THE LOVE I CAN SACRIFICE

Arella's pov

Hearing my father spill nonsense from his mouth made me wonder if I was truly his daughter, I sat there in awe and shock as I listened to him, "You have to get married." He said to me, I looked at him for the tenth time hoping he'd laugh and say, "It's a prank!" And that he was just fooling around, but unfortunately, he wasn't, he was damn serious with everything. What was my offense that he was willing to throw me off to some stranger at the slightest wave of money? I felt betrayed, and alone once again. Dad was always like that, and could I blame him? No. His business had struggled since the death of Mom, apparently, she had cancer, and Dad had spent most of his life savings on her, since then, life's been really tough on all of us particularly me who had just finished graduating from college, that was five years ago and as sad as it seemed, their marriage wasn't the perfect one, at some point I felt like I wasn't much of a daughter to dad than I was to mom. We never had the father-daughter connection, nothing like that. How would some spark when dad had wanted a male child all along? Yes. In some parts of the world, or some people's mindset, things are a frivolous ad that existed. My name is Arella Buchanan, the only daughter of my parents, apparently, they say they love me which I hardly see. "You have to get married and I have found the perfect man for you." I immediately lost it immediately, standing up abruptly as I interrupted his words, "Dad, I am going to say this just once so you'd better listen good. I ain't getting married to any damn man! I'm old enough to make my decisions!!" I said standing firm he looked at me with a glare, "Old enough you say? You're 24! What the hell are you still doing in my house? I have tolerated your presence enough for 24 years, now I'm asking you to leave in peace!" He spat out, I felt somewhat hurt, and there he said it. I was a burden all along. Jessica stood at the door confused, she was his new wife, and I could say she did a better job at parenting than he did. I glared at Dad, fighting the tears that were trying to stream down my eyes, I couldn't take it anymore, so I walked out of him, heading to my room, in anger banging the door so hard that it couldn't ironically pull the building down, falling flat on my bed, the tears broke out in their numbers, I cried hard into my pillow. If there's anything I've yearned for over the years it's father's love. A knock Interrupted my bawling, I sniffed as I raised my head, then asked, "Who's that?" "Can I come in?" Jessica's voice said, "The door is open," I said flatly, falling to the bed again. The door opened, and she stood there with a tray of hot noodles, looking at me with pity in her eyes, "You know, your father meant well." She began, I rolled my puffy eyes, I was interested in the food she was holding, "What's that?" I asked completely ignoring her statement, she then smiled raising the tray, "Your favorite. Pepper noodles with water." I gulped down, she just knew how to bribe me. "So tell me, don't you want to get married?" She looked at me, sat on the bed, Jessica was nice, she reminded me alot of Mom but despite everything, I missed Mom. Dad could use her to get to know parenting better. "Not that I don't want to get married, I want to experience love in its dimensions before I get married. But what dad's telling me to do…that's torture" I sniffed. She sighed, then patted me on the back, "How about I speak to your father, maybe just maybe, he'd listen to me." She added, I smiled, then threw my arms around her, "Thank you, Jessica," I mumbled to her. "You're welcome. Now eat your noodles before it gets cold. That totally worked." She joked, making me laugh a little, as she walked out of the door, I stared at the noodles, about to munch it when I received a text, "Babe, let's meet up". My smile widened, as I saw the text from Lan. Apparently, I had a boyfriend whom I loved so much, and the feelings were reciprocated. I met Lan in school and we've been sweethearts for close to three years now, and no matter how my dad kept telling me to get married to a man old enough to be my grandfather, that was not happening, I took a deep breath, then stood up as I grabbed my jacket from the table, I stormed out, ignoring my dad's incessant calls. I turned looking at my house, this was the last time, anyone was going to see me. I turned heading to where my love lay. Wellington's Residence DOMINIC'S POV The house was calm, the peaceful glance of the mansion which held countless memories of my childhood surfaced before me, taking a deep breath, the door suddenly opened, with Damian holding onto the door as it opened ajar, Taking a short bow, he says" Welcome home, sir." Looking at him, couldn't help but wonder how he had been all these years, "Damian," I called, with our eyes meeting, it's been a while. "Most definitely.' flashing a small smile to me, just then the butler came out with Grandpa behind him, "Son, how nice of you to return home to this old man after all these years." My grandfather frowned a little, his skin which was already wrinkled due to old age, as he stared at me. That was the brain behind the successful name, Wellington. Grandpa had built the name from scratch with my father taking over the company, but it didn't last in his time as my parents were brutally murdered alongside my oldest brother while I was away at a piano competition in Poland. It's been a traumatizing life for me, seeing my grandfather, the only parent I've had all these years, even though sometimes he seemed to nag a lot like a woman. "But I'm here now, ain't I?" I beamed, while he squeezed his face walking Into the arms I had opened up for a warm hug. "Welcome home, Buddy." He says to me in a whisper, which feels peaceful. "Feels good to be home," I said to him. . . "Marriage?" I squinted my brows at the mention of the name marriage, "Yes, and I've prepared a wonderful bride for you." I don't while his words felt sketchy, Grandpa Wellington has always been cocky and sly, "And she agreed?" I questioned, at this point in my life I had already given up on hope. It felt like life itself was tired of my existence. I am sick and in desperate need of an heir to the entire Wellington asset before I leave this earth. "Are you that in a hurry to bid me a goodbye." I spat out, rolling my eyes, "At this point, I think I'm the one dying instead." Grandpa Wellington looked at me as he spat out unbelievably, I snorted as I crossed my legs, ignoring the look he gave. "So who's this mysterious lady who accepts to marry a sick man in this time and age?" I asked if it was he moved back, rubbing his temples, "Oh my goodness," He finally says, "She doesn't know," I rose in surprise, "She doesn't.." He immediately cut me off, "Before you say anything she should know nothing." He says, I stared at him in disbelief, "You can't be serious?" "What? Apparently, you two have been betrothed to each other since you were two. You wanted to marry her so badly when you were younger." He says he can't be kidding me right now, "What?" "I know this girl?" He nodded, I turned to Damian who seemed quite flushed, "Arella Buchanan. Does the name ring a bell?" Grandpa suddenly says, at that moment I froze. All seemed like a small joke, "Arella?" I asked again, "Yes, the same one. And this time she's more beautiful than ever." Grandpa continued, "She lost her mother and her father just remarried, from what I heard, his business is struggling, they moved back to their old house about five years ago." He looked at Damian snapped his hands, who then walked up to me with a brown envelope, hesitating a little I opened it up, to see pictures of her, "That's her now," Grandpa says, I stood in awe of her beauty, she had indeed grown up to be very attractive. "I'm sure she has a love interest but there's nobody I can trust you with, So what do you say? Should I get you another bride?" Probably this time fate was on my side and not against me, "No, she's just perfect and if I can, I'll steal her away. "