If I Have To

The Business Decision Pt. 2

New York, New York
February 20th

Kasey L.

My life was as simple as it could get. I woke up at the same time every morning, went to work at the same place and worked the same amount of hours each day. Then I head home, do the same night routine, and be off to the bed. The next day, it's the same thing. And the same thing after that. I rarely had any changes in my lifestyle because my life didn't require any. I was already accustomed to how I was living now.

So, hearing this sudden change that was occurring out of nowhere made me speechless. Marriage? That wasn't the issue. Marrying a person I didn't know, let alone met before, was the real problem. Bringing someone into my home with no great knowledge of who they are or could turn out to be was unethical. I was trying to take in everything they said and process it as well. I was about to get married to a random woman just for a business arrangement.

This was bizarre.

I exhaled deeply. My eyes were attached to the tile flooring in the office. I was pulled out of work for this conversation to be held. I thought it was something serious, life-threatening maybe. It wasn't that. Nonetheless, a conversation that still needed to be held. I was still trying to wrap my brain around it. Was this life?

It couldn't be.

"Wait..." I began, breaking the silence that went on for roughly an hour.

"Take your time," my father, Calvin, told me. I slowly nodded my head, taking his advice. If I could I'd spend a month or two thinking about this. Since I couldn't, I thought of something quickly.

"This...this is ridiculous, father." I finally completed a sentence.

"I agree," Pearl, my mother, chimed in.

She turned away from the book shelf and back at us. Her face was red from anger, I assumed it was because of the news. She must've just found out along with me. That was the only reason for her emotion. I wasn't all that angry. I was more so confused and filled with curiosity at the same time. I thought marriage was typically a commitment between two people. An agreement. I didn't agree to anything and I'm sure the young woman didn't either.

All for a business arrangement made things much worse. I was down, majority of the time, with whatever business Calvin had to conduct on his own time. It wasn't my concern since I had no association with it. I shall say, I've reaped the benefits of it since I was a child. From living in a mansion and being drove around in a limo to twelve bodyguards following me around and already owning a Lamborghini at the age of ten. That was the life Calvin gave my siblings and I. All of that coming from his many companies.

To this day, Calvin's money has been a great help in my life. This wedding was not.

"I don't know what you were thinking, Calvin. This is not some foreign country. Forced marriage is a thing of the past. It's illegal!" Pearl exclaimed, expressing her anger.

"Calm down, Pearl. This is a huge opportunity for us and for Kasey," Calvin mentioned, pointing at me.

"How?" Pearl and I said at the same time. Her voice was much louder than mine because again she was mad.

Calvin placed his attention on me. "The young woman comes from a rich family in Seattle, Washington. Her father, Franklin Mills, owns close to twenty business. He's on the same level as me." He explained.