5 Chapter Five: The meeting

Rian's POV:

I found Dani in the living room when I got home, probably waiting for me. I threw my bag on the other side of the couch and take a seat beside him, not after kissing his cheeks. He has his phone in his hand and wearing a serious expression.

Did I tell you how handsome my brother is? Well, just imagine of Nick Bateman of 'Ugly Love' and 'The Matchmaker's Playbook. The only difference is just their skin color. Nick has a tan complexion while Dani has a fair one. And since Nick is a model, he always have this killer smile on his face, and my brother...argh! he's always this serious and grumpy sometimes. His smile is as precious as diamonds and if you don't know him, for sure you're gonna get intimidated by him because of his dominant aura.

And of course, me, being me... stubborn as ever.. I would love to tease him to the point that I will have to run behind my dad's back when he turns into being 'hulk.

"Where's mom and dad?"

" At the office. Are you hungry, you want to eat something?" he asked without looking at me but to his phone.

"Nope. I'm okay."

"We're just waiting for the Smith before we start the meeting."

"Smith? I asked confused. "I thought it's a family meeting? What are they going to do with the meeting?"

"It's our family meeting with the Smith." still not looking at me.

" Wait---- Smith...as in the family of your bestfriend Alex?"

"Yes. Smith...as in the family of my bestfriend Alex." this time he turned his head on me with a smirk on his lips.

-'what's with the smirk?'-

"I-I can't understand?" I bite my bottom lip. I'm starting to feel anxious.

"You'll do if they arrived. But for now, go to your room and change your clothes into something comfortable. You needed it."

"Why do I have to change my clothes? It's just a meeting."

"Because you needed it."

"But, why do I need-------"

"Forgodsake, Rian! Just go to your room and change your clothes! I'll explain it to you later!"

"Fine!" I get my things and stomped my feet on the floor, not without giving him a hard glare.

"Argh! Stubborn woman!" he said under his breath, but I still caught it.

-'stubborn, ahh...?-'

Before I step on the stairs, I turned my head...ready for my random speech.

"You know what, Mr. Daniel Kelley?" 'yeah...listen to me dear brother..' "You really are a handsome creature. But with your attitude...of a...gorilla, you don't deserve that handsomeness! And you're no longer look like your age. You look like 40 or 45 who have ugly wrinkles and prickles on your both cheeks!" I know how insecure he is with his prickles. "And your hair... you think you're cute with that? For sure when a lizard landed on your hair... just wait a second and they're dead! Hah.. to tell you honestly, you're like Mr. Bean----no---- the right character to describe you is your favorite cartoon character...Spongebob Squarepants, which has an ugly holes on his face...also like you, having square attitude on your pants! Period."

(note: I'm not against S'bob-S'pants..😜😜😜)

After I finished my speech, I raised my eyebrow on Dani who now has an opened mouth and shocked expression. And then suddenly I noticed that there is someone standing on the front door. Dani's bestfriend, Alex...smirking... My eyes widen like saucers and my cheeks turn into crimson red due to embarrassment. I bit my lip, because I don't know how much he'd heard of my speech.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I run up the stairs without looking back. I heard Alex's chuckles and it only added to my blushing state.

When I finished cleaning myself, I just picked some casual yellow sundress that ended 2 inches above my knees. It's sleeveless with collar and have a ribbon on the waist. I make my hair on a messy bun and put one coat of mascara and nude lipstick. For my feet, I just wear nude flat strapped-sandals.

"Okay, this will do." I check myself one last time on the mirror and picked up my phone before I exited my room.

While heading downstairs, to my parents' office, I can't help myself being anxious and nervous.

-'heck! why am I feeling this?'-

I mentally slapped myself and try to compose my mind. I placed my hand on my chest to steady my heavy breathing. I don't know but I really have a bad feeling about this meeting. And what happened in the living room is still randomly playing on my head.

-'my God..-'

I knocked on the door 3 times before I decided to push the doorknob.

"Come in, Rian."

I heard my dad's voice and I closed the door behind me. There are 6 pairs of eyes in the room that are now looking straight at me while walking inside. But among those 6 pairs, there is only one pair that caught my breath. Gray. Alex's piercing grey eyes that sends shivers down my spine. I find it weird. He's staring at me like he's burning holes all over my face. I look at him and I find him smirking.

"Take a seat, baby." mom tapped the space beside her which is exactly in front of Alex's seat.

"Okay, since Rian's already here, let's get this meeting over."

What's with the sudden meeting? Why are the Smith's needs to be with this? There are lots of questions that swirling in my head.

"Rian."

"Dad?"

"We need something to tell you and Alex. And I need you to listen carefully." I nodded and take a long breath. "Our company is currently suffering from financial crisis. We had an existing loan from the 2 biggest banks. But those money were not enough to sustain the company's needs. That's why we still need to loan from another big company to save our company from falling down."

"So, it's this meeting all about?" I swallowed the lump of anxiousness from my throat.

"Yes. But this is the root. That is why we have a very big favor from you and Alex."

I noticed Alex was also a confused expression.

"Wait...what has Alex and me can do about it? Are you going to request us to rob a bank to give you money?" I just mentally asked. But after finishing that question, all of the 6 pairs of eyes were turned to me with different stares.

"Huh!" I gasped, my eyes widen and my hand's automatically covered my mouth. I've said it out loud.

-'shit'-

"Arriana Angela! this is not the time for your childish joke!" Dad glared at me.

I want to protest because it's just a question to myself and I didn't mean to say it out loud. But when I heard Dad mentioned my whole first name, I just keep my mouth shut and straightened my body. I think it's my family's habit of mentioning my whole first name when they are pissed or mad at me.

Mom grabbed my hand and give me an apologetic smile. I can't understand what is really happening around me. They were talking about business, transactions, investments, about the company's problem and blah...blah...blah...blah...

And it's my time to look around the people that gathered in this room. There is dad and Mr. Vincent Smith who always do the talking. Mrs. Sandra Smith, my mom, and Dani were just listening. And in front of me is none other than dominating aura himself... Alex. He's attention was also focused on my dad and Mr. Smith. He's wearing a navy blue suit with a white shirt inside. He's muscles are visibly seen on his perfectly fit jacket. He has this piercing gray eyes that can capture every woman's attention... thick pair of eyebrows... dark brown hair... pointed nose that perfectly sculptured on his face... a chiselled jawline and of course his pink lips... Oh God----

-'shit!'- I mentally cursed and take my eyes away from him... blushing.

He didn't say anything. He just smirked (again).

-'To hell with this guy, always smirking. I swear, one more smirk and I will smack his face.'-

I focused my attention back to my Dad and this meeting. I am zoning out again... until I heard the word 'married'.

"Married? Who's getting married?" as I am always curious of everything, this is the moment I am most regretting of being such a curious one. Because the next sentence coming from my dad, almost get me to fall from my seat.

"You and Alex are getting married." I almost..(almost).. choked on my own saliva when it finally registered in my head.

"What?" I asked standing up. Did I hear it right? I looked at Alex who also standing and with the same expression as mine.

All of the remaining pair of eyes are looking back at us... from me moving to Alex, then back at me, and then back again to Alex. Then I realized that we asked in unison.

"What's this?" he asked with knitted eyebrows.

"You may want to sit down, son? Rian?" Mr. Smith said in not so serious tone. I felt mom's hand squeezed my right hand, sending question to her through my eyes.

"Mom? What is this?" which she just answered with an... "You'll understand." ...smile.

When I looked back again to Dad and to the rest of the people around the room, I saw Alex looking straight to his Dad. I can't read what's on his mind right now.

"It's just 5 years."

I want to ask again, but my mom tightened her hold on my hand. Silencing me and ordering at the same time to listen to them.

"Rian, you're going to marry Alex, two weeks from now."

"Two weeks from now?" I can't help myself asking. This is too much information for me. I hold my breath when Dad sending glare at me, challenging me to interrupt him again.

"As Greg said, (my dad's name) it's just only for 5 years until we closed the deal from our Australian investors. And since Greg's company is struggling from financial crisis, he needs our support...son." Mr. Smith glanced at Alex. "Until they get back again on track. We decided to silently merge our two companies to get a huge impact from the industrial and business state. It would be beneficial for both companies. And it would be easy to unite these two big companies if it's our own heir also joined in marriage."

"So, what are we? What am I? Collateral-----"

"Arriana Angela!" I was cut off by my Dad.

"Fine!" I said under my breath. I greeted my teeth and avoided my father's glare.

"Don't worry, sweety. It's not going to be a public wedding. It's just us and a few relatives and no media, if that's what you're thinking." Mrs. Smith smiled at me sweetly.

-'Huh! Whether there's media or not, it's not what I am thinking right now. It's this stupid deal-----'-

"We're going to have an arrangement contract for this deal, and you two are going to sign it. It would state, that Alex and Rian were going to be contractually married. And they would need to be in marriage in the span of 5 years to complete the contract." it's Mr. Smith who explained in no particular one.

"And son, Rian... may I add, you don't need to live in one roof because it's a private wedding and it will not spread in any social media's sites, so you don't have to worry about it. We will not going to force you to do the deed. But it will be up to you two, there's no problem with us." Mr Smith said while grinning with my Dad. "The span of your marriage is still up to you after the contract is completed. If you want to continue being married, then it's good."

He paused to look at us and then he continued.

"But, remember children, no cheating is required under this agreement."

"What?" for the second time, Alex voiced out.

"You heard that, son. Yes, you're contractually married but that doesn't mean, it's not legal. You're going to sign at the Civil Registry to validate your marriage and you will have a simple wedding ceremony. So, that means you're a legal couple, under the laws of the government and the laws of God. That's why cheating on this marriage is not allowed for the both of you."

I can't help my inward smile when I see how Alex clenched and unclenched his jaws. Poor teeth. Of course, that idea of his father will not suited on his side. Because that only means, he can no longer have his lifestyle. And when you say his lifestyle, it includes a lot of woman who throws themselves to him every month... every week... every day... and every waking hour, whom he accepted with an opened arms and an opened legs. For sure.

He closed his eyes and formed his fists. And his next action's surprised all of us, especially me.

He walked out.

He freaking walked out.

-'What the-----?"

"Alexander!" Mr. Smith called him, but he just ignored his father.

"It's okay, buddy. We understand. It's still shocking news for them." my dad stood up and pat Mr. Smith shoulder.

-'Wow! Yeah, it's really a piece of shocking news. But what he did was more shocking than what I've heard. I can't believe him. I am the girl here, meaning I am the bride not him. Isn't it supposed to be me to walk out and not him? I should be the one to freak out like those girls I've watched from the movies who also have the same situation as mine.'-

    I don't know how to feel at this moment. I wanted to hate them. Hate my parents, dad, mom, and Dani. I wanted to hate this couple sitting in front of me. For goodness sake! This is the 21st century. How can't they solve their problem by any other solution? Why it has to come up with this freaking idea? I wanted to shout. I wanted to cry. I wanted to tell every one of them how stupid their idea is. But I can't move. I feel numb. Why do they need to plan----no----dictate our future? And Alex----does he hates me? Does he blame me? Does he know all of this?

I felt a hand on my shoulder. It's Dani.

"Do you know about this?" I can't help the sadness that slipped through my voice.

"Let's walk to your room." I nodded because that was all I've wanted to do ever since they threw us the agreement thing.

We said our goodbyes to the rest of the people in the room. My mom give me an apologetic smile again, but I just shook my head and grabbed Dani's arm before we walked out from them.