank app, praying it's just a glitch. But no, there's a message there that makes my blood run cold: "Account blocked by authority."
My hands tremble as I show the message to Jasmine. "Jas, look at this! My account has been blocked, and it says 'by authority.' What the hell does that mean?"
Jasmine's eyes widen as she reads the message. "That's... that's not good, Jewel. Probably you should call your dad or something?"
