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Chapter Twelve: Maggie

Throughout the past seventeen years that I've walked this damn planet, I never would have thought I could hate a person this fucking much.

I was seething, more so that the feeling itself outweighed the initial shock I was hit with the second I found out it was him. All along.

All this time I've been worrying about whom it was gonna be, and at one point thinking that it wouldn't even matter because the parents seem lovely, they seem nice, and maybe their son would be too. But oh, was I wrong.

I still can't even properly process that the very respectful and optimistic couple right in front of me had birthed the monster that is Evan Williams.

How was it possible? I'll never really know.

But then again, maybe I should've caught on sooner. He and Mason do look freakishly similar now that I'm able to look at them side-by-side.

Before that, there was no way I could've connected the dots. It just seemed way too surreal and way too unrealistic that we would find each other in this particular moment in my life, which he had only made worse.

Thinking about it now, those days where he seemed suspicious with his unsettling behavior hits differently now, which leads me to the golden question-

Did he somehow plan all of this?

Of course, not. There's just no way, or is there? Someone can't possibly be this determined to make someone's life horrible, there's just no way.

Then again, I shouldn't be making way too many assumptions when it comes to Evan Williams. After all, what he said about me not knowing him might just end up being a lot more true.

"Now that Evan's here, shall we proceed with the meeting?" Tiffany said as we made our way to the spacious dining room.

Evan was by Tiffany and Mason's side, but every now and then I would feel his gaze on me, just tempting me to say or do anything. To blow up.

Because he clearly knows I'm still in a state of bewilderment, my face says it all, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break down.

I'm gonna have to get things straight with him one way or another, but I'm not going to make a big fuss about it right in front of our parents, that's for sure.

We all sat down by the dining room table, with Tiffany, Mason, and Evan on the left side across from us as we sat by the right side, facing them.

The Carters and The Williams.

Tiffany asked one of their housekeepers to get the files and documents we needed to skim over regarding the engagement, and for the time being my mom and The Williams chatted away as if they were long-time friends. But Evan and I?

I wouldn't necessarily say we're long-time friends, nor long-time enemies. To put it simply, we were two individuals who unlike our parents, actually knew each other before all of this, but unlike them who are all friendly with each other:

We were more than ready to bite each others' heads off.

Evan was looking at me with a sharp, taunting look in his eyes, his lips formed into a teasing grin, eyeing me up and down. As I, on the other hand, continued to scowl at him.

Thinking that if I glared any longer, he'll somehow get obliterated "So Maggie," Tiffany cuts in as she turns to us "Now that we know both of you attend the same school, are you two close?"

"No." I answered the same time Evan responded with a "Yes."

"Merely acquaintances." he clarified as I snickered. Can you believe this guy?

"Kind of a bold label, don't you think?" I retorted as our parents looked at us, confused.

"Well, we have exchanged greetings, we're aware of each others' existence and briefly acknowledge one another from time to time." he countered.

"Define acknowledge?" I queried as he tilted his head "Because I don't think encounters that don't work out pleasantly can be considered as an initiation for being acquaintances."

"Unless only one person thinks that way. I, for one, think our previous encounters were quite lovely." he proclaimed, teasing.

"Oh, you do?" I asked which made him smirk "Which ones?"

"All of them." he answered quickly, "Including this one."

Oh, I bet you're just basking at this moment right now, aren't you?

Afterward, I did nothing but just glower at him with the coldest, meanest stare before Tiffany's voice sliced through the tensed atmosphere "Wow, it seems like these two are pretty close, alright." she commented.

"Not in a million years." I remarked at the same time Evan replied with a "Closer than a pair of buttcheeks, let me tell you."

I was about to argue with his childish, unneeded statement when the files Tiffany had asked for were then delivered to us, disrupting any chance for me and Evan to bicker, but deep inside I knew, it hadn't ended there.

"Okay, let's go through the basic guidelines of the contract as well as the agreements so we can be able to set boundaries and what works best for Evan and Maggie." Tiffany declared as I nodded my head, hesitant.

While Evan just briefly shrugged his shoulders, nonchalant. What is wrong with him?

Tiffany then starts to note down half of the information my mother had already told me, and as our parents continued to discuss further regarding the engagement, I couldn't help but let my mind linger if I did want to go through with this.

Fucking bite me, okay? Who would've thought that out of all the people I could've possibly been engaged to, it had to be him?

The world isn't that small. I don't know why, but there's just this nagging feeling inside my head that's certain he and I ending up in this situation was no coincidence. Especially considering we are familiar with one another due to the abrupt rivalry that we had developed.

Even if my mother had already planned this way before I had even met him, I just feel like he somehow managed to slither his way into my crisis for the sake of keeping the fire between us both still ignited.

Was I being paranoid? Maybe. Was I being a complete psychopath making all these ridiculous assumptions that may or may not end up becoming false? Maybe.

But why the actual fuck is he so cool with all of this?

All he needs is a pair of sunglasses and a palm-tree patterned button-up and he can be relaxing blissfully while our parents talked about our engagement, because he looked about as chill as a fucking tourist vacationing in the Bahamas right now.

While I'm over here shitting bricks if I want to let this whole thing happen, but at the same time scolding myself, because I don't wanna have to burden my mother, and he's over here being cool as a freaking cucumber. There was no trace of worry on his face, he was acting as if this was a regular thing he experiences from time to time and is used to by now.

"So now that all the files are here let's discuss the terms and conditions that need to be finalized in order to get this whole thing started, okay?" Tiffany said as she holds the files in her hands "And considering all of this is very new to Maggie, I'll make sure to make everything as comprehensible as possible. Is that fine with you, sweetheart?"

"Yes, of course,"

"Okay then, let's get right down to it."

The first half of the conversation was just Tiffany doing a brief recap as to how this engagement began in the first place, with The Williams helping us by offering a generous loan to get my mother's company back up to its feet, which will only happen once the heir and the heiress agree to the conjugal proposition, which will allow them to give their contributions.

"But to make this whole thing work, we have to make everyone believe that the marriage is, in fact, legitimate. Meaning that both of you need to act like you two are a couple." Kill me.

"Plus considering this marriage takes up to three years, that's enough time for Evan to claim his inheritance over our company while convincing the public that he was competent enough to replace both of his parents in managing the family business and had even managed to charm the heiress of one of the most successful business firms there is out there."

"Everybody knows who Wayne Carter is, he's all over the tabloids and is constantly on Forbes Magazine being acclaimed as one of the youngest millionaires who built their family's fortune into a bigger empire. He did all of that at the age of 19, and if my son can mirror that same type of image with the help of Wayne's very own daughter, our division would skyrocket."

The need for comparison between my father and Evan disturbed me in so many ways that it was practically unbearable, and when I turned over to look at my mother, all I could see from her face was nothing but complete discomfort. They want him to be just like my father.

Somehow the desire to back out of this gets stronger by the minute.

"So here's what we're gonna do, the planning of the wedding takes up to at least nine months or a year, and considering these two are already in their senior year, it's the perfect time for them to get married as soon as they graduate, move in together and attend the same university..."

My plans to do the same thing with Levi come back to mind, and my heart immediately plummets to my stomach as I try to suppress the urge to cry.

"With enough time to train both of them. I mean, with Wayne out of the picture, you would at least need a little bit of help to train Maggie, right?" Tiffany asked as my mother could only plaster on a tight smile in response, clearly noticing the subtle jab directed at her.

"There we go!" Tiffany cheers "In order to make this engagement work you two need to attend the meetings, be closer with each other, and not get involved with anybody else." Tiffany instructed as she shot a piercing look towards her son "I'm talking about you, sweetie."

"Mom, what do you take me for?" Evan chuckled as he leaned back into his chair.

Tiffany arched an eyebrow at him "You know what I'm talking about, no more fooling around. You're a grown man, so you better start acting like one now that you're engaged."

"Of course!" Evan declared "But why are we only talking about me? I'm guessing Maggie has a few confessions she needs to share."

I turned pale, my throat clogging up as my mother faced me, realizing that agreeing to the engagement also means the end of my relationship with Levi.

Tiffany's eyes darted between the two of us, confused "What are we talking about?"

I swallowed "The thing is, I'm already in a relationship with somebody else."

The room turns quiet. Tiffany blinks as she processes the information given "Oh, wow."

"That is a very complicated issue now that it's been said." Mason cuts in, rubbing his hands together "How long have you two been together?"

"Two years."

"Oh dear, this is tricky," Tiffany said, putting her hands over her forehead "Sweetheart, as much as I don't want to have to push you into making a decision you don't wanna have to make-"

"But if you want this engagement to work," Mason again continued, "You shouldn't be involved with anybody else other than Evan."

My eyes start to sting as I feel the tears beginning to build up, but I refuse to cry in front of them. I fucking refuse to show my mother how much this was affecting me.

"No, I'll handle it," I said, giving them an assuring nod "I promise you there won't be any sort of relationship with other people and that this engagement will happen."

They nod, their eyes sympathetic and that was enough for me to stand up and smile at them, a rather contrived one "Can I please head out and have a bit of fresh air? All of this just seems a little bit too... much."

Tiffany smiled at me "Of course, sweetheart."

With that, I move around the table but stop as soon as I felt my mother grab me "Maggie-"

"Mom," I stare down at her "I'm okay, just please, don't make any sort of statement on my behalf, okay? What I'm dealing with now is something I'll have to deal with on my own."

She looks up at me with reluctant eyes before I gently pull my arm away and scurry both out of the room and the house. For some reason, I couldn't seem to breathe.

I made my way to the front yard, making sure no one would be able to hear nor see me from the inside of the house as I tried to steady my breathing.

I never felt more under pressure in my entire life than I do now, my heart feels too heavy, like one moment from now it's gonna fall right out of my chest, and the sobs threatening to spill weren't helping. It's like all the oxygen in my body somehow got sucked right out of me.

Here I was, suffocating, drowning, and feeling like there was no one here to save me.

"Can you stop being so overdramatic?"

Looking up, I turned around to come face to face with Evan as he stared at me, his face unimpressed "You look like you're about to have a seizure. Relax, it's not that serious."

Suddenly, and just like that, my composture straightened, the cries weren't fighting to come out anymore, and the pressure to break down suddenly morphed into this pressure to just flip the fuck out "Not that serious?" I echoed, "It's not that serious?"

"I mean, that is what I just said-"

"Are you hearing yourself right now?" I asked him "Do you even know what's happening?"

He chuckled "I think it's been established that we are to be engaged-"

"Exactly! Yet here you are acting like this is nothing! Like all of this is just some kind of joke to you and that you have nothing to lose out of this!" I exclaimed, laughing drily afterward "But knowing you there is nothing left to lose, right? You're so privileged that someone's biggest nightmare is just another walk in the park for you."

"You don't know what the fuck's going on with my life." he hissed.

"Oh, but don't I? But how about you? Did you ever feel an ounce of empathy when you decided to rat me out in front of your parents that I was in a relationship when you had no right to tell them anything? Because it's my relationship, not yours!"

"It was only bound to be said, what? You're gonna lie to them throughout the engagement and expose this marriage as a fraud because you can't handle breaking up with lover boy?"

"Shut up!" I screamed "I was going to tell them but you felt the need to make everything about you, didn't you? To not at least be empathic enough to understand that this shit is hard for me and it's not like I decided to willingly want to be engaged!"

"I feel like you even enjoy this, enjoy seeing me suffer. Well, here's some news for you." I took a step forward towards him "I'd rather die than be engaged to you!"

As I attempted to walk past him, aggressively wiping the tears on my face, he instantly caught me by my arm, stopping me.

"What are you doing? Let me go, you stupid piece of shit-"

"Think twice before you decide to do anything, Carter." he warned me "Are you sure you really wanna back out of this now? While our parents cozy up back there in the house, getting along thinking this engagement is running smoothly as they planned? They think we're best friends, Carter. The best of fucking friends as I come here, supposedly comforting you-"

"You have a vague definition of what comforting someone is, then." I retorted, pulling my arm away as I glared at him "Don't try to threaten me, If I wanted to back out of this my mom wouldn't hesitate to cancel that goddamn contract-"

"But the thing is, will it be worth it?" he questioned, eyebrow raised "Will it be worth it to cancel this engagement knowing damn well we're the best option there is who could help your mother bring Carpenters & Fields back?"

"Don't you want this, Carter? To see your mother finally get back up at her feet and to show your father that despite taking everything away from her, she can rise back up to her feet whilst taking care of her daughter along the way? How about your father? He left you and took thousands and thousands of dollars from your mother without even hesitating."

"Think about your mother for a second, Carter." he said, taking hold of both of my shoulders as he turned me around whilst I let his words sink in "Think about her and all the other women who have faced similar issues about their stinking, rotting husbands who never deserved them, but all of that can be prevented."

My eyes drifted to one of the windows of the house that gave me a glimpse of where my mother was, with her chatting up with the Williams with a smile on her face, and just like that, I couldn't help but feel my heart drop due to the sight.

Feeling almost ashamed that I'm out here trying to stop the chances of ever seeing her be this happy and hopeful that finally, she'll get her life back together.

"All of that can be prevented if you just let us help you - if you just let me help you." he implied, his tone low and husky as I closed my eyes and tried to shut out his voice "Our rivalry doesn't have to get in the way of you wanting what's best for your mother..."

Taking a deep breath, I swiveled back around to face him with a scowl "Don't think I don't know what you're doing," I said which just made him grin "Don't think for one second that I am not aware that this is just you playing your same old tricks."

"Maybe that is the case," he said, not even making the effort to defend himself "Maybe all of this is just some elaborate scheme to get back at you."

"I fucking knew it." I hissed.

"But," he added "On top of all my scheming, what my parents are doing now is to help you and your mother out. Let's say this engagement is just my way to mess with you, should that stop you from disrupting the chances of your mother wanting another shot at happiness?"

"Knowing you, it's still best to be mindful."

He laughed, shaking his head "I know I said I would stop trying to mess with you if it were within the grounds of Henderson High... but I never said anything outside of it."

I clenched my jaw "You're an asshole."

"A smart asshole who knows what he's doing," he remarked "Come on, Maggie. Are you seriously gonna drag your mother with you in this irrelevant banter that we have going on?"

He came closer and bent his head down a little so we were eye-to-eye, and I don't know why but him reminding me that he's taller than I am, annoyed me. He annoyed me beyond belief.

"Unless that is, you can't bear a little bit of a challenge?" he mocked.

I guffawed, "I've dealt with tougher things than your so-called challenges, Williams."

The ends of his lips tugged up mischievously. "That settles it, then."

I rolled my eyes before I turned on my heel and walked off.

* * *

Once we came back inside the house, Evan practically encouraged me with his eyes to go ahead and calm whatever assumption our parents might be thinking right now of whether or not I was still willing to go through with this engagement.

"Hey, sorry about that," I told them as soon as Evan and I returned to the living room, with him hot on my trail. "I just needed a little bit of time to recollect myself but luckily..."

I then turned my head to meet Evan's eye, who only arched an eyebrow as we made eye contact, not sure where I was going with this "Evan was there to comfort me."

"Aw, that's sweet. They're already getting along."

Someone castrate me.

I take a deep breath as Evan nudges my side, giving me a quick glance that was practically a way of him saying get this over with.

Making me grit my teeth before I opened my mouth to speak "Yeah, sweet, indeed." I bit back sarcastically "But anyways, after careful reconsideration and just sweet, sweet... Evan, here."

The overused words of sweet and Evan being combined in the same sentence together made my mouth go sour almost as if I had just vomited "Helping me out and all, I just wanted to confirm that I am still on board with the engagement."

Tiffany and Mason cheered, whilst my mother could only look at me with a soft glint in her eyes, but also with a rather questioning one as well, as if she was relieved but at the same time worried about me.

We headed back to the house after hours of chatting with the Williams, and throughout the drive, I couldn't help but wonder if I had made the right choice.

Questions were swirling inside my head even as we arrived back home "Are you okay?" my mother asked, probably noticing my silence.

I nodded, forcing a tight smile on my face for the finishing touches "Yeah, just a little bit tired. I'll be heading up to my room to rest now. You should too. We had a long day, after all."

She gives me a nod of her own to confirm that she will, all the while as I feel her eyes lingering on me while I make my way up to my room, suddenly being able to breathe as soon as I get inside and shut the door, rubbing my temples before I jump straight to my bed.

I closed my eyes, breathing through my nose before cracking my eyelids open. Somehow the world feels a lot more different now, a million times more different.

The atmosphere, my surroundings. It almost feels as if the entire world shifted and went upside down as if we went from being completely normal to being absolutely... otherworldly.

Like we've finally reached the storm after the calm.

I lay on my bed for what felt like an eternity before I heard the soft knock on my door which jolted me to sit up straight "Yes?"

"Maggie," it was Frank "Sorry to disturb you, dear. It's just that you have... a visitor."

The way he said the last word made it seem like we had more of a threat in our house than just a harmless, so-called visitor "Okay, are they downstairs?"

"Um, not exactly." and with that, the door creaks open, revealing what was true, an actual threat to our house.

"What are you doing here, Williams?" I asked in a dubious tone as Evan stepped inside my room.

"I just wanted to drop by, take a good look at the place..." he said as I knit my eyebrows together in confusion "As a way to make it seem more believable that we're engaged, we have to at least maintain contact with each other, that's why your mother agreed that I can drop by and visit every now and then, she even gave me the spare bedroom in case I ever wanna stay overnight."

"Ugh." I groaned, flopping back down onto my bed, gripping my hair. "Great, it's bad enough that we're engaged but I have to see your damn face on a daily basis?"

"Stop your whining, you're acting as if I wanted this too," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, let's just once again clarify the obvious factor about our so-called bond here, I'm not fond of you as much as you are of me, maybe even a little bit more. Do you know how damaging it is for you to come here while Levi, Beth, and Emily could possibly be lurking around, planning to visit me whenever?" I said, agitated "You just don't understand, it's hard enough that I have to break things off with Levi, but knowing how he could find out that you're involved in this whole thing makes it a lot harder than you think."

"Because even though I'm not as popular as you, and even though I don't have people fawning over me and a reputation to withhold, I still have something that I don't wanna lose. I have a relationship, a social status that was perfectly normal before this engagement got in the way and now... there's a chance my life would never be normal, at all." I added solemnly.

"Look," he began, "I know you may think I don't understand what you're going through, but trust me, I do. Do you think it's easy for me to know that someone's life is on the brink of ruins all because of me? I know I may come across as some heartless bastard, and I know I've made it seem that I don't like you but..."

I wait for him to finish what he was about to say, but he just shakes his head "But anyways, you think I don't understand what you're going through, but I do. I've been here before, and even though I'm not proud of it, it's happened and I'm trying my best not to repeat history."

"Which was?" I asked, my voice considerably soft.

He sighed "Unintentionally ruining someone with intentional actions."

I gulped, looking away. "Well, I just hope you mean that, because I'm in no way shape, or form, seeking to be ruined by you, Williams."

He looks me dead in the eye, unnerving "Trust me, you're not the only one."

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