Forced Love

•number two•

THIS HAS NOT BEEN EDITED

Both Octavius and Athena sat there doing nothing. They had no emotion on their face nor did any action take place.

Maximus and Luca continued on, "this contract is legally binding so there's no way you can get-" It was as if something clicked in both of their heads causing them to go off.

They both stood up yelling.

"This is bullshit!" Octavius was just getting started.

"What the fuck!" Athena exclaimed waving her hands dramatically around her.

"This is without a doubt the most outrageously stupid thing I've ever heard!" Octavius and Athena yelled in unison, word for word. They stopped what they were doing and simply stared at each other.

Octavius broke eye contact first so Athena continued on, "we don't live in the seventeen hundreds anymore, you don't go out betrothing your children"

"It's the only way we can all stay safe" Luca says.

Maximus continues on, "it has be this way"

Octavius finally lost it. "You, you don't get to say that, do you have any idea what you have done"

Athena goes into protective mode and walks to Octavius, "don't talk to him like that" she grits her teeth and clenches her fist.

"What are you going to do about it" He says in a low voice. Athena went to punch him in the face when her father stands up abruptly.

"Both of you sit down and shut the hell up and let us finish!" Maximus yells.

Athena pushes Octavius' chest and sits down. Octavius forcefully slams himself on the couch, he lets out a huff and taps his foot, impatient was growing inside him and he couldn't stand it anymore.

He stands up and paces the room back and forth feeling more than just agitated, "I can't fucking sit down so you better hurry up on what you have to say or I'm gonna kill everyone in this room"

Luca stood up and sized with his son, "calm yourself down son, now you will shut up, listen to what we have to say and you will obey what we have to say, are we clear on that, boy?"

Octavius' knuckles turned white. His chest was rising back and forth heavily. He finally gave in and walked past his father, deliberately hitting him in his shoulder, he returned to his spot in the couch.

"In two weeks this wedding will happen. You will do this. Tomorrow night you guys will announce the engagement at the party, and you will make it as believable as possible. Nothing is going to change." Maximus said in a commanding tone.

Athena was ticked off, she stood up, tears were brimming in her eyes, she never got angry at her dad, she always kept it in because she didn't want to cause any health issues but she couldn't keep this one in. "Are you serious! Everything is going to change, you always told me love isn't forced. It comes at the perfect pace. Not too fast, not to slow, it happens on its own. I'm sorry but this feels like it's being forced" she says.

"Athena-" her father says softly.

"No, I have been patient my entire life with you. For years I looked after you and I helped you. I never got angry at you and I did everything I was told and this, this is how you repay me. You can't control my life, I will not marry Octavius King, be thankful that your my father and the only family I have left because if you weren't you'd be dead" Athena seethed.

Never in the years all the men had known Athena, had seen her this riled up. Her face was red and her aura was powerful. She wasn't backing out of this fight and every person in that room knew it as well.

"Athena sit down" Luca says.

"No. No. None of you get the right to call me that. Especially you two. I am my own person and legal contract or not, I am not being signed off to marry a man to whom I don't love or am infatuated by anyway" she says proving her point.

"I can't believe you Father" she says before she turns around and storms out of the room. Athena runs up the stairs and too her bedroom where she forcefully slams the door shut.

She runs her hand through her hair as she paces backwards and forwards. Every second that went by, her anger was only increasing. At this point tears were not visible, she was too frustrated to even think of crying.

She was most angry with her father, he always told her stories of love and that finding someone you love more than anything in the world should be your life's goal. You should find your equal, your other half and someone you are willing to lay your life for them. Athena was pissed because her father gave her away so willingly and to make matters worse, it was too Octavius King. The guy who constantly tormented her when she was younger, he would throw water at her, start fights with her and steal her money.

Anyone but Octavius King.

Athena quickly got dressed in her training clothes and practically ran to the training room. She wasted no time in getting started and got straight to taking her anger out by punching the punching bag aggressively.

With every punch she was getting more aggressive. Pain was surging through her forearms and her stomach. She was to the point of passing out.

Athena finally gave up and stopped punching and fell against the wall. She checked her watch and almost gasped at the time. She's been nonstop training for 6 hours.

Athena made her way out of the training room and sluggishly upstairs. She returned to her chambers where she took a cold shower in hopes of washing away every bit of frustration still pooling inside of her.

That didn't work.

She stepped out and got dressed. Athena grabbed her belongings and walked to the exit of her home.

"Athena White, where do you think you are going" Athena turns around and is greeted with the only mother figure she's even known.

"I'm sorry Aunt Celia, but I can't be here" she says, getting more and more agitated being in the same house as the man she once called her dad.

Athena continued to walk away when a firm grip was wrapped around her forearm.

"Celia, would you fix me a drink" the sound of her fathers voice rang through her ears, riling her up.

Once Celia's footsteps faded away Athena ripped her arm away and turned around with a death glare.

if looks could kill, Maximus would be 6ft under.

"Athena, you have to understand, as your father, i want what is best for you" Maximus plead for the safety of his very own blood.

Athena gave her dad one icy look over and scoffed, "father? i don't see a father, all i see is the man i once loved betray me in every single way i never knew was possible until this morning. goodbye" and with that she left, and Maximus feared he would never get his daughter back.

'what have i done' he thought to himself.