His Innocent Acquisition

CHAPTER FOUR - MEET THE BELLES

"You and Mark are to be married..."

Lexi was stunned by the words that were coming out of her mother's mouth. She didnt know how to react to it, so she did the unthinkable...

She laughed.

And really laughed her ass off. She laughed so hard that her stomach hurt and tears were coming out of her eyes.

"T-that's a good one, Mother." She said, "m-m-me? M-m-marry Mark? This has to be some kind of a joke, right?" She looked at her parents. Her mother was giving her a dirty look. Her dad almost looked as if he had done something really bad. Mark and Richard just had poker faces. She immediately stopped laughing when she realized that no one was laughing along with her.

"You're really serious? You actually want me to marry Mark." She felt sick. She can't believe this is happening to her. She looked at Mark and saw that his expression was unreadable.

"Are you insane?" She slammed her fists on the table. "You are making ME marry Mark?" She shouted. "Why?" She asked.

The entire table was momentarily quiet. Then Theodore opened his mouth to speak. "Me, your mother and Richard agreed that you two being married will secure the future of our companies------"

"You're unbelievable! You're telling me that you are willing to use your own daughter as a pawn to ensure the future of the company!" She slammed her fist. She took a long deep breathe to calm herself. She can't believe she's hearing this. "How can you do this to me?

"Oh don't be so overdramatic, Alexa!" Helena siad in a very dry voice. "You're only getting married. It's not the end of the world."

"It's so easy for you to say this because it didn't happen to you! I just graduated from college! I want to travel! I want to make my own name in the world! I want to be known for my own capabilities not because I'm a Spencer!" She felt tears pooling up in her eyes. "Can't you give me that one chance? I've never asked you for anything. All I want to do is have a chance to work for the company. I want to put my education to good use. I want to be able to say that the money you spent to send me to college wasn't a waste. Please, that's all I'm asking." She pleaded.

"It's all done. The contract had been signed. Your father and Richard is already putting the plans of the merger in motion." Her mother said. She looked at her and saw that her mother didn't even ever showing compassion for what she is making her do.

She wiped her tears and stood up. "And where are you going?" Her mother asked. "Dinner is not yet done." She said pointedly. "Sit down." She ordered.

Lexi didnt do as she was told. She didn't want to spend anymore time with them. She had to leave before sh3 said something that she would regret. "Please excuse me. I just realised that I've lost my appetite." She said quietly. "Richard, it was so nice to see you again." She smiled at Richard. Then turned to Mark. She just looked at him and said nothing. She didnt look at her parents. She just couldn't.

After Lexi left, the whole table was quiet. Apparently, they just sat there absorbing the events that just transpired recently. Then Theodore cleared his throat. "Well. That was really something else." He lamely joked. "Never expected that from Alexa."

Mark and Richard just laughed. Even though there was nothing funny about what happened. Richard couldn't help but feel responsible for putting Alexa on the spot like that. Mark on the other hand, had other thoughts about his first encounter with his bride-to-be going on in his mind.

"Dessert, anyone?" Helena offered. "I hope you still have room for it." She said. Then stood up and headed for the kitchen to fetch dessert.

As soon as Lexi shut her bedroom door, she couldn't stop her tears from falling. How could they do this to me? She thought bitterly. She cried and cried really hard.