I sighed as I looked at the half painted canvas in the room. My father expected me to finish a new painting for him. I smiled at the thought of my father. he was very loving and kind with me that I didn’t have it in me to refuse any of his requests.

My mother was a little strict with us since she cared about our image and reputation among her friends who had nothing better to do but envy each other or brag about everything they have and the worst thing they liked to do is gossiping behind each other back.

I put the brush down to take a sip from my water. This Room was my favorite in our house. It was like my second room. it had all my things that I use to draw and paint and it had my piano in it. it also had large speakers since I liked dancing too but I didn’t do much of that lately.

I looked out of the huge windows and smiled. it had the best view. I can see our whole backyard and our pool from here.

My mother wanted me and my older brother to learn everything since we were little. of course we each liked different things. He was good in sports while I just took jogs in the morning to keep my body in the shape I wanted it to be.

My brother James walked in the room holding a gift in his hand and I gasped at him. he was supposed to come back tomorrow from his business trip since he works with father in the company.

He opened his arms and I got up rushing to hug him. “I missed you little bunny” he said as he lifted me in his arms. “I missed you too” I giggled and he put me down. he gave me the gift and I smiled opening it.

I cooed at the matching bracelets I saw inside. He grabbed one and put it around my wrist and I did the same to him. “now we will always be with each other when we are away” he said and I nodded kissing his cheek.

“is father downstairs?” I asked and he nodded. I walked downstairs and saw my father sitting on the couch with my mother. “papa you’re back” I squealed as I reached him. I leaned down to hug him and he chuckled patting my back.

“Angel don’t you see that your father is tired from the trip why must you be loud and interrupt our conversation like this” my mom scolded me and I pouted. “mom I’m sorry I just missed my father since he was gone for two weeks” I said and she sighed nodding.

James came downstairs and sat next to mom. “Linda don’t worry I’m fine” my dad said and I sat next to him snuggling his side. “oh darling you know I love these two monkeys” my mom smiled softly at me before looking at James.

“so William Garcia was I helpful enough in this trip?” James asked dad in his serious voice and I tried not to laugh at him.

my dad smiled proudly at him. “yes son I’m confident now that you can handle the work” dad said and James winked at me. “what about me papa? I graduated last month so what can I do?” I asked looking at him.

“you can think about that yourself Angel I want you to choose if you want to work with your brother or do something else” he answered and I looked at my mother who nodded agreeing with my dad. Yes I can do whatever I want now.

“James we have a meeting tomorrow and I want you to be there with me” father said and James nodded.

The next day at afternoon my brother walked in my room looking anxious and mad. I frowned as he sat on the bed. “what’s wrong?” I asked and he groaned loudly.

“father agreed on a stupid deal” he sighed looking annoyed before he looked at me. “bunny I’m in deep shit” he said biting his lips and I rubbed his shoulder. “just tell me James” I said and he took a deep breath.

“dad agreed on a marriage deal and he wants me to marry Dominic Ricard” he said the name with disgust and I tilted my head to the side feeling confused. “who?” I asked him and he blinked a few times at me.

“he’s half French and the owner of a big production company” he said and I hummed no wonder dad want to make a deal with him since It would be perfect. “why can’t you just make a normal deal?” I asked and he shook his head.

He explained how a marriage deal is more beneficial to both companies since it will more harder to break the deal or find a loophole in the contract. Father really wanted this deal to happen since he needed it to secure the company and keep it successful for a long time.

“but you can do that for papa right? and maybe Dominic chose our company because he likes you” I wiggled my eyebrows and he chuckled.

“no bunny he doesn’t… he only cares about the money” he sighed and continued. “I got back with Vivian last month since she is pregnant and I really love her so I can’t do this and I don’t know how to tell father” his expression turned sad after he admitted that to me.

“don’t worry I can handle this for you” I said and he looked at me confused. “bunny what are you going to do?” he asked looking at me suspicious and I smiled telling him to go rest or hang out with his girlfriend.

I knocked on my father’s office after I thought about what I should do for a long time. “come in Angel” he said and I opened the door and walked in before closing it slowly behind me. “how did you know it was me?” I asked and sat on the chair in front of his desk.

“because you knock softly unlike your mother who just walk in and your brother have a loud knock like he is trying to break the fucking door” dad said and I giggled. “don’t let mom hear you cussing” I teased him and he smiled.

“so what can I do for you Angel?” father asked and I sighed. “papa I heard about the new deal from James and I have another Idea for you because I don’t like seeing him sad” I said and father nodded for me to continue.

“Dominic can marry me so you get the deal and James get to focus on the company like he should” I said and dad shook his head.

“no way I’m letting you do this Angel” he snapped and I flinched. “but papa James can’t marry him because..” I gulped as I tried to think of something.

My father looked at me and arched one eyebrow at me. “because Dominic is not.. umm.. he is.. the guy I like” I said blushing. He will know that I’m lying now.

He looked a little surprised before he chuckled. “okay Angel since you like him I will let you marry him” he said and I smiled. it’s wearied that he didn’t get suspicious.

James took me to a café so we can meet his girlfriend. I sipped my coffee as I looked at Vivian that was sitting next to James. His hand was on top of hers as he smiled at her and she looked at him with adoration. Now I know that I did the right thing.

“so..” I said and Vivian looked at me then blushed. I smiled at her. “it’s not too late to run away from this dork” I bit my lips and she laughed. James scoffed at me and I stuck my tongue out at him.

“I talked with papa yesterday” I sighed and James tensed. “oh no don’t worry I convinced him that you need to focus on the work so you won’t marry Dominic” I explained and he sighed in relief and Vivian squealed before she kissed him softly.

I smiled at them. “what about the deal? Father was stubborn” he said and I looked down at my coffee. “the deal will continue but I convinced papa that I should marry Dominic” I mumbled and Vivian gasped.

James smacked his hand on the table making the glasses shake as a few people looked our way. I looked at him and gulped seeing how angry he looked. I’ve only seen James this angry around me a few times before.

“no way I’m letting you do this for me Angel” he said sternly and I pressed my lips in a thin line. He only calls me by my name when he is upset with me.

“don’t worry about me I can handle it James.. a few agreements can help me adjust to the marriage and besides that I still never saw him so maybe things will be okay” I said and he sighed looking at Vivian.

“okay I trust you bunny but if he does one wrong thing I won’t care about anything but getting back at him for hurting you” he said through clenched teeth. I nodded to him.

Today Dominic was coming to our house for dinner he wanted to go through everything fast. I had to pretend that I was excited to see him and talk with him. I don’t know if they told him that there has been changes in the deal. I don’t know how I should act around him, I let myself be comfortable around people I trust so I know I won’t be the same around him.

I sighed as I looked to my reflection in the mirror. I ruffled my blond hair a little and I looked at my pale green eyes. “fake smiles and act nice” I mumbled to myself then changed my earrings. I fixed my shirt and nodded.

I didn’t look bad and I’m sure this is something that my mother will agree on. I grabbed my phone and walked downstairs going to my mother. “good enough?” I asked and she looked up at me smiling.

“honey you look good in whatever you wear” she said as she got up and held my face in her soft hands. “oh my little baby.. I don’t like this deal” she said and her eyes started tearing up. “no mom it’s okay I like Dominic and you will ruin your make up like this” I kissed her cheek and she nodded taking a deep breath.

“I will go see if the chef is almost done with the dinner” she said and I smiled as she walked around. “this is not the right way fix it” I heard her yelling and I giggled.

I walked to the living room seeing my father and James sitting. “that women is always scolding someone” my father shook his head as he looked at the paper in his hands.

“you love her though” I said and he glanced at me. he smiled as he nodded. James looked at me and whistled. “you didn’t need to look this good for the fucker” James said and I giggled. “watch your mouth when he is here” father said and I hummed. “please don’t call my future husband a fucker” I said pretending that I was defending Dominic.

James snickered. “I never heard anyone say fucker in that tone before so polite” James said and father nodded before they laughed. I huffed. “mom” I shouted and they both stopped laughing and looked down.

When my mom walked I pouted. “mom they are making fun of me” I said and she started scolding them while twisting their ears telling them how they shouldn’t ruin my mood and make me upset because today is important to me. I giggled when she was done and left.

“father my ear” James complained and my father hugged him. “we can’t do anything to them” he sighed in defeat and I shook my head. they were so dramatic.

When we heard the doorbell my father and James stood up. Their facial expression changed from goofy smiles to a stoic faces. “we will call you so go to your mother” my farther said and I nodded.

I bit my lips as I waited for one of them to call me. I assume they were sitting in the living room since I could hear their voices faintly. I looked at my mother and she smiled at me rubbing my back.

“and you’re telling me about this now?” a deep voice said loudly and I knew that was Dominic’s voice. I could hear the slight accent when he said that.

“oh you know a marriage between us will bring troubles” James snapped and my mother sighed before she left me. I bit my lips as I followed her.

I walked in after my mother and James looked at me. Dominic wasn’t here and I frowned. “he is near the entrance” Father said and I nodded then walked to where Dominic was.

He was tall with broad shoulders. His hair was dark brown and longer than mine. He was wearing a suite that didn’t hide his muscles.

“Dominic” I said softly and he turned looking at me. his face was chiseled with a straight nose and a beard. His brown eyes got darker when he looked at me. “oh I see why they chose you” he chuckled and I tried not to frown.

“what does that mean?” I asked feeling confused and he tutted, he looked around the place before he looked at me again and I knew he was thinking about what to say. “I mean that you are a better choice for me than your brother James” he explained as he took a step closer to me.

“I guess so” I said and I knew I was blushing. “we need to talk alone” he said and I nodded. “I agree.. would you like to talk before the dinner or after?” I asked and he licked his lips. “now so take me to your room Angel” he said and I turned around.

I closed the door behind us and he stood in the middle of my room. thank god it was clean or else it would be embarrassing. “no one will bother us now” I said and he looked around my room.

“you can tell a lot by someone’s room.. so far I think you are the spoiled brat in the family the one who don’t take a no for an answer” he said then he looked at me. I scoffed at him feeling offended because I know I wasn’t like that.

“you are wrong about me” I said and he smirked. “I’m sure a brat would say that” he teased and I huffed. “you are a little uptight too but that is expected since you are from a known family” he walked closer to my bed and grabbed my teddy bear.

He arched his eyebrows at me and I blushed. “maybe I was wrong you could be the little spoiled prince in the family everyone adores you and you are just a soft kid” he snickered and I grabbed the teddy bear from him and put it back on the bed.

“I’m not a kid I’m 22 and don’t call me prince” I said sternly and he chuckled. “oh sorry would you prefer if I said princess instead?” he asked and I blushed. “look this deal is important so I want to make things clear with you” he said looking serious and I nodded sitting on the bed.

He sat on the bed a little away from me. “we are strangers so it would be better if we had an open marriage secretly with rules of course” he said and I gulped nodding. “I want my own room in your house” I said and he hummed thinking before he nodded.

He was about to talk but I cut him off. “when we are outside around other people then we will act like we want this marriage I don’t want my family to worry about me and I don’t want people to talk about us” I said and he looked at me pressing his lips.

“okay and I will keep any relationships I’m having hidden” he said and I sighed. “try not to bring strangers in the house and it’s just sex so you don’t date anyone else” I said and he glared at me.

“fine but you stay out of my business” he groaned and I nodded. “how old are you?” I asked him. “30” he said. “how was your first time?” he asked and I shook my head.

“I was in college and it was after a date he got us a room in a hotel and it wasn’t sex he made love to me” I said biting my lips. “so just vanilla” he scrunched his nose. “I had a threesome with two girls in a sex dungeon” he said shrugging and I gasped. The rest of our talk got me on edge around him. talking with him wasn’t easy.

He sighed. “now since we agreed on a few things we should go down” he said. As we got back in the living room my family looked at me. Dominic smiled at them before he kissed my head and we sat.

My mother cooed and my father smiled. James looked through our lie and I smiled at him to reassure him. “Angel is a lovely person very educated and knows his manners” Dominic said and my mother smiled proudly. Dominic is a good liar.

After the dinner we signed the papers. Father got the deal he wanted and James can be with Vivian. Dominic was awful and disrespectful in my opinion but I can handle it. I’m sure things will get easier to deal with after we get married.