CHAPTER FOUR

          Sophia's POV

We were in the car heading home when Tony suddenly flashed in my head. 

What he said__ I felt the urge to ask dad about it. Though I did not believe him but I felt somehow, the feelings of doubt. I was doubting the truth in what he said and decided to ask dad about it. 

Besides, why will dad engage me all of a sudden to someone I barely knew who said something like he also owned my hospital.

 I had planned on asking dad in the morning on why he had engaged me all of a sudden but since he was eating I decided not to bother him. 

Since we were both alone, aside the driver, I thought I should ask him why.

"Dad!" I called distracting him from his phone.

"Yes darling." He replied and looked back into his phone. 

I suddenly felt nervous. My dad was the only one that had an influence on my character and if my mom was alive, maybe she too would have had an influence on my character or maybe it wouldn't have been the same.

"I wanted to ask you. I saw Mr Tony Hartz today at the hospital and he said something."

"Ok." Dad replied. 

I hate when I'm been given the 'ok' reply and dad did it. I thought he would say something better but he didn't and I swallowed a little, my disappointment. 

"He talked about him owning the hospital." I said and my dad didn't respond. 

Not a single word. 

He was just busy with his phone.

"Dad!" I half-yelled his name and he rolled his eyes.

"Look angel, I'm really tired. Can we talk about this tomorrow?" He asked and I looked at him in disbelief.

"Please?" He pleaded and I just nodded.

"Fine." I replied and he grinned. 

"We will go home and he will tell me after all." So I thought.

It was a long ride home and as we were about entering the gate, something unusual in real life but very real in movies happened.

Some armed men dressed in black walked out of a van that stood before our gate. Luckily for us, the windows of the car were all up. 

"Lock the doors." I ordered the driver and he did it immediately. Dad held his phone and started punching digits on his phone.

They came and knocked on the rear windows, two on my side and two on dad's side.

The driver was afraid and I could tell from his shivering body. I looked at dad and he wasn't scared. He has that fierce attitude of not been intimidated by anyone. I took after him in that.

I lowered my window just a little and one of the ugly men poked his head inside my car.

"Gosh!! And he stinks." I thought, rolling away my eyes as the odour from him made it impossible for me to breathe in some fresh air. 

"You must be Sophia Devale. And you her dad." He asked and we nodded.

Did I tell you? 

He also had a horrible breath.

"What do you want?" I asked with no iota of fear in me.

"Fearless!" He spoke in nods and I scoffed.

"Well I am here to warn you." He said and I just looked at him.

"Cancel your supposed engagement with Tony Hartz." I looked at him in disbelief and a sly smile crept on my face.

"And why should I do that?" I asked and he smiled.

"You are indeed vicious. Just as they described you." He said in soft or should I say rough chuckles. 

"Just do as I say. If not..." He smirked afterwards and went away with the rest of his friends.

"Dad!" I called a little frightened. He patted my back and smiled to me. I rested my head on him.

"You will marry him my dear. Don't mind the threats." Dad said.

I was not in support of the whole marriage stuff. 

But right at that moment, I wanted to even get married the next day to see what the reactions of whomever sent them to hurt me.... 

I was more than determined to push forward with the cursed marriage contract. 

The smelling guy said 'they'... 

Meaning he was ordered to warn me. 

And to know who dared defy me, I had to prove stubborn...

But I couldn't tell anyone as it could have been anyone. Dad on the other hand, is not one to be very open so it was a fact that he wasn't going to tell someone especially when he never took the threats seriously.

"Josh!" I called my driver as he drove inside the gate.

"Not a word of this to anyone. Not even your shadow." I ordered and my door was opened.

I stepped out of the car, emotionless as usual and spotted Cindy taking swift walks inside the house. I thought she was gone when she came out with her mom.

"Welcome back honey." Mom greeted and pecked my dad on the cheeks. I was angry and jealous seeing her peck dad on his jaws. 

"Uhm dad." I called and he turned his attention to me.

"Please c..can we go in now." I asked and he nodded.

"Honey let me take her to her room." My dad told mom who frowned. 

I smiled a satisfied smile and she noticed but I didn't care even one tiny bit. I never liked her neither did I like any of her kids, though the other twin hardly talked to anyone. She just kept her head glued to her stuffs__ those my dad gave her.

Milicent's POV

 She smiled as she walked into the house with her father, my husband.

I felt insulted and humiliated by what she did but I couldn't say a word to her, neither could I object to it. Her dad had always been partial when it came to her, to the extent that he will throw a party for her for any little thing that she did. He was the reason why I kept mute, he accepted and went ahead with her not minding the fact that I came out here to welcome him. 

I suddenly grew cold, sad and hyper depressed. How long was I ever going to cope in this mess of having disrespectful step children. I once was married, I did my best in the marriage to be nice to the kid but he was disrespectful to me. This one, she was rude and even when I began treating her unfairly, she still was rude. 

That aside, I noticed something off in those two especially Sophia. I could sense from the way she looked down and passed us without uttering any harsh word that something happened. My guess, they still fought over the arranged marriage issues although they won't tell. 

Sophia might be one hell of an annoying child, but she still gets moody when something goes wrong. Even though, she has gone abroad, her character hasn't changed a bit.  

"Mom!" Cindy startled me with her call and her hand on my shoulder.

"Are you angry?" She asked me but I said nothing.

"Don't worry mom. You are dad's wife and not her. You will be the one to sleep with him and not her so let it not bother you." She said reassuringly. 

Well, Cindy wass right though!

"Where is Cynthia?" I asked Cindy and she scoffed. 

I hate that attitude of hers, "Behave kid." I warned her but she hissed as reply.

"Whatever! By the way Cynthia is in her room as usual." She said and walked away heading to her car.

"Where to?" I asked and she sighed.

"I'll be right back mom." She answered and entered the car.

 She drove out and I walked back inside the house with my mind still bothered by my husband's behaviour. 

("I'm sorry." Sophia's dad apologises after hearing the last part.)

      General P O V

"Did they do it?" Cindy asked a man who was wearing dark shades. 

"Yes! They warned your useless step sister like you requested. Now pay me the rest of my money." He ordered and she nodded.

"Well what if you are lying? She didn't seem like someone who was troubled." Cindy said stubbornly and the man chuckled.

"You should know better that your sister is one hard nut to crack." He said admist smiles and she just scoffed.

"Here is your balance. I will be needing more of your help. I know Sophia might just ignore the warning." Cindy said and he chuckled loudly. 

She looked at him in disgust.

"What's so funny?" She asked him and he smirked.

"Why didn't you want us to kill her?" He asked Cindy and she sighed.

"She is still my sister and in as much as I hate her, I won't want to hurt her." She said and left the man nodding his head repeatedly.

"Boss, she has the same wild attitude as that her step sister." The man who was sent to threaten Sophia, said.

"Yes Scorpio. Just the same attitude. They are indeed Mr Devale's blood." He replied Scorpio and puffed some thick smoke from his mouth. 

He threw the cigarette in his hand and turned to Scorpio.

"Get me the stuff." He said and Scorpio bowed before exiting the place.

Sophia's POV

"Are you happy now?" Dad asked as we entered my room.

"Of course dad. I hate Millicent and you know it." I responded in sarcasm.

"Well, I won't force you to love her. Because it's obvious you won't." I blushed at that statement for just seconds and later on resumed a straight face.

"Seriously dad. Why did you take such a step to engage me to Senator Hartz's son? And I told you I saw him earlier today at the hospital and you said we will talk at home." I asked him and he groaned.

"Could it not wait? Are you not tired?" He asked and I shook my head negatively. He was adamant to answer my question but I was eager for my answer.

"Tony Hartz owns 50% shares in that hospital." He said without any bit of guilt in it.

"I beg your pardon." I asked him.

"How could you make them shareholders in my hospital?" I asked him.

"A hospital that all my shares could make it stand." I yelled at dad. 

"I sold half of your shares to him." He said and I was dazzled by his response.

I couldn't believe it. It sounded so odd to me that he sold out the hospital. 

He had made them partners and I honestly never wanted my hospital to be managed by any other person but me. My dreams were at jeopardy because of what he did, yet he wasn't ashamed neither was he guilty of the crime.

"How could you? How could you?" I scolded him.

"Do you know you sold me out? Yes! You sold my life dad. You sold my life by selling all my investments in that hospital." I added in yells.

"Listen princess, I__"

"Get your filthy self the hell out of my room this minute. I don't want to talk to you." I went to my bed and sat on it backing him. 

I heard the door slam close and I knew he had left. I shut my eyes close and swallowed every bitterness in my heart.

I knew I had spoke rudely to my father but the fact that he sold a part of my hospital shares without telling me was what got me irritated. 

I know being a sole proprietor is difficult but I never complained about it. Besides how was I to complain when I never had the opportunity to manage this hospital on my own. 

I knew instantly that something was going on while I was still in India. If not, then why had he made all the sudden decisions he made? Why did he engage me all of a sudden on the very day I arrived from India?

Many questions and thoughts ran through my mind that day and I wondered when all of this was going to end. I slumped back to the bed with my eyes fixed on the chandelier of my room but my mind very far and deep in thoughts.