“Austin,” Grandpa calls me and immediately corrects himself. “Treat your fiancée well at work. You both will be engaged after the second family greeting.”I don’t say a word in response to that instruction, and he doesn’t bother because he knows that I will not defile his instructions.Tessa chooses to ride with my back to the family residence and I can’t get her to shut up knowing that was the exact reason she chose to join my car.“Wow! I am the happiest woman on earth today. I will go to church for a Thanksgiving prayer and offer arms to the poor. I won’t even get man if anyone offends me today.”A deep breath escapes my lips. This is what I have been hearing her say for the past five minutes since we got on transit.I don’t see a point in her happiness but as a thought occurs to me, I quickly turn my sharp gaze to her. “Did you know Emily was the woman the family arranged for me?”“No!” she denies immediately with a small furrow to her brows. “Believe me, I am as shocked a
SUNDAY.Emily’s POV.Brenda regains control of Mum and Dad’s love at the breakfast table but at least this time, there is peace.Everyone seems to be in a good mood except for Brenda and I.Well, Mum and Dad are happy with the family meeting with the Moore’s and the agreement half-reached that they can’t smiling from ear to ear.Brenda looks a little moody; still feigning weakness and unwell but otherwise, she is eating well. I bet to think that she doesn’t want to ruin the atmosphere today with her usual targets at me after being scolded for the first time in her life.On the other hand, I have no reason to be in a good mood regardless of the peace at the table. Even if anyone makes a rude remark at me, I won’t even battered an eye or be angry about it. I will simply focus on finishing my dinner and leaving.I am yet to get a call from Christopher regarding the marriage agreement or the one-nightstand case. I am very worried because I can’t even tell his thoughts or his plans.
Barbara seems to enjoy my reaction because she continues the next moment, “My Dad is good friends with the Moore family so of course, when he asks for something, they can’t refuse him.”I almost laughed to myself. So, instead of vying for a better position she snags the secretary’s position?“You should be ashamed of yourself that a secretary desk is the only position you found befitting to occupy with all your connections,” I sneer, putting her down immediately.Barbara doesn’t seem too bothered with my response instead, she twirls a strand of her hair. “At least my family love me so dearly that they will be willing to do anything for me unlike yours who will treat an adopted daughter better than their biological daughter.” I am not hurt by Barbara’s statement because I have long accepted reality. But I think of her as a full who goes around spewing statements she shouldn’t be saying.The worst part of it all is that she doesn’t seem to mind where she is before speaking mindles
As soon as I sit, Christopher asks, “How did you get your hands on the CCTV footage?”Instantly, my heart leaps in my chest. I wasn’t expecting that to be his concern. Isn’t he supposed to talk about the one-night stand and our arranged marriage?There is no way I can lay my cards out on the table when I don’t know his intentions, so I reply, “I had a little help from others?” “Little help?” Christopher lifts a brow , hinting at his need for me to continue.“I paid to get it for me,” I lie without batting an eye.I know the man sitting in front of me is no fool, and that’s the reason I have to answer all his questions with all confidence, hoping that he would accept them. Unfortunately for me, he looks like he doesn’t buy them.Christopher pauses for a moment and leans away from his food, his gaze still on me. “Emily, I will be contented if you directly tell you don’t want to answer my questions. Don’t make me a fill by telling me lies.”As I wonder how he found that out so ea
I feel the urgent need to settle things with Christopher before his inauguration ceremony in two days, so I don’t think twice before dialling his contact. The call goes to voicemail after two rings, so I try again. In the end, I fail to reach him. I end up leaving him a text before going straight to the kitchen to grab some food. “Emily, you are back,” Mum says, surprised to see me when enters the kitchen to give instructions for dinner. “What time did you arrive?”I literally have no idea if Mum is worried that I might have overheard Brenda’s outburst or not, so I just give her a vague response.“Not long,” I say and quickly disappear from her sight before she can throw another question at me.I am surprised to see two missed call notifications on my phone when I return and immediately, I unlock my phone to see they were from Christopher.I quickly put away my bowl of noodles and call him back not minding if they turn soggy. The phone rings once before connecting.“Hello, Mr
“Let me ask you again.” Christopher stares at me. “Are you ready to answer my questions and tell the truth?”It only takes three seconds before I nod my head frantically. “Yes.” I am the only who will end up losing, not him. “How did you get your hands on those CCTV footages?” Christopher asks.I lower my gaze, not daring to meet his as I reply, “I hacked into Exclusive XX Club’s server.”“You did what?” Christopher’s brows furrows as he squints his eyes. My gaze meet his. I bet this isn’t the answers he is expecting.“I hacked into their server,” I repeat, lowering my gaze again. It feels weird for the first time in so many years that I revealed a bit of me that no one knows since I returned.It makes me feel I’m naked and I can’t begin to comprehend the other feelings and the thoughts going on in my head. “You? No one gave the clips to you?” Christopher asks in disbelief and my gaze quickly shoots up.“You thought someone gave the clips to me?” I ask. “Why didn’t you belie
“I’m not sure you know this, but I was kidnapped by child traffickers when I was eight years old. Fortunately, I escaped from their hands three days later. But I passed out in the forest after running for so long. And when I opened my eyes, I was sleeping a bit and being tended by a middle aged lady...”Tears from in my eyes as I recall and retell my painful past story. Those were the years I solely lived for the purpose of one day reuniting with my parents, but who knew it would all be for nothing.The hope of seeing them again, finally running into their arms, being taken care of by them and being showered lots of love was what kept me going and living amongst strangers in a harsh environment I’d never seen before.This is why it still breaks my heart no matter how many time I try to feign ignorance and a stone heart against my parents treatment.“If I had known that I would be treated this way after reuniting with my parents, would have preferred to die because death came knock
Christopher and I exchange glances, and it takes me a while to respond to him. “I don’t mind,” I say and finish the rest of my sentence in my head. ‘As long as Brenda doesn’t force her way.’I really do not mind being single if Christopher backs off from the marriage arrangement just as long as Brenda doesn’t get him.“Do you think it’s possible to maintain two roles after what went down between us?” Christopher asks, expecting an honest reply.From the way he is staring at me, I believe he begs to differ.“As long as we both don’t mind, there is nothing wrong with it,” I say and end up regretting it because I sound desperate now, so I quickly correct myself.“Christopher I know that we’ve both come a long way and a lot has happened between us. Believe me when I say I don’t want to mess your life up. I can’t afford to lose my job. I need it, and that’s why I want you to keep me.”Christopher nods, his brows knitting in curiosity. He leans back into his seat and says to me, “Wh