Happily Never After

Chapter 18

I blink once. Twice. Three times as we look at each other.

"Ca-" I start.

"Sarah, listen to me." He lets go of my wrist and holds either side of my face so I can't look or move away. "I will explain everything to you after you give me your answer. It's important that I get an answer from you right now."

"I-"

"Sarah, you have no idea how important your answer is to me. I know it's not-"

"You're crazy!"

"Maybe but-"

"Give me one good reason why I should agree."

He groans lowly and takes a deep breath. "My ex is threatening to sue me for half of the company because she found a clause in our divorce papers. Apparently, the lawyer my dad got to take care of the divorce is a relation of hers and changed the contract I signed when it came to doing so."

"What does that have to do with me marrying you?"

"Unless I am married and expecting to have an heir to the business before the end of this year, she gains full rights to my position within the company," he explains quickly.

"You're asking me to marry you and give you a child. We haven't known each other for that long," I remind him.

"I know but if it helps, we can do the marriage itself. No child. This has to happen though, Sarah. I have no choice but to ask you to do this for me. You were the one who said that you would give this your all, remember?"

"Yes, but-"

"Sarah, I am begging you. I wouldn't ask if it didn't matter. Help me t-"

"Okay," I nod, my movements restricted with his hold on my face.

"Isn't the answer suppose to be 'yes' when someone asks you to marry them?"

"Carter-" I start, my voice getting slightly higher.

"Sorry," he apologises before smiling and kissing me forcefully. "Thank you."

Carter's hand is placed firmly on the base of my back as we walk out of the house half an hour later to go home. He carries my dress in a black garment bag with his free hand as well as his own belongings in a black overnight bag. Those who stayed in the house overnight, stand in numerous small groups around the gravel drive, saying their goodbyes and making plans for their next get together.

Carter hands the items he held, over to Landon who stood next to a black Range Rover and muttered something about getting them to his house before we arrived there. Landon simply nods and flashes me a bright white smile before turning to the car and placing the items in its boot.

I don't get a chance to return his smile as Carter guides me towards his car which now sat facing us so it would be easier to drive off in. He unlocks the car and lets me go so we can both get in.

"My mum and dad are going to meet us at my house," Carter informs me while putting his seatbelt on when inside the car.

I nod and follow his actions before the car starts. He puts the car into gear and drives off, the rubber tyres making quick work of the gravel beneath them. Taking each corner quick and neat, we were at the estate entrance gates within seconds.

Looking right then left then right again, the car pulls out onto the quiet road and speeds off down the national speed limit road. I knew we wouldn't be hitting any bends anytime soon as I drove up this road with Jordan yesterday.

I took advantage of that fact and reached my right hand out and place it over Carter's left hand as it gripped the gearstick tightly. His hand relaxes slightly under mine before he lets go of the gearstick and entwines his fingers with mine.

Words weren't exchanged, neither were any glances at each other. We both just kept our eyes on the road and sat in silence with our hands clasped together. It wasn't until the bends of the road start coming into view, that we pulled our hands apart, allowing Carter to control the car with both hands on the wheel.

"I'm sorry I've dragged you into the mess that is my fucked up life," Carter breaks the awkward silence.

I turn my head and look at him. "It's not your fault that the lawyer you trusted, turned out to be a relation to your ex. Neither you nor your dad were to have known."

"I completely understand if you want to pull out of this. I don't blame you. It's a lot to ask of someone who barley-"

Before I knew what I was doing, my hand moved to him and rested on his thigh which tensed ever so slightly under my touch. "I told you I would give this my all and I'm going to stick to my word."

His head turns slightly and he looks at me before looking back at the road. "How did I get so lucky to find someone as good as you?"

"Luck has nothing to do with it, Mr. Romero."

He smiles and the car picks up speed so we were now pushing towards the eighty miles per hour mark on the quiet sixty road.

"Sarah has agreed to the marriage," Carter announces to his parents as we sit in the living room of his house three hours later.

Henry nods. "Does she know what the marriage will intel?"

"I only told her the just of why this has to happen. I didn't go into detail as I don't really know every detail of the matter myself."

"Very well," Henry sighs, taking a seat across from us and next to his wife, Isobel. "I have trusted lawyers looking into the contract as we speak and others drawing up a contract for your marriage."

"I-we-" I start to stutter.

"We need a contract?" Carter puts my scattered words into a complete question.

"If you want to protect your assets of the company, you do. This marriage will only be for a short term. Until this whole thing blows over and we get to the bottom of why this has become a matter now."

"What if I don't want to protect my assets in the company? What if I actually want to go into this because my heart's telling me that it's the right thing to do?"

"Carter, don't be stupid. We don't want you doing this and a few weeks or months down the road, come to us and say that you have both agreed to call it quits. This is necessary," Isobel states.

"If we go into this, we do it my way. I want Sarah to be protect. Physically and financially. I want her to get half of what I have. I-"

"Carter, think about what you're saying here." I butt in.

"Sarah, I know what I want and for once in my life, I'm taking it while I still have it within my grasp."

I bite the inside of my lip and nod. "Okay."

Carter nods slightly and turns back to look at his parents. "So, which one of you are going to fill us in?"