ASHLEY POV:

The tension is the air was extremely sharp. It was impossible to ignore the death glares my mother was sending me from the opposite side of the room and I sighed as I looked at the disappointed eyes of my father. I had let them down again and I couldn't help but feel hopeless. It wasn't my fault and I wasn't the one to blame. They could keep wishing but nothing would change my mind.  I was absolutely, definitely and clearly not going to marry the man sitting beside me, even with the killer looks my parents sent me when I said the words:

"I will not be Issac's wife."

It felt nice hearing those words roll out of my tongue and for extra emphasize I repeated them again a little louder for everyone in the room to hear:

"I, Ashley, will not be Isaac's wife"

Mother had notified me this morning that Isaac was the heir to the KK industry which would be handed over to him in a months time. Although he was twenty years old, his father had became too old to take care of the industry on his own and so was planning on handing it over to him. It was probably the money that attracted my mum to this man and made her so desperate to persuade me to get married to him.

"Mum, Dad, I'm sorry but if this is a question with two options, why do you have such a murderous angry look on your faces? Isaac, I'm sorry for wasting your time. You probably have a lot of meetings today. Right?" 

I turned to face him and I couldn't help but admire is beauty. Long black silky hair lay in a bundle of mess on his head and my fingers were twitching beside me eager to run my hands through them- what was I thinking?!? His nose was perfectly straight and a little red tint covered his cheek bones.

"Oh, no I cancelled the rest of my schedule for you." Isaac smiled.

Of course, my mother had to choose a charmer. I still wouldn't give in though! I had the right to choose who I wanted to marry and I could say no to anyone she set me up with! It was my life and my choice!

Standing up, I nodded my head and cautiously walked upstairs to my room and shut the door. I made my way to my bed and just lay there for some time staring at the ceiling. The love I had for my parents was undeniable, yet I couldn't seem to see reason on why they felt the need to rush me into marriage, bringing a new potential husband every time I declined the previous one. Although we had struggled financially before, it was safe to say that we were finally stable, living on enough money to comfortably live.  I had a month to graduate and I would be moving soon to my own flat with my own earnings. I was independent. That's what I always told myself and it was true, I didn't need a rich boy to live my life.

*********

ISAAC POV:

                  I got to my car unlocking it automatically before stepping inside and putting the key in the ignition. Taking a deep breath I closed my eyes resting my head on the headrest. The "meeting" I had with my future wife Ashley was no doubt the most tense and awkward meeting I had ever been to.

And yes I said "my future wife". Although she hadn't agreed to the marriage yet, her parents assured me that they had a method of persuasion that would change her mind, but heck even if that didn't work I would get her.

Just being in the same room as her, had my heart warm up no matter how cliché that sounded and I couldn't wait to see her again.

I looked down at the seat beside me at my vibrating phone and groaned as I looked at the caller id. Trouble.

Heidi.

My fingers hovered over the green phone icon before switching in the last second to the red one. Throwing the phone back on the seat carelessly, i turned the key and drove out of my parking slot in front of Ashley's house, taking one more look behind me.

The road ahead of me was empty, a few cars scattered on the sides parked carelessly. I drove my car through the neatly built neighbourhood before reaching my final destination.

Leaving everything in my car I got out and made my way to the house. Every house on this street looked identical; white bricks, slanted black roof and glazed oval windows on each house, yet from the amount of times I had spent the night here, I was able to identify it from the rest.

Guilt tore at me as I made my way up the front porch. The intentions and acts I had committed while I was here motivated me to do what I was about to do.

End this.

If I was going to win Ashley, then I had to eliminate anything that would oppose the idea of us getting married, including Heidi who I had been having fun with since I first met her a few years back.

Dreading her reaction, I brought my fist up to the door and knocked, waiting patiently for her to answer. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out.

Knowing Heidi personally, I knew that she wouldn't take the break up lightly, if that's what it's called. We weren't even together, although that was what she made herself and others believe.

I would never commit myself to a serious relationship with someone like Heidi no matter how harsh it sounded. Yes I've had my fair share of fun times but I always made sure it was never misunderstood as something else, and Heidi did the same.

I felt two arms snake around my neck pulling me into the house. Startled from my thoughts I opened my eyes to meet what seemed like Heidi's seductive look. I winced as a frown appeared on her face at the way I was reacting. I would usually respond back to Heidi's touches, and although I couldn't deny that she was an attractive woman, having Ashley on my mind, I couldn't look at any other woman in the same way.

"Baby, what's wrong? You want to talk or?" Heidi pouted, already understanding what she was hinting when she left the sentence unfinished.

Removing her arms from around my neck, I walked passed her and into the hallway straight to her very familiar living room taking a seat. If I didn't do this now I would never have the guts to do it knowing how difficult and desperate she could be. I wouldn't be surprised if she started forcing herself on me.

"Heidi, this between us no longer exists. I'm sorry but we can't do anything like that, you know"

I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat while using my hands to stress that whatever was going on, no longer is.

I looked her straight in the eye, nearly flinching at the hatred evident in her eyes.

"You found someone else." She stated. There was no anger. No sadness. Just hatred. I nodded trying to get some emotion out of her. Any feeling was better than what she was showing now. Nothing. It was hard to admit but it scared me. It meant my punishment was going to be long and painful, not a quick blow. Trust Heidi to make this difficult on me.

I stood up turning to leave. As I reached the door, I faintly heard her next words, yet they rang loud and clear in my ears.

"I'm carrying your child"

*********

ASHLEY POV:

I frowned as I tried to think of the answer to the maths questions I had laid out on my desk. Although I haven't always been a hard worker at school, I wanted to achieve the best I could before I graduated. My parents already bugging me to get married, I knew that they wouldn't be able to stop me from moving to college if I had good grades and a good chance of actually getting somewhere successfully.

I shut my book with all the frustration I had gathered in the last hour and went to the kitchen to get something to eat.  Ever since Isaac left the house, I hadn't left my room, and as embarrassing as it was, I couldn't deny the fact that he was constantly on my mind. No wonder I couldn't concentrate on my maths.

"Ashley we need to talk".

Sighing, I continued my walk to the fridge and took out a bottle of orange juice, helping myself to a glass before I turned to my mum.

"Look if this is about the whole marriage thing, then I don't know what I have to tell you to make you realise that I'm not interested." Once I started I couldn't stop.

"You and dad can't make me do anything I don't want to. I have a plan in life. Get good grades go to college and get a job, marriage isn't in this yet, and I just wish you and dad would respect that. I honestly can't imagine what could be so bad that you would risk my, your own daughter's happiness just to get me married to someone I don't love. Mum, you of all people should know what it feels to be stuck in a marriage without love."

By then I felt the tears begin to fall as I walked to her and sat down. I let everything go as I spoke. I could tell my last sentence has struck a nerve within her as she sat still, frozen and wide eyed.

But I knew it was true. Her father, also my grandfather, was stuck into so much debt, he had nothing to do but marry his daughter to my dad.

Sell my mother.

Force her into a marriage.

And although she had learnt to live her life, from her eyes you could see the emptiness in them. She lived a life without ever feeling true love.

We stayed silent for moments which felt like forever. I wasn't even sure if she would reply to what I had just said until I felt the tightness of her hand that I hadn't realised was holding mine.

"I shouldn't be telling you this."

I sat up shocked at what she said. I expected what I had to say to be a rhetorical question. No answer. I didn't know that she did actually have a reason that she believed would justify her and my father's actions. I willed for her to continue.

Comfortingly I allowed her to continue by returning her tight hold on my arm.

"I don't have long to live. I was diagnosed with cancer a few years back, leukaemia to be exact. Isaac offered to pay my medication if you married him. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I didn't know that I had only a short amount to live."

She lifted her hand and began to stroke the side of my face. All colour drained from my face, as I felt dizzy. I couldn't and wouldn't accept the news she had just told me. No way. She was playing me.

"Baby, I love you so much and I want to see you grown. I want to see you experience true love that I never got to experience; I want to see you walk down the aisle with a beautiful husband. I'm so sorry."

She began to weep as I sat there shocked by the news she had just delivered. My mother. Cancer.

"Mum, why didn't you tell me, I can pay for your medication. I can keep my plans on hold and work for a while until you get better, I promise." My previous dried up tears began to fall again.

"No baby girl, you can't, the medication costs much more than anything we own. We don't have time and Isaac is the only one with the money to save me. You'll learn to fall in love with him. I promise"

I was so shocked. Was she selfish for selling me off like her father did? Or was I selfish that I didn't want to sacrifice one thing from my life to help my mum survive.

I made my decision.  This time forever I would make the same decision again and again.

I stood up and left back into my room. I had to make a call.

******

sooooooo, what do y'all think? I know its a little choppy, but I promise as soon as I'm over these exams, I'll edit it and improve it and things

PLEASE DONT FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT WHAT YOU THINK! even if its constructive criticism! <3333