Chapter 2

Aurora’s Pov:

I laid frozen on the ground. A gasp escaped my l*ps and my eyes widened in horror, watching the man rise to his feet immediately the water spilled on his face. My b*dy went rigid at what just happened. What have I done? My b*dy wasn’t shaking but the physical pain I was feeling did make my b*dy tremble a bit.

Beside the man was another tall well built man in shades. He was clothed in black suit as well, clutching a black briefcase. From his stance and pose, he looked more like a b*dyguard. And he kept a straight face but when the water splashed on his supposed boss, quickly, he pulled out a thick handkerchief and wiped the water on his boss’s face and his clothes.

“How more careless can you be?” My father’s voice broke the tense silence, easing the awkward air lingering around. Embarrassed, I avoided my father’s murderous gaze and gaped at the floor. My reflection on the floor stared back at me. My eyes looked dull and my face was flushed.

The life on my face ceased when my mother died.

Ignoring my father’s lashing, I apologized. “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.” I apologized, my gaze not meeting the piercing eyes of the man. At this moment, I wished the floor would open and suck me up. I wanted to escape this scenario so badly.

The good part of it was that the cup didn’t break unless I’d cleaned the whole sitting room including the broken pieces with my b*dy. I was surprised Maya and her mother didn’t devour me when I broke the plates.

“Sorry? That’s all you are good at saying,” asserted Maya. My gaze wasn’t on her but I could visualize the stern and disdainful look across her face. “Are you blind or something? Can’t you watch your steps? Must you show how clumsy you are?”

“A simple task given to you, you messed it up.” She added.

“I’m sorry…..” I apologized again, picking the cup. I shifted my gaze to the man before me. The damage on his rich suit wasn’t severe but the look he threw me was sort of dangerously affecting me. His faint emerald green eyes rested on me, piercing through my skin. They were impassive, almost impossible to figure out what was going on in his mind. I half expected him to lash out on me like my family but he didn’t. He remained composed in his half drenched suit.

“I’m really sorry Sir,” I lowered my gaze, apologizing. Half expecting his face to replace with anger but his apathetic look didn’t change. His face was straight. “Wasn’t intentional.”

I waited for his response but he didn’t reply. Whoever this man was, I prayed he was nothing like my family. If I couldn’t get love and respect from them. Maybe a stranger is better off.

When I was done picking the cup. I rose to my feet. “I will get you another glass of water.”

“No need….,” the man said. And that was the first time he spoke up or more like the first time I heard him talk when I walked in. His voice was deep, calm like the meadows but has an authoritative edge laced on it. His voice has this dominating aura surrounding it just like his face.

Everything about him screamed power and authority.

“Let’s cut to the chase on why I am here,” he went on to say. And just the sound of his voice soothed my soul, transcending something different within me. Something I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Sure,” my father nodded, harboring a sheepish smile on his face. I wonder who this man is, he must be of great importance for my father to show this great respect to him.

I stood there. Waiting to be ordered to stay or leave.

“You can leave,” said my father. Swifting his head a bit toward me. “When I want you, I will request for you.”

I nodded and left the sitting room, disappearing behind a wall but I didn’t leave. I stood behind the wall because for some strange reason, a force compelled me to stay right there and from where I stood, I could literally hear all the conversation between that man and my father.

“So I’m here to finalize the deal between us,” the man began, tugging his suit a bit. “The land in Alaska, it’s time to give it up.”

The b*dyguard or sort of secretary opened the briefcase he held and fetched out some documents. Placing them on the table before them.

When my father let out a chuckle, it was a worried chuckle and a troubled look etched across his face as he rubbed his chin. His gaze on the documents.

“I know I was the one who signed these documents, but can we change the bargain?” My father suggested, raising his face to the man.

The man shook his head. “A bargain is a bargain and I have come to let you know it is time to finish your part of the bargain.”

“Mr Lee Otto Fraser……”

My b*dy froze instantly when my father called the man across him that name. Lee Otto Fraser? The man across from my father, the man I spilled water on was no other than Lee Otto Fraser himself? My insides trembled with fear, what if he gets back at me for spilling water on him? Maybe the reason he was keeping calm over that was because he was in an urgent meeting with my father.

Gaping at him from where I hid, his face and pose didn’t show any cruelty. Rather his eyes were soft and his voice, though deep, carried a sense of calmness in it. I heard from my father, stepmother and half sister that this man is cruel. Were those rumors true or were they just a facade he put up?

“I can give you something else in exchange for that,” my father’s suggestion cut short the questions within me.

“I have no desire in any other thing other than land you mortgaged to me. And nothing can be of utmost importance than the land.”

“Mr Lee Otto Fraser, you aren’t married again, are you?” My father ignored his words and proceeded to marry me off to him in place of that land.

Lee Otto Fraser lifted a brow in query, perplexed and confused at my father’s question.

“Where’s that question coming from and what does it have to do with the land you indebted to me if you couldn’t fulfill your part of the bargain?”

I wondered what kind of business my father did with him in the past.

“You are a fine promising young man and it isn’t good for a man to be alone. You need someone.”

“I’m not complaining,” replied Fraser, having that inkling my father was trying to change the topic. “And why are you suddenly interested in my personal life?”

“We don’t share such a close relationship to meddle in my private life.”

“I know, but this gift I’m about to give is much better than the land in Alaska plus that’s the heirloom my father left behind.”

“Don’t care if it’s a heirloom or not,” Mr Fraser’s voice raised a bit. I could tell he was being irritated and annoyed at my father not keeping his own bargain. “I’m here to take what’s rightfully mine. I just need your signatures on the documents to finalize the deal.”

“I’m sorry but I can’t……….” My father shifted a bit uncomfortable in his seat. Across his face was a pale and worried look.

“I’m afraid I have to take legal action against you,” Mr Fraser stated. His face stern and his eyes were expressionless. “An agreement should be completed by both parties. If you knew you weren’t prepared to keep your part of the deal, you wouldn’t have mortgaged it in the first place.”

“I had no choice. I was in a tight spot and I did what I thought was the best,” my father snapped. His voice emitted frustration.

This was the man my father wanted to give me out to in place of the land. A man who didn’t care about others but himself. Who would do anything to acquire a thing that spiked his interest.

“Then keep your word.” Mr Fraser uttered. “Or I take legal action against you because that would be breaching the contract between us.”

“The more reason I offered something in place of the land,” my father anticipated he’d listen to him this time and hear what he had to say and it was no other than declaring me his wife to be.

“What could be better than the land in Alaska?”

“My daughter,” a smile lit up my father’s face when Mr Lee asked that. A bright look replaced his face.

Mr Lee Otto Fraser’s eyes shot up in surprise. His face proved he wasn’t expecting that.

“Your daughter?” He lifted a brow. Having an unreadable look in his eyes.

“Yes,” My father nodded. Beaming. “My first daughter. I can give my daughter to you instead.”

“Are you perhaps giving out your daughter to me, like an exchange for the land?”

There was a little pause from my father, clearly caught off guard by that question but he let out a nervous laugh.

“Of course not, but I also figured out you are single and it would be bad if you have no woman in your life. And my daughter is the best candidate…….Aurora?” My father called.

I rushed out immediately to them, standing beside my father. Forcing a smile across my face as I met Lee Otto Fraser’s gaze.

“She’s matless and you are without any mate as well. You two will make a fine couple, don’t you think? She’s better than that piece of land.”

I swallowed hard when Fraser’s gaze lingered on me, prompting me to look away.

“I’m not interested in any of your daughters,” his voice was low and decisively. I only want that land. Not interested in any of your daughters.”

He stood up and tugged on his suit, fixing his tie. He pulled his piercing gaze from me to my father. Once again. I was rejected. I don’t know why the pain and misery I was feeling in me skyrocketed when he said he wasn’t interested in me. Even though I was to be sold off to him, I was still rejected.

“I give you two days to make up your mind before I take legal action against you,” he told my father and turned to leave.

“Oh, I also noticed there was a vulgar ring at the end of that corner, before leaving, he glanced at the foot of a sofa at the end of the wall, and his voice was cold. “No matter who it belonged to, the owner’s taste must be very poor.”

Maya’s face turned red in an instant.