Chapter 10: Chapter 10

a marriage to a stranger? Only sick people like him!"

The corner of my father's lift rose a little bit. "Maybe Mr. Henry got enchanted by my daughter's beauty."

My lips pursed with what my father said. "Well... too bad for him," I said sarcastically. "Not everyone can be bought with money."

I held my father's hand. "Don't worry, we'll overcome this together, Dad. We'll hire a lawyer for this. That Gideon Henry can't put you in jail. He can't intimidate us with his power."

"I'm really lucky to have you as my daughter." Dad smiled as his eyes went to the ring on my finger. "Now, I'm happy that you have already found someone to spend the rest of your life with."

"You'll meet him soon, Dad," I said, a smile forming on my lips. "Charlie's just like you. Sweet, caring—"

I stopped when I heard a siren outside. I saw a police car in front of our yard. My lips parted. Is this…

"What can I do for you, officer?" I said to the two officers waiting for me outside. My father was standing behind me.

"We are looking for Mr. Frank Hargreeves." The officer handed me a paper. "Gideon Henry filed a case against him."

"W-what?"

My eyes widened when I saw what it was. An arrest warrant. For robbery.

"No!" I shook my head. My chest was fuming with anger as I stretched my hand to stop them from entering the house. "This isn't true, officer. My father didn't steal anything. You can't arrest him."

"I'm sorry, Miss Hargreeves. We have to follow the law."

"Follow the law?" I snapped. "Bullshit! My father didn't commit any crime!"

"Bianca, calm down." Dad said as he tried to put down my hand. "These officers are just doing their job."

"Dad!" My heart constricted as I watched him getting cuffed in front of me.

"Bianca, it's okay." I was already shaking in anger. But Dad still managed to give me a small smile. "They're just going to detain me, okay?"

I could feel the tears in the corner of my eyes. But I didn't want to shed tears in front of my father. I needed to be strong.

I held his hand. "I promise, Dad. I'll get you out of this mess. I promise. Just wait for me, okay?"

Five hours later, I was inside the Henry Corporations Building in New York.

"Miss Hargreeves, you can't enter Mr. Gideon's office. You don't have—"

"I'm sorry, Miss," I said, cutting off Gideon Henry's secretary. "I need to talk to your boss. This is urgent!"

With my clenched fist, I walked past her and went straight to the bastard's office. I didn't even bother to knock on the door.

"Miss Hargreeves!"

"It's fine, Thalia." Gideon Henry announced to his secretary, who followed me.

I found the bastard sitting pretty behind his desk. His expression was blank and cold, like he didn't have any hint of surprise at my sudden arrival.

"What can I do for you, Miss Hargreeves?" he asked, his blue eyes matching the coldness of his voice.

"You!" With gritted teeth, I marched towards him. I slammed my hand on his wooden desk and stared at him straight in the eyes, my eyes burning in anger. "Release my father!"

He raised his eyebrows. "And why would I do that?"

"My father is innocent! He didn't steal any money from you. How dare you order an arrest warrant for him."

Of course, I knew he wouldn't be able to do that without connections. Damn him for using his power on ordinary people like us!

"I've told you, Miss Hargreeves, haven't I? I can easily send your father to jail. You didn't believe me." He smirked. "Can you imagine your dear father spending his remaining time in that filthy place?"

Damn you! I clenched my fist. "No. You can't do that. You don't have any evidence. You can't prove anything to the court."

His brow shot up. "I'm powerful, Miss Hargreeves. I can create evidence. I can manipulate the law to my favor." His eyes slanted a bit as he leaned on in his swivel chair. "Remember this, the law will always favor the powerful."

"You…" I pointed my finger at him, my whole body shaking in anger. "You're evil."

"Tell me something I didn't know, Miss Hargreeves. You're not the first one to call me that."

I wanted to erase that smirk on that face. This son of a bitch. I couldn't see any tinge of emotion on his face. How could he be this merciless?

"Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"What?"

"I know two million is a huge amount for ordinary people like us. But for people like you? It was only a penny." I gritted my teeth as I stared back at him.

"Is this one of your hobbies? Lending a random stranger money and then sending him to jail if he fails to pay you?" My voice was dripping with disgust and contempt. "Do you find pleasure in destroying people's lives? Do you enjoy this power-tripping?"

Gideon Henry only raised his fucking eyebrows at me. "I told you, Miss Hargreeves. This is nothing personal. This is how I deal with business. Yes. I'm cruel and ruthless. And I hate people who go against their word. Now, if you have nothing else to say, you can leave my office. I have other important things to do."

"Don't do this to my father." This time, I defeatedly bowed my head as tears escaped my eyes. I swallowed my pride.  "He's already old and weak… I can't let him stay in jail for even a night." I shut my eyes as I allowed myself to be helpless in front of him.

"Please. Release my father from jail." I begged.

"I told you my deal, Miss Hargreeves. Pay the money your father owed me or marry me."

I wiped a single droplet of tear that escaped my eye and looked at him. "I can't."

"Marry you?" I muttered, totally bewildered by the words that I'd heard from him.

"You see, Miss Hargreeves. I'm the current CEO of Henry Corporation. I needed a wife to cement my position here in the company. The board of directors wanted to be led by a family man."

"But... why me?" Yes. He needed to get married, but why did he choose me to be his wife?

He only raised an eyebrow. "Why not you?"

"You didn't even know me!"

His blue eyes stared at me. "You're decent looking. You're good enough to be a wife. And you said you wanted to pay for your father's debt, right?"

"But I'm a stranger to you. Why would you want to marry someone you don't even know?"

He put out an evil smirk. "You thought I'd marry for love? I'm a businessman, Miss Hargreeves. Everything for me is just a business transaction."

What? This man... he's worse than I thought he was.

"I can't marry you."

"I thought you're going to do everything for your father?"

My face hardened. "I can't do that… I value marriage. I can't marry someone I don't know."

"If you marry me, you'd be a Henry, Miss Hargreeves. You will not only pay off your father's debt. You can also have everything you need."

"Now all people can be bought by money, Mr. Henry," I said, proudly. "Besides… I'm already engaged to someone." I raised my hand and showed him the ring on my finger. "I love him and he's the only one I intend to marry."

For a split second, I saw his face harden. But then he flashed a smirk. "I'll give you three days to think about this."

"Please... I'm willing to do anything." I said in a pleading voice. "But I can't marry you."

"I already have everything, Miss Hargreeves. What I only need right now... is a wife."

I shook my head. "I can't... marry you. I'm engaged to someone."

"Alright. Then let your father rot in jail." Gideon Henry said mercilessly. "I believe we're done here." He glanced at his wrist watch. "I need you to leave. I have a meeting in thirty minutes."

"Mr. Henry." I muttered, my voice wavering.

No. I can't let my father spend another minute in jail.

"What?"

I closed my eyes. "Fine." My voice only came out as a whisper. "I'll... marry you. Just release my father now."

I opened my eyes and tilted my head. My eyes were red with unshed tears as I tried to meet his cold eyes. "You hear me."

"Alright." He picked up his phone. "Atty. Evans, I want you to fix the release of Mr. Hargreeves. Yes. Immediately. And prepare a marriage contract. I need it in an hour."

"M-marriage contract?"

He raised his brow as he put down the phone. "Your father's now free, Miss Hargreeves. Now it's your turn to fulfill your part of the deal."

His cold eyes went to my bored into mine. "Break off your engagement with your fiance, Miss Hargreeves. You're mine now."