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EIGHT
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2025-04-14 19:44:01Vida sat still; she was expecting her father to wave his hand in her face and laugh it out, calling it a pranl but he never did. Her father always had a jovial personality and he liked pranks so she was sure that this also was a prank; it had to be because this was the twenty-first century so how could her father be talking about an arranged groom? She knew that it happened in families like hers but she never thought it would happen to her.
"Dad, are you serious?" she asked when he did not announce it as a joke.
"Why would I be joking about this? Axel is your husband to be," he said and she sighed.
"I know that all of this is because of your thoughtfulness, but I have to decline."
"Decline? Vida darling, we do not have the luxury of that."
"I do not have the luxury of declining to marry a man." She asked with a face-changing expression as she was trying to understand what was going on. "Why don't I?"
"Did James discuss the finances of the company with you?" John asked calmly. He was sure that if he explained to his daughter, she would see reason for what he was saying.
"He was saying a few things, but I am yet to get the full scope of it," she explained.
"Okay, we are actually in the red and might have to file for bankruptcy soon. The only thing that is keeping us from doing that is Axel."
Vida felt like losing her mind when she heard her father praise him again; it felt like everything around there hinged on Axel and that the sun might not come out tomorrow if he said it shouldn't. She felt it was all so ridiculous. If he were the saint that everyone was painting him out to be, then why did he need a marriage to secure funding? It made no sense to her at all. He was a scammer who was looking to prey on a kind, innocent man like her father, and that was the conclusion of the matter.
"Dad," she said gently. She did not want to scream or say words she might regret later; he was still her father after all. "As I said earlier, I appreciate the thought of you wanting me to get married but you must not forget that I have a life, a life I was living before I had to fly back in here so you can't tell me that I have to leave all of that behind and marry a man I do not know and I just met."
"You can get to know him."
"I do not have the intention to want to know him and even after hearing what you have said, I strongly believe that I have no reason to want to know him," she replied through gritted teeth. Everything she could possibly know about him was clear to her; he was a scammer, and that was the bottom line. He was all these kinds that lure you in with sweet words and then strike when you least expect it.
"Vida, it's a done deal; you can't argue your way out of it. It is the only way we can show our appreciation to Axel for all he has done for us."
Vida sat quiet for a while but as she sat there, she felt her blood boil. Why has everything since she got there been about Axel? Why did everyone get so hung up on him? James was acting like he was a god and was all over him yesterday. Maria had sang his praises as if he were the best man on earth and now her father as well?
"Are you all bewitched?" she asked gently with her eyes tightly shut to control her emotions. Her father did not respond and she opened her eyes to face him. "Why is every damn thing around here about Axel? Is he a god that we should get down on our knees to worship? What the hell is so special about him?" she blurted. She knew she should not be saying all of the things running through her mind so openly, but she could not help herself. It was annoying her to the core.
"Vida, trust me, Axel has been so..."
"Oh, please spare me the details of this good man," she said, pushing the chair from underneath her back and standing up. "If he is such a good man, then why on earth is he demanding my hand in marriage to save the company? If he wants to help the company, he should go ahead and do that. Why do I need to be tied to him just so he wants to do that? He has you all fooled, but I very well know people like him," she finished. She wanted her father to say something, but instead of words from him, a bunch of hard coughing left his mouth.
Vida rushed to him, slamming the button at the head of the bed and immediately rushed into the room, pushing her aside so they could take a look at him. She felt guilty that she had pushed him to that point but she was glad that she had said what needed to be said
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Vida stood there until the doctors and nurses finished their work; by the time they left his side, he was no longer coughing violently and was now resting quietly on the bed. She wanted to say a lot more things, but she knew how insensitive it would be of her to bring them up after all her father had just been through. Instead, she kissed him gently on the head and headed out of the room quietly.She needed time to blow off the steam she felt and the way her blood boiled. She hoped that Axel had left the hospital and that she did not need to run into him or deal with him if she walked. She walked to the hospital cafe, where she hoped to get coffee, and right there standing in line was Axel, who was at the tail end of the line."Oh God! If this is a punishment for something I have done in the past, why don't you just let me know, and I will apologise to you instead of having to constantly see this man?" She said with an eyeroll as she walked to his back. She wished in the moment that s
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Vida went to see her father before deciding to leave for the day; neither of them brought up the marriage topic because it had ended badly. She told him that she would see him tomorrow before she left the hospital. All through the ride back home, Vida kept thinking of Axel and how she was going to get out of the marriage. She knew that if she had to marry him because of money, the only way she could get out of that situation was to make sure that the company was not able to file for bankruptcy; that way she was saved.She got into the house and went to her room. After changing out of her clothes and taking off her makeup, she called James. He was the only one who could help her with her plan. She had to find a way to get the financial status of the company and work from there; she was sure that there was a way to save the company from within, and the only reason her father was not doing it that way was because she was sick. She could not let her education go to waste like that."Ms. V
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Vida had always hated flying; it was one of the things that came with luxury that she did not fancy. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she heard the pilot announce decent. She had never taken off the seatbelt and had been strapped since she got on the plane. If not for the love she had for her father, she would never think of getting on a plane. When James, her father's assistant, called and told him that her father was sick, she wished within her that it was just one of her father's ploys to get her back home after all that had been what he had been trying to do for a long while. He sent her abroad to study and after her education, she decided she wanted to be an independent woman who would make a name for herself. Her father, however, had other plans and wanted her home immediately. "Thank you for flying Zenith Airway," she zoned out and that was all she heard. As soon as she touched down in the city, she was out of the airport gates in a cab and on the way to the hos
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She walked to the nurse's station and tried to look like someone who had not cried out her eyes a few moments ago. She tapped on the counter to alert the attention of the nurse, who was writing something down. The young girl raised her head and frowned before standing up to attend to her."How can I help you?" "Hi, I am Vida Van Allen," she started and stopped because of the expression on the nurse's face. She did not need to speak for her to hear all of the unspoken words. The girl was judging her with all of her might and they had met for the first time. "How can I help you?" she asked again as if Vida was wasting her time introducing herself. Vida wanted to pick a fight with the girl and tell her how she could never think of starting a conversation with her but she swallowed down all of her words. She was the one in need and it would be wrong for her to pick a fight with the nurse in charge of her father on the first day she got there. "I am Mr. Van Allen's daughter and I was wo
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Vida walked back to the room with James tailing her; she did not want to have the conversation there in the open, so she asked him to follow her. "What does the doctor mean by a second heart attack?" she asked as soon as she heard the door close. "Does that mean that there was a first one? If there was a first one, then why was nothing done about it? Why did you and all the medical staff allow it to degenerate this way? What was the problem?" she ranted, the words pouring from her mouth all at once. She was not sure but everyone seemed too relaxed for the state her father was in."Ms. Van Allen," James said in a relaxed tone, and it seemed as if she was right about it."Why on earth does everyone seem so relaxed? My father is..." she trailed off, pointing to him as she turned her head, and the sight of all the machines sticking to him broke her heart. "Lying there like that, you seem too relaxed.""Mr. Van Allen is just fine; he has received medical attention and is already responding
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Vida frowned. She did not like the way James fussed over him like he was a child who could not do anything for himself. Axel sat there, staring at her from the other side of the room. Vida took her eyes off him and focused on James. They were having a conversation before they were rudely interrupted by Axel. "I was saying," she began in a tight tone with her nose in the air. Both men cast their eyes on her, ready to hear what she had to say. "The doctor was telling me about his guardian, and I don't understand what he meant by that." "Oh," James exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with understanding as he nodded. Vida cast him an expression, hoping that it was speaking for itself and that she did not need to ask him to explain his exclamation. "Are you not going to explain?" "Your father made me his guardian," Axel replied. Vida was sure that she had heard wrong, and if that was not the case, maybe he was just saying a bunch of words to see how angry she would get when she heard them
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A nurse came in and told them that visiting hours were over and they needed to leave. Vida wanted to protest and say she was going to stay and take care of her dad, but there was a caretaker, and if she was being honest with herself, she would only be a liability if she remained there. Moreover, she needed rest after the long flight she had. As they stepped out of the room, she noticed Axel making his way to her, but she managed to slip out without having to talk to him. She already did not like him, so she was not going to stand there and have a lengthy conversation with him. She stepped into the Van Allen mansion and memories of her childhood filled her mind. She remembered running up and down the staircase while painting over the walls that had all been repainted when she turned into a teenager, and she remembered being a moody teenager while still living there. The house was pretty much the same, and everything felt the same aside from the fact that she felt replaced by that man—
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Vida woke up early the next morning to a call from James telling her that her father had finally gotten up. She was so elated that she promised to be there immediately; she was able to put herself together. She had a lot to do but she knew that her father had to come first. She hurried into the shower and took her bath before throwing on some casuals."You look especially happy this morning," Maria said as she entered the kitchen for a cup of water. "Better than yesterday at least," she added, and Vida hugged her from behind. "Which makes me conclude that you have gotten the information from James," she added, patting Vida's head gently."I am so excited that I can not wait to see him.""Sure but I can not let you roam around without having breakfast first," Maria said, pulling her to the table where an array of waffles made in different forms and shapes were displayed."All of this for me? Or is there a feast I am not aware of?" Vida asked with wide eyes as she turned her head from s
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Vida went to see her father before deciding to leave for the day; neither of them brought up the marriage topic because it had ended badly. She told him that she would see him tomorrow before she left the hospital. All through the ride back home, Vida kept thinking of Axel and how she was going to get out of the marriage. She knew that if she had to marry him because of money, the only way she could get out of that situation was to make sure that the company was not able to file for bankruptcy; that way she was saved.She got into the house and went to her room. After changing out of her clothes and taking off her makeup, she called James. He was the only one who could help her with her plan. She had to find a way to get the financial status of the company and work from there; she was sure that there was a way to save the company from within, and the only reason her father was not doing it that way was because she was sick. She could not let her education go to waste like that."Ms. V
21st Century Bride NINE
Vida stood there until the doctors and nurses finished their work; by the time they left his side, he was no longer coughing violently and was now resting quietly on the bed. She wanted to say a lot more things, but she knew how insensitive it would be of her to bring them up after all her father had just been through. Instead, she kissed him gently on the head and headed out of the room quietly.She needed time to blow off the steam she felt and the way her blood boiled. She hoped that Axel had left the hospital and that she did not need to run into him or deal with him if she walked. She walked to the hospital cafe, where she hoped to get coffee, and right there standing in line was Axel, who was at the tail end of the line."Oh God! If this is a punishment for something I have done in the past, why don't you just let me know, and I will apologise to you instead of having to constantly see this man?" She said with an eyeroll as she walked to his back. She wished in the moment that s
21st Century Bride EIGHT
Vida sat still; she was expecting her father to wave his hand in her face and laugh it out, calling it a pranl but he never did. Her father always had a jovial personality and he liked pranks so she was sure that this also was a prank; it had to be because this was the twenty-first century so how could her father be talking about an arranged groom? She knew that it happened in families like hers but she never thought it would happen to her."Dad, are you serious?" she asked when he did not announce it as a joke."Why would I be joking about this? Axel is your husband to be," he said and she sighed."I know that all of this is because of your thoughtfulness, but I have to decline.""Decline? Vida darling, we do not have the luxury of that.""I do not have the luxury of declining to marry a man." She asked with a face-changing expression as she was trying to understand what was going on. "Why don't I?""Did James discuss the finances of the company with you?" John asked calmly. He was s
21st Century Bride SEVEN
Axel cleared his throat multiple times when his skin touched Vida's, but she stood there with confusion written all over her. She could not understand her father's actions and the reason behind them. She was sure it was probably the side effect of him having been in a semi-coma. Instead of asking him the reason and going round and round in circles, she quietly removed her hand, which made them all take their hands off. She pulled up the small chair and sat beside his bed, taking his hand and gently tracing the pulsing veins."Everyone thinks that I am a bad child," she began."Who thinks that my Vida is a bad child, and how dare they think that?" John asked. Anyone could see the bond that the father and daughter shared and how comfortable they were around each other. It would make one wonder why Vida was so comfortable staying so far away from her father; at least that was what was running through Axel's mind at that time."Everyone," she said in a stressed voice. "The nurses were loo
21st Century Bride SIX
Vida woke up early the next morning to a call from James telling her that her father had finally gotten up. She was so elated that she promised to be there immediately; she was able to put herself together. She had a lot to do but she knew that her father had to come first. She hurried into the shower and took her bath before throwing on some casuals."You look especially happy this morning," Maria said as she entered the kitchen for a cup of water. "Better than yesterday at least," she added, and Vida hugged her from behind. "Which makes me conclude that you have gotten the information from James," she added, patting Vida's head gently."I am so excited that I can not wait to see him.""Sure but I can not let you roam around without having breakfast first," Maria said, pulling her to the table where an array of waffles made in different forms and shapes were displayed."All of this for me? Or is there a feast I am not aware of?" Vida asked with wide eyes as she turned her head from s
21st Century Bride FIVE
A nurse came in and told them that visiting hours were over and they needed to leave. Vida wanted to protest and say she was going to stay and take care of her dad, but there was a caretaker, and if she was being honest with herself, she would only be a liability if she remained there. Moreover, she needed rest after the long flight she had. As they stepped out of the room, she noticed Axel making his way to her, but she managed to slip out without having to talk to him. She already did not like him, so she was not going to stand there and have a lengthy conversation with him. She stepped into the Van Allen mansion and memories of her childhood filled her mind. She remembered running up and down the staircase while painting over the walls that had all been repainted when she turned into a teenager, and she remembered being a moody teenager while still living there. The house was pretty much the same, and everything felt the same aside from the fact that she felt replaced by that man—
21st Century Bride FOUR
Vida frowned. She did not like the way James fussed over him like he was a child who could not do anything for himself. Axel sat there, staring at her from the other side of the room. Vida took her eyes off him and focused on James. They were having a conversation before they were rudely interrupted by Axel. "I was saying," she began in a tight tone with her nose in the air. Both men cast their eyes on her, ready to hear what she had to say. "The doctor was telling me about his guardian, and I don't understand what he meant by that." "Oh," James exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with understanding as he nodded. Vida cast him an expression, hoping that it was speaking for itself and that she did not need to ask him to explain his exclamation. "Are you not going to explain?" "Your father made me his guardian," Axel replied. Vida was sure that she had heard wrong, and if that was not the case, maybe he was just saying a bunch of words to see how angry she would get when she heard them
21st Century Bride THREE
Vida walked back to the room with James tailing her; she did not want to have the conversation there in the open, so she asked him to follow her. "What does the doctor mean by a second heart attack?" she asked as soon as she heard the door close. "Does that mean that there was a first one? If there was a first one, then why was nothing done about it? Why did you and all the medical staff allow it to degenerate this way? What was the problem?" she ranted, the words pouring from her mouth all at once. She was not sure but everyone seemed too relaxed for the state her father was in."Ms. Van Allen," James said in a relaxed tone, and it seemed as if she was right about it."Why on earth does everyone seem so relaxed? My father is..." she trailed off, pointing to him as she turned her head, and the sight of all the machines sticking to him broke her heart. "Lying there like that, you seem too relaxed.""Mr. Van Allen is just fine; he has received medical attention and is already responding
21st Century Bride TWO
She walked to the nurse's station and tried to look like someone who had not cried out her eyes a few moments ago. She tapped on the counter to alert the attention of the nurse, who was writing something down. The young girl raised her head and frowned before standing up to attend to her."How can I help you?" "Hi, I am Vida Van Allen," she started and stopped because of the expression on the nurse's face. She did not need to speak for her to hear all of the unspoken words. The girl was judging her with all of her might and they had met for the first time. "How can I help you?" she asked again as if Vida was wasting her time introducing herself. Vida wanted to pick a fight with the girl and tell her how she could never think of starting a conversation with her but she swallowed down all of her words. She was the one in need and it would be wrong for her to pick a fight with the nurse in charge of her father on the first day she got there. "I am Mr. Van Allen's daughter and I was wo
