Isabella Marie Levesque is a five foot six-inch-tall twenty-one-year-old vivacious young woman with curves to envy for days, big perky voluptuous breasts, round butt, supple fair skin, hazel green eyes and long brunette hair. Isabella came from wealth her parents inherited a vast fortune and a successful business from her grandparents McMahon-Levesque & Orton enterprises. She had just graduated college and moved back in with her parents and worked at her parent's business as her mom and dad's secretary. Isabella didn't mind she loved her job. She also had a boyfriend whom she loved so much they had been together for two years now and she couldn't be happier.
Isabella had no cares in the world, and everything was going her way. Unfortunately, all that would be pulled away from underneath her. Now that she had turned twenty-one it was time for her to fulfill the arrangement her parents made when she was seven years old to marry their partner's son Randy Orton when she came of age. Isabella had no idea that her parents had pretty much sold her to the enemy. But she would be finding out shortly.
Mary can you go upstairs and tell Isabella it's time for dinner please. Said Paul as he lifted his wine glass up to the butler.
Yes, sir as you wish. Said Mary as she headed upstairs to get Isabella from her room.
Mary walked up to Isabella's door and knocked on it until Isabella let her in.
Hi Mary, what can I do for you? Asked Isabella as she put the last finishing touches to her hair.
It's time for dinner Ms. Levesque your father ordered me to come get you. Said Mary.
Mary it's Isabella I told you, you don't have to call me Ms. Levesque okay. In my eyes you aren't a maid to me you're like my mom so stop with the Ms. Levesque deal. Said Isabella as she hugged Mary.
Okay Bella. Can I call you Bella? Asked Mary.
Of course, you can. Said Isabella as she gave Mary a kiss on the cheek.
MARY WHAT IS GOING ON UP THERE? MY HUSBAND SENT YOU TO GET ISABELLA FOR DINNER NOT TO GO UP THERE AND MEDDLE AROUND! Yelled Stephanie upset.
Let's go Mary before my mother has a heart attack. Said Isabella as she followed Mary downstairs to the dining room for dinner.
Isabella and Stephanie didn't get along and weren't close. Stephanie was Isabella's stepmother. Her biological mother died giving birth to her leaving her dad to raise her on her own until Paul met Stephanie when Isabella was four and married her three years later when Isabella was seven. In that time Stephanie never made an attempt to get close to Isabella or even try to build a relationship with her. Quite honestly Stephanie didn't care or want Isabella if it had been up to her, she would have sent Isabella away for good. So, Stephanie had no other choice but to play nice and deal with Isabella. Isabella for her part did the best she could to get along with her stepmom for her dad and sisters despite Stephanie doing everything to push her away. She truly loved her stepmom despite their differences and always would.
Mother father it's my fault that Mary didn't come downstairs with me right away. I needed her help with something so that's why it took long for us to come down. Said Isabella as she sat down at the table next to her dad.
Okay but don't let it happen again Izzy. Said Paul.
I promise it won't father. Albert can you please serve me some wine? Asked Isabella as she raised her wine glass so that Albert could serve her.
Okay Albert that is enough she doesn't need that much wine. Said Paul as he sent Albert away.
Father I'm twenty-one years old now I don't see what the big deal is. It's just wine. Said Isabella as she took a drink of her wine.
The big deal is you're my daughter and I don't like to see you drink. It just reminds me that you aren't my little girl anymore that you are a grown woman now. Said Paul as he put his hand on Isabella's hand.
Father I will always be your little girl that will never change I promise. Said Isabella as she leaned in and gave her father a kiss on the cheek.
Good now that we got all this settled time to move on to more pressing matters. Seeing honey as you are delaying the inevitable, I will tell Isabella what we discussed. Said Stephanie.
Father what is mother talking about? Asked Isabella as she took a bite of her food.
Hon maybe we can find another way we shouldn't do this please? Asked Paul with a pleading look.
Sorry you should have thought about that before you signed those papers. There is no other out so Isabella will have to suck it up and deal with it. Said Stephanie.
Mother father what is going on you are worrying me. Said Isabella concerned.
When you were seven years old, your father got the company in a bind and to save it he had to make a deal or well a promise written in paper. He promised our business partner you're hand in marriage to his son once you became of age. So, to make sure it happened our lawyers a person in the notary department and your father and I met up and made the arrangement that when you turned twenty-one years of age you would marry Bob Orton's son. Now you are twenty-one and it's time for that arrangement to be fulfilled. Said Stephanie.
Father please tell me mother is lying that it's just a cruel joke, right? Asked Isabella.
I'm sorry Izzy but it's true I messed up really bad I almost cost us the company and the only way to get it back was to promise you would marry Bob Orton's son when you turned twenty-one years old. Me signing those papers and promising your hand saved the company and us from going into financial ruin. Said Paul.
Father how could you do this to me your own daughter. I have to marry someone I don't even know or love because you made bad decisions and almost lost the company. I'm sorry but I won't don't it. Said Isabella as she got up to leave.
Before Isabella could leave Stephanie stopped her in her tracks.
You have no choice in the matter Isabella you have to marry Bob Orton's son. If you don't, we lose everything as well as you and your sisters is that what you want, are you going to be that selfish and put your sisters in the street like animals. Think about them they are innocent in all of this and you are going to make them pay because you are so selfish. Said Stephanie as she smiled knowing she was getting to Isabella.
Isabella stood there with her back to her parents thinking about what Stephanie said about her sisters and she knew Stephanie was right she couldn't be selfish and put her sisters through that life and humiliation. It wasn't her sisters' fault that their father put her in this situation, so she decided to swallow her pride and go through with this arrangement.
Fine I'll do it I'll marry Bob Orton's son. I'm not doing it for either of you I'm doing it for Aurora, Murphy and Vaughn because they don't deserve to suffer because our father made bad business decisions. Said Isabella as she turned and looked at her parents with tears in her eyes.
Good in a month you and Bob Orton's son will be getting married. We have a month to plan the wedding and get everything together. We already booked the church and the reception will take place here in the backyard of the house. Said Stephanie as she took a sip of her wine.
Okay. Said Isabella as she ran upstairs to her room closing the door behind her. She threw herself on her bed as she cried thinking about Seth and the heartbreak, she was going to cause him. Seth was the only man she saw herself marrying and spending the rest of her life with but not anymore now that her father ripped that away from her.
Izzy it's me Mary can I come in? Asked Mary as she knocked on the door hoping Isabella would let her in.
Yes, Mary you can come in. Said Isabella as she rolled to her side hiding her face in her pillow as she continued to cry.
Mary closed the door behind her and sat down on the bed next to Isabella as she tried to comfort her. Seeing Isabella hurting made her hurt and it upset her. Mary remembered all those times that her sister would break down and cry and she would be their comforting her and now she was seeing it all over again with her niece. Yes, Isabella was her niece, Mary and Isabella's mom were sisters something no one knew except for Stephanie and Paul and it would stay that way. Paul and Stephanie made the condition that if Mary wanted to be in Isabella's life that she would have to settle and be the maid slash nanny and that was it. Mary had no other choice but to accept those conditions if she wanted to be in Isabella's life. There was never a day that went by that she just wanted to break down and tell Isabella that she was her aunt but she couldn't so she settled for what she could get.
Izzy I'm so sorry for what you are going through I wish that there was something that I could do to make it all better heck to make it all go away. Said Mary as she raked her fingers through Isabella's hair.
Mary it's not fair. I don't want to marry some stranger I don't know. For all I know he could be a bad person you know like a wolf in sheep's clothing. I already have someone that I love his name is Seth and we have been together for two years. He is the one I want to marry to spend the rest of my life with, to grow old with have a lot of kids with. Said Isabella as more tears came pouring out.
I know honey you told me that and sometimes we don't always get what we want. Take it from me I never got to marry my soulmate and live happily ever after, but I still found happiness with my husband Greg, I love him so much and I have never been happier. I mean who knows you just might end up falling in love with Bob Orton's son. I have met him a few times and he isn't a bad person. He seems like a really nice and decent person with a big heart. Said Mary.
No Mary I will never fall in love with him never ever. I will always love Seth always and that will never change. Said Isabella as she laid her head on Mary's lap.
If you say so sweetie but time will only tell. Said Mary as she continued to stroke Isabella's hair.
If Mary was honest, she really didn't like Seth there was something about him that rubbed her the wrong way, so she knew as wrong as it was, she was happy that this arrangement happened she liked Bob Orton's son better for Isabella. He was a hard-working young man who preferred to work for his things then to have it handed to him on a silver platter and Mary couldn't think of anyone better for Isabella then Bob Orton's son.
As Mary continued to stroke Isabella's hair, she noticed that Isabella's breathing slowed down and evened out indicating that she had fallen asleep. Mary carefully moved her off her lap and covered Isabella with the blanket she crocheted for her. She then leaned down and kissed Isabella on the forehead and then made her way out of Isabella's room closing the door behind her.
TBC...