Chapter 2 •The Agreement•

“Rewinding time is not possible, but 'do-over' is, sometimes we get another chance to do something right the second time that we got it wrong the first time.”

Five years ago…

"You're not supposed to sell your daughter! How could you do this to me, Dad?!" I screamed at him, throwing the vase that was placed on the nightstand. The veins in my head were palpating because of the rage that I was feeling and was seconds away from killing someone.

"Please Eve, just listen to me for once." He tried to calm me by rubbing my arm, but my rage didn't fade away.

"Listen to you? I'm not listening to your bullshit! And keep me the hell away from your business." I almost growled, trying my best to keep my demeanor in check.

"Evelyn!" Marcus, my elder brother yelled at me as he stood at the entrance of my room, looking at me with disappointment.

He never raised his voice at me, and today was the first time in the eighteen years of my life that he has ever yelled at me.

"Dad, leave. I'll talk to her." Marcus said to Dad.

Dad left the room after glancing at me, his eyes told me the desperation that he had right now as if my whole future wasn’t at stake. I wouldn't going to be emotionally blackmailed by him.

Collapsing on my bed, I hid my face in the pillow. If Marcus thought that he could convince me, he could try. Because no matter how hard they try to persuade me, I would never marry a stranger.

"Eve, look at me." Marcus dashed towards me and sat in front of me in the bed.

Marcus could never watch me cry, and when I lifted my head to look at him, his eyes immediately softened.

My elder brother immediately wiped the tears off of my face, "Why are you crying?" He asked.

"B-Because Dad wants me to marry a stranger." I hiccupped as he gave me a small smile, but I could see the sadness hidden in his smile.

"Correction, he wants you to meet him, just for once." He said while tucking the strands of my hair behind my ear.

"Meet him? And then what? We'll eventually get married to each other." I spoke.

"Eve, your elder brother is here. And I'll not allow you to marry someone that you don't like."

"I know, Marc. I know. But it wasn't supposed to go like this, I was supposed to finish high school, graduate college, get a job, find love, and then get married, not the other way around." I said, my voice laced with grief.

"I know, Eve. But trust me, Xavier is a very good friend of mine. He'll take good care of you." Marc explained.

"But, why did I have to marry him? Why not someone else? And I'm not even an adult yet." I questioned.

Before he could explain anything further, I asked, "Tell me the truth, Marcus. The truth, please?"

"Our grandfather, Andrew Williams, and his grandfather Steven Knight had an agreement signed between them." He mumbled.

"What agreement?" I asked in concern.

"Ten years ago, our company was in huge debt and our grandfather couldn't do anything to save it. But Steven Knight offered to pay our debt on one condition that you need to marry his grandson for that. At that time, you were only eight and he was twelve years old." He said and his eyes lowered to the ground as guilt covered his face.

Tears pricked the back of my eyes as I hid my face in between my hands, "What kind of twisted psychology is it? And what if I don't marry his grandson?"

"Knight Empire will take over Williams Industries." He answered.

"How can Steven Knight be so selfish?" I hissed in contempt. Steven Knight was Grandpa's old friend, and I don't know why he had put that condition in front of Grandpa.

"I don't want any of this to happen to you, Eve. Trust me. I'm so sorry." Marcus apologized.

Why was everything so complicated?

"I don't know what to say," I said, rubbing my temples with my fingers. My head was going to explode with all the information Marcus was bombarding me with.

"We're not forcing you, Eve. Think about it and remember I'm having your back in every decision." His voice was exhausted, and I knew Marcus was trying his best to call off the agreement, and he'd always be there for me.

I felt really bad for putting him in such a situation.

Marcus sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I never wanted any of this for you. But we're running out of time, and Dad is desperate to save the company. It's like a sinking ship, and this marriage is the only lifeboat he sees."

I wiped away the tears, trying to gather my thoughts. "So, I'm just a pawn in their game to save a company? What about my dreams, my life?"

"I know it's unfair. I hate it as much as you do. But if we don't comply, we lose everything. Our family legacy, the company, our home - all gone," Marcus explained, his eyes pleading for understanding.

"Why didn't they tell me about this before? Why keep it a secret until now?" I questioned, feeling betrayed.

"Grandpa thought he could handle it, but his health deteriorated faster than we anticipated. We were hoping to find a way out before breaking the news to you," Marcus admitted, guilt etched across his face.

I took a deep breath, trying to absorb the weight of the situation. "And this Xavier guy? What if he's a monster? What if I end up miserable?"

"I promise, Eve, Xavier is not a monster. He's a decent guy, and I've known him for years. But if you truly can't stand him after meeting, we'll find another way. I'll talk to Dad, and we'll figure something out together," Marcus assured me.

I looked at Marcus, searching for sincerity in his eyes. "You promise?"

"I promise, little sis," he said, giving me a tight hug. "I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you're happy."

As Marcus released me, I sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. "I need time to think, Marcus. This is too much to process."

"Take all the time you need. But remember, the clock is ticking," he said, standing up. "I'll be right here if you want to talk."

I know how hard it was for him to share the news with me. He had never hidden anything from me, not when our mother died. He just came into my room, hugged me tightly, saying, 'Our mother became an angel, princess. And she'll be our guardian angel from now on.' And we cried our hearts out that day in each other's embrace.

Marcus worked day and night on his projects, elevating our Industries from ground to sky. I know how tense he would be, after knowing the truth.

After he left my room, I hugged my knees and rested my head over them. My mind was a tangled mess at this moment. There was a lot at stake now and my decision could change everything. If I reject him completely, we might lose our shares, and If I accept, I would be stuck in a loveless marriage with a stranger.

After taking a shower, I looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were red and puffy because of all the crying. Once this issue is over, I would be spending a day pampering myself, probably with a nice massage and facial.

Once I dried my hair, I pinned them up in a high pony. Applying a little make-up to hide my puffy eyes and left the room.

At the dinner table, both Dad and Marcus exchanged a few glances at each other. Now that I knew the truth and tension that it had given us, I noticed bags under Dad's eyes and he looked a little older than his age, due to all the stress. I felt really bad because on one side, it was his daughter's future and on the other side, it was our family business.

When I couldn't take the silence anymore, I informed them about my decision, "I would like to meet Xavier Knight."

Dad and Marcus looked at each other as Dad asked, "Are you sure?" Leaving the spoon on his plate.

"Yes. I'll meet him and will tell you about my decision after that."

A smile appeared on my dad’s face, whereas Marcus looked worried, but pride flashed in his eyes.