3. Education
The sole and soul reason behind success is ambition.

* * *

[Anmol's POV]

1. Treat me and my sisters as human beings with feelings and a heart.

2. Listen and follow my directions that are said for YOUR benefit. I promise to do the same.

3. Under no circumstance can my sisters know about the contract.

Not a condition but a promise: Once I'm your husband, I'm your husband. I will fulfill my duty till the last second of this contract.

"I didn't expect this to be serious," I said after reading Ashar's conditions.

Mom raised an eyebrow.

My conditions were reasonable too.

"I can tell," Ashar said, holding up my paper. "Don't show your poor status. Don't boss me because I'll end this contract then and there. I'm not going to live in some poor place, so we'll live at one of our houses. Don't--are you serious? You really think I'm gonna--fall head over heels in love with you?" He acted as if the idea was absurd.

I shrugged.

It happened in the films I watched in filming school.

Mom asked if we were both in agreement with each other's conditions. He nodded. Well, I gave no answer which she took as a yes and gathered our papers.

"Now, Ashar, what do you want in return for this?" Mom asked him.

Joy. She is paying a guy to put me under a leash. Where were the women rights here? If that's even valid in the situation. My fake husband was going to quit within a week's time.

He better ask for a money advance.

"Full education responsibility of my sisters," he said simply.

I frowned, staring at him. Did he just say that? "You don't want money?" I asked for clarification. I mean, even my mom looked taken aback.

He shook his head.

He is a very stupid, poor person then.

"Education for my sisters in the best of schools and colleges until they get the degree of whatever they want. Also, I want mine and Cecily's jobs back," he said.

Definitely stupid.

"You know you can ask for money," I said. Mom glared at me. It would be our loss if we gave him money, but his idiotic decision was just . . . bothersome.

"Will you mind your own business?" said the serf. "Do we have a deal, Mrs. Majhraut?"

Mom looked at me and I silently shook my head as a no.

I don't think she understood the message because she said, "Most definitely. I'll have the contract ready within a week. Meanwhile, we'll have to make up a story regarding you two." I groaned. Why couldn't she let me live in peace? "But one thing." Now what? She was looking at Ashar.

"Yes?" said Ashar.

"If you do anything more than hold my daughter's hands, I'll have you and your sisters disappeared. From this planet."

For the first time, she acted like a parent.

Ashar's only response was a nod.

* * *

I sat down on the sofa back at our home, rubbing my forehead. How could Mom do this to me?

All because I told her to marry me to some rich billionaire? Which she definitely was going to do after this fake marriage.

My seventy-year old Granny came around on her wheelchair and put a hand on my arm to grab my attention. Her grey hair reached her shoulders and she had her reading glasses on. Granny was dad's mom. She lived with us after her and Grandpa got in an accident where my grandfather passed away and Granny lost her voice.

She gestured asking what was wrong.

"Mom fixed my fake marriage to a waiter and expects him to change my behavior. I don't even know what's wrong! Just because the psychologists didn't work out, she's forcing marriage! He's a poor person, Granny!"

She gave a surprised look. I nodded, clearing I was serious.

She just patted my shoulder. At times like these, I wished she could talk.

I sat there until Carter texted me, reminding me of the lunch plans. I gathered myself, told Granny goodbye, and went to lunch.

Carter, Tara, Roshan and Myra were already at the best restaurant in town. We ordered our food and chatted for a bit.

"Hey, what happened to those waiters?" Roshan asked randomly.

I almost choked . . . on nothing. Why did Roshan have to bring this up?!

"Who knows who cares?" Carter said.

"What if they died?" Myra asked. We all stared at her. She wasn't normally the brightest in the group nor was she this stupid. "Sorry. I just thought maybe without any jobs and money, the peasants died or whatever."

Well, dying was a little extreme. "Can we not talk about unimportant people?" I asked.

Tara immediately launched into a topic of how her modelling was progressing. She was having a major fashion show next week.

By that time, I was going to be married.

How was I going to explain how important the unimportant waiter was?

[Ashar's POV]

My sisters had summer vacation. By the time their school started, I was going to be married. Mrs. Majhraut had called me this morning saying that signing the contract would happen on the same day as the official "wedding." She also made arrangements for Rosie and Aara attending the best private schools in St. Cloud.

My sisters were going to receive the best education.

Something I could never provide on my own to them.

The contract was worth it.

Aara, Rosie, and I were having breakfast--oatmeal. As gross as it was, oatmeal was the most affordable. I decided to bring up the wedding.

"So, I'm getting married this Sunday," I said casually.

"Congratulations," Aara said unenthusiastically. She didn't believe me.

Rosie smiled and gave a thumbs up before continuing eating.

"Girls, I'm serious," I said in a firm tone. "This Sunday, I'm marrying someone I--you know--want to marry."

Seeing my solemn face, Aara said, "Tell me you're lying."

I wish.

"Be prepared to have a sister-in-law soon," I said. My oatmeal was halfway done but I couldn't finish it. I got up and dumped it in the trash can and put the utensils in the sink.

"What's her name?" Rosie asked.

"Anmol." I leaned back against the counter.

"Why the sudden decision?" Aara asked. "How long has this been going on? How come you didn't bring up her before?"

"Because you guys never listen to me or ask me about any girls--other than you two--in my life," I replied. Guilt trip always worked. Aara fell quiet as hoped. "You're always busy with your school stuff and Rosie tells me tales of how sad my eyes look to her." Rosie pouted. "And Anmol and I have been dating for three months."

I refrained from laughing at the preposterous lie. Three months was reasonable, right?

"Aren't you being hasty?" Aara asked.

"I was hoping you guys would support me but . . . one can hope," I said.

Rosie ran and hugged me. "I support you!" Thank god.

"Can we meet your girlfriend before the wedding?" Aara asked.

She was ridiculous. If she met Anmol Majhraut once, she'd know something was up. "We'll see," I said.

I bid them goodbye soon enough and went to Mrs. Majhraut's company. She had hired me as their graphic and logo designer. However, I wasn't getting the waiter job back. Her daughter's husband couldn't be some waiter.

[Anmol's POV]

The entire week passed by with me spending fewer and fewer hours with my friends. I completely dreaded their reaction to the wedding. Unfortunately, they weren't invited either upon Mom's request. Fewer people the better.

On the morning of the Church wedding, I saw the designer bride dress.

"Mom, I don't want to do this," I said seeing the strapless gown with expensive fabric lying on my bed. "I promise I'll try to behave better. Just don't jail me in this fake marriage nonsense. I hate that serf!"

"No, Annie," Mom said with an apologetic look. She came forward, her eyes wandering here and there. "After your father . . . I--it's--Just get ready."

"But--"

"Get ready!" she said sharply.

"I hate you!" I grabbed the dress and went into my bathroom, slamming the door shut. "Dad would've never allowed this to happen!" I shouted. I knew she heard it because after a few seconds I heard my bedroom door shut.

I struggled but fit inside the bridal dress. Mom send some make-up artists and hair stylists to take care of the rest. I sat still, being Barbie-d up for a waiter! A classless person who's probably glad to have caught a big fish in his trap. He was so going to regret this.

But one thing was still messed up about him.

He didn't ask for money in return.

Whatever.

We went to the location where Ashar and his siblings were already. His one sister was my height with a darker shade of brown hair than me. Her brown eyes were hidden behind glasses. Poor people. Can't even afford contact lens. Ashar's other sister didn't even look like she was related to him. She had very light brown hair and bright green eyes. She was a little girl.

"Annie, come over here!" I turned and saw Mom waving from the side. Nodding, I sauntered over.

Ashar was already there dressed in a clean, black suit. His hair was patted down neatly.

He actually looked good . . . for a waiter.

"Read and the sign the contract now," Mom ordered. Without reading, I signed it. If anything wrong happened, Mom could take care of it. She gave me a condemning look. Ashar took his time reading and checking each and every point.

"Poor people waste so much time. Haven't you heard of 'time is money'?" I asked Ashar.

"Haven't you heard of 'mind your own business'?" His eyes remained on the contract.

"Go to hell."

"Marrying you is going to be hell."

He signed the papers and handed them to Mom.

She gave a forced smile. "Let the marriage begin."

Ashar and I were soon standing in the front of the room near the priest. I kept glancing at my mom to stop this but realized she was serious about the matters.

"Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live?"

Ashar looked at me and I held his gaze. We could back out now.

The stupid serf could use his brain.

His eyes flickered over to his sisters. I knew right there what his answer was.

"I do."

Why?

The priest turned to me. "Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him for as long as you both shall live?"

I didn't take this thing seriously. It was fake after all.

"Of course I do," I said sweetly.

Just wait a week. Ashar will break the contract himself.

The priest pronounced us husband and wife and called it a day. One weird thing was that the priest didn't say, "You may now kiss the bride." I was all ready to karate kick Ashar if he tried to kiss me.

I guess Mom handled that. It wasn't like the marriage was real.

After everything was done, Mom gave me another shock.

"You guys will live in Ashiyana for the year being," she declared. I looked at Granny who was just shaking her head.

Ashiyana? "No one is allowed there, mom," I said through clenched teeth. She was crossing all limits now. How dare she think that we were going to live in dad's favorite place--Ashiyana. It was a house on the other side of St. Cloud further away from the city. It was our sanctuary when we needed a break from society. After his death, I made it clear that it was off limits to everyone.

Including Mom and Granny.

Ashar gave a confused look. "What's Ashiyana?"

"One of our houses here," Mom replied calmly. "Annie, I know it'll be the most comfortable for you. I don't want to hear any arguments. Go, now." I wouldn't comply. "You don't want me to block your credit cards, do you?" she asked me.

Groaning, I stomped my foot and got in the car. Ashar got inside next to me after a few minutes. His sisters were coming in the other car. Great. Mom was sending me away from her. Even if it was to our other house.

We reached the familiar two story house made of glass, wood, and stone. The front garden as usual had bright green grass and assorted flowers. Marble statues of famous figures like Napoleon I Bonaparte, Raphael, etc. raised the aesthetic value.

Mom definitely sent our servants to have this place ready.

When the car stopped, I got out quietly. My anger at Mom was remained inside me. She was blackmailing me with Papa and my credit cards.

"Whoa, this place is magnificent," Ashar commented, coming behind me.

I was still pissed a poor outside family was going to downgrade Ashiyana. We entered the house, Ashar's sisters also following behind. They all had awed faces. I bet they hadn't been introduced to anything luxurious nor could they ever afford it. Those poor people.

"Welcome." There was a staff of five (just five!) maids. They had said the greeting together.

Still angry, I was about to go to my room when I heard Ashar say, "Cecily?"

My eyes followed the direction he was staring at.

Nonetheless, waiter boy's favorite waitress stood among other maids.

Oh this is going to be good.

Thank you, mother.

______________________

A/N

Big thanks to dancelover_7564 for the beautiful banner! Guys. Do check out her amazing works!

How was the chapter? I know it was long but oh whale.
Ashiyana house is inspired by the song "Ashiayana na mera saath tere hai na . . . Tu jo mila" from Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

Cecily is a maid. Think Anmol will leave Cece alone?

Here is the cast chosen by majority:
Tara Rao - Freida Pinto
Carter Fox - Chace Crawford
Myra Chopra - Jacqueline Fernandez
Roshan Chopra - ties so imagine whoever you like.

Thank you for the votes and comments so far. Please continue supporting!!!!
--Kiran