Encounter

Aleia

I could not contain my happiness and excitement after gaining recognition from my father. I felt like I was on cloud nine and mom maybe is happy for me.

Finally, I can already tell Zach about my real identity. It would be now up to him to pursue his marriage with Nathalie or either choose me. I have already prepared myself for whatever decisions that he would come up with. But still, I am hoping that he would choose me.

I was checking things when I heard a soft knock on the door. I have already packed my things and I. nmready to go back to the island. Zach is waiting for me there.

“Miss Reign.” It was one of our nanny’s voice. I walked to the door to check her.” Your dad wants to see you in the living room now.”

“Now? As in now?” I asked repeatedly.

“Yes, miss,” she responded and asked if she could go back to her work.

What could be the reason for this urgent call? They knew that I would be living tonight. It is his wife’s request for me to leave as soon as possible in exchange for the press conference that we had earlier. They wanted to eliminate me right away.

I heard male voices as I was approaching the living room. I even wanted to run and hide when I heard Zach’s voice. What is he doing here? He was on the island when I left. I frozeand could not even think of an escape.

This is not the right time to face him. Not in front of all these people. Does he already know about me?

“Reign, come here. They are waiting for you,” Dad said.

After that, all eyes were on me. But my eyes landed on Zach’s- whose expressions I could not read. I even wanted to vanish but at the same time, I wanted to run to him and explain my side.

Zach smiled, but it was not the usual smile that he often wears. It was different. It was sarcastic and dangerous. I managed to walk and sat on the sofa beside dad.

“Good evening, Aleia. Well, we are here tonight for a very important matter. I would like to apologize for its aftermath. It’s just… that my son, Matthew, has decided to cancel his engagement and marriage with Nathalie,” Zach’s dad said.

“What?” Nathali exclaimed in disgust.” Dad!” She even clung to dad for help.

“Instead, he wants to marry Aleia,” his father continued.

Everyone was surprised and startled that they were looking at me with such a questioning look. I was surprised, too. I could not connect the dots. There may be a loophole in between.

Yes, it was my dream to be with him ever since I fell in love with him. But it was so sudden and was out of the plan.

“Matt, what made you change your mind? Everyone knows that you are bound to marry Nathalie. It would be a big shame to her if you reject her,” Dad said. Nathalie was now crying and was looking fiercely at me.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Zach chuckled.” It was not me who chose Nathalie. It was all of you who arranged it without my permission and I never said that I would marry her. And, what’s wrong with Aleia? She is still your daughter. Besides, I think she is more fun to be with than her sister.”

I did not know how to react to Zach’s revelation. I felt that something is not right on it.

“Aleia, what is your stand with that?” Dad asked.” Wait! Have the two of you met before today? Did you plan all of these?”

Nathalie stood. “It was obvious, dad. She came home after hiding somewhere asking you to recognize her publicly. Then, hours later Matthew came to announce that shit! She came home to ruin my life.”

This brat got a lot of nerves. How could she say that I wanted to ruin her life? It was them who ruined mine. It was them who stole my home, my father, and my family. Yet, I did not say anything like that. She wanted war, so I will give it to her.

“We did not meet before today and we did not plan all these. It’s just that.. I saw her on TV and find her more interesting so I decided to marry her,” Zach said while looking at me.

On the other hand, I was expecting that he would tell everyone about our encounter on the island. But he ended up denying it in front of me. Why did he do it? I need to talk to him.

“If your daughter will accept my proposal, then I wanted the wedding to happen as soon as possible. I have no time for dramas and more. I want it to be simple and private. Just call my dad or me if you finish sorting things out. Excuse me,” Zach said.

He walked away from us so I followed him outside. He was walking highly like a Greek God. Every word he speaks conveys power and authority. A different side of him that I did not see on the island yet I know is natural to him.

“Zach!” I called. He stopped walking so I strolled toward him.” Can we talk for a while?”

He laughed softly but sexily.” What’s there to talk about? Ah, you have decided to marry me, right? Well, I do not doubt that after you gave your body to me and after you scream my name over and over again.”

I knew I blushed after hearing such words. But how could he say it like that- if I was a slut or a slave?

“I’m sorry if I left you there, alone. I just need to come home and fix some mess! But I do have a plan to go back before you came here.”

“You wanted to be recognized by your father because you thought that it would be easier for me to accept you if you are rich, right?”

“No. It was not like that. It was a right that has been deprived from me since he married my stepmom. I wanted to be recognized so that I can tell you who I am!” I explained. He was thinking the other way around.

“Yet, you pretended not to know me when the truth is you knew me all along. Holy shit, Aleia! You made a fool out of me. ! But still, I want to pursue marrying you,” he said firmly. But I did not see his sincerity from that.

“Why do you want to marry me, Zach?”

He shrugged. “Didn’t I answer that already? I would end up marrying one of you and I just chose someone who can satisfy my needs as a man. Are we clear?”

Tears kept on rolling on my face after that. So, that was the reason why he chose me? I was having a little bit of hope that he did that because of love. But I was just a tool for his manly needs. Should I marry him?

“Anyway, Miss Grymes, you are not allowed to say no. I will set the schedule and you just need to appear on the wedding day. You also need to live with me after that,” he added and left me there.

I just watched him leave. I could not figure out what to do. Yes, I wanted it to happen but not this way.

Then, I did recall mom’s word, that sometimes we choose to love someone even if we knew that it hurts.

Now, I knew what it means, Mom. I knew it was dangerous but at the same time part of me wanted to be with him.