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Chapter 3

Joy POV

Today is the day of the Hamilton Annual Party. It's a party my parents put together so, they can avoid me on my birthday.

Today is my 22nd birthday. It's also the night I get to meet my husband.

I'm jumping for joy. Not!

I sigh.

I should get up and clean the entire house before Mum gets back from where she's gone.

I pull the blankets off me and climb out of bed. I walk over to the closet and pull out a pair of old running shorts and a t-shirt with holes in it.

I get changed and shuffle toward the bathroom. I brush my hair and put it in a bun. I exit the bathroom and make my way down the stairs to the kitchen.

I scrub every inch of the kitchen before I move toward the dining room. The maids enter the dining room and they look at me.

An older lady steps forward. "Where would you like us, Miss Hamilton?"

I look around the room. "I need a few of you take care of the living and a couple for the second story. Make sure everything is shining and dust free. The beds in the guest rooms fresh and towels on the back of the door."

The maids leave me with a few guys and we clean the dining room.


At 3pm, mum enters the house with a plastic bag. She looks at me. "This us yours sweetheart. You will be wearing this to the party."

I take the bag from her and open it.

Inside I find a beautiful white gown.

I look at Mum. "Why did you buy me a white gown? I'm not getting married today."

Dad smiles. "You're marrying him tonight. This is the best present your father and I can give you on your 22nd Birthday."

I shake my head.

I should walk away.

I take the dress upstairs to my room and I place it inside the cupboard.

I lock my bedroom door and pull out the laptop Mr McKellar gave me last year for my Birthday

I place it on the table and turn it on. I pull out the books I have hidden under the bed.

I log onto the Internet and search the web for my university page.

On the messenger part of the website I see my teachers name and I clock on it.

Mr Clarke: Good Afternoon, Joy.

I was wondering when you were going to join me on here. It's been two weeks since we last spoke.

Mr Clarke: You've finished the masters in business marketing. I'll send your certificates to your house.

No, he can't do that.

Me: Can you hold the certificates for a bit. I don't want them sent to the house.

Mr Clarke: okay. Do you want to join the Bachelor course in Business Management?

Me: yes, please.

I'll be able to improve the marketing and the business side of my great great Grandparents hotel and resorts.

Mr Clarke: I'll send you the next unit once the payment has cleared. I'll talk to you soon, Joy.

I disconnect the Internet and I put the laptop under the bed with the notebooks.

I hear the door handle turn. Then there's a knock on the door followed by. "JOY ELIZABETH HAMILTON, open this door this instant." Dad yells.

I run to the door open it.

Dad's face is red and there's veins sticking out in his forehead. He raises to hand to slap me.

Before he can make contact with my face I grab his hand. "You can't slap me on the day of my wedding. What would the people who attend the Hamilton Annual Party think when they see the bride bruised."

At least he'll give me some freedom unlike you selfish arseholes.

I move over to the bedside table and open the top draw.

I pull out the iPhone 6c that Mr McKellar got me for Christmas.

When Mum and Dad went away for a week last year Mr McKellar showed up at the house and gave me things. He told me to hide them from my parents and if I needed anything to give him a call.

He didn't like my parents.

I open the last message I received from Mr McKellar. "Joy, I'm not sure how long I have left to live. I'm in the hospital. I want you to know you are a beautiful girl and you deserve to be with someone that loves you. If my Grandson can't show you that within a year you can leave him. My lawyers have copies of the divorce papers. In the divorce papers I put Hamilton Hotel and Resorts as yours. You will leave with the company."

He has looked out for me more than anyone has in my life. I'm happy I got to know what it felt like to have a Grandpa in my life.

I press the call button and his phone rings.

I'm talking to my husband. He has a sexy voice.

Me: This is the first time someone's ever answered the phone. How did you get it?

Jensen: I got it from the hospital when I collected his belongings. Who are you?

Me: I'm nobody. I have to go.

I hang up the phone and place it inside the top draw.

The bedroom door opens and Mum steps into the room.

She looks at me. "Who were you talking to?"

"Nobody,"

She shakes her head. "Your can't fool me, Joy. I heard you say nobody."

I sigh. "What do you want."

She chuckles. "You've got a set of balls on you today. I supposed that has to do with you getting married today."

I shrug. "It could also be the fact that I won't have to see Dad and you ever again. If I have kids they won't know you either. When it comes time to tell them about my parents I will tell them the truth about there Grandparents. You can get out of my room now and please the door hit you on the arse on the way out."

I turn away from her. I feel a sting on my face. I look at Mum and she looks at her hand.

She turns to me and her face is red. "Don't disrespect your father and me. We don't take it kindly. You stupid stupid girl." She slams the door on the way out.

I move toward he mirror and there's a handprint on my face.

I have to get an ice pack.

I exit my room and make my way down the stairs to the kitchen. I pull out a back of ice and put it on my face.

And older lady steps into the kitchen and she looks at me. "What happened, Miss Hamilton?"

Tears well up in my eyes. "Mum hit me."

She shakes her head. "Those two never deserved you. You should have been protected. I'm sorry I couldn't help you, Joy."

She pulls me into her arms. She rubs my back.

I hold onto her like my life depended on it.

This woman is kind.

I let go of her. "Can you help me get ready?"

She nods. "Show me to you room."

We use the stairs in the kitchen. The woman stops at the top of the stairs.

She looks at me. "Give this old lady a little rest." She sits on the stairs. I hold onto the wall.

Mum and Dad make there way down the hall. Dad head to his bedroom.

Mum approaches me. "I thought you would be in your room getting ready? The guests will be here soon. I need you to serve them food until 8pm. Then you can come upstairs and put on the wedding gown." She hold up a maids outfit. "You'll be wearing this tonight."

She walks down the hall.

The old lady rises and I show her to my room. She looks at my room and shakes her head. "My grandchildren have more things in there room than you."

I look around my bare room. "I've never needed much. I prefer my room bare as it's a reminder that this house is temporary. When I get out here I'm going to start making plans for a permanent life for myself."

She smiles. "I hope this guy will treat you well."

I sit at the vanity table and she brushes my hair. She pulls my hair into a bun and leaves some strands lose. She smiles. "Do you want me to do your make-up?"

I shake my head. "I'll do it myself, thank you."

She walks over to the door. "I'll see you downstairs." She exits the room.

I lightly apply makeup and then I move toward the bed. I look at the small black dress and connected to it is a white apron.

I get changed and make my way to the kitchen.

When I make it to the kitchen Mum is standing in the middle of the floor and she looks around the room. "Tonight I need you all out on the floor with food and drinks. Make sure all the food and drinks flow throughout the night. At 8pm, you can take a 45 minute break while my daughter gets married." she looks at the clock. "The guests will be arriving now. Take the food and drinks out now."

I pick up a tray of food and I walk around the room.

Dad sees me walking and he pulls me against. "Max, this is my daughter Joy."

Max smiles and he has missing teeth at the front. "Hello, Joy. It's a pleasure to meet you."

No, it's not.

I show him the tray of food. "Would you like some crackers and cheese?"

Dad squeezes my arm. "Behave yourself, Joy."

I look at him. "I've got a job to do. Mum wouldn't be too happy if she saw me here instead of feeding the guests. Here comes a big group." I move away from Dad.

When I get to the group I see a girl I went to High School with.

What's her name?

She stops in front of me. "Do you remember me?"

I nod. "What are you doing here?"

She laughs. "You're marrying my brother."

Damn, I'm going to join the family of a girl that I went to school with.

The tray falls out of my hand and clutters as it hits the floor.

Everyone stops what they're doing to stare at me. The entire room has gone quiet.

I see Mum coming my way. I pick everything up and place it on the tray.

Mum pulls me away from the McKellar Family.

I just embarrassed myself in front of my In-Laws.

Mum pushes the door to the kitchen open and shoves me inside. She starts laughing. "I couldn't plan a better way for you to make an introduction to your in-laws. Go upstairs and I'll get you at 8pm." she exits the room.

I pick up some food before I head up the stairs to my bedroom.

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