Silent Strangers

FIFTEEN

Chapter FIFTEEN:
Tobias

The meeting with my family and the Reeds was cursed to be a nightmare. I'd dreaded it for days, but nothing could have prepared me for the sheer awkwardness of the situation. My father, ever the opportunist, had insisted on a family dinner at his restaurant, a place I'd sworn never to return to after a particularly humiliating incident in my teenage years.

As we walked into the restaurant, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. The familiar scent of garlic and olive oil filled the air, a constant reminder of the countless embarrassing moments I'd experienced here. My father, oblivious to my discomfort, led the way to a private dining room, his face beaming with pride.

I was introduced to Mrs. Reed, a woman with a cold, calculating gaze that sent shivers down my spine. Her daughter, whom she apologized for as she had just gone to the restroom, was missing. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She was being dragged into this mess, forced to participate in a charade that she clearly had no interest in.

As we sat down, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. I knew what this was all about, the carefully orchestrated plan to save my career. But the thought of marrying someone I didn't know, someone who was being forced into this just like I was, filled me with a sense of dread.

My father, oblivious to the tension, rambled on about the benefits of the proposed marriage, the potential business alliances, the social standing. I listened, my mind racing. Was this really what I wanted? Was I willing to sacrifice my happiness, my freedom, for a career that was already slipping through my fingers?

As time passed, I couldn't help but feel a growing sense of resentment towards my father. He was treating this like a business deal, a way to secure his own interests. He didn't care about me, about that girl who was his future daughter in law. He only cared about the benefits, the advantages.

I couldn't take it anymore. I had to speak up.

"Dad," I began, my voice trembling. "This is wrong. We're dragging an innocent girl into this. She doesn't want to be here."

My father's face darkened. "Tobias," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "This is a business opportunity. A chance to save your career."

"But at what cost?" I retorted, my voice rising.

My father's eyes narrowed. "You're a selfish boy," he said, his voice filled with contempt. "This is about more than just you. This is about the family."

I felt a surge of anger. My father was using me, using her, to further his own ambitions. It was a betrayal, a betrayal of everything I believed in.

As I sat there, simmering with rage, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pity for Ms.Reeds. She was trapped, just like I was. We were both victims of our parents' greed and ambition.

Just as I was about to say something else, I noticed Ms.Reeds walking back to the table beside her mother. Although I had kept my head down at the moment, I could see the way her eyes were filled with a mixture of sadness and resignation. In that moment, I realized that she was just as trapped as I was.

"Grace, it's a pleasure to meet you." I heard my father's voice boom in the now silent room. 
Wait. Is her name Grace too? Or is this some sick joke my mind is playing on me? I laugh at the thought, and feel all eyes on me.

But that's not it. A pair of eyes glares at me, screaming of betrayal and lost hope. I shake off the uncomfortable feeling of daggers piercing my skin as I look up at Ms. Grace Reeds.

And then it hit me.

Oh you have to be kidding me.

I recognized her but was too stunned to react. I couldn't believe it.
Life suddenly seems to hate me.

Grace, the girl I had met just a few days ago at that club that night, was the one I was being forced to marry.

I cursed myself for being so stupid. How could I have not recognized her sooner? I had been so focused on my own problems, so blinded by my own despair, that I hadn't even noticed her.

As I looked at Grace, I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I had been so selfish, so self-absorbed. I had never considered how this would affect her.

I knew then that I had to do something. I had to find a way to break free from this nightmare, to save myself and Grace. But how?