Chapter Two:
Darien burst through the lobby doors of his company, or rather his father's company. Darien was reaching his 26th birthday and he was extremely over qualified to run, which by rights, what should rightfully his company, by all means. The meeting that Darien's father had called today was supposed to have been to announce Darien as his successor, but instead the old man had announced that Jetaru would be his successor unless he married that girl, Kenji Tsukino's daughter.
That girl was the most prominent on his father's long list of things which were that he found a wife and be responsible for his own family, not that Darien wasn't responsible, but it took a lot more responsibility and understanding to care for a family instead of just one's self and even more responsibility to run a international company.
Needless to say Darien was beyond furious with his so called father. He had been training ever since he was 10 of age years to fill his father's shoes and take over Shields Inc and the day he was supposed to take it over, his Father found a way to not relinquish his control. Darien had no need or want of a wife or a family, he had enough of his own family, especially with his Father, Mother, his two sisters, Galaxia and Juliana, his retainers Artemis ad Luna, his two nephews Gregory and Jeffery, and his one and only niece Deana.
That was enough for him. He didn't understand why it couldn't be enough for his parents. No matter, if his Father wanted him to have a wife, than by God Darien was going to do just that and nothing else.
Liuesia sat in the booth of the Fruit Parlor Crown, talking to her friend Mina's boyfriend, Andrew. He sat across from her and he was having difficulty understanding what she was telling him about his best friend Darien.
"What do you mean your pregnant with his baby?" Andrew yelled. At that exact moment that Liuesia was about to answer him, the door of the Parlor violently flew open and who walked in, but Mr. father to be, himself, Darien Shields.
He strode right up to Liuesia's booth and told Andrew to leave, which he hesitantly did and then Darien sat across from her. Snapping his fingers at a waitress, who immediately came running over to take his order. The nerve of this guy. Liuesia thought as she focused her attention on Andrew. He was fearfully staring in her direction.
"It is a pleasure to finally formerly meet you, Miss Tsukino, how far along are you supposed to be anyway?'' Darien sarcastically smiled as Liuesia glared at him. Of course she had known that Darien was arrogant snob who put his work above everyone, which is the main reason why he and Trista Meioh broke up, but she had hoped in her heart that the Darien she had met in Vegas was still in there. She just hoped that he wouldn't treat like he did every other girl.
"It's a pleasure to also be formerly meeting you, Darien Shields, and to answer your question I am about six weeks." She softly whispered as Darien shook his head from his impurities and Liuesia lowered her eyes. Darien's face then became a stoic mask and Liuesia couldn't bring herself to look at him. Darien really didn't feel sorry for the girl, or for the child that she was carrying and claiming to be his, but there was nothing he could do, at least not right now anyway.
He was already doing this for his parents, and the girl's father who had said that they need to correct their mistake by marrying each other. In fact if had not be for his father taking his company away from him he wouldn't even be here right now with this girl. Sighing, she took out some money and laid it on the table.
"I am sorry, Mr. Shields, but I have some places and appointments I need to get to." Liuesia patted her small flat stomach softly, smiling when she felt her baby stir within her. Liuesia was coming to term with what was happening to her. There was no way she could afford a house of her own, or car, and or even take care of her own baby. There was just no way. She had been working part-time at a dinner in the center of Tokyo, and put herself through college before she asked her father for any sort of help.
She sat dejected in the booth, fighting back the tears of reality, and trying to gather soe sort of courage to leave the Parlor. Standing, Liuesia began to leave, but Darien's hand came down on hers and he forcefully made her sit back down in the booth.
"Please stay. I'd like to talk to you." His voice was smooth and deep. She had a brief thought that it should be outlawed, since it was the same voice that got them into this mess, what a smooth talker he was.
"I am sorry, but I have things to do and I barely even know you." Liueia proclaimed. ''Then let's get to know each other, a little better.'' He smiled as Liuesia rolled her eyes. "I am Darien Shields. I am 25 years old and my parents are Endymion Shields and Serenity Amino-Shields. And you are?" He questioned. "I am Liuesia Tsukino. I am 23 years old and my parents are Kenji Tsukino and Risa Hino." She softly stated as Darien's eyes widen for a split second at her mother's name. But he quickly shook it off and got back to the matter at hand.
"Miss Tsukino, your father couldn't help but explain your current predicament that he believes that involves me, but anyway, I feel that we can help each other." He said, wasting no more time on preliminaries. Liuesia sat still and carefully eyed him, not quite understanding what his motives were, she seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
"I beg your pardon?'' Liuesia questioned.
"I mean we both have a problem that I believe we can help each other fix." Darien explained to the small fragile petite woman sitting before him. Darien granted that she was outragously drop dead gorgeous and she seemed to be a very motherly sort, plus her father agreed to do the merger if they got married which would grant him acess to her father's company. "You seem to have a problem of not knowing who your baby's father is." He added as Liuesia dangerously narrowed her eyes at him.
"And your's would be what, having too many girlfriends that you'd don't have time to get married?" She asked cynically. Darien quickly restrained himself from lashing out on the girl. If he wanted this girl to help him in getting what he wanted, he would have to tread carefully on the ice, for now. He forced a smile to grace his delicate lips, which was extremely rare for him, and he stared his brightest at her.
"You could say that I have parent problem, but if you could help me, that problem with women would also go away as well. You see, I've been given a hard task to complete and to do this I need a wife." Darien slowly spoke as he stared deep within her eyes. Liuesia tried to lower her sky blue eyes from his intense dark blue gaze, but his eyes were too compelling to ever look away from. Liuesia wasn't sure she was hearing him right. Was he really asking her, his one night stand that lend to her pregnancy, to marry him, the illustrious playboy son of the most wealthy and powerful business owner in Japan?
"Um…I am not sure I am hearing you right, Mr Shields, are you asking me to be your wife?" Liuesia unbelievingly gawked at him.
"Yes. I need a wife to gain my father's company and you need help with your baby, if I am not mistaken." Darien devilishly smirked, for he knew that if all else failed he could play on her fear for the life of her unborn baby. Normally, he would never do a thing like that, but time was running out and he couldn't afford to go and search for someone else.
And this way he killed two birds with one stone, his father got his daughter in law and a grandchild, all for the price of one. Besides his 26th birthday was three months away and he refuse to let his father's company go to his best friend who would also be taking over his father's company very soon.
"Why me though? I am sure you could find any number of really beautiful women who would love to be married to you, never the less be overjoyed to have your baby. I mean you are highly exclusive." Liuesia proclaimed. Darien had to laugh at that. It was true, he was extremely picky about who he went out with, especially if it paid off at the end of the night.
"You are right, I could have anyone, but then I would be settling for something less and something that I really don't need. I know you know that I do indeed have standards set for when I finally take a wife and believe me when I say that none of the women the press has ever seen me with has even one of those standards." Darien explained.
"And I assume since you want me to marry you and I am carrying your child that I have something you want or have some of these standards?" Liuesia frowned as she glared at him.
"Yes, I think you do. And I am pretty sure that you would agree with me, we could discuss what we need to do as a married couple and then go from there." Darien told her, sounding so sure that she wouldn't detest him or disagree with him.
"I…I don't think so Mr. Shields. I mean I was in a long time relationship with my fiance of ten years, Seiya Kou also a successful business owner here Japan and besides we barely know each other and even if we did, I don't think you'd like a squalling baby especially one that you say isn't yours, keeping you up or waking you up in the middle of the night." Liuesia said as she crossed her arms over her d-cup breast.
"I know what you think, but I am sure you will find that I am quite used to having a squalling children in the comfort of my home. My older sister has a five-year-old and a six-month-old, and my younger sister has a three-year-old. So crying, yelling, fussing, and the squalling never really bothered me." Darien chuckled as he told her and Liuesia forced a fake smile upon her lips. Darien recalled how much he adored her smile in Vegas and the feeling that she absolutely needed to agree with him.
"It just doesn't make any sense, why would you care for a child that you don't even believe is yours?'' Liuesia questioned as Darien deeply sighed. ''Let me think about it and I'll have my father get in touch with your father. Does that sound like a deal to you?'' Liuesia asked him as Darien frowned and shook his head no.
"I am sorry Miss Tsukino, but it is a now or never thing. I don't have time to wait for you to make up your mind." Darien explained. He watched her as she waged a silent war inside herself. Liuesia looked down at her hands and then continued to weigh her options in her head.
''If you are so sure that the baby is mine why don't you just marry me, but if you feel that you need to prove that the baby is mine we could always do a DNA test.'' Darien stated. ''You wouldn't think that things could go from good to bad to worse in just the space of a few months? Besides I think we are marryig for all the wrong reason. I always thought when I got married I would be marry for love not because for our parents or for our wants and needs.'' Liuesia proclaimed and Darien frowned.
''But you have a child to think for now and need I remind you that your father claims it is my child and not to mention your father purposed that we got married which is the main reason why you and I were put on national television. Beside if you do not go through with this wedding it would reflect poorly on your father. And haven't you already caused him enough embarrassment seeing that you are a Love Child.'' Darien declared as Liuesia glared at him yet again. ''Fine!''
''What's fine?'' Darien knowingly smirked
"Yes, yes I'll marry you, you spoil little rich boy!." Liuesia breathed. Darien sat still for a moment and then he smiled devilishly. Reaching across the table to stroked her hand, and then he spoke.
"It's okay. I think it would be best if we got things over with a soon as possible. I think that we should go and get some things from your father's house and you can move immediately into mine." Darien stated as he turned and saw the waitress coming over to finally collect the money that Liuesia had left on the table before their conversation began.
"Will that be all?" the waitress asked as she alluring smiled at Darien. Darien nodded and then the waitress scooped up the money and angerly walked away.
"I really don't understand." Liuesia said as she watched Darien stand and she rosed after since he didn't offer her his hand.
"You will be living with me. It would make things much easier and I don't think that our parents will want to wait to start planning our wedding." Darien explained as he lead her out of the Parlor. Liuesia nodded as she fumbled around in her purse for her bus pass. She slung her ragdy coach purse over her shoulder and walked toward the bus stop.
Liuesia couldn't tell Darien no because he had been right after all. And she also couldn't tell him no out of fear for her father's reputation. She wasn't afraid to lose anything for she had nothing to gain. Yeah she was Kenji Tsukino's daughter, but he really didn't help her unless she really needed it, which was right now.
Besides she didn't want to go and stay with Anne and her husband Alan. She loved her best friends dearly, but she didn't want to impose on them like she did in the pass. Maybe after they got used to being married to each other for some years, maybe then Liuesia would feel a bit more secure and comfortable around her friends once again.
"If that what's make you feel better about our situation then okay." Liuesia tentatively smiled as Darien followed her to the bus stop.
"You do not have a car, do you?" Darien asked.
"Obviously if I'm taking the bus, you would think that I don't have a car." Liuesia stated as she sat down on the bench at the bus stop. Darien frowned and pulled her up by her arms. ''But your Kenji's daughter, I thought he took good care of you it would appear that he did by the way he came into the office and demanded that I married you.''
''No, my father only just begun to take care of me I guess it's because he does not want my baby to be a love child like I was.'' Liuesia stated as Darien steered her toward a luxurious black Benz that was parked at the curb. ''So how did your father and your mother meet?''
''Kind of the same way we met.''
''So they met on vacation?''
''Yes, they went on a vacation to Paris, France.''
''The city of love?!'' Darien shockingly questioned as Liuesia nodded her head. ''When my mother came back to Japan she was pregnant with me, but she was also married to Takashi Hino, the politican.''
''So what happened between your mother and her husband?'' Darien asked as they both got into the car. ''Well he never found out because he was never around long enough to notice anything different about her. After I was born I stayed with my mother's parents and I never really heard or seen my mother again until she was in a hospital bed dying and that was also when she told me everything except if I have any older or younger siblings.'' Liuesia stated as Darien began to drive to her father's house.
''Well how did Kenji find out you were his daughter?'' Darien questioned.
''It was an accident really, I put in an application to work for him and on my interview with him I discovered that he was my father. At first when he found out I was his child we did about thirty DNA test and then he paid me to keep me quite, but it wasn't like I wanted his money I would never go to the press for anything. But his wife Ikuko became highly suspicious of him.''
''Let me guess she thought he was having an affair with you, right?'' Darien questioned as Liuesia nodded her head. ''And the rest of my story, I think you know.'' Liuesia stated as Darien smiled ''Yeah, everyone knows the rest. I mean it was all over the news.''
"I'm so glad that you find this funny, my life has been nothing my tragedy since the day I was born.'' Liuesia snapped as Darien coughed into his hands.
''Anyway I hope you know what I expect out of our arranged marriage, right?''
Edited 9/08/13
