003

Mulan's POV

To my delight, Tristan accepted after a brief hesitation which I fully understood.

Both of us were not ready for marriage and I clearly told him if we turned out not to be compatible, we could divorce.

At least, I have nothing to lose when my mother is alive, hale and hearty.

Standing behind the mirror in my bedroom, I applied a bit of makeup on my face and after ensuring that I was fully prepared, I stepped out of my room.

We both agreed to be at the registry by eight am for our marriage certificate but I arrived fifteen minutes earlier.

When he didn't arrive at eight, I became worried, taking several glances at my wristwatch and the entrance.

Half an hour past eight am, he was still yet to arrive.

Unable to hold it in any longer, I dialed his phone but it was switched off.

“What am I going to do now?” I muttered, biting my lower lips as I regretted my decision of waiting until Saturday before visiting the registry.

“If I had chosen a date earlier, even if he doesn't show up, I can be assured we will return by the following day.” I muttered, my eyes hot with tears.

My belief that I was going to lay hands on my inheritance spurred me to spend all my money on my mother's medicine, pending when she would be moved into the OR for operation.

Blinking my eyes rapidly, I tried to send back the tears pooling in my eyes but it was to no avail.

“Are you alright?” A kind feminine voice from behind me asked and at once I jerked in fright.

Wiping my eyes with the back of my palms, I nodded, flashing her a coy smile.

Not wanting to engage her in any form of conversation, I quickly scurried out the building and then flagged down a cab.

Why was I crying back there? — I couldn't help but to ask myself as I fiddled with my phone.

It wasn't as if Tristan had dumped me, his phone was turned off, that’s all.

“He probably had a hectic day at work and overslept.” I muttered in his defense, still fiddling with my phone.

The moment the car pulled up in Tristan’s alley, I got off and then paid my fare only for a lady to hurriedly rush into the car, pushing me to the side in the process.

Wondering what the issue was, I raised my brow but shrugged the thought off as I proceeded into Tristan's house.

The door was not locked so, I merely pushed it in only to meet him sitting half naked, left for only his shorts on the couch.

Suddenly, the perfume of the lady from earlier waltz through my nostrils and at once my senses become heightened.

“Hey babe, you never told me you will be coming.” He said in a jolly voice, trying to pull me into a hug but I halted him.

Picking up his shirt which was lying on the floor, I took in a deep drink of the scent which was a mix of his and the lady’s perfume.

As if that was not enough, there were lipstick stains all over.

“Hey babe, what's the problem?” He appeared in front of me, trying to stop me once more but I pushed him to the side.

Hurrying towards the stairs, my eyes were already burning with hot tears as I was slowly getting a hang of what had happened.

All of a sudden I halted when I stepped on a wrapped paper; lowering myself to the floor, I discovered it was a condom pack.

That was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

“Mulan believe me, I can explain.” His words were followed by a hard slap that caused him to stagger backwards.

“What do you take me for? A fool?” I yelled, my veins popping out of my neck in protest.

“I'm sorry, please.” He said in a sing song voice. Grabbing my shoulder, he went on his knees, “I honestly don't know what came over me last night.”

Disgusted, I pushed him to the side and with heavy footsteps, I stomped off in anger barely escaping being hit by a grey Chevrolet Silverado.

“Mulan, please come back, we can sort things out.” Tristan yelled, causing me to snap my head around only to see him approaching me.

Almost immediately, I flagged down a cab and then got in before he could get to me.

What have I done to deserve this? — I muttered, biting my lower lips as my intestines churned in protest.

Tristan has always confessed his love for me anytime he got the chance, little did I know what he was making a fool of me.

“Where are we headed?” The cab man’s voice broke through my trail of thought.

“Uhm…” Unsure of what to say to him, I filtered off.

After what I did to Denver some days ago, he sacked me leaving me without a job, going home was the least I wanted not to talk of paying a visit to the hospital in this mental state of mine.

Taking a deep breath, I leaned forward, “Any restaurant around.”

He affirmed this with a nod and once again only my sniff rented the atmosphere.

It was as if whoever it was that was behind the lighting of the bar was waiting for me because the moment I stepped in, the lights went off.

Wondering what the issue was, I began to dart my eyes around until lights flooded the screen in the bar.

Will you marry me, Elsie? — I read in my head.

“OMG, this is so romantic.” I could hear girls chirping around me and involuntarily, a smile spread on my lips.

Just as it came, it disappeared when a sharp sound rang across the room.

“A slap?” I pondered, watching the lady in front of a man seated on a wheelchair seething with anger.

“You must be stupid to think I’m going to get married to a cripple like you.”