Lie

Chapter 3

Your hand in marriage. Those words rang inside her head like nails against a chalkboard. Her body shuttered. What had her father done? Why had he done it? So many questions were going through her head.

"You can't be serious, " she laughed, "My father would never do such a thing."

"Oh, but he would." Charles took a sip of his drink, finishing it off, then swirling that ice in the cup. "The minute you were born, you were destined to be mine."

"But how?"

"Simple, your father made a deal with mine" He poured himself another glass, "You were promised to me if he couldn't pay off a debt."

Antoinette stood there with her mouth gaped open. If her mother had seen her, she would say Antoinette was catching flies. But that was probably better than what Antoinette was experiencing right now

"You know what I find funny, you've been nothing but speechless this whole conversation and we've been talking for," he looked at his watch, "eleven minutes."

She just stared at him. How could she not be speechless? This was an event she had not imagined that would be happening today. And the way he stated it so calmly made her body swell with hatred so hot as if she were a volcano that had erupted.

"You- This is wrong."

"According to everyone, everything I do is wrong, baby," He let out a soft chuckle, and placed the paper, a marriage certificate, in her hands.

"What is this?"

"A marriage license."

She crumpled up the certificate and threw it at him, hitting him in the face. He blinked a few times and let out a soft chuckle. If it were anyone else, he'd probably have them dangling from one of the many windows in his office with his hand tightly grasping their neck but for whatever reason, all he could do was chuckle. He did like the thought of his hands around Antoinette's neck. Oh, how pretty she would look quivering underneath him. For a brief moment, he thought about all the things he could do for her and how she might sound calling out his name.

Shaking away those thoughts, Charles sighed, "I'm sure that throwing this away is the last thing you want to do. As I stated earlier, if you agree to marry me, your family will be safe."

"Safe from what? How could there possibly be anything more dangerous than you?"

It was an honest question that made Charles pause for a second. He was indeed a dangerous man and he ran a very dangerous lifestyle. Because of this, there were those who wanted to hurt him far more than any damage he would enjoyingly do to someone.

"You're so naive and pure Antoinette. You're so naive despite what life you have lived."

"Look here Mr. Diamond," She stuck her finger to his chest, making him lean back into the chair, "I don't care about you, how much money you have, or where you came from. How dare you not only call me naive but waste my time by calling me here for some sick and twisted game?" She wanted to grab him by his tie and choke him but instead, she kept her fist balled, digging her nails into her palms.

"This isn't a game Ms. Green."

"You called me here for my hand in marriage and then tell me ridiculous things about my father after you took away my only source of income? You're insane to think I would allow myself to marry you."

"But wouldn't we look so charming together? I can see the headlines now, 'The Diamonds: A Perfect Match."

"In your dreams!" She bellowed. She wanted to knock that smirk off his face. He knew what buttons to push and when to push them; he's a mastermind at this sort of stuff. It is what his father raised- no, trained him to do.