Chapter 12
Seeing my father for the first time is like meeting a stranger.
My father looks different from the time I last I saw him.
As he gestures for me to walk in his office I notice that he is wearing casual dress pants, a blue button-up shirt, and flat tan leather shoes.
The difference I see in my father is his hair, it is dark chestnut like mine but now some grey hairs peak all around his head.
His face looks worn with age possibly from working so long at his company and partly having to deal with my stepmother.
Up until I left my house a few years ago, my father and stepmother would occasionally argue over money.
It was not a surprise after she convinced him to buy this house because she would get whatever she wants.
"I really needed to talk to you, Nat." He looks at me with the same brown eyes we share. I notice that he has been addressing me by my nickname. I only reserve that name for family and close friends. The way he uses my nickname sounds foreign.
"Then tell me what it's about?" I ask wanting to know his reason to have me over despite dreading this visit.
He gestures for me to sit in one of the office chairs which I do so. He then looks at Xander and my stepmother.
"I would like to speak to her alone if you don't mind."
My father says and my stepmother rolls her eyes in annoyance and walks outside of the room.
I can hear the click of her heels echo down the hallway.
Xander lingers and I give him an encouraging nod for him to leave and that I will be okay.
Before he leaves he squeezes my hand in reassurance then exits the room.
"I never thought you would bring someone over." My father comments as he sits by his desk.
"Yeah, that's Xander he's my...friend." I don't know who he is to me because I haven't established official titles with him. My father nods in my response and I wait for him to speak but he doesn't. "What do you want to talk about?" I impatiently ask.
"Do you remember Mr. Miller?" My father asks and I'm caught off guard by his abrupt question.
"Yes. Henry Miller, he is the head of another startup company that's just like yours." I say while trying to remember Mr. Miller.
"Correct! He is head of the Miller Company." My father states.
"Why do you ask about him? I thought we are going to discuss a family matter?" Annoyed I ask.
"Patient Nat, trust me this all ties in together." He says trying to cease any further questions I have.
"Fine. Go on." I say trying to move this conversation along. I really don't want to be here but I hate that he is taking forever to say what he wants to discuss with me.
"As you know my company has been doing well for the past few years and as CEO, I always look out for my company's future. One of my main concerns is always security and one of the ways to secure the future of my company is to seek a merger with another well-off company.
I figured Miller's company would be the best candidate considering it's been standing for well over 10 years. I brought the idea to Mr. Miller himself and he was hesitant about my company because it has been in business less time than his. However,
I created a well thought out contract to merge with his company and he said he would agree to the terms but only if I met his condition." He explains.
"What condition?" I ask looking into my father's eyes.
My father takes a deep breathe, "His condition is non-negotiable but he insists." He says.
"Get to the point," I say with more impatience.
"His condition in order to merge with my company is that he would want to marry my oldest daughter."
He says and my jaw hits the floor. I try to take in his words.
Why am I so stupid to think he and my stepfamily were going to try to change their ways.
All he wanted to talk about was the merger and insist I married in order to keep his company afloat. I'm such a fool for hoping.
"Are you crazy?" I say raising my voice.
"Nat, please don't be unreasonable. I want you to accept the proposal so we-" He starts to say but I cut him off.
"No! I'm not the one being unreasonable here and I'm not going to marry someone who is 15 years older than me." I say with as much distaste of the idea.
"Nat, please! You're my oldest daughter and you are the only one that can fulfill this arrangement." He pleads.
"Oh my god! Do you hear yourself? I'm not going to be married off like your selling some property." At this point, I'm fuming with anger.
"You are my real daughter and you are treated as such just like your sisters, Briana and Ella." Just as he says this my anger boils over and I start to go off.
"No! That's where you're wrong! I was never treated like your daughter ever since they moved in. I thought I would come back here and be given a chance to be respected by them but I was wrong. Instead, you want to marry me off just to secure your company.
If mother were here she wouldn't stand for this."
I can't believe his ignorance to think I was treated fairly.
"Nat, you're my only biological daughter and-" I cut him off before he could say more.
"Don't even start! Also, it's Natalia to you because you've lost the privilege to ever call me Nat. I'm so done with this family! Don't even bother reaching out to me again! I never thought a father or you could ever suggest that!"
I say loudly as I get up to leave his office I notice my father stay quiet.
I decide to take that as my cue to leave before I do so I notice Xander by the door and my eyes prick with angry tears.
He pulls me into his strong arms as I sob. Xander leans in to speak in my ear.
"I heard everything your father said. I wouldn't blame you if you want to leave."
He suggests. Being too weak to speak up I just pull from his embrace and nod my head.
He guides me towards the door by holding my hand.
On our way out we don't bump into any other family members to which I'm thankful because I don't have enough energy to go to war with anyone else.
As we get to the car, Xander suggests that he drives seeing the state I am in and I don't argue.
When we finally leave the house, the car ride is silent other than my sobs.
When I'm done crying I use that time to keep my breathing steady.
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks noticing that I'm a bit calmer. I don't want to talk about it but I know I should.
"Honestly I can't believe what my father suggested in my hand in marriage it's like he has no idea who he has become after he remarried. " I confess while whipping my tears and makeup under my eyes.
"Your father had no right to do that and I'm proud of you for standing up. I thought I had to barge in at that point." He says and I turn to face him in surprise over his confession.
"I don't feel proud of myself," I say quietly and lean my head towards the car window. Without notice, Xander places his hand over mine and I feel comforted.
"You should." He says while staring at the road in front of him.
"If I agreed to his arrangement I would be in a loveless marriage," I say to myself but I immediately regret saying my thoughts aloud, "Shit! I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way! I wasn't thinking." I apologize and Xander looks at me in confusion.
"You don't have to apologize for anything. I guess I never told you the story of my arrangement." He says.
"You've mentioned some of it but if you don't want to talk about it I don't want to push you."
"No, I think you should know." He says while looking out the window. I can tell he is nervous to talk and in encouragement, I gently squeeze his hand. He looks at me for a second and takes a deep breath before he speaks.
"As you know my family arranged the marriage between Olivia and me because both of our parents thought it would be a good business venture." He says
"Yeah, I remember you mentioned it before," I say being reminded.
"When my parents mentioned that I was going to marry her I didn't accept it but my father gave me an ultimatum. He said that he could take away my company unless I married Olivia." I'm surprised that his father would do that.
"That's unfair! Why would he do that?" I ask.
"He did it so he could get me to agree to this marriage. Which as you know I agreed because I had no choice." He says and I can tell that his company meant a lot to him.
"What did your stepmother think?" I ask wanting to know her thoughts on the arrangement.
"She encouraged me to accept it because she was on my father's side. My sister was the only one who was against the marriage. I never had a choice to leave like you did because I was so young."
"What happened between your family when you got married?" I ask.
"The first year into my marriage wasn't so bad but the second half of it was the worse. Olivia began drinking ever since we were invited to many parties and trips. I resented my father and stepmother because of his arrangement. Even now he would always find a way to keep my marriage together.
Olivia and I tried counseling which didn't work out. The next thing she tried was rehab but as you can tell it didn't work out. After losing our child I knew I gave up trying." He says.
"And now?" I ask.
"Now I'm happier because of you." He confesses with a smile and I smile back.
"I can't believe your father has made you stay with Olivia for 4 years. Why is he insisting that you two stay together?"
"I don't know. Every time I ask he avoids it." He stares back at the road ahead with a furrowed brow.
"Well, your father shouldn't see you suffer in this marriage because you have proven to him that you can't take any more of it." Xander looks at me with curiosity in his eyes.
"You amaze me sometimes." He says almost in a whisper and a small smile appears on my lips.
After a moment of silence, I decided that I should thank him for putting up with my family drama. "Xander, I want to thank you for coming over to my family's house," I say to him.
"No need to thank me." He says while gently squeezing my hand. I smile thinking that whatever our relationship has been these past few days I can only hope it continues to grow. I look out the window and see the familiar streets of my apartment.
"Before I get lost, where do you want me to turn?" He asks and I give him the directions.
When we reach inside my building's parking structure and park in my designated space I wonder how Xander will be going home.
He might just call for his chauffeur for a ride back.
I know his driver is always on standby for any moment's notice.
I just wish we could spend some more time together because I know when I get inside I'll probably go in my bed and cry for the rest of the weekend.
"What's wrong?" Xander asks while seeing the worried tension play out on my face.
"Nothing, I justwanted to know if you wanted to come upstairs?" I'm nervous to hear his response but I want to know if he can stay.
"Sure" He responds I allow myself to relax because my day with Xander is not over yet.
As we get out of the car and head upstairs to my apartment I feel a bit of excitement.
When I open the door to my apartment I immediately notice that Trina's keys aren't left on our key rack meaning I had the place to myself for the moment.
"So this is your place?" He asks while looking at my small apartment.
"Yeah I know it's small but it's all the space I need," I say as I take off my shoes and place them in the entryway. Xander does the same thing.
"I didn't say anything about it, but now that you mentioned your place is a lot smaller than mine." He says with a smirk on his face.
"Says the person who owns the entire top floor of his building," I say jokingly and gestured for Xander to meet me at the couch.
He smiles at me and my heart leaps out of my chest. I love this playful side of him that I rarely see. On the couch, Xander sits next to me and I feel the electricity buzzing between us.
"How can you afford this place?" He asks
"I have a roommate and I've been saving money." I know from my current job I'm earning enough to keep up with the rent and bills. I've been smart to keep the money I earned from the jobs I had while I was in school.
"Where's your roommate?" He asks noticing the hallway towards the left side of the room.
"She's out for the day," I say while gazing at the hallway. I'm still upset over this afternoon's events with my father. My anger towards him has dissipated but my resentment grows.
"What are you thinking?" Xander asks while tucking a stray hair behind my ear.
"I'm still thinking about my father's conversation," I say to him.
"You shouldn't worry about it." He says while letting his fingers caress my cheek. His small touch makes me ache for more. Without thinking I place my hand over his and look up at him.
"Then make me forget." I urge. Understanding meets Xander's face and he moves closer towards me as our hands break contact for the moment but his lips make up for it.
He continues to kiss me and as his mouth opens I part my lips for him.
Our tongues are touching and a moan escapes from my mouth.
We are soon out of breath and he continues kissing up and down from my jaw to my neck.
When our breathing is even, Xander moves up to my ear while sweeping his fingers against my cheek.
"What do you want to do, Natalia?" He asks.
"I..", I begin but I'm distracted by his fingers tracing my collarbone and arm while goosebumps appear on my skin from his touch, "I think you know what I want," I whisper. I look at him and I see Xander smirk. I get up from the couch and lead Xander towards my bedroom.