Contract Love

Chapter eight

Entering the living, dad is talking to a familiar looking man, but I can't remember where I knew him from. Dad waved his hand, gesturing that I come forward. Reaching him, he introduced the man to me.
"Susy, this is Gideon, an old friend of mine and this is my daughter Susan." Now I remember where I knew him, he attended my eighteenth birthday party with his wife and children a boy and a girl. His daughter is my age, though we didn't keep in touch but she was very nice to me while the son, I didn't get a chance to talk to him because he was flirting with every female gender that came his way.

We exchanged pleasantries, I excused myself but before I could leave, Gideon invited me to his son's birthday party the next day, apologizing for the late invitation. I wanted to decline so badly but the hope glittering in my father's eyes made it hard not to accept. I went to find my mother, following the sound of her voice, I saw her sitting at the lobby with an older woman whom I guessed is Gideon's wife.

Reaching them, I greeted the woman, she gasped complimenting on how beautiful I have grown since she last saw me. The way she gushed about it made me a little uncomfortable, mum must have noticed and interrupted her asking if I needed anything, I told her I was looking for Jay, she told me he went upstair with his wife, so I told her to by all means continue with her bonding time. I left immediately going upstair to find my brother and his wife.

Getting to the top stair, my phone began to ring, I picked without looking at the caller. "Hello, love?"
"Raymond, you have to stop calling me that." I snapped grumpily, not in the mood for his games.
"You sound really happy to hear from me." he replied sarcastically. "I called to inform you, that the day of the event is next tomorrow. Dress to impress love, don't want my fiancee dressed shabbily." he finished and ended the call. "Does he have a problem adding please in his words?" I thought.

I heard my brother call to me from the upstair mini living room. I slumped on the couch beside his.
"What's wrong?" Lizzy asked, adjusting a sleeping Jason on her lap. The question distracted Jayden from his phone, he dropped it on the table, facing me and said "Alright, spill." no matter how old he is, he is always ready for gossips.
I peered at them through my lashes, sighed and blurted out "Dad's friend, Gideon, invited me to his sons birthday tomorrow and next tomorrow I'm meant to accompany Ray to this charity event and I am really tired of people telling me what to do but to make dad happy I have to do them." I exhaled heavily and slouched on the couch feeling extremely tired and stressed out.

Jay and Lizzy exchanged a weird look. "What?" I asked sitting upright looking at the both of them.
"Nothing." they said, looking everywhere except at me.
"Please guys, I don't like being in the dark, talk to me." I pleaded. They looked at each other again before Lizzy stated "Gideon, wants to marry you to his son."
"And dad?" I asked
"Well he didn't accept his request but he still didn't refuse him too." Jay replied.

"What the hell, why is everybody wanting to marry me?" I yelled frustrated. This is getting harder than I thought possible. Standing, I headed downstairs, my brother blocked the path. "Where do you think you are going?" he questioned with no intention of moving.
"Jay, I need to talk to dad, I need to know what the end point all this." I told him, walking around him. I heard his foot steps following me.

I got to where my parents were seated discussing alone, at least Gideon and his wife has left, didn't want them to witness what I'm about to display. My parents stopped talking, looking at I and my brother.
"Dad, Mum, I know you have this family's best interest at heart and you will do anything to secure it, but gambling with my life is so unacceptable by me." I said oblivious of their confused faces.
"Susy, what are you talking about?" Mum asked.

I started pacing, running my hands down my face, I stopped facing them "I'm talking about Gideon. Dad, I understand that the company is going through a lot now and I have accepted to marry Raymond to bring everything in order, why involving Gideon again." I elaborated, before he could say anything, I continued "Gideon is your friend, I know that but I'm engaged." I groaned, waiting for him to say something.

"I didn't accept or reject Gideon's proposal but I did tell him that you are engaged and he assured me that once you accept his son, he will take care of Raymond. He will make a wonderful partner, he is my friend and his son is not as ruthless as Raymond." Dad explained trying to make me see things his way.
"I am only 22 years old." I yelled. "I am already engaged to Ray and only if he does something awful to me will I break up with him, other than that, I won't, now I suppose you find your friend another girl to toil with because this girl here is not interested." I said getting annoyed.

Dad sighed but didn't say a word, mum looked disappointed while my brother was grinning sheepishly. I overreacted a little but I needed to make a point. When I concluded that they weren't going to say anything, I turned and went back to my room. I spent the remaining of the day hiding in my room. I ate my lunch and dinner in my room. All I did was text my friends, read and play games online.

A knock interrupted my game session, the door opened and mum walked in with a plate of brownies. She placed the plate beside me, smoothened my hair, kissed my forehead, smiled and left without saying a word. I hope they are not trying to make me feel guilty because it is actually working. I munched on the brownies and continued playing my game. Not long after that, I brushed my teeth, changed into my nightie, returned the plate to the kitchen. The house is silent meaning that everybody is already sleeping, I took a bottle of milk and walked back to my room.

The next day, I woke up late in the afternoon because I went to bed just this morning, having spent the whole night reading an intriguing novel, I did my routine to get myself look presentable, walking downstairs, I didn't see anybody in the living room or kitchen. "That is odd" I thought, opening the refrigerator to grab another bottle of milk opening it, I took a sip then a voice startled me "Can't you use a cup or something?" I choked turning, coming face to chest, I looked up and glared at the grey eyes of Ray.

"How did you enter this house?" I questioned turning to keep the remaining milk inside the refrigerator.
"The door." he answered cockily. What a smart ass.
"I meant who let you into the house." I rephrased my question.
"Your mum did before leaving, your dad called saying something about a birthday party today and he would like me to be your date." he shrugged, reaching inside the fridge to grab the half milk I kept. Looking at him from head to toes, he's not dressed to attend any party at all, wearing a body fitted polo and a jean.

I walked pass him but he yanked my arm pulling me to his chest, he dipped his head going for a kiss, I turned my head and his lips met my cheek. I got out of his grip going back to the living room, he followed "Princess, you don't look happy to see me, why is that?" he asked holding my arm making me halt. I tried freeing my arm but it was to no avail. I turned to him staring at his perfectly sculpted face, and said "I don't know why my dad invited you but I don't need you to go with me because I can take absolute good care of myself."

His lips twitched a little, he let go of my arm, lounged on the couch with his arms behind his head, making his biceps bulge. I stared at the movement looking back at him, he smirked saying "It's all yours to admire and touch."
I scoffed, "Alright, Greyson, we leave at 6 pm and I hope you brought clothes to change." I said gesturing to his casual attire, he shrugged still smirking, as I turned to leave, he asked what he was supposed do while waiting. I told him to watch a movie pointing to the remote and television, turned and went back to my room.

I walked to my closet searching for the appropriate cloth to wear for the party. Seeing nothing spectacular, I took my phone and face timed Audrey, she picked at the third ring. I told her the issue at hand, she gave instructed that I should take her to my closet which I did, through the face time camera she helped me pick out a stunning white mid thigh gown and golden heels. I appreciated her for the help, told her to greet they others and ended the call.