Chapter 8: Marry My Heir

"So, you do remember me. Excellent!" the boss said with a warm smile that showed off the wrinkles around the corners of his eyes.

I have to say that I did not expect the kind-hearted uncle to be a mafia boss. In other words, I did not expect the mafia boss to be a smiley uncle figure.

"Yeah…umm…hello…once again, I guess," I stammered when I finally found my tongue.

"Have a drink, dear. You look a little tired from the trip. It must have been a long one…" the boss said as he gestured to a glass or water that was placed on the coffee table.

"Thank you…" I whispered as I reached for the glass.

"Did my men treat you roughly? I did order them to be gentle with you…as gentle as handling a feather," the boss asked, suddenly his gaze was serious.

For some reason, I figured that I shouldn’t tell him that they bounded my hands and feet and taped my mouth shut.

"I’m fine…thank you. More importantly, why…am I here?" I asked in confusion. I mean, there’s the matter of my parent’s debt but…

"Five hundred million dollars," The boss began speaking.

"If it’s the money. I don’t have it right now, but I swear, I’ll work or do whatever it takes, and I’ll pay you back. Please!" I cut in desperately.

"Oh…you’d do anything, huh?" the old man said, his eyes twinkling.

"Umm…anything…not illegal, I guess…" I said my voice trailing off.

"Hahaha! You’re such a good girl and I like that so much. I knew you were such a good girl the first time we ran into each other," the boss said after laughing out loud at my words.

"Umm…so about the debt…" I began saying hesitantly.

"About the money, I don’t want it back," the boss said bluntly as he waved his hand like it was nothing.

"Really?!" I asked in surprise, but I could feel the sense of relief flooding through my body. I mean, let’s be realistic, I probably won’t earn even close to that amount in my lifetime.

"Of course. Instead, I want you to marry my son," the boss stated, his tone suddenly very serious.

"WHAT?!" I shouted in shock before choking on the water that I had been drinking.

**cough cough cough**

"Are you…ok?" the boss said as he watched me cough and choke on the water.

"…yeah…" I whispered between ragged breath as my coughing started to subsize.

"So, I was saying…that I want you to marry my son," the boss said seriously as he smiled with satisfaction.

"Is this some sort of bad joke?!" I exclaimed in shock.

’…the boss is…a very serious man. Watch what you do and say if you want to live to see the light of dawn,’

I heard the stern voice of the man in black from before and I felt goosebumps on my whole body. Shit, did I just say the wrong thing just now?

"You did just say that you would do anything," the boss reminded me with a grin.

"But marrying your son is…" I began protesting.

"I can understand why you might think I’m joking; however, I am dead serious. I want you to marry my son," the boss repeated, his eyes never leaving my face as he continued to observe my every reaction.

I felt exposed. I felt like he could read me like an open book…

"But I…I’m very sorry but I can’t imagine marrying someone I don’t even know…I don’t even love…" I began explaining the best that I could. Not to mention, above all else, I could never marry a mafia.

"I totally understand. That won’t be a problem at all. You’ll definitely fall in love with my son," the boss said with confidence as he waved his hand as if brushing away from concern.

"No…I…I can’t marry your son, I’m sorry but…is there something else that I can do to repay the debt instead?" I said with a clear plead in my voice.

"Perhaps we could cut you apart and sell all of your organs in the black market. I don’t know, maybe even then you won’t amount to five hundred million dollars…" the boss said as he looked me up and down as if appraising my worth.

"Please let me go home. I have a very old grandmother and we don’t have anyone else apart from each other. I need to be there to take care of her…" I pleaded with him.

"If you marry into this family, you will have it all. Power, wealth, fame and whatever it is that you need. I only have one son and he will take over as my heir," the boss said passionately.

Marry his son?! That is crazy. I have only thought of marriage once before but…I guess, things just didn’t work out…

Anyways, if I ever get married, I don’t want to marry the heir of a mafia gang!

"What happens…if I refuse?" I asked in a small hesitant voice.

"Hahaha! Seriously, honey dear, what makes you think that you can refuse? I didn’t bring you all the way to my base just so you can turn down my offer and waltz right out. Only the mafia top members know where this place is, I can’t let you leave now that you’ve been here, you know…" the boss said sweetly as he continued to smile gently at me.

However, his actions couldn’t be more of a stark contrast to his words when he slowly placed a black object onto the coffee table. I realized to my utter shock that it was a gun.

"You’re going to marry my son just as the contract says," the old man said firmly.

"The contract?" I asked in confusion. There’s something about this ridiculous arrangement in the contract?

"Exactly. See the terms for yourself," the boss said as he gestured towards the papers of the contract.

"What the…" I muttered to myself as my eyes scanned the terms of the document.

On the very last page, the term states that ’in the event that the debt cannot be repaid, debtors agree to let their daughter, Miss Malissa Maxford, marry a member of the lender’s family based on the lender’s choice without exception.’

What kind of out-of-this-world term is that? How can my parents sign such a thing? Were they so sure that they would be able to pay back the debt no matter what?

--To be continued…