The Perfect Girl

"I'm all ears Dad, Mom. You can tell me anything." Xavier Hart said sincerely to his parents. He was sitting opposite his parents who were seated on a joint couch.

They had requested to see him after work at the mansion.

Elena, Xavier's Mom, looked into her husband's eyes.

Richard Hart gave Elena's hand a light squeeze before they both turned their attention to Xavier, their only Son who also happens to be their only child.

"You two are not dying right?" Xavier asked in fear, looking very worried.

"No one is dying, Son," Richard assured.

We requested that you come to see us because we have something important to tell you. He added and Xavier nodded, encouraging his father to continue.

But instead, Elena picked the conversation up from there.

"Xav, You are our only child and we care so much about you. We are getting older day by day and so are you. Your father and I don't know how much time we have left on earth but we would love to see you in good hands, settled and happy with your own family."

Xavier let out some air and then muttered, "Here we go again."

"You will be 35 in a month and we want you to get married on or before then," Richard announced.

Xavier's eyes widened in shock!

"what?" He muttered.

"You heard your father, young man!" Elena rolled her eyes.

"We've given you the opportunity to mingle and introduce us to any girl you like but you never took it seriously. This is why your father and I decided to make you a proposal."

Xavier swallowed painfully before he spoke. "What proposal?" He asked with a heavy heart. He could feel that the proposal was nowhere in his favour.

"You'll have to marry Doris, and if you refuse, your father and I will have no choice but to take away the company, everything you've worked for and all your inheritance from you," Elena announced with a heavy heart.

She wanted nothing more for her son to inherit what she and her husband worked for all their lives. But they have no option since that was the only threat they could use against him to get him married. She and Richard knew how much the company meant to Xavier. He wouldn't want to forfeit it for anything in the world. At least not after all the effort he put in it to make it three times successful since he took over.

"You can't do that to me, Mom!" Xavier cried.

He didn't care about all of his other inheritance, he only cared about the company. The company was his life and the only thing on earth that keeps him sane and motivates him to get up every morning. Besides, it was easier to bury himself with work and forget about all other struggles of life.

The worst of it all was him having to marry Doris; his parents' childhood friend's daughter. The rate at which Xavier dislikes Doris cannot be overemphasized.

She is witty, rude, she doesn't care about anyone's feelings and she wouldn't think twice about flaunting her parents' money anytime, any day. Also, she has always had a huge crush on Xavier but Xavier never liked her and he never will.

It's true that his parents gave him time to look for a girl he wants to marry or else they will arrange his marriage to Doris. But he never knew they would go this far, threatening him with the company.

He honestly tried to mingle, he tried to find a girl who was sane and not obsessed about his looks or money but he just couldn't find the right person.

"You left us with no choice Xavier. It's either you marry Doris or we will relieve you from heading the company and tell your cousin to come to take over." Richard said with finality.

Xavier cursed silently, he would rather die than getting married to Doris.

"Please, Mom, Dad. You two know I can't get married to Doris. You know I don't have feelings for her and I cannot even stand her." Xavier pleaded.

"Doris is wife material hun, She's beautiful and intelligent and most importantly she likes you. Just give yourself the chance to know her. Things might not be as bad as you think." Elena persuaded.

Suddenly, Xavier felt hot, despite the fact that the air conditioner in the second living room was on, he felt like someone was choking him. They were all silent for a few seconds until an idea struck Xavier.

"Does it have to be Doris? Isn't there no other option? Must it be Doris I get married to? " He asked with pleading eyes.

"Doris is our only option, so? " Elena shrugged.

Xavier let out some air. "I've been seeing someone and I think I'll rather marry her instead of Doris." He whispered as he playfully scratched the back of his neck.

Elena smiled for the first time that evening.

"Really?" She asked excitedly. She knew she and her husband's threat were going to work somehow. She was perfectly okay if Xavier was interested in another woman who is not Doris. As far as he gets married before he clocks 35 and blesses she and her husband with adorable grandchildren.

Elena stood up from where she was seated beside her husband and went to sit beside Xavier. She took his warm hands in hers.

"Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you tell us about her all along?" Elena asked.

Xavier shrugged, avoiding looking into his mother's eyes.

"What is her name? Is she really pretty? How long you two been seeing each other?" Elena asked her son excitedly.

Xavier swallowed painfully before answering "Hmm, yes, I mean she's beautiful and we've been seeing each other for six months now." He completed with a smile that did not reach his face.

"Her name is???" Elena asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Bella," Xavier answered convincingly.

"Her full name is Isabella but I like to call her Bella." He explained and his mother nodded.

"Do you love her? Do you see her being your future wife and the mother of your future children? Would you like to spend the rest of your life with her?" Elena asked with a proud smile.

Xavier nodded positively.

"So where did you and Isabella meet?" Richard asked, sounding interested.

"We met at an event?" He answered immediately.

Richard raised his eyebrows, seeking more clarification. He knew his son very well; Xav never attended any kind of event unless it was business-related.

"A business event. She was the event planner of the event I attended six months ago. A waiter spilt wine on my suit so she came over apologizing on his behalf. Somehow, we engaged in some casual conversations and then we went on dates a couple of times." Xavier responded to his father but what pained him most is that his Dad had this unreadable expression. He knew his father was having doubts about all that he just said.

"Okay then, Your mom and I would like to have dinner with you and Bella on Sunday evening," Richard concluded.

Xavier mentally facepalmed; he was in some deep shit. Sunday evening was just five days away.