4. Too stubborn to cry.

I walked inside the house, with my phone buzzing like anything. It's Celine, I get it, I forgot to call or text her for two days. I was checking her texts which were mostly worried and then changed into a curse.

"Hey, babe. What happened? Everything alright?"

"Babe, you there?"

"Babe, you're not responding. I'm worried. Text me or call me ASAP."

"Lyn, it's literally been 2 days. Is everything alright?"

"Lyn, babe you there? What's going on there?"

"OMG, Evelyn Lawrenson. I'm gonna fucking kill you if you won't reply."

I know, I should have at least replied to 'The ASAP' text or for the 'Lyn babe' text. But trust me I may look alright but I'm freaking out inside.

Imagine how will a girl react when she's called back home, only to say that her family business is on its doom and has to marry a stranger who turns out to be your past rival and with whom she enters a contract marriage leaving her career.

Compared to her I have dealt with this matter calmly. I was typing a whole sorry message walking through the halls when I head my name.

"Eve."

I turned towards where the voice came and found mum and coming towards me with a big smile that obviously said 'She likes him and the lunch went well.', you might add 'they kissed' in the sentence. Poor parents only if they knew Adam's real behavior they would have called off the wedding.

"How was your lunch?" Mum asked.

"How's Adam? Do you like him? If not I can cancel it off. No pressure, your opinion matt-" I cut him off before he speaks out an essay about his care for his daughter for at least..... one hour.

"Dad calm down. I met him and he's....." I paused and my parents are looking at me like a child sees a candy store. Lots of expectations, can't let them down.

"Lovely and sweet. I like him.....a lot." I lied.

My parents were the ones who supported me in the first place on everything and I'm lying to them straight on their faces. I feel like I'm cheating them, but it's for the best. I smiled trying to hide my hatred towards myself and went upstairs into my room.

I was cursing myself in my head when I heard my phone ring. I wish it's not Celine. It took the phone from the bed and there she was calling me. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the curses.

"H-Hello," I answered hesitantly.

"My goodness, Lyn. You finally answered. Is everything alright?" She asked with a worried tone. Now I hate myself more for making her worry.

"Yeah, everything's fine, just a small problem. Dad found a solution. Look I'm-" I was about to apologize but she stopped me.

"So, everything's fine now?" She asked. Oh, I know where it's going.

"Yeah" I replied.

"Then why the fuck weren't you answering my messages? Do you have any idea how much I was worried? Goddamn it Evelyn." She shouted loud enough for my ear to bleed but luckily it isn't.

"Wait, look, I'm sorry for making you worry." I apologized.

"Worry? No, no, no. You scared the shit outta me, Lyn. God damn it, I got dark circles for no reason." She shouted again.

"I'm sorry. I really am. It's just things have been going super weird and very crazy. I'm still progressing myself to accept the reality."

"Weird? What happened?" She asked, with a bit calm tone.

"Umm......I'm....." I paused. It feels uncomfortable to tell her this. Don't ask me the reason, I don't know why.

"You're what? What's going on?" She asked.

I took a long breath before speaking.

"The thing is.......I'm getting married." 

"WHAT?" She gave the exact same reaction I gave when dad said it to me.

"I'm getting married," I said the harsh reality again.

"I-I'll call you later, bye babe." She ended the call.

What just happened? Is she freaking out?. I tried to call but she wasn't answering. 

"I'm sorry, I know you're freaking out, so am I. Just call me." I texted. She hasn't replied, nor saw the message.

"Li, come on, I'm sorry, please answer the phone." I texted after one hour, still, there isn't any reply.

What did I do? It's the first time she's behaving like this. Is she upset? Is she crying?. I didn't even have an appetite to have dinner. I reluctantly ate some food and when mum asked, I simply lied saying I'm on a crash diet.

With all those thoughts and still hating myself for making everyone worry, I slept. The next morning I went for a run and headed straight to the gym. I went back to room to freshen up and when I took a deep breath, tears started rolling down. I sat on the bed, wiping my tears.

"Li........... I know you're here." I said in between sobs.

I kept my hands on my face sobbing and heard the bathroom door open. I felt the bed beside heavy and felt a hand on my shoulder. I slowly removed the hands from my face and saw the person beside me. 

"How do you know I was here?" She asked with a soft tone.

"It's because you never change your Granny smith apple fragrant Nina Ricci perfume," I sniffed.

She hugged me suddenly and I hugged her back tightly.

"Such a sensitive nose." She said with a small chuckle.

"I'm sorry, for making you worry. I didn't expect things to be like this. I'm sorry." I apologized.

"It's okkay. I can understand, things have been crazy. I know how you're feeling." She replied caressing my back.

"I'm really sorry, Li. I'm sorry for everything." I said in between my sobs.

"Your apology is been accepted. Now, stop crying. Everything's fine, I'm not angry." She tried to calm me.

But I cried and cried, I finally let out my tears I have been holding all this time. It was hard to take all this. 

"Too stubborn to cry all this time." Celine said while wiping my tears.

"I couldn't. If I did mum and dad will find out I wasn't happy with their decision." I said in a low tone.

"Too stubborn, to show your weakness, like always. It's okkay, I'm here." She said in a soft tone.

"Thanks for coming. It's been hard maintaining everything." I said wiping the last tear on my face.

"Why don't you......... go and freshen up. We can talk after breakfast." She said after cupping my hands.

"Okkay. Give me 10 minutes." I replied.

I went inside the bathroom to freshen up. After coming out we both went downstairs and joined my parents for the breakfast.

"I'm so happy you came, dear. You can help your friend with the wedding." Mum said to Celine.

"Of course, mum. She can't walk down the aisle without a bridesmaid," Celine replied.

"Dad, you guys know that Celine's coming?" I asked.

"We honestly don't. I saw her getting off from the cab after you went for a run. She wanted to surprise you, so we acted along." Dad replied with a smile.

Since the day, I agreed to the marriage, the smile on mum and dad's face wasn't leaving. They were being ecstatic about my marriage and me......I'm fucking freaking in the inside and acting like I'm happy on the outside.

We had breakfast and went back to my room. Celine closed the door and her happy face turned into a frown.

"Now, explain. What the fuck is going on here?" 

"On my run, I saw tulips blooming in the nearby park. Your favorite. Wanna go and check them?" I suggested.

"Tulips? Park? I'm being serious. Answer the goddamn question." She almost yelled.

"I'll take shower, let's go check them out together." I smiled and went inside the bathroom. 

I got ready and asked Ralph to take us there. Celine is sure an impatient woman, but seeing her being calm is making me wonder how she will freak out after we reach the park. We were walking through the freshly bloomed tulips andits smell always soothes the stressed minds.

"Now, answers. What the fuck is going on here? I thought you said there's a problem with the business. How did it end up with you getting married?" Celine asked.

I took a long breath and turned around. 

"Long story short. The family business is doomed. Dad and Mathew Harrison decided to merge the businesses and our families." 

"That's the worst reason I ever heard. Your life will be doomed if you marry." Celine said coming towards me.

"I know, but it's the only way." I tried to convince her.

"But it comes with a price. You're aware of the consequences right?" She asked with a worried tone.

"Yes, I can't sign the contract with Elite. I have made my decision after considering all consequences." I said with a small smile.

"Lyn, marrying isn't always an option." 

"It is now," I said nodding my head.

"If you've decided to get married. There's something I have to tell you." Celine said after taking a long breath. She sounded way more serious than ever.

"And, there's something along with that too."

"First, you." She said.

"Okkay. Here it goes. The marriage isn't real. I mean it's real...... for my parents." I took a long breath.

"I'm getting into a contracted marriage. It's for one year. Then we'll get divorced and my life will be mine." 

"What? Contract marriage, like in novels?" She asked. I simply replied with a nod.

"Then why the hell didn't you tell me in the first place? I made a trip to Manchester for no reason." Celine sighed shaking her head.

"Selfish. What is yours something to tell?" I asked.

"Nothing........... I was just gonna ask about your career." She replied.

"I'll be continuing my modeling career in the company after the whole merging thing," I said with a hand gesture.

Celine slowly came towards me and held my hand. I looked at the hand she's holding and to her face.

"Real or fake. You do know that you're letting go of the prestigious contract with this marriage, right?" She said in a soft tone.

"I know but the decision has already been made and I can't help but act along." I exclaimed.

"Whatever you do. Make sure you won't regret it. It breaks me to see you in pain." She said in a soft tone.

I hugged her in response.

"I know," I whispered burying my face on her shoulder.

"I just feel, awful for lying to mum and dad. A part of me wants to tell them so badly." I said still hugging her.

"Please don't. I can figure out what you're going through, but this is something that's worth hiding. Just don't tell them anything, it may worsen the things." Celine said in a slow tone.

"I'll try," I replied.

We broke the hug after some time and sat were walking in the park.

"These tulips do are beautiful". She said caressing one of the tulip flowers.

I smiled in response. We grabbed drinks from the wending machine and were walking when she finally decided to ask the question.

"So who is that stranger, you're gonna marry to?" 

"Well, he isn't really a stranger. We met him before." I replied.

"We? You mean I know that guy too?" She asked surprisingly pointing her index finger towards her.

"Yes. It's been years, but I'm pretty sure you remember him." I said with a smile.

"Well, he must be a special one, if I remember him. Whose he anyway." She asked.

"The asshole, I got into a fight, during our University internship program." 

"There were many assholes in that program." She replied.

"Yeah, but I'm talking about 'The Asshole'" I said with air quotes.

As soon as I made air quotes, Celine remembered him.

"The Asshole?" She said with a surprised tone along with the air quotes.

I nodded my head in agreement.

"Adam? I can't believe the shit that's happening around me." She said rolling her eyes.

"Well, I was shocked too. He's the one who proposed the contract marriage. And now, I have to bear that bastard for one year." I said with an exhausted tone.

"Great. So, is he the same asshole like before, or did he become less?" She asked.

"He used to be an asshole and now he became Cold bastard. I get chills, because of his cold attitude." I replied.

"You must have made a sin in your past life to end up with him." She mocked.

"Oh, I'm sure, I did." I laughed.

We chatted for some time and came back home. We had lunch, played video games with Ralph, had dinner, and went to bed. I'm finally stress-free to share all these things with someone close to me.