**About an Hour Later The Events in Chapter Three**

Loren POV

I wake up feeling unsettled and confused. There is a green eyed, curly hair guy staring at me with concern. I check my surroundings and realize I am in my father's private lounge laying on the couch. Abruptly, I sit up and steady myself as I am a little dizzy.

"What happened?" I ask.

"I think you passed out from shock or stress. Are you okay? Do you remember who I am?" he walks over and takes my hand.

"Um, yes. Harry, right?" I am a little unsure, but I think I got his name right. He smiles.

"Yes, Harry Styles at your service," he seems like a lovely person. Then, it hits me his friend was not so lovely and I frown. Harry looks a little panicked. "Are you all right Loren? Is it even okay that I call you Loren?"

"Yes, you can call me Loren. I was just remembering your friend Mr. Tomlinson. Oh no! They didn't kill him, did they??!!!" I start to freak out. Harry sits beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"No love. Louis is alive and kicking. Your friends apparently knocked some sense and manners into him. He's with your father tending to wedding related matters." I groan.

"This isn't a joke or a bad nightmare is it? My father is serious about me marrying your friend?"

"His name is Louis and you might as well get used to saying his name since it sounds like you two will be joined for eternity. He's really not a bad guy. He's my best mate and one of the best people I know. Surely you can understand that in this circumstance you aren't seeing the really Louis?"

"Harry, I don't think I want to know the real him. I certainly don't want to marry him, Actually, I'd be happy if I never had to lay eyes on him again," okay, I'm lying about never seeing him again. He's probably the most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on. Wait. How many men have I seen in my life of seclusion? I'm so pathetic. There's probably millions of men better looking than him.

"Loren, the way you are thinking over what you just said makes me think you aren't being honest with yourself."

"Thank you Dr. Harry for your psychoanalysis of the situation," I say sarcastically.

"Wow, you are more like Lou than I'd imagine," he laughs.

"I'm nothing like that rude neanderthal," I scoff.

"Hmmmm, not so sure. Maybe you'll give him a run for his money. Your dad might be onto something."

"What do you mean?" It dawns on me that I still don't know how my supposed engagement came about.

"It's one of the reason's your father believed Louis is the right man for you."

"Uh Harry, you do realize I have NO idea as to how I've ended up engaged to your friend, right?"

"Louis," he corrects me and I sigh.

"Yes, him." Harry rolls his eyes at me.

"I don't know if it is my place to tell you," he says unsure.

"Harry, you have to know that I was blindsided with this engagement to Lewis?" I ask again and he laughs.

"Yes, I could see the shock when you were told and it's Louis, not Lewis. Come now love, you have to do a better job of remembering your fiance's name than that," he laughs and I scowl.

"He is not my fiance! I don't know this Louis and I am sure he doesn't care to know me either!" I stomp my foot and Harry laughs again.

"What is so funny Harold?" I spit and his eyes go wide and eyebrows raise in surprise.

"Oh my God. Louis is the only other person who calls me Harold when he gets mad at me!"

"Oh joy! I've found something to base this sham of a future marriage on. We can agree to get mad at you the same way!"

"Loren, you are amazing. I think we are going to be great friends!" He puts his arm around me again and hugs me to him.

"I don't have friends," I say sadly,

"What? Not possible! You are so easy to talk and joke with and I just met you under less than pleasant circumstances,"

"Honestly, I am normally shy and don't talk. Maybe it's my fight or flight instinct kicking in?" I ask it truthfully and Harry starts laughing again. "What's so funny?" I narrow my eyes at him.

"You are! Maybe Louis was right and you are faking this look and act?" He eyes me skeptically and I am crushed.

"No. Really Harry. I've been cooped up in boarding schools and private universities for years. Bodyguards follow me everywhere and have been the closest people I've had to friends. One girl at uni befriended me, but otherwise I keep to myself." I hate that he or even Louis think that I am a fake.

"Well, I'd like to be your friend," my heart almost explodes from his kindness.

"I would love that. It's nice to have a friend," and I mean it.

"You are gonna need one to handle Louis. I'm sure when the boys and Perrie get here they are going to love you too."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now, my only problem will be a husband who hates my guts. Ughhh husband. Please tell me how this all happened to me?"

"Okay. Someone deserves to tell you how your life got turned upside down. Get comfortable Loren, this is a long story."

Harry spends a long time explaining how Louis lost millions to my father and all the sordid details of how my father threatened Louis to either marry me or watch his family and friends me hurt...or worse. I sat in shock and listened. I couldn't believe my father would do and threaten such things. Obviously, I would need to speak with him and plead that he let Louis out of this debt.

Harry pulls me out of my mortified state by telling me the unbelievable funny exchanges between Louis and my father. Well, I find them funny because no one sasses my father the way Louis did.

Louis POV

After my wounds from those two brutes punching me out are cleaned, I met with Alfonso privately. I'm screwed. There is no way I am getting out of this mess because he does not want to be reasonable. So, I'm trapped and doomed to spend some kind of life with his troll daughter. What a life. Maybe we can go on tour indefinitely so I'm never home? How am I going to stomach being with her. The personality of a toad that one has.

Instead of living life and enjoying it, looking forward to my future, settling down, and having a family I am dreading my life. Maybe I should just disappear forever, but I'd miss my family. Like I said, I'm screwed.
The two brutes who punched me out brought me to a room and told me to go in. I quietly open the door and stop dead in my tracks as I listen to the conversation taking place in front of me, undetected.

"No!!! Louis thought my father was gay and wanted him for himself?? Oh my God!!! That IS funny!" I hear her laugh and immediately I am pissed off at Harry and this Loren person.

"Oh, it gets better Lor! When your father said he wasn't gay, then Louis panicked and thought he wanted him to become a male prostitute!" That traitor! Seriously he's laughing at this mess, making fun of me, and being nice to HER and calling her by a nick name!

"Oh please stop Harry!!! I can't take anymore!!! Really?? My dad wants me to marry this idiot?!" She's doubled over laughing and if I didn't detest her, I'd almost laugh because she has a full laugh that she doesn't hold back.

"But it gets better! He had the guts to tell him he wouldn't love you and might not be nice to you. So your father tells him he will not mistreat or disrespect you and that he has to consummate the marriage and be faithful to you!"

"Harold! That is not funny at all! It's repulsive! Louis is repulsive!" That little bitch. She thinks I'm the repulsive one of the two of us? And she's calling him Harold? Only I call him Harold when I'm mad at him.

"Oh um, sorry Lor, but Louis' response was priceless. Um although you might not appreciate it." What the hell is with the nicknames? Maybe Harry should marry her! They seem to get on. Why does he even care what the troll thinks?

"I know I am going to regret this, but please do tell me." I watch her physically brace herself and I cringe because I know what is coming and the thought of it sickens me.

“Well, I’ll just have to keep her in my bed. That will keep us both happy," Harry imitates me and I want to beat him.

"That is the most repulsive thing I have ever heard! I don't want him anywhere near me!" She screeches and shoves Harry and at this point, I've had enough of their conversation.

"My thoughts exactly!" I shout and I see her flinch. Harry turns around and glares at me, which catches me off guard. Really? He's defending her? I watch as Loren composes herself.

"Is that ALL you're capable of saying? My thoughts exactly?" She spits at me in a degrading tone. The bitch.

"Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?" I yell as I march towards the couch where she is sitting and Harry actually rises and steps between us.

"Louis. Calm down mate. You're not the only victim here."

"Harold, step aside!" I try to shove him, but he shoves back and my anger grows and Loren jumps up.

"I know who I am! Not a moron who gets drunk and gambles away millions and ruins both our lives in the process!" She has the nerve to get in my face and yell at me.

"You know NOTHING about me!" We are almost nose to nose and the venom is spewing between us. It feels good to lash out and inflict pain to release some anger.

"Oh but I do! I know exactly who you are! You are Louis Tomlinson! Worldwide pop sensation from One Direction and the guy being forced to marry me and ruining MY LIFE! How could I ever forget?!!" She screams with as much sarcasm as I've ever heard in my life. Literally, she left me stunned as she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

"Boobear, I hate to tell you this, but I think you've just met your match," Harry says with a smirk on his face as he puts his hand on my shoulder.

"What am I going to do Harry? I can't be seen in public with her. How am I going to explain her to the world?"

"Well, you can start with your family and the boys and Perrie because they will be arriving tonight."

I sink into the couch, elbows on my knees, my hands knotted in my hair and I'd like to rip it out of my scalp in frustration. What the hell am I going to do?

Notes

Finally got around to writing this now that I committed to something in the storyline. Just as I promised on Monday night!

I'm a Louis girl, but I really loved Harry in this chapter. Someone has to be the voice of reason in all this madness.

Hope you like it!