Chapter One: Full Disclosure

"...And do you, Hayley Renfree, take this man, Elias Bourbeux, to be your lawfully wedded husband..."

Looking around, the guests probably thought this was a normal union, a regular wedding. Two people joining in holy matrimony to spend the rest of their lives together. A happily ever after for the two standing at the alter...but it wasn't.

Glancing over at her parents and siblings, her face covered from the veil, she saw them watching intently. All their expectations and hopes riding on her shoulders. They knew exactly what was going on...as did his parents.

Taking a deep breath, looking over at the green eyes staring at her, Hayley steadied herself. For better or worse, this was happening, and she knew better than to stop the proceedings.

As the priest came to a halt, awaiting her answer; Hayley spoke unwaveringly.

"I do."

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Sitting in the garden, she was busy pottering away, her hands blackened by the soil as beads of sweat made their way down her forehead and neck. The summer heat bearing down on her, did little to dampen her spirits. She had taken the day off work to enjoy the weather.

Work...she scoffed at the word. Work was the place she shared with her father. Helping him run the laboratory he had built when she was in high school; she had put in countless hours at the lab; her blood, sweat, and tears, had helped keep the place running. Quite literally many tears had been shed in the place. Whether it was because of a task her father had given her, the late nights, or back when she was in high school, the drama of teenage life.

Thinking about it, she was a little sorry for having stayed back. She would have gone to work as usual, had it not been so sunny. Not having spent much of her summer outside, she was relishing the weather.

Planting the bush of roses by the backyard fence, she heard the sound of a car engine being turned off. Not paying much attention to it, she carried on, putting the roots into the hole she had made.

The door bell rang behind her, but she paid no mind. Continuing to place potting soil around the roots, she knew her parents would answer it. Her father had come home just a little while ago to spend time with her mother and siblings.

Patting the soil around the plant, she was about to pick up the watering can when she heard her name being called.

"Hayley Renfree?"

Looking up from where she was kneeling on the ground, Hayley found a man dressed in a sharp black business suit. His light brown hair shined in the sun, while bright green eyes analyzed her appearance.

"Yes..."

Quickly standing up, Hayley wiped her hands with the cloth in her pocket. Who was he, and what did he want with her? Why was he here?

"My name is Elias Bourbeux." He introduced himself. "I'm from Bourbeux National Incorporation."

Nodding, she recalled having heard the name several times. In fact, they had tried marketing the lab's products to the company. Bourbeux National was a huge pharmaceutical company that competed with the likes of TEVA and GSK for market share. What does he want with us? She found herself thinking again.

"I'm here to offer a proposal that I feel will benefit Renfree Pharmaceuticals in the long run."

"Oh..." She said, surprised. "Well, I'm not the one you should be talking to, then. That would be something you should discuss with my father."

"I've already spoken with him. He referred me to you." The stranger informed her.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Okay..."

Hesitant about what he could possibly say, Hayley waited with baited breath.

"You see, I am hoping to strike a partnership with Renfree, well actually I want to bring Renfree under the BNI brand, which would benefit both of us. Our company is about to start on a new venture which would require the knowledge and expertise of someone like your father. I've read about his work, and I know that he has developed some of the most innovative methods to synthesize novel compounds, all the while minimizing cost and maximizing production. That is something we're looking for."

"You should tell him then, I'm sure he'd be pleased to hear that you're interested." She said, confused as to why the man was wasting his time on her. She didn't have the authority to sign off on any sort of partnership, all she did was handle the invoices, marketing, and some laboratory assignments.

"I have...I spoke with him last week. I wanted him to agree on working with us, but he had one condition."

"And what was that?" Hayley asked, curious. She looked over his shoulders to see her parents standing at the glass door that led from the house to the yard. He had known, she thought feeling a little hurt at not being included. Her father had known this man was coming...no wonder he had come home.

"He asked for me to consider your hand in marriage."

"What?!" Hayley asked, stunned.

"I believe he thought I would be intimidated by his request, or that I would back down." Elias told her, evenly. "What he doesn't know is that I have a lot at stake, and I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to make this partnership happen."

"Why?" She asked, confused over how it could possibly relate to her getting married.

"You see, I'm next in line to take over Bourbeux from my father as head. In order to cement my position, he gave me the task of having Renfree Pharmaceuticals sign a deal with us. If I fail, the title and position will go to one of my brothers or my cousin."

"But what does this have to do with me?"

"Your father said that he would only sign the contract if I agreed to marry you. Apparently he's worried that his eldest daughter, at twenty five, hasn't found a suitor and spends most of her time at his side in the lab."

"What makes you think I would agree to marry you? I don't even know you." Hayley told him, starting to dislike his tone. Elias seemed to have a certain air of confidence around him, making her feel unbalanced. Why did he look as though he could possibly get her consent?

"Because I know all about you and your family."

"What?"

"Your father has had to take a credit line on your house in order to establish Renfree, am I right?"

When she didn't say anything, Elias continued.

"He was unable to keep the five hundred thousand dollar credit line and is now making minimum repayments, while your laboratory continues to go through rough patches and barely breaks even. And then there is still the hefty mortgage on your house. Your house was nearly put up for foreclosure when the university he teaches at went on strike a few years back. Meanwhile, you've been helping him for the last four years as a full-time employee, but have yet to receive a salary."

"That's all true..." She said meekly. "But that doesn't mean I would marry you. I wouldn't want to marry someone I don't love, and right now I'm not sure I even like you."

"Love? This isn't about love. This is about finding the best solution to our problems." He said, waving away the notion. "You can't afford to be picky. You yourself are in debt. You have around nineteen thousand dollars in outstanding student loans. You didn't complete your degree in chemistry just so you could help out around the lab and help your mother with your siblings. While I find that rather honorable, other men wouldn't."

"Thanks, but I'm not interested in marrying you." Hayley said, not bothering to hide her dislike of him.

"You should at least wait until you hear my offer." Elias told her, looking a bit cross.

"Why? What difference would it make?"

"The difference between the life you and your family have now, and a better one. One with no debt. No threat of losing your home."

He had caught her. And he knew it, she thought. How many nights had she stayed up, worried about the state of their family. The lab...her brothers and sister, paying off the mortgage and credit line, not to mention her own student loan.

"If you agree...I will make sure your parents' debt is taken care of. I will also clear your student loan. In return, I will have the partnership I need to take the reins at Bourbeux." Handing her a folder, he watched her carefully. "While you may not know me...these are my details. I'm twenty eight, and I graduated with a degree in pharmaceutical science and business."

"Is that all?" She asked, not bothering to look through the folder, not sure how much more she could give up for her family's financial security.

"All I ask is for you to be a faithful wife, as I will be a husband."

"And you'll take care of our debt?" Hayley asked, as if making sure what he said was real.

"You have my word."

Looking back to where her parents were standing, she knew she could only answer one way. Her entire family's livelihood was depending on it, and she wasn't going to be the one to let them down.

"If you need some time to think about it, I'll leave." He offered.

Heart sinking, Hayley met Elias' green eyes with her golden brown ones.

"No...I have my answer...I accept."