Chapter 2

“What took you so long?” Mama asked strictly when I came back to my seat.

Papa is busy talking with Mr. Marzon. They seems to not notice my presence yet.

I bit my lips and felt a little bit shy especially when I saw Vren's eyes is on me. Again, it made me uncomfortable. He's like a predator watching his prey. Wait.. What?

I cleared my throat. “The restroom was full, Mama. I had to wait for minutes because of that,” I answered.

Mama raise her eyebrow but did not replied. Papa got her attention again and they laughed together with Mr. Marzon. Meanwhile, Vren is still staring at me intently. My brows furrowed.

Why do he keep on staring at me? Do I have some dirt in my face?

Because of that, I unconsciously duck my head to look at the screen of my phone. It is clean. Still beautiful. No dirt. What's wrong with him? I rolled my eyes as I inserted back my phone inside my sling bag. Is this the first time he saw a radiant woman like me?

Oh well..

“So when is the wedding?” Mama asked so suddenly.

I was busy looking at the whole place when she asked that the reason why my head instantly turned to her.

For a fleeting moment, I want to be dumb. I don’t want to understand it. I want to ask, 'what wedding?' or 'who’s wedding, Mama?'. But God knows I know what she means by that!

Mr. Marzon laughed and so as Papa. Like they both knew what Mama is talking about. I was caught off guard and my whole face paled.

“Well.. We are not in a hurry, right?” Mr. Marzon said grinning as he looked at me.

Mama laughed loudly, waving her hands on the air. “Oh, no! Not really!”

“I will let my son decide on that. He is the groom anyway..” Mr. Marzon looked at his son.

They all look at the person infront of me. When they went silent, I got tempted to look at him too. I gulped as I slowly glanced at Vren. He was silently sipping on his glass while his eyes are lingering on me intently. I gasped.

He swiftly placed the empty glass on the table after he drank all the water in it without even looking away from me. My breathing hitched. I could not get my eyes off him too and it is making me upset! My heart is throbbing rapidly. I am terrified on what he's going to answer!

His lips twisted, still looking at me. “My bride isn't ready yet..”

I gritted my teeth.

“I will let her decide on it, too. We will still talk about it..”

This jerk!

“That's great!” Mama clapped her hands in so much enthusiasm.

Jaw fell opened, I stared at my parents. They both look happy and excited without thinking of their daughter's feelings. My heart ached with that. I cannot believe it! I really could not believe it! I feel like they are not my parents anymore. They don’t care about me anymore.

That made my tears begun to start but I had to hold it back because the man infront of me is not taking his eyes off me. I tried to look at him too but it only lasted for a second. I immediately avoided my gaze.

I clenched my fist under the table as I took a deep breath. Calm down, Chantylle.. Please do not cry here. You are strong. You can make this..

My parents started to change when our company started to fail too. At first, I did not even care about it. As long as they still give me anything I want and everything I need, I am good. Not until my father begun to hinder me from going out and messing up with my plans. They even limit me from buying different kinds of branded bags, watches and shoes! Even the jewelries I’d love to buy.

But I got so much of their rules that’s why when I tried to disobey it, they took all of my cards away from me. Reason why I couldn’t say no in this meeting. I had to be good to take back my cards.

“Thank you so much for inviting us in this dinner, Raymond,” Papa said when our dinner has ended.

“I am pleased that you came, though..” Mr. Marzon laughed.

“Are we going to expect a next call?” Mama joked and the three of them laughed.

I did not laugh, though. And so as Vren but I snorted. Vren and Mr. Marzon both looked at me. Papa and Mama laughed again however Mama was the one who held my shoulders tightly. I looked up to her and she gave me a leering look.

My parents bid their goodbyes to them hurriedly. Tongue-tied, I bid my goodbye too.

“Chantylle!” Papa called when we went home.

I acted like I did not hear him. I acted like I do not care about anything. I acted like I am not hurt. I acted like I am cool. But the truth is I am at the very urge of crying. I am just pulling myself up.

We just entered the house yet here he is, going to start with his litanies again. I am tired of it. All I want is to go and lay down to my bed to sleep.

Only few steps to the stairs then I am off to my room, Papa called me again.

“Chantylle! If you are not going to face me, you will end up outside this house!”

I gasped. My eyes watered immediately. My lips trembled. My heart hurt so much with the fact that he could throw me out in the middle of the cold night! Where is my loving father now?

I slowly turn around to face Papa. His angry eyes were darted to me. I could almost see the fire on it. And Papa’s veins on his neck is showing, telling me that he is really not pleased with my actions.

“You were so silent and rude on our dinner and now you’re like this? Where are your manners?! I told you not to be rude but what did you do?!”

“Tone down your voice, Anthony,” Mama said calmly.

I looked at Mama. And even if I don’t want, I still hoped that she would take side with me. But when she noticed that I was looking at her, she looked away with a hard face.

With that, my tears fell down to my cheeks.

“Don’t use that tears on me, Chantylle. You know that it won’t be effective anymore," Papa said firmly with a piercing look.

I know, Papa. You don’t have to say that. Because I know...

That company is more important than me. More important than your daughter.

Papa continued his long litanies and I was silently crying all the time. Mama went up to their room like nothing is happening here. Like I am not her daughter..

That time, I stopped hoping that my parents will be back to themselves.

After hearing my father, I hurriedly locked myself up in my room and cried loudly. I lost my care even if they would hear me and would think that I am doing it on purpose just to make them guilty.

I was in the middle of crying when my laptop rang. When I saw that my friends are calling, I wiped all my tears and answered the video call immediately.

“What happened to you? Why are your eyes swollen?” Eliana’s concered voice was the first one to talk after they scanned my face.

“Did you just cry?” Vivien asked.

“Just a little bit,” I lied as I smiled.

“What? Why? Wait.. Tell us what happened!”

“What happened in the dinner you told us?”

I sighed and started telling them what happened. Starting from the meeting until how Papa scolded me. And to my wonder, they both look shock.

“Are you kidding?” Vivien asked ridiculously.

My brows furrowed. “Do I look like I’m kidding?” I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes.

“Vren Marzon? Really? Vren? You must be kidding us! It can’t be!” Eliana said.

“Yes. Vren Marzon. What’s with the reaction, girls?”

They looked at each other like what I asked is so ridiculous. Then they both laughed.

“That’s Vren Marzon you are talking about! The Vren Marzon! And oh my. You also met Raymond Marzon, his father! I can’t believe you don’t know them!”

“And you’re saying that Mr. Marzon and your parents are planning the both of you to be wed?” Vivien shook her head while laughing.

“What?”

“Oh gosh! Vren Marzon is the adonis-like business prodigy! Everyone knows him! He owns different kinds of business and it has branches all over the world! He came from a wealthy family but still rich in his own! Chantylle, you are missing something like this and we can’t believe you!” Eliana spatted.

What...