Not My Parent's Favorite

Chapter 2

Mari

I couldn't believe the information I had just received. I was in a bit of a daze on the way back home. Mother has someone else other than Father. Father possibly has an illegitimate son. The secrets in this family just keep getting better and better. Eventually they will come to light, one way or another.

As soon as I drove onto the road leading up to the family compound, knots began to grow in my stomach. I dreaded coming back to the mansion; I didn't want to discuss the marriage they were so happy to arrange. Immediately after I drove into the garage, Emma, one of the housekeepers, quickly exited the house and came to the door of my car.

"Ms. Worthington, good you're home." Emma said, opening the door for me.

"Hi Emma," I stepped out as she waited. It looked as if she had something to say. "Is everything okay?"

"No, your Father is looking for you." My anxiety went from zero to ten immediately.

"Do you know why he is looking for me?"

"No. He had been looking for you since this morning. He said as soon as you get home, he wants you to come and see him in the study."

Shit! Why can't he go to work like normal people? I can't even imagine what he wants to talk about.

"Thank you Emma. I'll head over to the study." I replied. Emma nodded and quickly left.

I slammed the car door and walked slowly towards the mansion. I didn't have the slightest idea what Father wanted as I racked my brain the entire time I walked down the hallway leading to the study. As I got closer, I slowed my stride to hear if he was alone; I peeped around the corner and he sat at the desk looking at his laptop.

I collected myself before I stepped in his presence; Father had a way of making anyone feel relatively small. I stepped in the study and Father quickly paid attention.

"Hello Father." I said walking over to the desk. Father watched me as soon as I entered the room. His gaze sent chills down my spine.

"Mari, where have you been?" He asked, folding his arms and giving me his full attention. He scanned my face to see if I would tell him the truth. I was prepared; I had mastered my lying to him.

"Oh, I just took a drive." I said standing in front of the desk. "May I sit?" I asked. He stared at me and nodded. I slowly sat in the chair, maintaining full eye contact with him.

"You just took a drive? Where did you go?" I wasn't about to answer him honestly, I would never hear the end of it. He would most likely accuse me of trying to find a way for me to get kicked out of the mansion.

"Just driving around, thinking. It was a lot of shi....stuff you and Mother unloaded on me yesterday." I had to catch myself; I had forgotten I wasn't at Vicki's place. But still it was a lot of shit they unloaded on me.

"I see." Father was just cold sometimes when it came to the family. He stared at me making me feel like a small child instead of being a 24 year old. "You don't have a job, do you?"

"Of course not Father." He wouldn't allow me to have one if I wanted one. Father has always felt that women shouldn't work as they should keep the house ready for her husband.

"Good. Have you spoken to Jeffrey?"

"No." He raised his head and looked at me over top of his glasses.

"Excuse me? Why not?"

"Father, you just informed me yesterday of this arrangement. I haven't had time to understand what is expected of me, let alone call someone that my parents have matched me to marry." I quipped. Father took off his glasses and dropped them on the desk.