Thread: An Arangement (DeadRoseGarden and Josu_T)

With the noise of a soft bell the elevator doors opened and Chris Doyle stepped in. He quickly turned and hit the button for one of the upper floors. Normally he would not care that he was taking the long trip up, but this time it just meant a long time to think. He was going to see his father who had something to talk about. Chris had no idea what and it made him nervous. Usually his father was quite open about everything. It wasn't usual for there to be secrets between father and son. Chris just hoped it wasn't anything bad related to business. He had recently taken over as head of a minor company attached to his father's corperation and he had free reign to do as he pleased. He fully intended to use his Ivy League business degree to turn that company into a big power. Of course the family's connections were great, but only Chris could decide how to use them. If that was being taken from him he wouldn't know what to do. The doors opened on the proper floor after what had seemed like an eternity. He slowly walked past the secretary and through the hallway of office doors. He reached another large room and a secretary at the far end simply nodded. Chris passed her and went through a door into a large office that was lavishly furnished. His father was sitting at the desk typing. When he heard Chris he stopped and looked up. With a silent indication to sit and a neutral expression Chris knew it was something serious. He sat across from the man who he was only really getting to know now that he was older. His father had always been busy when Chris was young, but now that he showed promise and skill for making business decisions things had changed. There was a long pause before the older man turned and opened a briefcase and carefully pulled out a very old document. It looked like it was at least a hundred years old, though it had clearly been taken care of. It seemed important. Finally Mr. Doyle spoke up. This is one of the contract from one of the first major deals my great grandfather made. It is one of the main reasons our family has been wealthy for generations. Everything that followed this shaped the business empire that my father inherited and that I inherited after him and that you will inherit when it is time. But this contract is not complete. There are two major clauses of importance. I want you to read through it and tell me what you think they might be. Chris picked up the papers and carefully read through the old legal jargon. He wasn't able to figure out what would be of importance in the present day. He looked at his father and shrugged. The older man smiled and pointed carefully to a paragraph that stated that the two families involved in the contract would become one through marriage. Chris was confused. What does it mean? That hasn't happened yet. Neither family has been able to provide a daughter. Until now. She has just turned nineteen and is old enough to take up her end of the bargain. Just as you will have to do your part. You will marry her and then the contract will be completely fulfilled. Chris was stunned. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't get married. At least not yet. He was having too much fun being single. Apart from working all he did was have fun. He would go to parties and pick up different girls all the time. With his 6'3, broad shouldered frame, blue eyes, light brown hair, and gently tanned skin, he had no problem getting girls. Plus it didn't hurt that he had millions of dollars and everything that went with that. If he was married he would be expected to give up all that stuff and settle down. He could not do that. He was about to protest when his father pointed at the final clause. It stated that if the families failed to meet every point of the contract then the banks would gain everything that came out of the deal. Because it was such an old deal and it could be said that much that they had came from it, they could lose a lot. Christ then thought of something. But what if the banks have forgotten about this? Surely they aren't keeping track. His father sighed and shook his head. I was hoping the same thing, but there was a call from a lawyer just the other day. Apparently you need to be married to her within one year, by the time she turns twenty, or the bank will consider the contract failed and they will take what they deem came from the deal. I have no doubt that they will try to take as much as they possibly can. Chris stared out the window feeling unsure of what to do. It seemed he was stuck.