Chapter 2

"No…" Honey muttered before the anger washed over her, and she raised her voice to scream, "You are not going to do this to me again! You're not going to steal another one from me again!"

There was nothing by the door for Honey to pick up in her fit of rage, so she reached for the key in the keyhole, pulled it out, and threw it in their direction. Hearing someone rushing up the stairs, Alexis quickly turned and ran to the other side of the room, jumping out of the window.

The key struck Merryl on her forehead, cutting her by an inch. She winced and shot straight up into a sitting position.

"Honey, I promise, this isn't what it looks like!"

Honey was not listening. She had fallen deep into her usual fits of rage. The main reason Honey was held back at school was not due to her failing grades but rather because she tended to start fights.

"No, this is exactly what it looks like! All of my boyfriends leave me because they want you! I've had enough of it!"

Behind her, Paul appeared with another figure that Merryl couldn't quite see very well. Paul heard Honey scream and knew that she was about to have another episode. He grabbed Honey by the shoulder. She flinched and pulled her arm away, turning around and freezing as soon as she saw whom it was that appeared with their father.

Now that Honey had turned, Merryl was also able to see the figure clearly, and she was more shocked than Honey was.

"Felix?" Merryl called out to her boyfriend. Felix didn't appear to be surprised to see her.

"Do you two know each other?" Paul asked, glancing back and forth between Merryl and Felix.

Honey scoffed, "Know each other? They're dating!" Honey shouted, shocking Paul. Merryl grit her teeth. She hadn't realised that the man she or Honey was supposed to marry was her boyfriend. And now that Honey knew, due to her petty nature, she was going to make the situation difficult for her.

"I can't believe it," Paul exclaimed, "You're already seeing each-"

"That doesn't matter now, does it?" Honey called out, a sly smirk playing on her lips, "I've made up my mind, I'll be the one to marry him."

A wave of anger washed over Merryl. It was Honey's nature to act this way. If she had wanted to marry Felix because he was good-looking, Merryl would have understood. Who wouldn't want to date him? His appearance was more beauteous in nature, with his hair as black as obsidian. It seemed to suck in all of the light; Merryl felt she could almost peer into it like it was a black hole. He was three heads taller than her, and his eyes were equally as dark as his hair. He looked at her with his eyes as though he wanted to pull her into them. In fact, she was certain he could have if he tried.

Of course, anyone would want him, but Honey didn't. She only wanted to marry him to get back at Merryl.

Felix walked into the room and crouched down beside Merryl to inspect the bleeding cut on her forehead.

"Honey, we've had this discussion already. You're still in school-"

"And I haven't picked my career path yet," Honey interrupted her father. This was one of the only few times he would allow her to speak out of turn, "I promise, I'll get my grades up and become the perfect heir. Or would you rather this archaeologist be the one to inherit the company and bring it down to the dirt with her?"

Paul did not need much to convince him. They had a deadline to meet, and the wedding had to happen within the next three days. Before Merryl could object, Paul had already made up his mind. She heard Felix sigh beside her as he stood up. A new feeling she had never felt before washed over her. She had never been betrayed before in her life, and she was fairly certain that that was what that feeling was - betrayal. Yet, that feeling was oddly familiar to her.

"Felix?" She called out to him, her voice quivering. He hadn't said anything to her since he appeared.

"I'm sorry, Merryl," Felix said without looking at her. Felix had an authoritative air about him. His words, though they were friendly, came out as sharp due to the way he spoke, and that sharpness hurt Merryl's heart, "I should have done my research on you. If I knew you were a part of this family, I wouldn't have decided to play with you."

"What are you saying?" Merryl shouted, the pain laced in her voice, "We love each other! You told me you love me!"

"I did say that," Felix responded coldly, "But money matters more to me than love. Your sister is in a better position to make me money than you are."

She was crushed. With each word he said, the dagger drove deeper into her heart. Bitter tears flowed down her face, blinding her vision.

"It's just business, Merryl. This is nothing perso… well, it kind of is, isn't it?" He chuckled, walking up to Paul and Honey. Paul did feel unsettled at seeing his daughter crying so much, but the company was more important now than a broken heart. He, too, had to give up on the love of his life to marry Diana, and through that marriage, they became one of the wealthiest families in the country.

"Please, come back!" She called out to him. He did look back at her, and for a brief moment, she thought she saw what she interpreted as sympathy in his eyes. That emotion soon vanished to be replaced by an eerie coldness. Paul, Felix, and Honey walked out of the room. Honey was the last to leave, and before she did. She looked back at Merryl with a smile to say,

"You're too beautiful, Merryl. I have to find my happiness without you stealing it away from me. Besides, you didn't want to marry him either." She giggled as she walked out, leaving Merryl a sobbing mess on the floor.