“You must prepare for this engagement party, Charlotte. There’s no time to waste considering it’s happening in a week. Next Saturday evening. We’ll be having it here at the house. Something small and tasteful. Oh and you’re scheduled to take your engagement announcement photos Wednesday afternoon at one o’clock in the park.”
“What? I’m takingphotoswith him? There’s going to be an engagement announcement?” I jump to my feet and start pacing. I would never do this in front of my father, but my mother? I don’t care.
She watches me pace, wringing her hands together. “Of course, there will be. It’s what’s done—what’s always been done. You’re our only daughter and you’re about to get married, so we want to show you off.”
It takes everything inside of me not to laugh. That’s not the point of this at all, and she knows it. I know it too. This isn’t them being excited for their only daughter’s impending nuptials.
This is my father flexing to his business associates—and enemies—that he is uniting with this Constantine family and they’ll supposedly become a force to be reckoned with. For all I know, the Constantines want to flex the merger as well. I’m sure they do. Our family is richer than God.
And that’s all this is to them. To everyone. A business merger of two families coming together. Straight out of the Middle Ages.
“Does he even want to marry me?” I’m sure most everyone in my parents’ circles knows my reputation. There is no one lining up, eager to take me out.
Not that I care. Any guy I’d like, my father would probably shut down. He hates everything I’m interested in.
Sometimes I think he even hates me.
“Of course he does,” she says quickly.
Too quickly.
Is he being forced into this arrangement too?
“I should at least meet him first before we take our relationship public,” I say, coming to a stop in front of her. “Is this how you married Daddy? Were you strangers brought together as part of a business merger?”
Her gaze is full of sadness and my heart catches at the expression on her face that’s there and gone in an instant. “Do you want the truth? Or do you want me to lie and tell the story the public knows about our relationship?”
Chills wash over me, settling in my stomach. I don’t want to know any of it. I choose to remain silent.
Her smile is small. “That’s what I thought. Now get dressed. Properly. I’m going to take you shopping.”
Chapter Three
Perry
They wouldn’t letus meet for the first time alone.
No surprise. I’m sure they figured we’d concoct a plot together on how to overthrow this sham of an engagement, and they’re probably right. I would love to come up with something to get me out of this, but not be the one to make the move. I’d rather my future wife throw a tantrum and call it off, leaving me to walk away guilt-free.
If I could be so lucky.
Every once in a while, it hits me—I’m engaged. I’ll be married, to a woman I don’t even know.
A woman I don’t want to know.
Mother would kill me if she knew I was trying to come up with ways to end this. Hell, Winston probably wouldn’t like it either. Seems he wants the merger just as bad as Mother does, though her intentions are different from my brother’s.
If I have to go through with this, I’m only doing it for my family. They mean everything to me. My brothers, my sisters, my mother. My long-dead father. I never thought I’d have to sacrifice my own choices for something like this. A fake relationship—a fake wedding.
A fake life.
While everyone else in my family gets to marry for love. Talk about unfair.
Story of my life lately. I suppose I had to pay sometime. I’ve been the untouchable son for so long, I figured I’d always carry on the role. I’m the one our mother always indulges. Always approves of. The one who can get away with a bunch of shit day in and day out, who can spend all of his money but it’s no problem, because I’ll always get more.
Lately I’ve proven to Winston I can work for Halcyon and do a good job. I’ve stepped up. I want more, and I’m doing my damnedest to prove to my brother I can be trusted. He can rely on me.
That’s important to me. I’ve always looked up to Winston, even when he acted like I was a complete nuisance.