Chapter 3

Ethan

Today is finally the Saturday that my father has been harping on my ears so much since my arrival. I hope that after this famous meeting between our two families, I will finally be able to sleep peacefully. My father acted as if this marriage would open the doors of paradise to us, lol. If my interests weren't so much at stake, I would not have hesitated for a second to send him packing. I thought my father was frankly exaggerating for this little bit. Everything for him boils down to the interests of his business. It's always been that way with him. Since I was a child, he only talked about his business all the time and nothing else. I never had a normal father and son relationship with him. If at the beginning, it had affected me a lot, I ended up adapting to this situation. Today, I no longer complain about it. On the contrary, I took advantage of it and I take full advantage of it.

I was getting ready while thinking about how this evening would look. Whatever people say, I would like to meet this girl who is my betrothed. Is she so desperate enough to agree to throw herself into the arms of a stranger? No doubt she couldn't interest me at all. I like women of character, who know how to impose themselves and impose their will. Nevertheless, I will see what she looks like. Who knows, maybe that marriage will not be as boring as I think, at the end of the day. Perhaps I will fall on a beautiful girl. I can't wait to see her.  

At the time of the meeting, my father, my mother and my sister, as well as me, we settled down in the living room to wait for our guests. I could read on the faces of the others a lot of seriousness while I didn't care. After all, it's my wedding, but they're behaving as if it's theirs.

My father and my future father-in-law have the two largest companies in the country. They have always been the biggest competitors this country ever had. This marriage was a covenant beyond that between the girl and me. It will open a door for a lasting and fruitful collaboration between the largest economic operators in this country. That's why my dad was so keen on it. We are still waiting for our guests and they should have been there already thirty minutes. It can be read on my father's face that he is disturbed by this delay. He was quick to point this out

"I wonder why George is late." He asked anxiously.

"Dad, they should have been here only thirty minutes. It's not killing anyway, they will surely be there soon." Said Lara, surely not measuring the meaning of her words.

"My daughter, in business, a tiny minute can cost millions, even billions." My father retorted in a kind voice.

"Oops! I didn't know that, sorry." ?Said Lara putting her hand to her mouth.

“What worries me is Georges. He's not the type to be late." Teplied my father, looking worried.

"If your future partner isn't here yet, it may be because he decided to change his mind at the last minute." I outlined, leaning back even more in my seat.

"I also found this idea stupid. Luckily he understood it before things got out of hand. It's not too early." I continued to say.

My father gave me such a stern look that I became very calm and made myself small in my place. Before he said anything, we heard a noise coming from outside. It was that of a car. About two minutes later, a well-preserved middle-aged man enters the room where were are sitted. I immediately imagine who he is. My father got up and went to him

"Welcome home George!" He said to him, bearing a warm smile.

"Thank you Fansou!" He replies, smiling in turn. .

The two men walked towards us together. My father indicated to my future father-in-law the seat reserved for him and he sat down after having greeted my mother, my sister and me. I greeted him with respect, as a son-in-law greets his father-in-law. I had to play the game to the end, so as not to attract my father's wrath on me. But a question turlipinated my mind, that of knowing where my future wife had gone. Why wasn't she there with her father? I must admit that it tormented my mind to finally see her. Who knows, maybe she's not finally a desperate woman who runs after marriage as I had imagined and that this marriage was imposed on her as well as on me.

I was imagining various reasons why my future bride had not come, when my father spoke.

"So Georges, how are you? Business, how's it going?"

"Ah Fansou, you know, business is business." He responds in a parable as only they understood their business language.

"I didn't see my future daughter-in-law with you, nothing bad happened to her I hope?! Or would she have withdrawn at the last minute, as these children often know how to be stubborn and rebellious?" asked my father anxiously.

Me too, I open my ears greatly to listen to the reason for the absence of my future wife.

"Ah yes, my daughter... First, I would like to apologize to you for being late. You know that I make a point of honor on punctuality..."

"That's what I was telling my family just before you arrived." My father said within him cutting him off.

"Actually, I had a little problem with my daughter." 

Hearing him say that, I gloated in my heart, surely this girl is more reasonable than I thought. Who knows, if she's going to be my way out of this meaningless marriage. But to my great disappointment, I hear him continue to say.  

"She had malaria and she's been in bed for two days already. Since the appointment had already been made between our two families, I couldn't not come today. But at the next meeting , my daughter will be present." He reassures my father in a convincing tone.  

The rest of what they said, I hadn't paid attention to. At the end if the day, it did not interest me at all. They could do whatever they wanted, I knew what was my benefit. I entered my room at the end of the meeting with a bit of disappointment. My father has decided to marry me against my will. All this, just because he wants to blackmail me for the job I'm applying for in his company. Can't he just give it to me? Am I then ready to take the plunge for marriage? Why does he want to sacrifice me for his professional interests, supposedly he does it so that I become responsible. Bullshit, just bogus and misleading excuses!

The following week, my sister asks me to accompany her to the supermarket. Of course, I refused, but she insisted so much that I had no other choice. Tania could show herself persuasive. Finally, I had no other choice than to accompany her.

"Tania, you take me for your slave, I don't like it!" I complained while driving.

"You should consider yourself lucky to be my slave, microbe ! There are hundreds of guys who would dream of being in your place." She said in an ironic tone.

 "Yeah, that's it ! What guy would even want it first? A monkey like you?! And I am the President of the United States." I replied laughing.

My sister and I like to tease each other. She's my only sister and the youngest in the family, our parents only had four children. The other two left home early to go to Europe to continue their studies. They are now working there and are not even talking about coming back home. I think they are running away from our dad's control. Since they left when we were still very young, we don't have a close relationship. My sister and I having lived together, we are very close. I know it's her way of spending time with me, so I don't have to worry too much about pleasing her. We arrive at the mall then she goes out to shop.

"Won't you come with me?" She asks me for the umpteenth time as she gets out of the car.

"No thanks! I'm not ready to spend an hour watching you walk the runway trying on clothes you don't even need and probably won't ever wear."

"You don't know what you're missing! I will nevertheless keep you a boxer shorts." She pointed out laughing as she turned her back on me to enter the mall. 

I stay in the car waiting until Tania finishes her shopping and comes back to me. As I know it will take a long time, I take my laptop and I start writing. Yes, I am a writing enthusiast. I've been writing books since childhood and it's my favorite hobby. I write for about half an hour, then I don't know by what force of fate, my gaze took off from my computer to land on a young woman going to the mall. My God, what a beautiful sight I see at this moment? This body, this behind, this gait... It's quite simply the good life! I follow the girl in the gaze until she disappears from my field of vision as she enters the mall. I file my computer and place it in the back seat, then I sneak into the mall. With a quick glance, I scan the inside of my gaze and without much effort, I manage to have the young girl standing in the left corner of the room. I walk towards her direction. She is standing in the cleaning products department. I walked slowly and placed myself at a good angle to admire this angelic beauty. On the spot, I imagine a scene to speak to her. I walk towards her and throw her like a fool

"They're beautiful, aren't they?!" 

I realize my blunder when it is already out and I would like to go underground right now. Indeed, the pretty young lady is holding dishwashing powder in her hand. I said what first came to mind without thinking. Like any answer, the girl smiled at me without saying anything. I almost melted like wax on fire in front of this divine smile, it is so beautiful. I had never seen such a beautiful painting. She has extraordinary teeth and beautiful white teeth. I hang on her pink lips as I hear her sweet honeyed voice telling me.