The Woman With the Wedding Ring

Two Couples, Two Children And Two Of The Most Powerful Companies In The World

Prologue:

The room had an overpowering scent; a ripe mix of Chanel perfume, polish and babies.  A summary of the people in the room that sat proudly at the top of the building.

Two couples, two children and two of the most powerful companies in the world.

“Keep him quiet,” A woman murmured.  “We need to make this deal quickly.” And with that, the small boy was silenced with a brightly coloured dummy.

“It’s a simple arrangement.” The father of the small girl said as she gnawed at his tie with her soft pink gums until her mother took her and carefully cradled her.  “You have a business.  We have a business.  Together, the minimum we can hope for is profits doubling.” He stated, glancing down at the small boy.

“What if we don’t want to merge?” The small boy’s father asked, his voice laced with the faint hint of an Irish heritage.  “We have Caden to think about now; the business isn’t our baby any more.” He added, looking down at his son softly.

“Of course; that’s why this plan works around Caden.  And Willow, of course.” At the sound of her father saying her name, the small baby girl gurgled happily, looking up at her mother through innocent blue eyes.

“How?” Caden’s mother was quick to ask, her icy eyes bearing into the small girl.

“Caden and Willow – when they’re old enough – will get married.  That way, the merging of our businesses will be…seamless.” Willow’s father murmured, looking out of the window and into the cold night that was blustering on the other side of the pane of frosted glass.

“Married?” Caden’s father repeated, his eyebrows shooting up.  “Just like that?”

“Quiet, Ambros.” His wife snapped, looking down at the small girl crawling along the table.  “She’ll have to be suited to be a wife.” She noted, plans for the wedding already forming in the back of her head.

“Of course.  But will you sign the deal, Terri?” Willow’s father checked with her.

“Otis, she’s just a baby!” His wife cried, scooping her daughter off the table and into her arms.

“She’s a business opportunity, Heidi.” Otis reminded her as he pushed the contract across the table to Caden’s parents.  “We can’t miss this.” He added as he watched Terri take out a pen and scrawl her signature along the dotted line.

“Sign it, Ambros.” Terri hissed, shoving the pen at her doubting husband.  “The kid’s an investment.”

“But-”

“Sign it!” She repeated before he could finish.  “Or I sign for you.” With that, Ambros took the pen and unwillingly scribbled his name alongside his wife’s, looking down at his son and silently wondering what he’s been condemned to.

Once the document had the completed four signatures, the parents filed out silently, leaving only an empty room with the faint smell of doubt, power and perfume in their wake.

A summary of the deed they had signed away their children’s freedom with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, I know I shouldn't really be starting any more stories :$ apologies...but this idea came to me yesterday, it already has a complete plot :L so it's being written!  Hope you enjoy it; don't forget to vote ;)

Swinnie (: