"Selfish?"
Chris DeLoach had nodded, looking straight into her brown eyes.
"The way your father pampers you is no longer news, even among the Mega families. Allowing you to become become a reporter even when he knows just how much my son despises reporters should confuse you more."
Shikera's brow furrowed in confusion. How was she expected to know if Ethan DeLoach hated reporters or not? She discarded her thoughts as Chris continued.
"All this simply proves that he had no plan to let you get married to anyone, not to talk of my son. Why exactly is your ever supporting father suddenly dictating to you without even giving you time to decide or something?"
Shikera hated the suspense he was putting her in. All his words were true, concerning her and her father. Apart from her ice cream issue, she almost never had to ask anything twice from her father before he granted it. In short, she was basically his princess whom he could lay his life down for.
"Can you go straight to the point, Sir?" Her face was devoid of any emotions now. What kind of news required all this prelude the man was giving her?
"Miss Anderson, your father was diagnosed of dilated cardiomyopathy a month ago." Chris announced, assessing Shikera's expression. He wanted to keep the news to himself as his friend had asked him to, but seeing how clueless Shikera seemed to be, Chris couldn't keep it to himself any longer.
Shikera nodded slightly, a thin smile coming to settle on her lips.
"Did you plan this with my father? He might have been very supportive but that might have been to prepare me for this." She noticed that Chris wanted to speak but she interrupted him as she was not done talking yet.
"Also, my dad is just like a doctor that skipped medical school. You seem to be close to him so you must be well aware of my poor health. My father checks my vitals everyday, plants the food products I eat by himself and buys all the ice cream parlor next to my workplace and house so he can limit the amount of junk food I eat. How can someone like that not know if he's sick?"
"I didn't say he was unaware. Your question should be what does his sickness has to do with you getting married for a year? And the answer to that is— everything. Heart disease is not something that can be so easily cured moreso while the patient is taking care of another sick person."He paused for a while before proceeding.
" Your father cannot be taken care of if he doesn't let go of you for a while. He has to hand you over to someone for that moment but no one else can take care of you."
"What?!" Shikera was almost screaming. Could she not take care of herself? They also had countless maids and butlers at home who could take care of her so why did she have to get married to have a caretaker?
Chris could guess what was going through her mind from the various expressions that fleeted through her face.
"You are probably thinking you can take care of yourself, Shikera. But trust me, you can't. And if anything, put your father's mind at rest and let him get treated properly—"
The door was pushed open from outside and her father walked in with Ethan DeLoach, shutting Chris up.
****
In the Anderson's Corp. Garage.
"Sir, the press are waiting at Anderson Corporation. It's a good thing we left early."
Ethan DeLoach looked up at his assistant who had just spoken. The assistant was wearing identical clothes to him, including the facemask and no one would be able to spot any difference between them.
This was the main reason he chose him anyway, to be able to confuse those gossipy leeches who called themselves reporters.
"Where's Ruthlyn?" He asked. Ruthlyn was his assistant, Raymond twin sister.
The Stone siblings were the only ones apart from his family and his doctor, who could recognize Ethan DeLoach.
"She went to contact Miss Anderson's doctor." Raymond replied.
Ethan nodded. What a bother the girl would be to him? He just had to endure for a year so he could at least clear up some of the guilt eating his heart up.
"Pick her up by 6. And inform Ruthlyn to get some clothes for her; the news must be very shocking that she didn't think of packing her necessities."
"Yes Sir. To the office or home?"Raymond asked, turning the key in the car's ignition.
"Headquarters."
"What— Yes Sir!"
As the car took to the road, Ethan looked down to his phone which pinged. It was a message from Liam Anderson, his father in-law.
A soft copy of the contract and an attached message. He clicked on the message and read through it.
" Raymond?"He called.
"Yes Sir?"
"Let's change cars and go to Preston TV Station. I should pick her up myself."
"Sir?! It's a haven for reporters. It's very likely that someone might see us. Besides, it's still very early for us to go there!"Raymond argued. How could they go to that place now when they just barely escaped from the hoard of reporters tracking them? It was just like going from the frying pan into the fire.
Ethan seemed to reason with his assistant as he agreed immediately.
"Then call her and ask her to meet us at DFB. I should at least let her remember her first wedding as one of the best days of her life."
Raymond looked into the rearview mirror at his boss's face. What kind of man would treat a woman like that?
"Sir,You should call her yourself if you—"
"It's a contract marriage which is in no way different from a business collaboration. Why would Ethan DeLoach handle it himself when he has assistants?"
"Okay Sir. I will do that as soon as we get to work. By the way Sir…"
"What?"
"Did you read the contract before signing?"
"I didn't. Why?" Ethan's hand were already going to click on the soft copy sent to him. He knew Raymond could not ask for no reason.
The first clause his eyes caught made him wonder if he needed glasses but after reading and rereading it, it was confirmed.
He looked up at Raymond.
"We're going back to Anderson Corporation now. Find a way to avoid the insects."