Chapter 7

The sound of my foot steps were heavy as I approached the library, where I knew my father would be, a storm of emotions swirling inside me. I couldn't just sit by and let him dictate my life. This whole engagement to Theodore—it had to stop. I needed him to understand that I wasn’t going to just roll over and accept this.

I knocked on the door, not really waiting for a response before I pushed it open. My father looked up from a book, surprise flickering in his eyes for just a second before his expression turned serious.

“Diane, what’s the matter?” he asked, sounding almost concerned.

“We need to talk,” I said, stepping fully into the room and shutting the door behind me. “This marriage to Theodore—it can’t happen.” I spoke firmly, hoping he could hear the conviction in my voice. This wasn’t a passing thought; I was sure of it.

He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his stomach, his brow furrowing slightly. “And why not?”

“Because… because it just can’t,” I said, struggling to find the right words. “Theodore and I, we’re not a good match. And besides, he and Daphne…” I hesitated, feeling my frustration increase. “You know they had something between them. You can’t keep pretending she doesn’t exist. They love each other, and I’m not going to come between that.”

I was sure that he would take my words into consideration after bringing up Daphne. My father had always favoured her over me, never forcing her to do what she didn't like. It was different for me, he always had very high expectations making sure I didn't disappoint in each one.

Strangely enough, the moment I mentioned Daphne, I saw a flicker of something in his eyes—something I couldn’t quite place. He stiffened slightly, and suddenly the room felt colder.

“Diane, enough about Daphne,” he said, his voice dropping into that firm, no-nonsense tone I’d heard all my life. I hated it. The way he just dismissed things, like he was sweeping my feelings under the rug.

“Why can’t I talk about her?” I pressed, feeling my frustration bubbling over. “And why are you so determined to push me into this engagement?”

“Because it’s what’s best for you,” he said simply, as if that explained everything.

“Best for me?” I scoffed. “You’re telling me to marry a man I haven’t seen in eight years! I barely know him anymore.” Sure, I knew him once, but people change. He’s practically a stranger now.

My father’s gaze hardened, and then, almost casually, he looked me up and down with narrowed eyes. “Or is this refusal more about that ‘Ben’ boy you were seeing?” he asked, his tone dripping with disdain.

I froze, caught off guard. Benson? How did he even know about Benson?

“Have you… been following me?” I managed to ask, my voice shaky.

“Of course,” he replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “You didn’t actually expect me to leave my daughter alone in a foreign city with no protection, did you?”

My mouth dropped open. “I’m twenty-six years old! I’m not some child you need to have followed around,” I snapped. No wonder he’d been so calm about us not being in contact for a whole year—he knew about my every move all along.

“I do what I must to protect you and keep you happy, Diane. That is my duty as your father. And it also includes making sure you don’t waste yourself on someone who doesn’t deserve it.” He leaned back, his voice taking on that calm, dismissive tone again. “So forget about that Benny boy. He’s irrelevant now.”

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my anger in check. “Protect me, maybe. But don’t pretend this is about my happiness. If you cared about that, you wouldn’t be making decisions for me without even asking what I want.”

He sighed, his tone softening just a little. “Your happiness is very important to me. But this is also about your future.” He paused, looking at me with a hint of something almost… reluctant. “I didn’t want to have to bring this up, but you’ve left me no choice.”

A sense of dread settled in my stomach. “What do you mean?” I asked, my voice quieter now, edged with concern.

My father rubbed his temples, as if gathering his thoughts. “The company… it’s in trouble,” he admitted, not meeting my eyes. “We’re facing financial difficulties. Serious ones.”

I blinked, trying to process his words. “What? How bad is it?”

He reached for a stack of papers on his desk, pushing them toward me. “These reports show the extent of the problem. Without the Hawthornes’ support, everything we’ve built could collapse.”

I glanced down at the documents, my heart pounding as I skimmed the numbers. “But… I could help! I have ideas, I know the business. I could work with the team, find a way to turn things around—”

“No.” His voice was firm. “It’s too complicated for you to handle, and I’m not willing to risk your future on something so uncertain. Marrying Theodore is the only way to secure the support we need.”

The anger bubbled up in me, hot and sharp. “You think 'marrying me off' is the solution?” I snapped. “I’m not some pawn you can just move around to fix your mistakes.”

“When will you understand that this is all for you?” he shot back, his voice rising. “If we don’t secure this marriage, you’ll lose everything—your lifestyle, your reputation, your future.”

“Or maybe I’ll just lose myself!” I countered, shaking my head, feeling like I was losing my grip on everything. “You’re treating me like I’m incapable of making my own choices. Don’t you trust me?”

He sighed, his expression softening, but his voice still held that stubborn edge. “I do trust you, Diane. But I need you to understand that there’s more at stake here than just what you want. This isn’t just about the company—it’s about protecting you from hardships that could unravel everything you’ve ever known.”

“What about Daphne?” I demanded, my voice breaking a little as I spoke her name. “She’s still your daughter too, isn’t she?”

His face darkened, irritation flickering across his eyes. “Daphne is being… taken care of,” he said stiffly. “You don’t need to concern yourself with her.”

Of course she is being taken care of. I won't be surprised if she didn't agree to the marriage and that was why I was being forced to.

His words stung, and I felt anger flare up again. “So you think selling me to Theodore will magically make everything better? That it’ll solve all your problems?”

“I need you to trust me on this, Diane,” he said, a hint of desperation in his voice. “I want only the best for you, and this marriage—it’s the best path forward.”

I stared at him, a mix of anger and hurt twisting in my chest. “You really think this is what’s best for me? That this is what’s going to make me happy?”

He didn’t respond, just looked at me with that same calm, stubborn expression, as if he was certain he knew better than I did.

I shook my head, feeling something break inside me. “I can’t believe you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not going to be brainwashed into this.”

With that, I turned and stormed out of the room, not looking back. My heart was pounding, a mix of anger, hurt, and something I couldn’t quite name swirling inside me. How could he care so little for what I wanted? How could he think that he had the right to control my life like this?

As I walked away, his words echoed in my mind, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was slipping out of my hands. But beneath all the frustration, a flicker of defiance sparked in me. For once, I was going to make my own choices. I wasn’t going to let him—or anyone else—dictate my future.

I’d let him pull the strings for too long. This time, the decision was mine. Whether it was Theodore or anyone else, I would decide who I wanted to be with. And I wasn’t going to let anyone take that privilege away from me.