SEAL THE DEAL

chapter 3

"They haven't said yes yet, because the girl wants to meet you first," Abhishek's father said as he gazed outside the window pensively, watching as rain showered the city below him.

The words made Abhishek freeze and his blood run cold.
He had no idea who she is  or what she look  like, but he certainly didn't think anybody in
their right mind would have - or even should have - agreed to such an outrageous proposal.

That was the only reason he'd indulged his father until now; because he'd been so sure that she wouldn't.

He stopped scrolling through his phone and sat up a little straighter, dread beginning to settle into his bones, "I can't believe you actually want me to do this," he chuckled bitterly, "This will affect my whole life...does that not matter to you? Does what I think about all of this not
matter to you? I don't want this. I don't want to get married, especially not to a girl I've never even met before...does that really not matter to you?"

His father turned around to face him as a defeated sigh left his lips. He'd been fully expecting the resistance and the scorn. He was even prepared for a screaming match or two because deep down, even he knew that he was asking a little too much from his son.

A/D:-"Please Abhishek. It will seriously help the Golden so much and -"

Abhi:-"Of course, that's all you care about...your company," Abhishek scoffed, rolling his eyes.

He knew better than anyone that his father had worked incredibly hard to rise to where he stood today; all the way from the very bottom of rock bottom to the top. He knew that his father had invested everything he had and everything he was into his company, not just his time, money and effort. He knew about all the sleep his father had given up and all the meals
that he had skipped, all the blood and sweat he'd poured into building his legacy. He knew just how difficult the journey had been, how lonely and exhausted and completely overwhelmed his father had felt over the tears.

That's why Abhishek couldn't fully hold it against him. Because he knew that his father loved him, but he loved Golden too.
His father shook his head, heaving out a sigh as he made his way across the room and sat down next to his son, "You know that's not true. Just meet her please. For me," he pleaded, taking hold of Abhishek's hand.

Abhi:-"Is that really what you want? You really want me to exchange my entire life for Golden's success?" Abhishek questioned, looking up at his father.

He respected his father's ambition and passion to expand his company, admired it even, but he couldn't help the hurt and disappointment brewing in his heart.
Abhishek had wanted his father to prioritise him for once. He had expected him to prioritise what he wanted and what made him happy, but here his father was, asking him to throw his life away and go through with a stupid marriage of convenience just to seal a business deal.

A stupid marriage of convenience that wasn't even completely necessary to seal a business deal at all.

The expression on his father's face faltered and he shook his head again, " abhi, beta,
come on, you know it's not like that, I -"

Maybe Abhishek had expected too much.
"Fine. I'll meet her," Abhishek interrupted, sliding his hand out of his father's and standing up. He didn't want to continue this conversation because he knew his emotions were going to get the best of him and his tongue would race ahead and spit out things that he'd regret later on.

His father frowned as he stared at him, wondering what was going on beyond his son's cold tone and undecipherable expression.

A/D:-"Are you going to meet her seriously or are you going to meet her just so you can coerce her into saying no?"
The question - or rather, the doubt and the mistrust behind it - felt like an arrow straight to his heart, and abhishek clenched his fists tightly, nails digging into his palms.

Abhi:-"I said I'll meet her," he repeated, feeling like he was going to burst in a few seconds. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his back still facing his father, "I won't let you down, and you know very well that I never have. What do you even take me for?" he muttered before he left the room, making sure to slam the door behind him.

Abhishek's father sighed as he watched him storm off. Once again, he wondered whether he was really doing the right thing by pushing his son into an arranged marriage purely for the sake of his business and its success.

He also couldn't help but wonder whether he would ultimately end up losing more than he would gain from this deal.