My flight

Chapter 1

Three weeks ago

"Leah,Your father is calling you to his study " my mom called me from her position in the sofa while she was doing her nails . I scowled at her and asked why and all she did was just shrug her shoulders . "Miss Leah , you are being called by your father" our maid also came with the request of my father . I motioned her to follow me and went into the adjoining room of the sitting room me and my mother were occupying ."Bethany , how was my father or how was his mood when he told you to call me?" I asked her "well...miss....he ,well he told me to..." I saw Beth hesitating with her answer and I prodded her to go on by nodding my head and she answered " He actually sounded happy miss , he was humming a tune." I nodded my head and dismissed her and went in search of my father . As I entered the study I heard the humming and I realised that this was the first time that I have seen my father be so happy . I looked around at the place that has become my father's sanctuary for his entire life , there was a lot of clutter on his gigantic desk and the shelves were loaded with his favourite books . There was a slight smell of rosewoods in the air . I saw that my father was going over his accounts of the day and I cleared my throat to indicate to him that I have come to him . He raised his head and looked at me inquiringly then I noticed his expressions morph into something that looked close to happiness. "Have a seat Leah " I sat on the chair and looked at him expectantly .
Please just get on with it .
" Well Leah do you know the Harris Perfumeries ?"
I was confused with the question but answered by nodding my head at him .
He went back humming and stood from his chair and walked over to the cabinet that was behind him and ruffled through his files and took out a packet with a stack of white paper in them , he gave it to me and said "I'll tell you what is in there . Uh .. Well Leah Harris Perfumeries contacted me today stating that they are going to overlook my dept to them and I'll tell you that is a lot of debt and well they told me that they are going give me an out from my dept if I agreed to their conditions."
I knew where this was going to go , it had to be something that effected me only then would he call me and tell me something this important .
" What was their condition ?"
"There condition is that if .... I .. Well , if I married you to their CEO and changed my last will stating that after mine and your mother's death all the properties and also our company .... The company that I built from my own blood and sweat will be going to the Harris Perfumeries ."
" Thank you father for asking my opinion in this .. This matter"
"Now you sit back in your chair child and do what your father asks you and don't show your sass at me for this would be the only thing that you are going to do that will become useful for your family "
Wow now that was a low blow,but I knew deep inside my soul that I still craved for my father's acceptance of me .
"What will I get out of this contract father?"
"You will get 500 million dollars of solid cash as soon as you saw I do and you will get very good reputation being wife to such a big person ."
"So you are selling me to this person ?"
"Don't show me your attitude child be happy with what you have got "
"What if I want an out from this sham of a marriage?"
"This will not be a sham if you are going into this marriage willingly but if you are not then the contract will become void only when you finish your two years of marriage."
"Two years..." My voice came out hollowed , I thought for about ten minutes and came to the decision that if I refused this I will not gain a thing nor lose ,but if I accept this contract I will have my fathers satisfaction, two years of marriage... I wanted my father's acceptance of me and also his love . So this is something that you cannot sit and think on.
My father's love is something which I was not showered with nor sprinkled on.
I nodded my head at him accepting the marriage . I have been given a choice and I am choosing.
He looked at me , his eyes showed me that he already knew my decision and this was not a choice nor is it a request to save him , this was his way of informing me .
I bowed my head at him defeated and stood from the chair and let myself out of his study .
................................................................

I went back to my room and looked at the mirror . The woman staring back at me was pale her red hair being a stark contrast against her porcelain skin . Her green eyes were brimmed with tears .
I knew that I am not ugly but also I am not beautiful , my nose looked too long but my lips were something that I was glad looked like my mother's they were pink and also full .
I was ready , ready to take the love that was already mine but never given , to take my rightful place in the family .
My father resented me because I was born as a girl and not a boy . This was my way of showing him that I am good at what I do.
But silently at the corner of my mind I was praying , praying for my husband to be as I dreamed about him to be when I was little . But with my luck in all my twenty one years of experience I knew that this wouldn't happen. I shrugged and turned my face at the mirror with a new set of determination .
Well let's hope for the best.