4| Queen Elizabeth.

Ruby

"But dad, how could you do this to me? Who still does arranged marriage thingy? Why would you choose a husband for me? I don't have a problem." I shouted crying my eyes out, I probably looked like a zombie at that moment due to the fact that I had been crying endlessly after dad announced the shocking news.

"Yes, you can't just keep living ur life as such an introvert like this. Are you going to marry your books? Why can't you just understand that this is for your own good, you are getting married into the mighty Daniels' family. You should be happy!" Dad said adjusting his glasses and still focused on the paperworks on his desk.

"Happy?  Did you just say happy? Do you even know Toby Daniels? He's a jerk, an arrogant womaniser, a heartbreaker, a cocky idiot,  many newspapers have so many scandals of him. He's so arrogant and full of himself! And why does it have to be me?  Why not Sapphire, huh?" I shouted getting more annoyed and frustrated.

Dad must have been so obsessed with precious stones way back that he named his daughters after them, Ruby and Sapphire. It is unique though and always made us stand out.

"You are older than Sapphire,  she's just nineteen and I can't push her into such a thing." Dad said, so calm that it annoyed me so much. He defended Sapphire all the time. It always had me wondering why she got the best treatment in the house and even everywhere, was it all about body, beauty and looks?

What about brains!!

"Oh! So now I'm the oldest! You didn't realise that when you sent Sapphire on a vacation trip to Hawaii, you didn't know this when you appointed her to represent you in Paris even though I am actually the one who should have gone to represent you there.  You only remember that you have a daughter somewhere whenever it's time for a kind of sacrifice. I am just an option for you, dad, you only use me for your selfish interests!" I shouted louder at him.

"But... you like Toby. You've always liked him, it was so obvious."

I would never deny that I had a very huge crush on Toby Daniels from way back and even now, but I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with him. A stupid crush doesn't mean I'd like to live my life a misery. I never even wanted to have anything to do with him. He was always so rude, arrogant and proud. He had this mentality that the whole world revolved around him, that bastard.

I could vividly remember back then in High School, when he told the whole school that I was such a dog who wouldn't stop following him around. And Daniels academy being his father's school and one of the best rich kids school in the country worshipped the floor he walked on.

He was the most popular, influential and richest student. Everybody wanted to please and be on his good side. He practically acted like a god. I can't even begin to count all the mean things he said to me. He was always calling me fatso, ugly and so on. It wasn't my fault that I was a little bit chubby and not that much of a beauty like my sister.

"Yes! But don't act like you don't know how he always treated me! He treated me like trash even as kids! I'm sure he's even worse now! Dad, you have to cancel all these arrangements, it's not right. You can't make such decisions for me. I still have a lot of dream I'm yet to fulfill, this will cut it short. Moreover I'm still in school and I'm just twenty two." I explained trying to make dad see reasons but he was even more adamant.

"Ruby, you're getting married to Toby Daniels and that's it! Take it that way!" He snapped.

"I can't believe this! You're the worst father ever!" I shouted and ran into my room. I shut the door and started to cry again, this time more louder. I couldn't believe that he would do that to me.

I began to wonder where my sweet dad went to? The dad who always bought me ice cream and Teddy bears, the dad who loved to pamper me a lot, the dad who hates to see me cry. That dad who would always try to satisfy and do what I want. Where's that dad? What changed him?

This was all because he remarried, he changed ever since he said 'I do' to Lola.

Toby.

"I'm waiting, you know. We have to get there on time!" My dad snapped from downstairs.

And where were we going?! - The Coker's house.

"Mum, I thought you somehow changed his mind. I don't want to get married and definitely not to Ruby!" I shouted at mom.

Then a stupid maid who was cleaning up my room chose that moment to drop one of my beautiful vases. "Are you just stupid?! Do you even know how much that costs? How would you even know when you were born and bred in poverty. Idiot! You are fired!" I snapped at the girl who was already crying and scared.

She quickly ran out of the room.

Stupid maids! She knew better than to be so careless when I was boiling.

"And mom you didn't answer me!" I directed my anger back to my mom who flinched at the tone of my voice.

"Sweetheart, I tried but you know how your dad is, he never listens to me. He's even adamant on it been that girl." My mum said calmly trying to be careful not to anger me the more.

If left to mom, she'd always do what I want. She loved me so much and would always do things my way. But then she could be a devil when I wasn't involved, but she wasn't so wicked and mean like people paint her to be.

—Okay, admitted. She was always so mean to other people, especially her employees and maids so people hated her a lot but she was always loving and kind to me so to me, she'd always be the best mother ever.

My last hope right then was Ruby, I just had to hope that she threw enough tantrums against the marriage enough for them to forget it.

---

Soon, we got to the Coker's home.

A huge bald man who I recognized as Mr Henry Coker and a very pretty slender woman who I assumed would be Mrs Coker was standing at the entrance of the door to welcome us.

My dad greeted Mr Coker, grinning widely and the women did the same while I just watched them awkwardly.

"Toby Toby! How have you been?" Mr Coker greeted while I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and instead said a simple 'fine'

We walked inside towards the huge dinning room and took our seats.

"Sapphire! Ruby! Our guests are here!" Mrs. Coker shouted.

A young beautiful girl I recognized as Sapphire came running down the stairs carefully due to her heels. She was dressed in a pretty flowery dress and looked so cute as usual. Sapphire looked like she was in her twenties but then I knew that she was just nineteen. She had always looked older than her age.

Mum was quick to stand up from her chair as she went to hug her so warmly.

Ruby came down afterwards dressed in a stupid baggy trousers and faded shirt. She looked as ugly and fat as I remembered. I glared at her as she walked towards my side. It was pretty evident that even my mum was utterly disgusted at her.

I smirked knowingly and I could see the corner of Mrs Coker's lips form into a mocking smile secretly. I guess nobody liked Ruby and I was very happy about that for virtually no reason at all. Mom didn't even acknowledge her, she just went back to her seat with a disappointed and dissatisfied look on her face.

"Hey, Toby! You're still as fine as I can remember!" Sapphire greeted as she took a seat on my left while Jupiter sat on my right.

"I know right?" I said in a cocky manner.

"Ruby dear, your dad told me that you've come to conclusion about this, so would you like to share it with us?" My dad asked with an extremely sick sweet voice.

What was this man up to? He was hardly ever nice. Being nice doesn't just run in our family.

"Uhm,  yea... I... I agreed." Ruby stuttered while I spit my wine back into the glass cup.

She agreed?! She fucking agreed?!

"Oh, I am so glad about that. The wedding will all happen so fast. And my son can't wait to make you his wife." My dad said smiling.

Indeed!

My mom was glaring at her the same way I was.

Oh, Ruby, you just made two worst enemies. I just wonder how you'll survive it.

Welcome to hell, dear wife.