The Shadow King's Princess (An OHSHC Fanfic) [Completed]

Chapter Seven

Zaira

 

I could only stare at him.

“It’s a matter of getting proper control, you see. Once your business is combined with ours, you’ll never have to worry about the finances and you’ll be able to focus on your music as planned. As things sit, we have a very limited control, seeing as it technically belongs to you. Your mother hadn’t considered the chance that you would be this age when they passed away,” he paused, letting that sink in- or perhaps to gather his emotions. I couldn’t imagine it being the second, though. “Along with that the heads of your mother’s chairboard really don’t appreciate our stepping in at the moment.

“The only way to fix all of this is to speed up our plans.”  

I clasped my hands together in my lap to conceal my sudden trembling. Each of my nails began to dig themselves into the skin between the fingers of the opposite hand. With my mind spinning I focused my eyes on him, attempting to even come close to understanding what he wa saying.

A… month? We only have a month till it is announced?

I was supposed to have a year. A year to be able to pull myself back together so that I could put on a calm and relaxed smile for the camera. As I was the only daughter of Mei Bello, president and CEO of the international, multibillion, pharmaceutical company, there had been insane media coverage on me for over a month after my parents deaths. An announcement like this, that the heir is marrying the third son of another major corporation… there was no chance for it to go ignored.

This close to everything… how would I be able…

I could tell that the shaking was getting worse. No doubt Mr. Ootori had picked up on it by that point. This in mind, I kept my eyes locked on my hands while I thought. I couldn’t show him how scared the idea made me.

“-an.”

I blinked, pulling my attention back to what he was saying. I forced myself to calm, before finally turning my eyes to face him.

“Zaira-chan,” he repeated.

“O-oh, s-s-sorry. I-I… I… um…” I sputtered.

Tell anyone you need to before hand,” he instructed, apparently choosing to ignore my panic. “As long as you’re sure they won’t leak the information. I’d be worth quite a lot, and I’d like to keep a lid on things until everything I’m preparing is set.”

Swallowing hard, I bit my lip and gave him a swift nod. My nails dug deeper into the skin beneath them. It wasn’t like Mr. Ootori was someone I could argue with. He was kind enough to take me into his home, where I otherwise would have been at a loss as what to do. He’d only given me a chance, though, because of the engagement promise that had been in place since we were children.

Still… a month…

“D-does Kyoya-senpai know?” I asked, keeping my voice as steady as possible.

“He will know soon. I’m sure that he will have no problem with it seeing as he knows how important this is to the futures of both our families. He is my son, after all. Since I decided this, he will go along with it.”

My tension grew even higher. I could feel my breathing start to speed up. At the same moment I dug the nails purposely deeper, doing my best to suppress the feeling. I couldn’t have an attack here, not in front of Kyoya’s father.

The time was too short.

It would do no good to argue.

Still…