Chapter 9

Emma's POV

“Mom! Eva? What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice filled with surprise as I spotted them at my office door.

Eva rushed forward, arms outstretched, enveloping me in a tight embrace. “Isn’t it obvious? We missed you, darling.”

I hugged her back, feeling a mix of joy and unease. “I missed you too. But why the sudden visit?”

“To remind you that you’ve been working too hard and it’s time to settle down,” Mom chimed in, her tone both affectionate and insistent.

“Mom, please, not this again.” I rolled my eyes, but I knew from experience that she wouldn’t drop the subject so easily.

“You may not like this discussion, but that doesn’t mean we can avoid it forever.”

“Mom, can I tell her my news?” Eva interjected, clearly irritated by the direction the conversation was heading.

“What news?” I asked, turning to my sister.

She grinned and held out her left hand, showing off a dazzling diamond ring.

“I’m engaged!” Eva exclaimed, her excitement palpable.

For a moment, I stood there, stunned. “Engaged? To whom?” I finally asked, my mind racing.

She glanced at Mom, then back at me, hesitating. “To Daniel.”

Daniel? The name echoed in my mind like a bad memory. The same Daniel who had once been my fiancé, chosen by my father because he was, in Dad’s words, “the perfect match.” But I hadn’t agreed. I had called off the wedding and left, much to my father’s fury.

The man I dreaded a lot, even more than my own dad. He was just like my dad in every manner. 

I shivered thinking of Eva's life after getting married to him. 

“Daniel? Are you sure? Is Dad forcing you into this?” I asked, my voice rising with concern.

Eva shook her head. “No, nothing like that. After you called off the wedding, he was upset, but he moved on. We reconnected on a trip to Europe. We spent a lot of time together, became friends, and then he proposed to me in Paris.”

“And are you happy?” I asked, needing to be certain she wasn’t making the same mistake I almost did.

“Very happy,” Eva assured me. “I hope you’re not upset that I’m marrying him,” she asked me. 

I shook my head. “No, Eva, I’m not upset. I’m happy for you, truly. I never had any feelings for him, and that’s why I left. I’m just glad you’re sure about this. You are sure of this, right?” I asked again as I could not understand how she could fall in love with a man like him? 

“Thank you, Emma, let me assure you, I  am absolutely sure of my feelings for him. He is a bit of a non-romantic person, but I am over-romantic, so maybe we would get balanced. I just wanted to be certain you were okay with it.” she said with a smile. 

“Of course I am,” I said, smiling warmly at her. “You deserve to be happy.”

Mom, who had been silent for a while, took the opportunity to jump back in. “And when will we have the chance to celebrate your engagement, Emma? We’ve waited long enough.”

“Mom,” I groaned, exasperated. “Can’t we just have a normal conversation without bringing up marriage?”

“Your father is worried about you. We all are,” she said, ignoring my plea.

“He’s always worried about something I’m not doing right,” I replied, forcing a smile.

“We only want the best for you, Emma. But you keep pushing us away,” Mom said, her voice tinged with hurt.

“After all this time, can’t we just enjoy each other’s company without turning it into a melodrama?” I was losing patience.

“The issue is that you’re not doing what’s expected,” she retorted, clearly upset.

Eva, who had been watching this exchange with increasing discomfort, finally spoke up. “Mom, please don’t spoil the day.”

But Mom wasn’t done. “Your sister is younger than you, and she’s already in a serious relationship. What’s the problem, Emma?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not Eva. Why can’t you understand that?”

“Because you’re twenty-five, almost twenty-six, Emma. Your friends are settling down, and you’re still single. What are you waiting for?”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Please, Mom, not this again. Can we drop it, just for today?”

Eva, clearly feeling emboldened by Mom’s persistence, chimed in, “Mom’s right, Emma. You should think about settling down.”

I turned to her, incredulous. “You too, Eva? I’m so tired of this conversation. Let’s talk about something else—like your wedding plans.”

Eva hesitated, then sighed. “Alright. But there’s something I want to ask you.”

“Anything,” I said, was relieved to change the subject.

“I want you to be engaged before my wedding,” she said, her voice soft but firm. 

I stared at her, shocked. “That’s not fair, Eva. This isn’t a game.”

“I know it’s not fair, but it’s what I want,” she said, her eyes pleading.

Was she scared that Daniel and I might get on where we left off? She was insecure?? 

No! Maybe! 

I looked at her, then at Mom, who was beaming with hope. They were ganging up on me, and I knew it.

“Fine,” I said, giving in, “but I don’t even have a boyfriend.”

“That’s okay,” Eva replied with a mischievous grin. “We’ve got time to find someone.”

Mom clapped her hands, clearly thrilled. “We’ll help you find the perfect man, Emma.”

I sighed, knowing this wasn’t going to end anytime soon. “I’ll do my best. But right now, can we please eat? I’m starving.”

Mom smiled and nodded. “Of course, darling. Let’s eat.”

As we sat down to have lunch, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on me. But I also knew one thing for sure—I wasn’t going to let anyone, not even my own family, dictate my future.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of wedding talk and laughter, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that my life was about to become a lot more complicated. As much as I loved my family, I had no intention of following the path they so desperately wanted for me.