Fated to meet again

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander were discussing their daughter when she walked in.

"Dad? You are here?" She asked him. She was holding a shopping bag, it was obvious she went shopping.

"Yes, I didn't go to work today" he replied to her.

"But Dad, you don't normally stay at home, so what's wrong?" She asked. Mr Alexander glimpsed at his wife who gave her the "go ahead" look.

"May we have a word with you?" Mr. Alexander suddenly asked.

"What do you......" Beatrice was saying but was disrupted by her mother.

"Beatrice, go drop your things upstairs and then we can have the conversation," Mrs Helen said.

"Alright Mom," Beatrice said and headed upstairs to her room.

"Why did you send her off?" Mr Alexander asked.

"You told me to tell her, but you sent her off. Why?" He queried.

"Am sorry, I realized she needs to freshen up and be herself before having this conversation. We can't just go ahead and tell her like that" Mrs Helen explained and her husband kept quiet for a while, before speaking.

"So, how are we going to break the news to her?" Mr Alexander asked, worriedly.

"What news?" They heard Beatrice ask, she was climbing down the stairs.

"Come have a seat," Mrs Helen said and Beatrice sat down.

"You know the Emerson company right?" Mr. Alexander said to Beatrice.

"Yes, the one they named after their son, Brandon" She replied to him. She was playing with her nails.

"Yes, Brandon Industries" Mr. Alexander confirmed.

"So, what happened to the company?" she asked her dad. he was about to reply when her phone rang, it was her best friend calling.

"Can I take this call?" She pouted.

"You are an adult Bea, stop behaving like a baby. We are having an important discussion here, so anything should be kept aside" Mrs. Helen stated and Beatrice frowned her face.

"Mr. Emerson brought us a proposal, he wants to merge with our company," He said and Beatrice jumped up in joy.

"Wow, congratulations Dad," she said, jumping on him like a baby.

"Thanks but there is something else" Mr. Alexander paused, and he sighed before continuing.

"For this merger to be strong and also for there to be more investors, you must get married to his son, Brandon" Mr Alexander concluded his statement.

"What?" Beatrice scoffed as she sat down.

"Married to his son?" She scoffed again. "Can't the merging go on without me getting married to Brandon?" she asked.

"There has to be some bond between the company. If there is no bond then no investors would like to invest in the company, because they will be afraid that we might end up quarreling and then break the merger. If that happens, then the investors will be the ones at a loss" he explained.

"But dad, I don't like him" She almost yelled.

"What don't you like in him? He is handsome, rich, famous, and all" Mrs Helen stated, counting her fingers.

"He is a Casanova for crying out loud! How am I sure he's not gonna be bringing whores to our matrimonial bed" Beatrice yelled.

"You know what? Am out of here" She stood up and headed upstairs to her room.

"I know she would react this way, but I have something that is going to make her agree" Mr Alexander stated.

"You know? Honey, tell me" Mrs Helen beckoned.

"She might hear us," Mr. Alexander said, glancing at the stairs.

"She won't. She's in her room upstairs and she probably might have locked herself there" Mrs Helen said.

"Michelle, her best friend, works at our company... Beatrice pleaded with me to employ her, and I did," Mr Alexander said.

"How is that going to help?" Mrs Helen asked, confusingly.

"If Beatrice refuses to marry Brandon, then I will fire Michelle but if Beatrice marries him, I won't fire her" He replied.

"What! That's blackmailing, we can't blackmail our daughter" she surprisingly said.

"We aren't going to blackmail her, we are doing the right thing. She must surely marry Brandon, you should stop giving her false hope" he retorted and angrily took his car keys from the table, before leaving.

"What should I do" Mrs Helen sighed.

*

"They want me to get married to that jerk! Although he's cute but I don't like him" Beatrice muttered to herself. "Am I joking? I do like him, he's cute" She playfully hit herself."You should stop it! He's cute but you are also beautiful" Beatrice sighed.

She sat on the bed in her room, sitting on the bed.

"I should probably call Michelle" she muttered and took her phone.

"Hello," Michelle said on the phone

"Bestie, how are you? I missed a call from you and am sorry for that" Beatrice said.

"Bea, don't be sorry. Are you okay? You don't sound lively, are you sick?" Michelle asked, in a concerned tone.

Beatrice was contemplating whether to tell her best friend or not. Beatrice knew her father very well, he's a man of his word, what if he get her married to Brandon? Michelle might tell people it's a contract marriage and then she would be a laughing stock. But Michelle isn't like that, she wouldn't do such a thing, would she?

"Bea, hey....you there" Michelle's question made Beatrice out of her thoughts.

"I am fine, am just feeling sleepy" Beatrice lied.

"Alright, am still at work, call me when I get home Michelle said.

"Adieu(Goodbye)" Beatrice said in French and hang up.

"I feel bad lying to her but I just have to" Beatrice

muttered and sighed.

******

Three cars were parked at Brandon's Industries, Two men came out of the first car and one of them opened the door of the second car. Brandon step out in haste and walked into the company with his escorts behind him.

"Welcome sir" The secretary greeted.

"Where is my dad?" He asked hoarsely.

"In his office, sir" she replied. Brandon was about to walk into the office when the Secretary stopped him.

"You can't go in sir, he's so busy right now," she said and he glared at her.

"Do you want today to be your last day in this company?" He asked her.

"No...no sir, I was just doing my job" she stuttered.

"Good!" He said and walked in, his escorts waited outside.

"Dad! Is it true?" Brandon asked as he barged into the office.

"What's true?" Mr Emerson asked. He was signing some documents

"The marriage stuff" Brandon replied.

"So true" Mr Emerson replied.

"How could you? It's my life and not yours. I decide what happens in my life, not you" Brandon yelled.

"Do you realize this is my office and I can throw you out? First, you barged into my office, secondly, you are yelling in my office. Is this the kind of behavior you want to exhibit, after being the CEO?" Mr Emerson asked.

"But dad..."

"All am doing, am doing it for you guys! The cont