The Uncanny Archer Williams: New Money Era

CHAPTER FIVE

The men in black grabbed Oliver and dragged him away. Oliver ignored all his humiliation and embarrassment. Instead he kept yelling empty threats at Archer.

"I won't let this go easily, I will get you!" He screamed in anger.

But his heart was racing in fear, he was intimidated by the sturdy men in black, thinking that Archer had employed thugs to follow him around, pretending to be rich.

Immediately the men dumped him outside the gate, he took to his heels, running for his life.

As quickly as Oliver was thrown out, the cafeteria regained its peace and serene energy.

Archer sighed in relief, and finally turned to the girl before him.

Just looking at the girl made him calm, all his anger and sadness felt so distant, but he couldn't shake off the fact that the girl had called herself his fiancée.

Even though he was looking at her calmly, his eyes were filled with questions.

"Could you tell me what is going on?” He finally spoke out,

"You called yourself my..." He paused.

 

"Fiancée?" The girl replied, smiling shyly.

"Can we go back into the cafeteria? It's better to sit and talk".

 

Archer nodded agreeably, he was equally exhausted from all the drama Oliver had played today.

Together, they walked into the nice cafeteria, and the waitress that brought the cheque to him saluted them, and showed them to their seat.

Being a man well trained to be a gentle man, Archer held the seat out for the girl and waited on her to settle down first.

The girl smiled pleasingly, Archer's little gestures were heart warming to her, but Archer ignored the smug on her face, going straight to the point.

 

"So...?" He said quizzically.

 

"So...." She started, “my name is Tangie Sullivan".

Archer raised his eyebrow, as if to say "who?"

"Tangie Sullivan" she repeated.

 

The name was quite unfamiliar to Archer and he wanted some more explanations.

 

"A few days ago.." Tangie continued,

"My grandfather informed me that I had a fiancé, he gave me the name Archer Williams.

I did a short investigation and it led me here- to you" she paused, looking at him cautiously.

"Although you don't seem like a good man, Archer. From my investigations, you're an ex-prisoner..." She said.

 

Archer frowned, both because he didn’t believe the girl’s story and because the girl had judged him to be a bad person just because he was an ex-prisoner.

He wanted to defend himself, but unexpectedly, he phone rang and he fumbled his pocket to bring it.

He glanced at caller ID and it was his Master.

Master Woods had been more of a father to Archer in prison than just a master. From the first day he saw him, he loved him and took him up, teaching him Martial arts and medical skills, hand in hand for three years and Archer became surprisingly good.

It was there that Master Woods acknowledged his honesty and good leadership potential and decided to make him his heir.

The mysterious Master Wood was the sole owner of the most valuable Medical groups in the world and no body knew that he was in prison.

He was running his chains of businesses from across the four walls of a prison because he chose to. After all, sometimes, destiny works like that.

 

Archer answered the phone and bowed respectfully to his master even though he was not present.

"Archer!" The man's voice echoed through the phone and Archer replied,

"Yes Master" in the most respectful way.

"By now you must have met Tangie" His master said, "And I know you must be confused about the arrangement,"

 

“A long time ago, the Lord of Keringham owed me a huge debt. In return of that debt, I asked him to marry his grand daughter to you as payment."

 

Archer remained quiet, infact dumbfounded by his master's words but he remained composed, waiting patiently for him to finish,

“The girl before you is the daughter of that lord- Lord Sullivan.” Master Woods continued.

 

Tangie observed the expression on his face as he spoke on the phone. He seemed puzzled by whatever he was being told on the phone.

She wanted to ask him if he was okay, but she remained quiet, as Archer spoke on the phone until he was finally done.

 

He dropped the phone on the table and returned to Tangie, staring at her in disbelief.

"Is everything clear now?" She asked.

 

How could everything be okay? Archer was stunned by his Master’s crude method of getting him hitched, infact, he found it unbelievable, and “where on earth is Keringham?” He wondered.

 

"It is a misunderstanding" he said, "I don't think he really meant it."

Tangie smiled slightly, she understood that the situation was hard to believe.

Arranged marriages were no longer practiced in the present era, let alone a marriage arranged as a payment of debt.

In fact, she was also dumbfounded when her grandfather told her she was engaged.

 

"I understand your doubt,“ she said, smiling slightly.

"Personally, I never support arranged marriages. It seems to be like an avenue to keep forcefully keep two families together in the pretense of a marriage union. Sometimes it is an agreement between two families to marry off their rejected children, but we are neither of those to our parents. And your Master is not trying to remain in our family.

This is an arranged marriage with pure intensions.” She said.

 

She looked at Archer and their eyes met momentarily. Archer was silently trying to process what she said and he couldn’t deny the hints of truth in her words.

Master Woods wasn’t one to form alliance with anyone, and everything his master ever did, he did for his own good.

 

"Besides…” Tangie continued, “you're really handsome so it’s okay. I might give you a chance to marry me” she teased.

 

Archer smiled wryly, studying the expression on her face. She was a sharp contrast to Eva, both in appearance and behavior. He was pretty impressed by her and he found her interesting, but he kept it to himself.

"So, are we friends now?" Tangie said, seeing the relief on his face.

Archer nodded in response and Tangie pushed her chair backward, standing up to give him a handshake.

Archer stood up and was about to take her hand when she noticed that her face had turned pale. He paused, observing her with concern.

Suddenly, her hand dropped to the table and she lost balance, falling.

Archer was alert, he moved quickly towards her and stopped her from falling, hugging her to himself.