Reckless Love

Chapter 26

"So when's the wedding date?" my mother asked as we were all seated at the table for dinner.

We had arrived in Salerno, Italy only a few hours ago and my mother was already starting the marriage crap.

I inwardly rolled my eyes and gazed at my plate, refusing to make eye contact with her.

"We haven't decided yet," Jared cooly said from beside me.

I fought the urge to punch him.

"Oh, well I assume your father is working on that Jared. He promised us you two would be married by June," my mother stated objectively. "It's April now. There's only two months left and you two still haven't picked a date yet?"

I banged my fist on the table.

"Just stop mom! I can't do this anymore, you're such a-"

"Juliana, sit down. Stop yelling at your mom!" my father firmly stated, cutting me off.

I glared at both of them from across the table.

I knew Jared could sense the tension but that bastard kept eating his meal like the whole scene in front of him was a silly reality show.

"Julie, honey, I'm doing this for you," my father said, a serious look in his eyes.

I let out a humorous  laugh and stabbed the potato on my plate.

"Doing this for me dad? What are you exactly doing hmm?" I retorded, frowning. "You're marrying me off to a random stranger. An idiot whose rude, lacks emotions, dead on the inside-"

"That's enough," my father cut me off rudely.

I've never seen him talk to me in that matter so I quickly shut my mouth.

I secretly glanced towards Jared and saw him eyeing my father with uncertainty.

My father stood up and took in a deep breath.

"I know you don't want this but your marriage to Jared is more important than you think," my father started. "There's something we haven't told you yet."

"What?" I questioned.

"Honey, I don't think now is the right time to tell her-" my mother grimly said but my father held up his hand to silence her.

"What's going on?" I asked with genuine concern.

Where they dying? Was that why I was being sold off?

"Hart Industries has gone bankrupt," he announced in a low voice.

What the hell?

I was beyond shocked.

"Bankrupt? Like the company has no money? Or-"

"Yes. The company has no money, all the investors withdrew their stocks, and I am in debt to the American government. Long story short, I decided to move to Italy so I could rebuild the company and we need you to get married to the Cunning family so you'll be financially secure."

His words were like a cold slap in the face. We were broke, with a bad title and reputation. It couldn't get any worse than this.

"Your mother and I have also been banned from entering the country so we won't be able to make it to your graduation. And since you haven't settled on a wedding date, we wanted to inquire if you could have the wedding in another country so we could attend."

I was at a loss of words.

I blankly stared at them with a dumbfounded expression.

So obviously it could get worse.