~*~
"Fox." Audrey said.
"What?" Theresa said in confusion. She opened the door wider and saw that both Ethan and Fox had arrived. "Oh." Theresa began. "Fox, Ethan, what are you two doing here?"
"Well, I brought you and little Ethan something." Ethan answered.
"And I need to talk to you, Theresa." Fox added. Then addressing Audrey Fox asked, "Why are you here Audrey?"
Theresa answered for her. "Apparently she was intent on telling me who she is engaged to. Do you two have any idea who it might be?"
Fox shifted uncomfortably. "Theresa, can we go somewhere private so we can talk? I have something very important to tell you."
"Okay." Theresa answered wondering what Fox had to tell her. "Ethan, why don't you come in? Um, Audrey, I guess you can come in too if you'd like."
"Hm..I might just do that." Audrey said as she made her way inside the house. "A quaint little home isn't it?" Audrey said sarcastically eyeing every item in the house.
"Theresa, as soon as you're finished talking to, Fox, there's something I need to give to you." Ethan told her.
"All right," Theresa said. Well, seems like everyone has something to tell me today. I wonder what all this is about, Theresa wondered.
~*~
Once Theresa and Fox left Ethan asked, "Audrey, what exactly are you doing here?"
"What do you think I'm doing here?" Audrey asked.
"I think you were going to tell Theresa about your engagement to Fox."
"How did you know that? My, word does get around fast here doesn't it?"
"Fox told me. But anyhow, why didn't you wait till Fox told her himself?"
"I was going to tell Theresa myself because it would've made the breakup a whole lot faster. I would be there to comfort Fox and you would be there to comfort Theresa. After all Ethan, in the end we both get what we want. You still want Theresa don't you?"
"Of course I still want her, but-"
"But what, Ethan? What's the matter with you? Before, you would've done anything to keep Fox and Theresa apart. This is the perfect opportunity Ethan! What's your problem?"
"It doesn't seem like the right thing." Ethan finally answered.
"The 'right thing'? Oh c'mon Ethan!" Audrey said exasperated. "Are you turning into Mr. Do-the-right-thing? All of a sudden you've decided you'll let your half-brother have Theresa?"
"Well-"
"Well what? Are you letting Theresa go?"
~*~
"So what exactly do you need to tell me, Fox?" Theresa asked.
"This isn't going to be easy." Fox began. "You might want to sit down."
"Uh-oh." Theresa said. "I don't like the tone of your voice. What's going on, Fox?"
Fox took a deep breath. "Uh-"
"Fox, whatever it is you can tell me."
"Well," Fox cleared his throat, "First, I want to tell you that you're the only woman that I've ever loved and I don't want to lose you."
"Fox, I love you too, and you won't lose me. I'm not going anywhere."
"Not according to Julian and Alistair."
"What? What do Julian and Alistair have to do with us?" Theresa asked.
"They don't want us together, Theresa. I hate to say it, but you know how they are."
Theresa stroked Fox's cheek. "Honey, I know they hate me, but who cares about them? What matters is that we want to be together. We love each other. They can't change that."
"They're trying to."
"How?" Theresa said. "How can they do that?"
"They arranged for me to marry someone to complete a business merger."
Theresa's heart sank. "With who?"
"Audrey." Fox gulped. "Father and grandfather are merging Crane Industries with Wellington industries. They want my marriage to Audrey to serve as the binding contract."
"You refused right?" Theresa asked, afraid of what she might hear.
"They gave me no choice."
"So you said what, Fox?" Theresa asked slowly.
"I told them I'd marry her."
Theresa felt like her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. She had a hard time swallowing, for it felt like something was lodged in her throat. "You what?" She whispered disbelieving.
Fox took Theresa's hands in his. "I had to agree or else they would hurt you."
"Hurt me?"
"They told me that if I didn't go along with the marriage you would be the one to suffer."
"Fox, we have to fight them!" Theresa said forcefully. "Those bastards! I can't believe they would do this!"
"Well, they are, Theresa. I told Audrey that I wanted a long engagement so I could figure something out. I don't know how to fix this." Fox said. "To be honest, I'm scared. I can't lose you, Theresa. I love you too much."
Theresa's eyes began to fill with tears. "I don't want to lose you either, Fox. But what are we going to do?"
"I don't know, but we'll think of something."