Meeting Him

"Honey, I'm so sorry," her mother uttered, desperation clinging to her voice. "I tried to talk your dad out of it, but the deal is already made, and we can't back out now."

Amelia's tears fell uncontrollably as she couldn't contain her emotions any longer. Anguish mixed with anger swirled within her, making her outburst fierce. "You must be kidding, you must fucking be kidding!" she yelled, her voice choked with pain.

Her father remained stoic, his expression cold and distant. "Amelia, you just have to get used to it. This is how life is," he said, his words devoid of empathy.

"Of course, you say that. It's not you that's getting married to a stranger," she retorted, her voice trembling with frustration.

"You're an adult now. You must learn to face the hardships in life without acting up," her father responded coolly, sipping his cup of coffee as if nothing had happened.

Amelia felt as if she was speaking to a brick wall, her words bouncing off without making an impact. Turning to her mother, she pleaded, "Mom, please don't let this happen. You're my mother, and you're my father. Don't you want me to choose my own future? Don't you want me to be happy?" Her mother's tearful reaction only deepened Amelia's despair.

"Nonsense. Happiness is earned. You have done nothing in your life to deserve happiness. This is the one thing you can do to make your mother and me proud. And who knows, maybe you'll even find happiness in this," her father stated, his tone cold and distant.

Amelia stared at her father in disbelief, her heart sinking further with every word he spoke. He didn't seem to care about her at all as if she were merely a pawn in his grand plan.

Just when Amelia thought the weight of the situation couldn't bear down on her any harder, her father dropped the bombshell. "You will be married in one week, and tomorrow the family of your future husband is coming over to our place for dinner. Wear something nice and be here by 5 p.m. sharp," he declared before leaving the room, leaving Amelia in shock.

"I'm so sorry," her mother repeated, her voice filled with sorrow. She continued to apologize repeatedly, but Amelia knew it wasn't her fault. She couldn't bear to see her mother in pain.

Amelia gathered her composure and approached her mother, sitting down beside her and enveloping her in a comforting embrace. "Mom, it's not your fault," she whispered, holding her tightly.

They sat in silence, finding solace in each other's presence. After discussing their feelings and fears, Amelia left to return to her own apartment.

The incident at her boyfriend's house had momentarily slipped from her mind, overshadowed by the impending wedding that now consumed her thoughts.

As she entered her apartment, she was taken aback to find Jonas waiting for her on the couch. The memories of their earlier encounter flooded back into her mind.

"Jonas, I don't have the time or energy to hear an explanation from you. Just leave me alone and go on with your life," she declared, her voice filled with a mixture of anger and exhaustion. She wanted to leave behind all the unnecessary drama, including Jonas, as she had far too much going on in her life.

She had reached her limit with him, and she had no intention of entertaining any further conversations or excuses. "Amelia, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I love you so much, and I don't want to lose you. Please give me a chance to explain. I didn't mean to do what I did," Jonas pleaded, his words filled with apparent sincerity. He appeared on the verge of tears, desperate for forgiveness.

Cutting him off sharply, Amelia retorted, "Jonas, cut the crap. If you didn't want to hurt me, you wouldn't have cheated on me in the first place. I'm sick and tired of you and all your excuses. Obviously, you didn't feel the same unconditional love for me as I felt for you. So do me a favor and leave. And don't contact me again." Her patience with him had run out.

Jonas finally understood that she was in pain and needed space. He complied with her request, handing over the key and exiting her apartment.

Amelia sank to the floor, her body overcome by exhaustion and sorrow. The tears flowed freely as she grieved the loss of her relationship.

The following morning, she awoke on the floor, her body still drained from the emotional turmoil of the previous day. Determined to find solace, she dressed in her gym clothes and running shoes, embarking on a long run. With each step, she felt a sense of liberation, as if running away from her troubles.

Returning home, she took a long, cold shower, washing away the remnants of her tears. Seeking a temporary escape, she settled down to watch her favorite show on N*****x, accompanied by a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. The hours passed as she indulged in the familiar comfort.

As the time for the life-changing dinner approached, Amelia readied herself. She applied her makeup with care, choosing a beautiful dress for the occasion. By 5 p.m., she was on her way to her parent's house.

Entering the house, she noticed both her parents dressed elegantly, their smiles forced and artificial. "Honey, you're here, and right on time," her father remarked, his smile masking the tension underneath.

Amelia brushed past him, seeking solace in her mother's embrace. "For you only," she whispered, the love between mother and daughter a respite from the storm brewing.

But her father interrupted, calling out her name just as they were about to sit down for dinner. Reluctantly, Amelia joined them, her cheeks burning with a mix of anger and frustration. She despised her father for what he had done and how little he seemed to care about her feelings.

The doorbell rang, momentarily breaking the tension. "It's them," her mother exclaimed, excitement radiating from her. Amelia felt a surge of resentment but suppressed it, not wanting to upset her mother any further.

Amelia glanced at the guy who stood at the door, immediately captivated by his attractive appearance. He exuded confidence, his well-fitted suit accentuating his figure.

"Hello, you must be Amelia. It's a pleasure to meet you," the woman, whom Amelia assumed was his mother, greeted her with a smile. Amelia mustered a polite response, struggling to maintain the veneer of formality.

"Well, let's let these two get to know each other," his father interjected, guiding the adults away from the room.

An awkward silence hung in the air as Amelia and Sean faced each other. Neither seemed eager to break the ice, but Sean's gaze lingered on her, causing irritation to bubble within Amelia. Unable to contain herself, she lashed out, "What are you staring at?"

Sean simply smirked, walking away casually as he retorted, "Looks like it's that time of the month." Amelia was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend how someone could say such a thing and then walk away without explanation.

Feeling a surge of anger, she stormed into the kitchen and took a seat beside her mother. As they sat around the table, Amelia felt a sense of unease, aware of the gravity of the situation. "So, Amelia, your mother tells me you're a sophomore at Valvet University," Sean's mother started, attempting to break the ice. "It's remarkable that you were admitted into one of Singapore's most prominent colleges. What are you studying?"

"I'm a business student," Amelia replied curtly, not interested in delving into further details. She glanced at her mother, silently pleading for help, and her mother quickly stepped in.

"Sean, you haven't said much. Can you tell me a little about yourself?" her mother asked, trying to fill the void with conversation.

"I'd rather not," Sean replied, taking a sip of water. Amelia couldn't help but chuckle at his response, which caught his attention. He gave her a small grin, gazing at her as if he truly saw the beauty within her.

His mother apologized for his behavior, and the rest of the dinner proceeded without major incidents. The relief washed over Amelia and Sean as they navigated the awkwardness, finding common ground.

After the dinner came to a close, her father made a suggestion that Amelia vehemently disagreed with. "If it's okay with you, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I'd like Amelia to take Sean back to her apartment. They can spend some quality time together and get to know each other better." Amelia's anger flared, her father's disregard for her feelings evident.

"No way, Dad. I don't think that's a good idea," Amelia responded quickly, determined to assert herself. Her father looked puzzled by her defiance. "Why not?" he questioned.

"I'm exhausted," she lied, attempting to escape the situation. But her father didn't accept her excuse. "No, young lady, that's not an excuse. Do as I say right now," he demanded, leaving Amelia with no choice.

Resigned, she retrieved her keys from her purse, kissed her mother goodbye, and walked out the door, Sean trailing behind her.

The car ride was filled with silence, tension hanging heavy in the air. After a few minutes, Sean broke the silence, surprising Amelia with his honesty. "You know, I don't want this marriage either. I'm only doing it to help my father with his company," he confessed.

"Well, I didn't have a choice," Amelia replied, her voice laced with resignation. "I had a future and a happy life with my boyfriend until yesterday when my world was turned upside down. Isn't that fucking terrific?"

Sean seemed taken aback by her choice of words, but he continued the conversation. "Wait, you had a boyfriend?" he asked, genuine surprise in his voice.

"No, not anymore. We ended things yesterday," Amelia stated with a cold smirk, her heartache still fresh.

"So, you're practically cheating on your fiancé," Sean remarked, an amused expression crossing his face.

"Technically, I never cheated because until yesterday, I didn't even know I had a fiancé," Amelia shot back, hoping to establish some boundaries.

Feeling a connection forming, Sean pressed for more information. "Wow, that's rough. Guess he wasn't satisfied with what you gave him if he had the balls to cheat on you."

"Yeah, I mean, I know intimacy is important in a relationship, but I wanted my first time to be special. I didn't want anything rushed," Amelia explained, hoping Sean would understand her perspective.

He didn't quite catch her hint, continuing to stare at her sympathetically. "You know, our wedding is in a week, and on our wedding night, intimacy is expected," Sean began, but Amelia quickly cut him off.

"I know that, but I'm never going to let you touch me. I don't want any sexual contact with you" she declared firmly, unwilling to compromise her boundaries.

"Cool," Sean replied boldly. "Although I never planned on touching you."

"Then we're on the same page," Amelia responded cheerfully. "Interesting, though, because I thought all men wanted was a woman's body. But you're different."

"Well, I'm not like any other man," Sean confessed. "I value compassion, empathy, and patience. And love should come before intimacy."

Amelia couldn't help but think, ‘This guy is one in a million.’