CHAPTER THIRTY: PLEASE WAKE ME

Lucas drove into a vast land that stretch with trees lining the landscape till they got to the main building. Allison was impressed at the same time, amazed on how wealthy Lucas was. She knew if her father had known that Lucas was this wealthy, he would have agreed to make the marriage real without delay. She stepped out of the after Lucas opened the door for her and couldn't hold her admiration for the place.

'Milady, here you are at my humble abode.' He bowed and gestured with his hand as if talking to royalty.

'You called this humble? This is a mansion and I like what I see.' She pulled him close and whispered into his ears. 'Your humble abode is delectable to the eyes.' She chuckled and licked his cheek. Lucas widen his eyes at Allison's action because he did expect such action from her. He gently disengaged her hands from his shirt and coughed. 'Allison, it's best if we went in.'

'Of course darling.' They went in hand in hand and Allison was more smitten by the beauty of the inside of the mansion. She knew her father was rich but if riches was to be measured by the house you stay then her father was a pauper beside Lucas.

'Lucas, is this your family house or yours personally?'

'This is my personally designed house which I built with my money.'

'Wow! This is a beauty in its form. I love this house, would you mind me take a tour of the mansion?'

'It'll be my pleasure.'

It took them over forty five minutes to tour the house before they ended up at the door of master's bedroom. 'And the last room is my special place in the whole house.'

'Your bedroom.'

'I'll rather not show you today.'

'But why?'

'I have my reasons.'

'But I'm your fiancé!'

'That is my major reason of not showing you my room. I have my principles which I strictly adhere to. Come Allison, we need to talk.' He led her to another section of the house with a smaller living room. 'Do you care for a drink?'

'Yeah get me something strong.'

'No Allison. I want you to stay sobber during our talk then later you can have whatever you want.' By his seat, he pressed a secret button and it opened a small bar from the wall. He stood to pour them drinks.

'What do you do for a living?'

'Professionally, I'm an architect.'

'I'm not surprised.'

'Here you are.' He gave her her drink and sat on the seat opposite hers. 'Allison, i will cut to the chase, I know our so called marriage is political staged but how do you personally feel about me?'

She put her drink down and looked seriously at him. 'Lucas, I like you a lot and I really want us to look at our friendship outside politics.'

'Since the day we left the Electoral office, your father has made it clear that I should keep my distance from you. I was surprised when you more or less keep on calling and we speak pretending to still be betrothed in quote. I want us to define what is between us.'

'Lucas, how do you see me as a woman?'

'You're beautiful as I always say and intelligent.'

'Am I attracted to you?'

'If we had met under different situation, I would have wanted to know you better.'

'But now?'

'It is difficult to know or trust each other's feeling due to the contract I signed with your father.'

'Contract with my father?'

'Yes. He made me sign a marriage contract that after he gave the Senatorial ticket, I would marry you. But unfortunately, it never worked out so I have gone back to my profession but still a politician though.'

'So you also see me as a commodity that could be bought or exchanged?' She said with pained expression.

'But you knew all along?'

'What I knew was I would be getting married to you after you get a ticket as a senatorial candidate and even after it never worked out nothing has changed.'

'Well your father never said that not even the way he behaved after everything.'

'Then why didn't you tell me that I should stop calling you? Why do you make me believe you had a feeling for me? You make a fool out of me and I thought all the while that you were different from others.' Her voice broke and Lucas felt bad for her.

'I'm sorry Allison, I thought you were aware of the arrangements.'

'You thought I was in the know of the stupid arrangements that make me an object of ridicule all because my father is a chairman of a stupid political party that is not a family property?! I now become a commodity someone is trading to the highest bidder, you must have had your fill of laughter of me. Well, thank you so much for at least not sleeping with me like others and send me packing.' She picked her bag and stood up.

'Allison, please listen to me, I'm very sorry about it. I respect you a lot and I will not do anything to hurt your feelings.'

'That is what you have just done. If you actually respect me, just let me go and never stop me.' She left Lucas where he was standing and she picked her phone to call her elder brother. 'Adams, please come and pick me. I'll text you the address.'

Lucas sat dejectedly, resting his head on the back of the sofa, he sighed sadly and shook his head in pity. What an asshole of a father you are Ian Green! He drained his drink and headed towards his bedroom to change for his golf game.

Adams drove to the eatery Allison texted him thirty minutes later. He saw his sister sitting outside and starring at nothing. 'Allison are you alright?'

'Adams, thanks for coming. You'll care for anything?'

'I'm cool. What is it Allison?'

'He has done it again.' And she broke down.

Adams gathered her to himself to calm her down. 'Shh Allison, dad is a bastard to do this to you. Brace yourself up it's not worth you to breakdown.'

'I like Lucas very much thinking I've got a man of my own at last but dad ruined it again. Adams, do you know that he even went into agreement that Lucas would only marry me if he had the senatorial ticket? He has turned me into an object he bargains with the highest bidder.' She said amidst sobs.

'Son of a witch!' He said tightening his hold on his sister.

'Thank God this one respected me for not sleeping with me and discard me as usual.'

'Calm down Allison. People have started noticing us please, let me take you away from here.' He gently guided her to the car and opened the passenger door for her to settle down. He sat in the driver seat and faced his sister. 'Where do you want me to take you?'

'I don't ever want to set my eyes on dad again.'

'That's the best decision for you.'

'Can I put up at your place for some days till I get my own place?'

'Dearest sister, you're welcome at my place for as long as you want. I want to take care of you and the time has come to join force and deal with Ian Green.'

'Thank you.' She gave him a genuine smile amidst tears. There was a brief silence but Allison had calmed down. 'Adams as a man, do I look bad for a woman a man would want to marry?'

'They are all blind because they can't see you in you but they keep on seeing Ian Green in you. He's a bad omen in our lives as a father. Look at me, my life has never been better since I left his house. So, forget your life when you were in his house and life and start afresh. Think of what you want to do and I'm ready to support you.'

'You think I can stand on my own without his influence?'

'His influence in your life was a way to downfall. I want you to think of what makes you happy and build on it.'

'I love interior blogging, but I would need big men I can film their houses for a start.'

'You're wrong my dear, you can be a house sales agent with difference. Get in touch with big time saler and tell them you can get their clients' houses sold in no time. Get your website or blog for it and advertise, before you know it, you're having more clients you can think of.'

'That's a nice one. Let me start with my Instagram contacts.'

'Beautiful, I like your way of thinking. But baby sis, no man for now. I want you to concentrate, build and have confidence in yourself first. Do we have an agreement on that?'

'Yes Adams. I need to be myself first.'

'There is something I need to tell you Allison.' Adams said giving her sideway look.

'Are we safe?'

'I have Audrey and Aubrey staying with me.'

'What?! Someone should wake me up.'