ISOLATED

Ｐｒｏｌｏｇｕｅ

There aren't many things you remember from when you were a child, but a core memory for Genesis was definitely back when she was 5. Her dad stood in his office with a man she didn't know, her name was mentioned, the word marriage was mentioned, and the word protection was mentioned.

Throughout Ginny's life, she got used to the idea that when she turned 22 she'd be prepared for marriage to the son of the CEO of Mayfield Enterprises. Not that she had any idea what that company was, but when she googled it she couldn't find anything about a son. When Genesis turned 12, she convinced herself that maybe he didn't exist.

But he did. And she knew that every birthday passing, every candle added to her birthday cakes, it was one year closer to her wedding day. It wasn't normal, Ginny knew that it wasn't. She had a phone and she watched the Hallmark Christmas movies, she saw how people portrayed love and engagements. It wasn't counting down the days to marry a man she's never met.

She didn't even know his name.

One more candle. One more birthday until her wedding would happen. Her dad didn't want to send her off the second the girl turned 18, he wanted to send her off when he knew she would be ready for it. Ginny had no say in when she'd be ready for marriage, but she knew that husbands and marriage were the two topics she had no say in. She had to be ready at 22, that's when the preparation started. The wedding day would happen 3 months after her 23rd birthday.

Her birthday is next week and everything was already prepared. The only thing that was left was meeting the guy that she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. After begging her dad, she managed to get herself a meeting with the supposed heir to the company and her future husband.

God, the word is making her shiver. Ginny glances over at the dress that's hanging on the wall again. The dress was modest, but it still hugged her in the right places. "You looked beautiful in it, and I'm sure your future husband will agree," Ginny's dad, Robert, catches her attention. "Thanks," she answers quietly.

"Ginny," he starts, "You're not having second thoughts are you?"

The anxiety creeps up her spine and she looks up at him. "No," she blurts out, "Definitely not, Dad."

He narrows his eyes and waits for the truth to come out of her. But even if Genesis doesn't want this, she's accepting it because it's the only thing she ever knew. Being home-schooled did do something right for her parents' plan. "Good, because if this fails, and your mother can't get the health care she needs, you'll be the one who's at fault." Robert leans against the wall, his fingertips brushing across the soft fabric of her wedding dress.

"I have this fucking ring on my finger, don't I?" she holds up her hand with the engagement ring on it, showing her dad that she's in this no matter what. After her grandmother passed away, Ginny's mom also got tested for the same heart condition that was the cause for her grandmother's death.

She has it.

Her dad's boss offered to pay for medical expenses if Robert promised him that her daughter and his son would eventually get married. Ginny had no idea what type of deal that was and the older she got, the more ridiculous it seemed. But the second she addressed her concerns, she was held responsible for a hypothetical death that hadn't even happened yet. But these threats were tossed at her head enough times that she got anxious that without this wedding, she would make this hypothetical death reality.

She would be responsible.

"You should get ready, you can't wear this to meet him," Robert says and he leaves the room again. Genesis watches him. "Shut the door." She yells and she gets up, slamming the door behind her dad. Robert would've yelled at her, but she's leaving in 4 months and then she won't be his problem anymore.

Genesis walks to her closet and she gets dressed. She doesn't want to go super fancy, but she does want to leave a good impression. She has long, dark green pants that flow around her legs and still accentuate her waist perfectly. She wears a tight black shirt over it and a jacket that matches the color of the pants. She decorates the outfit with a golden necklace that her mother gave her and she puts her hair up in a messy bun to keep the outfit casual.

She takes a glance at herself in the mirror, she looks okay for a first impression.

Her dad is already waiting for her in the car, so when Genesis gets in, he just backs out of the driveway. "Where's mom?" Genesis looks at her hands in her lap, her fingers nervously playing together. "She's at the hospital again, they're doing her checkup to see if it's getting worse," Robert explains. Ginny nods and she leans back in the seat.

The drive isn't very long, but when they get there, the Aston Martin that Ginny knows belongs to the CEO of Mayfield Enterprises. A man who looks like he's between 50 and 60 years old walks out of the restaurant. He's wearing a suit and he pulls his jacket straight when he descends the steps down to the parking lot.

"That's him?" Ginny's heart sinks when she watches the man approach the car. "No, Ginny, that's his dad." She can already sense the frustration in her dad's voice when he looks at the man. Her dad is the first to get out, Ginny follows him instantly after.

"Robert!" Ginny watches her dad light up when his boss approaches the two. "Hi Johnathan," Ginny's dad says warmly and he shakes the hand of the CEO. Ginny stays a little back, watching the man. "Genesis," the CEO turns his attention to the girl, "It's very nice to see you again."

"Where is he?" Robert doesn't give his daughter the chance to speak. She breathes out the air she was about to use for a sentence and looks up at her dad. He was never this uptight and bitter. Not that he woke up one day and became this mean guy, it was more like a gradual change over the past 5 years.

"He's going to take over the company in four months, Rob, he wasn't going to make it regardless." Johnathan laughs. Ginny glances up at him, even his laugh shows that he's a figure with authority. "But I promised Ginny-" a hint of emotion flies through her dad's voice.

These are the moments that Genesis holds onto. Her dad, Robert, is upset that his boss didn't hold his promise. And he's upset for her sake. It's these little moments where she remembers that he's her dad and that maybe he still has it in his heart to love her as his daughter.

"She's marrying him, isn't she?" Johnathan's voice is firm and the girl watches as her dad's face falls. "She'll meet him then, he has better things to do." Johnathan's eyes fall on Genesis and he smiles warmly. "He'll have plenty of time for you once you carry the Mayfield last name, Genesis."

"I'm looking forward to it, Mr. Mayfield," Genesis answers politely. The man shoots her an unbelieving smile and he turns to Robert. "She's grown up nicely, Robert," Johnathan smiles at the man, "Gael and she will be a beautiful couple."

Gael.

♡
A/N
Welcome to ISOLATED, I hope you like this story!

If you don't like third person, you can check out my new story Gold Digger, which is currently ONGOING. This will be written from first person's point of view!

Again, welcome to ISOLATED!! I love the comments and the notifications I get and I appreciate you all<3

-Annie