All Figured Out

Foreword: I've had a lot of emails asking where Love Vs Superheroes went. Unfortunately, despite my warning at the beginning of the story, one reader decided to read it anyway and had it removed.

With that in mind, this story is a simple story of two young people pushed together. It could have gone in romance but I chose LW because it revolves around a married couple and a particularly

loving wife.

In my opinion, not all LW stories have to include cheating, affairs, cuckolds, revenge, and massive 14 penises. SO, if you are looking for any of the above, feel free to skip the story and find another to your liking. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy! JJJ

*

At the age of twenty-four, I had it all figured out. Top of my class at school, a degree and master's in business and finance, a career, and more money than I could spend in ten lifetimes. OK, admittedly the money was from my family's vast wealth rather than what I'd actually earned. But still, it would all be mine one day anyway.

The only small blimp in an otherwise perfect life was the fact my parents were insisting on an arranged marriage. Yes, their only son was cannon fodder to be used in a business deal with another powerful family who had recently moved to the country. I'd never met their daughter and I had no idea what she looked like. In fact, the only thing I knew was that she was every bit as wealthy as I was. Combining our families' fortunes would solidify my parents' company at the top of most lists.

The business was originally an advertising company that my father grew into a multinational, multimedia powerhouse of news and advertising. We were known as the Groves family. The name carried weight in all social circles and I was proud to represent it.

"Theodore!" My mother's voice echoed up to me through the cavernous corridors of our mansion home. "Get yourself ready for the Harwin's arrival! I want you looking presentable for them!"

I

hated

being called Theodore. Only my mother and father had the audacity to call me it. The rest of the world knew me as Theo. If I heard so much as a sniff of Theodore, whoever said it would face my swift and destructive wrath.

My room was as big as most city apartments. It had a receiving room, complete with state-of-the-art TV and media set up, a balcony overlooking our perfectly maintained lawns, two bedrooms with ensuites, and a separate bathroom with a jacuzzi bath.

I checked my reflection in the mirror. I'd opted for a white designer shirt, black chinos, and swede shoes. I'd had my fair share of women through university. Six feet tall, with dark hair and light blue eyes, mother and father had considered entering me into the world of fashion before I put a stop to it. I preferred sports and had reached a relatively high level in athletics before girls and parties took a greater interest to me.

I brushed myself off and descended the marble stairs to our entrance hall. Everything about our home screamed wealth. Gold-framed family portraits on the walls, white marble floors polished to a mirror shine, and big rooms with vaulted ceilings.

Mother was waiting impatiently for me at the bottom of the stairs. "Hurry up!" she snapped. "They'll be here any minute and you must make a good impression on Francesca. She is to be your future bride, after all."

I tried to hide my annoyance at the fact my wife had been selected for me. I'd had a range of women I could have selected. Some of the top sportswomen and models in the world. But, there I was waiting for my mystery wife like a worthless bargaining chip.

"Where's father?" I asked.

"He's waiting in the dining hall. We've had food arranged and laid out. It should go without saying that I want you on your best behaviour. Tonight is very, very important for your father and me. You will do everything in your power to woo Francesca, is that understood?"

I sighed but mother took me by the chin and forced me to look at her. "Is that understood?" she repeated.

"Yes, Mother," I replied dully.

She smiled and patted my cheek. "Good, go and wait with your father. I will meet them here and bring them through. If you see Reginald, tell him that I want the food out on the table fifteen minutes after we are seated. No sooner, no later."

"Yes, Mother," I repeated.

I left the entrance hall and walked to the dining hall, where my father was waiting. He was a tall man, a shade over my six foot and built like a lion. He was strong and broad-shouldered with a ruthless, iron will that propelled him to the pinnacle of the business world. He had but one weakness in the world: me.

When he saw me, his face split into a broad grin of true happiness that very few people saw. He strolled over and hugged me. After, he held me at arm's length. "Are you ready, son?"

I sighed. "I suppose so."

He chuckled and patted my shoulders. "Don't worry yourself. I'm sure Francesca will be lovely."

"What if she isn't?" I asked.

"Then you marry her and put up with it for long enough that we reap the rewards from our association with the Harwins. After that, we will sort out a divorce and separation. I'm proud of you, my son. You are stepping up and doing your duty as the Groves family heir."

At that moment, Reginald entered. Although old, he still walked with a painfully straight back and was always dressed impeccably. He was the head of the house staff, overseeing our small army of workers. I liked him. I had precious few friends but I counted him as one of them.

"Reg, Mother wants the food on the table fifteen minutes after we're seated. Not a moment before or after."

Reginald grinned and bowed. "Of course, your lordship."

Father chuckled. "Don't let Theresa hear you say that," he warned him.

Reginald winked at me. "It would be more than my life's worth, sir. If you excuse me." He left the room to inform the kitchen staff.

The Harwins arrived a short time later. The mother and father entered first. The father was a tall, skinny man with a bushy moustache that looked comically large on his thin face. He did appear jovial and friendly, though. The mother was a squat woman with a giant bosom that entered the room a good few seconds before she did. Where her husband was tall and skinny, she was short and round. She too had a friendly and happy face, with eyes that always seemed to be smiling.

Lastly, Francesca entered. When I saw her, my heart plummeted and I prepared myself to refuse the wedding there and then. She had far more of her mother in her than her father. She wasn't huge, but certainly on the tubbier side of things. She was wearing a pink dress that clashed terribly with her pale, creamy skin. She had long red hair that hung straight down her back and sea-green eyes. She would be pretty if she didn't look like she was walking to her death. Her eyes were downcast and everything about her body language screamed that she wanted to be anywhere else. I also noticed that she had inherited her mother's breasts, which were squeezed painfully tightly into the dress.

"Edwin, Victoria!" my father said grandly. He shook Edwin's hand and pecked Victoria once on each cheek. "And this must be the wonderful Francesca! It's a pleasure to meet you. This is our son, Theodore."

"Just Theo is fine," I said, shaking everyone's hands. Francesca's grip was like shaking a dead fish.

After the introductions were made, we sat down and precisely fifteen minutes later were served three fabulous courses. The parents made most of the conversation, thankfully. I was sitting opposite Francesca, whose eyes barely left her plate. I don't think either of our parents noticed, they were too busy talking about business and wedding planning.

As I finished dessert, my mother said, "Theodore, dear, why don't you take Francesca and give her a tour of the house? We'll likely retire to the wine room and I'm sure you youngsters would prefer to be elsewhere."

Francesca looked helplessly at her parents. Edwin clapped his hands together. "A fabulous idea, Marissa! Gregory, would that be OK with you?"

My father inclined his head. "I think that sounds fantastic."

With no other option, I stood with Francesca and we walked in silence from the dining hall. Our footsteps echoed through the house. I decided to take her to the library and then maybe the swimming pool. I'd always liked both rooms. They were relaxing in different ways.

"So, we're going to be married," I said to her.

"Y-yes," she replied in a small voice. Her eyes darted to the hallway window as if she'd love nothing more than to jump out of it.

"You don't sound too thrilled about the idea?"

"N-no! Well... I would have liked to have had the choice, but then I saw you and you're very good-looking. I-I'm sorry I'm not that attractive."

I glanced across she was looking at the floor as we walked, her hands playing with the sides of her dress. I felt a surge of sympathy for her. She clearly had no confidence in herself and she was being forced into the marriage just the same as I was.

She flinched when I placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "You are very pretty, don't be so harsh on yourself, Francesca."

She brightened a little bit and gave me a small smile. I wasn't lying. She was pretty, even if she did carry extra weight. "My friends call me Cece... you can call me that, if you want."

I smiled to put her at ease. "Cece," I repeated thoughtfully. "I like that, it's a nice nickname."

We arrived at the library and I pushed the grand oak doors open for Cece to enter. She slowly walked inside and gasped. "This place is beautiful!"

She wasn't wrong. It had been built after the house, with a glass-domed ceiling that provided a remarkable view of the glittering stars, rows of bookcases groaning under the weight of books both new and ancient, and artfully arranged chairs and sofas for reading.

"It's one of my favourite places in the house," I said, enjoying her reaction. I followed her into the room and watched her starstruck eyes as they took in every exquisite detail.

"I love books," she murmured as she entered one of the rows, running her fingers lightly over the covers.

"I love them too," I told her. "I spend most of my free time here or at the pool. It's perfect for relaxing. Here, shall we sit?" I pointed to a long sofa illuminated by the soft glow of the lamps around the library.

She nodded and we sat. "I read to relax as well," Cece said twisting her hands in her lap. "Stories help me escape and I get to be whoever I want to be." The unspoken meaning behind her words was as clear as the stars above us. She didn't want to be who she was.

I studied her. There was not an ounce of sureness in anything she said or did. I wasn't sure if it was the weight of her giant breasts, but even her shoulders were rounded forward as if she carried the weight of an invisible world there.

"I suppose that's what stories are for," I replied. "But I think it's a bit more than that. They teach us lessons about all the important things in life."

Her eyes lit up. "Yes! Give me any story of someone who overcomes adversity and finds happiness despite the struggles they face! The bigger the struggle, the bigger the payoff."

After that, it was like a small bridge had been built between us. We had common ground in books. I learned that she liked a lot of the same books I did, mostly fantasy ones set in mystical worlds fraught with danger. Cece was far more animated than I had seen her at any point during the evening. She chattered endlessly about her favourites and listened intently as I listed mine. We gave each other recommendations and discussed our favourite characters from books we'd both read.

I was so engaged that I didn't realise the time until Reg arrived to let us know that Cece had to leave. As soon as the door opened, her mouth snapped shut and she retreated into her timid shell as I spoke to him. "I'll wait for you in the entrance hall," Reg told us with a wink. He closed the door, giving us privacy to say our goodbyes.

"I-I had a lot of fun tonight," Cece said. "Maybe we could arrange to meet again soon... if you'd like? Mother and Father are hoping that the wedding will be sometime in the summer, so we can get to know each other better?" She looked at me hopefully.

I smiled. "Sure. I suppose a husband and wife should know a little bit about each other before they get married."

She smiled and we left the library. I'd been so absorbed in our conversation that I didn't even get a chance to show her the pool. Her mother and father were beaming and a little unsteady on their feet when we reached the entrance hall. They shook my hand in turn and then were escorted by their drivers down to the sleek stretch limo that was waiting for them.

As soon as the door closed, my mother said, "It went perfectly! I know she's not all that to look at, but you won't need to stay married to her for that long. Just long enough for our combined families to crush the last of our opposition. If you're struggling for female attention during the marriage, I'm sure there are plenty of women who would be willing to spend a discreet night or two with you."

My mother's callous appraisal of the situation and marriage left a bitter taste in my mouth. If she could dismiss marriage vows so easily, what would stop her from doing the same with my father?

She misread the uneasy look I must have had. She hugged me and kissed my cheeks. "You're doing the family a great service, Theodore!"

My father joined in and squeezed my shoulder bracingly. "Your mother's right. We're proud of you. It's a shame she isn't much of a looker, but I suppose not many would be capable of matching your attractiveness, eh?" he chuckled.

"Do the Harwins feel the same way about the marriage?" I asked. "Is it a business move for them as well?"

"Yes! Although, I think they felt very fortunate when they saw you. They might even want the marriage to succeed, but I'm sure they're also anticipating its demise. The main thing is your marriage combines the families in the eyes of god, the law, business, and all our associates."

I said good night to my parents and retired to my room. It all felt so cold. I suppose I viewed marriage as something far more meaningful, like in the books Cece and I had discussed. To me, I would have liked it to have been for love, rather than convenience or business. But, I was the heir to an empire and I had to do my part to help the family. I had enjoyed my time with Cece, maybe we could even be friends.

*

It was three weeks before I saw her again. Work had been busy and although there was the impending wedding, my agreement to meet with Cece slipped from my mind. I was at a party at a colleague's house, sipping expensive drinks and laughing with the richest and finest in the country. I was in the backyard, where Matt - my work colleague - had built an outdoor lounge area complete with a bar and TV.

Matt nudged me and nodded toward something over my shoulder. "Those are the biggest pair of tits I've ever seen! Any idea who the person they're attached to is?"

I spun around and was struck by a mixture of pity, guilt, and shock. Cece was standing nervously in the corner clutching a drink like her life depended on it while trying and failing to fade into the background. She looked as though she wanted to be anywhere else but the party.

"That's Cece, the woman I have to marry," I said.

Matt gasped. "That's Francesca Harwin? You'd have thought with all their money, they'd have hired a personal trainer or a nutritionist!" He laughed nastily. "At least you get to enjoy those two udders, eh?"

I ignored him and made my way over to Cece. I wasn't sure why, but Matt talking about her that way aggravated me immensely.

"Hey, Cece," I said when I reached her. "I didn't expect to see you here."

She flinched and her eyes darted around. "H-hey," she said nervously. "Mother and father made me come. They said it would be good for me to get to know people."

The pity and guilt I'd felt when I first saw her increased. "Well, why don't I show you around? I can introduce you as my future wife."

I took Cece by the hand, which was clammy and shaking. For the next hour, we went from person to person and I made the introductions. Cece displayed all the mannerisms of a startled deer and didn't let go of my hand once. She let me do most of the talking.

I noticed that every person had the same reaction. Confusion as they noticed us holding hands. Then, their eyes travelled over Cece's body, filled with judgement which was quickly covered by a false smile. Then, over-the-top friendliness and conversation.

I'd never noticed it before. The emptiness in the tone of their words, the fake smiles and forced reactions. Everything about our interactions was hollow. By the end of the hour, I was exhausted and fairly certain Cece had hated every second.

"OK, that's our obligations taken care of," I told her. "Want to get out of here?"

She smiled for the first time that evening. "Yes," she said eagerly.

We left the party and I didn't realise we were still holding hands until we reached my car. I opened the door for her and then climbed into the driver's side. "Where to?" I asked.

"I-I don't mind," she said meekly.

"How about the beach?" I suggested.

It was a mild evening and the low rush of waves against the shore followed us as we walked barefoot across the sand. The sky was clear and the moon marked a shifting pathway across the ocean.

"I never come to the beach," Cece said, breaking the peaceful silence.

"What? Why? I love the beach! There is nothing better than getting a nice tan whilst sipping drinks."

"Yeah, I don't like doing either of those things. I mean, it's OK for you. You're..." she motioned to my body. "You're perfect. Me? People would mistake me for a beached whale."

"Hey!" I said, standing in front of her. "Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Put yourself down like that. I know we've only met twice, but both times you've put yourself down." Cece dropped her eyes but I lifted her chin. "There you are, doing it again."

"Sorry-"

"Don't apologise, just talk to me. What happened that made you like this?"

Cece's eyes filled and she blinked away tears. "I've spent my whole life being told what I am, made fun of for how I look... I suppose after a while I started believing it." A flash of steel came into her eyes. "Be honest, what were your first thoughts when you saw me?"

That time I was the one who couldn't make eye contact.

She smiled sadly. "Exactly. I don't blame you, Theo. You were hoping for a beauty and you got the beast. Let's be honest, would you ever have picked me? Would you have come over to me at the party tonight if you hadn't met me before?"

"I-" I didn't know what to say. The truth was I wouldn't have. Never before in my life had I felt so small or ashamed.

She stepped back and my hand dropped uselessly to the side. "It's OK... really. I promise I'll make things easy for you during the marriage and I won't resist when we divorce after the finances are settled." She rubbed her arms. "I-I think I'd like to go home now, if that's OK?"

I numbly drove Cece back to her mansion. I didn't remember much of what she said on the way back, if anything at all. When we got there, she leaned across to the driver's seat and lightly kissed my cheek. "Thank you for tonight, you showed me more kindness than I've been shown in a very long time."

She left me in the car and I watched her enter her house. She turned and waved at the door before closing it.

What Cece said didn't leave my mind on the drive home. It shocked me that she so easily accepted people's behaviour toward her. I'd only had two brief encounters with her and couldn't imagine what it must have been like for her to live that way her entire life. More than that, she'd held a mirror up to me and I didn't like what I saw. I was embarrassed.