The Billionaire's Little Wife

" Life won't give you what you want, you have to fight for it. "

*****

- Malisa -

" You are getting married in two weeks, Malisa. " The words rang in my head like a bell and it took a lot of strength and intentionality for me not to have fallen to the ground at the words.

How can that be?

" But, Dad - " I stared at the man who was seated like a king on the couch in front of me with eyes filled with tears.

" I can't get married. " I swallowed the lump in my throat as my words descended.

" Why? " His words were heavy and held a tinge of warning in them.

" I'm only eighteen, " I dared to stare at him and saw the fire therein, but I spoke regardless of what I saw there.

" I've got drea - "

" Dreams? " He stumped his cane harshly to the ground, standing abruptly, forcing me to take several steps backward.

" I - "

" Malisa Bree, " His words sounded like fire, threatening to burn me to death. " Your future has been decided the moment you were born and you've got no say about it. "

" Dad, please... I can't. " I was on my knees, almost immediately. I stared at my mom who was seated like a puppet next to my Dad, she would have been the perfect person to beg. But she was worse than my Dad. The truth is, I didn't know which of them was better.

" You won't? " His words were cold and sharp.

" Dad, I - "

" Have you forgotten that your worth as a lady is found in the husband you get married to? "

" I - "

" Prepare her, Sir Donald will be here in a few hours to meet her. Make sure she's well prepared to meet him. " He turned to my mom, who nodded like a robot.

" Yes, sir. " Given how scared she was, I somehow wonder if he was truly her husband or her master as he sure doesn't act like that actually.

" And Malisa, " I felt chills go down my spine as he stared back at me. " You know better than to run away, right? " Hearing his words was like a reminder, as I figured I had kind of been thinking of it. But would I even dare to?

" I - "

" You know what happened to Gloria Steinem, when she attempted running away, right? " Gloria? How could I forget?

The lady has been filled with dreams just like I am and sought to escape from the claws of death, but only ended up in the den of lions when she encountered some men at the bush who molested her till she gave up the ghost. Her family of course wasn't bothered about burying her as they somehow believed she deserved what she got. But did she?

" She wouldn't dare to run away Dad, she's not as brave as that. " James, my younger brother, responded before I could, I had actually forgotten they were also in the room too.

" Good. " He turned to my mom.

" Take this. " He threw his pouch containing some coins at her and she caught it swiftly before it could drop to the ground. I used to wonder how she did that, but after experiencing the consequence of not being swift, I knew better.

" Head to the market now and get the essentials she'll need for both her meeting with Sir Donald and her wedding in two weeks. "

" Okay, Sir. "

" You can leave. " I stood up immediately at his words and went straight to my room.

***

" You'll be getting married in two weeks, " I felt the tears I have been holding drop uncontrollably out of my eyes as the words kept ringing in my ears.

' I'm only eighteen, how can I get married already? '

' What would become of me and my dreams if I were to? ' The thought of that caused me more pain than ever.

Sir Donald, my supposed husband wasn't only old enough to be my Dad, but he was well known to be a womanizer and a woman beater.

How could my Dad even ask me to get married to him?

What exactly was he thinking?

My thoughts were interrupted, when Eva, one of the maids, came to inform me that breakfast was ready.

" I will be there. " I fixed my hair and face before exiting the room.

Dad was sitting at the head seat as always, I sat next to my mom who didn't bother to acknowledge my presence. Oftentimes, I wondered if she was actually my biological mother or adoptive mom.

But even adoptive mothers treated their folks better, didn't they?

Silently as everyone else, I munched on the egg fried which tasted as delicious as ever. Even though mom wasn't perfect, her superb cooking never ceases to lighten up my mood.

I was on my way back to my room, to complete the novel I was reading when I encountered my friends at the door.

" Lisa. "

" Hey. " I smiled at them. Despite the obvious differences, I still can't deny the fact that they are amazing and have made things a bit easier for me in the past few months.

" What's up? " I said as we walked towards my room where we did most of our girls talk.

" We heard you are getting married in two weeks. " It was Cordelia who spoke up this time and I winced at the reminder.

" Yeah... "

" Are you excited? " For some reason, Rachel had always been a fan of marriage, she could be tagged as a party freak and had been dreaming about her marriage since she was young.

" What do you think? " I threw the question back at them, obviously not interested in playing with words.

" You do know you can't escape from this, right? " Maybe, I thought inwardly. My mantra since childhood has always been, " Wherever there's a will there is a way " and it still hasn't changed even now in adulthood.

" Besides, Sir Donald isn't that bad, he is rich and still handsome despite his age. "

" He is a woman beater. " I adjusted my position on the bed.

" There's no particular evidence to prove that, is there? For all I care, it might all just be rumors. "

" What if it isn't? " Silence followed my words, as I watched their faces become serious in deep thoughts.

The truth is, we couldn't do anything about it if it really was. Sir Donald, is the city's mayor and if one thing he calls the shot.

" Malisa, Sir Donald is here. " I didn't hear the door open, but mom's words did make my heart sink.

Speak of the devil and he appears.

Sigh,

....

A/N : What do you think, guys?