CARINA

10: I'M TOO YOUNG FOR MARRIAGE

Mackenzie's POV

     I got home and Jay was nowhere to be found. I was going crazy and I needed to let it out. His condition was too much to take in and I still couldn't wrap my head around it. I knew he was cruel but not to that extent. Our conversation kept going back and forth in my head

"So what's your condition" I asked

"In exchange for my partnership with the hospital, you have to marry me" he said

"Huh?" I asked clearly shocked

"Are you this dense or you just fail to understand English?" he snarled

"Wouldn't you also be as confused as I am if such condition was dumped on you" I asked

"Don't compare me to you. I'm a lot smarter than you are"

"Ptff! Whatever old man" I said without thinking and slapped my hand over my face offering him an apologetic look "You know what? Let's leave the past behind. Whatever you did to hurt me let's forget and have a good start okay" I said

He walked to me and crouched down "I'm not joking Carina" he said looking right into my widened eyes

"B-but you're asking me to ma-marry you when you already have a fiancée. Isn't that a joke?" I always stutter whenever his face got too close to mine

"No it isn't. Those were rumors I made people believe easily. She was just a fake fiancée and the media would do anything to get such information. So what's your answer?" he smirked

"I should give you an answer now?" I asked

"How much time do you need to make a decision?"

"This isn't just a decision, it's my future. I can't wake up and marry someone I hardly know"

"Why do you need to know me if this is just a marriage of convenience" he counters back "You can go back if you don't want to do this. Guess I'll see you in the next meeting and hoping that would be the last I see of you" he finally moved his face away and stood in an upright posture

"No, what about my job?" I asked in despair

"You have until Wednesday to make a decision" he informed

"That's just four days from now!" I screamed

"That's the day I have the meeting with your chairman. Take my card and call once you make a decision" he stretched his hand containing a card and that was when I noticed the tattoos behind his hand. They were writings and I moved closer to read them but he interrupted

"Are you going to keep looking or take the card?" I jumped a little before taking the card from him. He put his hand in his pocket and looked at me "I'll wait for your answer" he smirked

I turned and walked timidly to the door. I looked at him again before walking away from his office and to the elevator

I've only got four days to make a decision and I couldn't think of it alone. It was almost evening and Jay was probably with friends so I decided to wait for him on the couch. Today had been a long day and when I said third attempt should work, I didn't expect this kind of outcome

My eyes started to grow heavy and dry. If I slept a little, I'd be able to come up with a better solution to the problem so I gave up fighting and fell into slumber

DANTE'S POV

     "THESE are reasons why I love coming to your house" Enzo shouted from the kitchen. He was eating all my foods and making mixtures of it with alcohol. He poured scotch into the bowl of cornflakes and spat it out after putting it in his mouth "That was gross" he said