Chapter Five

Genevieve.

Sometimes I think our inner thoughts are our enemies; that’s what I feel every single time I think about something. In one way or another, that thing tends to work out in the worst way possible for me.

As I stood there in thought, the music was gone, the people chattering was gone, and every sentence they made was also gone. It felt like I was standing in a very dark place with my light taken from me.

I don’t know what to think about or where I went wrong, that short but simple text message from Marcus to his mother was going to ruin me forever and I know it.

‘I’m sorry Mother but I can’t marry Genevieve. I love someone else,’

That was all the message said, he was sorry.

He couldn’t marry me because he was in love with someone else, he left me for someone else.

I tried to think if I had done something to offend him, maybe that’s the reason why he doesn’t want me anymore but I couldn’t think of anything.

The first week I was brought back from the orphanage he was kind and loving towards me, he made me believe that he wanted this engagement just as I wanted it. I thought he liked me as much as I did, because I did like him, in fact, I found myself feeling more. I love him and yet he could do this to me.

He didn’t show any sign that he wasn’t interested until a week into the engagement party, he started talking about not liking me and his dislike for the party.

At first, I had thought he would get over it, I’d thought it was the pressure because after our engagement we would be getting married a week later but I guess that wasn’t it. Marcus didn’t want me anymore because he was no longer in love with me.

He was in love with someone else and not me.

I burst into laughter, not a small one but a loud belly laughter as I processed everything.

I can’t believe I just got dumped on my engagement day.

“What is this all about Genevieve?” Mother asked pulling me from my thoughts.

I glanced at her and shrugged, I had no idea what happened or why Marcus decided to up and run on the day we were supposed to show the world that we were a couple.

“Don’t you dare act that way with me? You must have known something, why isn’t Marcus here and what is he saying about loving someone else? What did you do Genevieve?” She asked and I looked at her in disbelief.

Seriously, Marcus just left and didn’t want to marry me and she thinks it’s my fault?

“I have no idea what happened and why he isn’t here Mother,” I said indifferently.

It hurts to know that he didn’t confide in me before doing this, he should have told me he didn’t want to marry me instead of doing this. What was he trying to win with this?

Shame, my mind added.

He wants to embrace us.

Thinking about it now I really understand what he meant when he said ‘If the engagement would hold anyway’. He has been planning this for a long time now.

“Bullshit!” Mrs Meyers added and I glanced at her.

“Don’t give us that talk like you didn’t know what you have done. You obviously did something to make Marcus flee, my son wouldn’t leave without telling me, his mother, what's going on,” she said and my mother nodded in agreement.

“Like I said I have no idea what went wrong, we were happy…..I mean, he was happy about the engagement and my return so what changed?” I asked them but none of them said anything. They weren’t considering what I was saying, they were only blaming me for what happened.

“I don’t know what you will deal Genevieve but I want Marcus here before everyone finds out about this,” Mother said sternly and I looked at her in surprise.

What does she expect me to do? Marcus was gone and I can’t bring him back….I don’t think I can.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Marcus’s mother getting angry and impatient by the minute. She grabbed her phone from my hand harshly,

“Get in touch with him Genevieve. Bring him back, don’t bring disgrace to our family name,” she hissed.

Really? I’m the one who is in the wrong.

“There’s nothing I can do, he isn’t coming back,” I whispered. I was trying to calm myself, I didn’t want to cry in their presence, not that they would care about me either.

“He isn’t coming back, can you hear yourself? You can’t even get a hold of a man and you call yourself a woman, silly,”

I was mad now, they shouldn’t blame me for something I had no idea of.

“It was you son who broke the engagement off Mrs Meyers, not me,” I snapped.

For a moment, I hoped that my mother would take my side this one time. She should tell Mrs. Meyers that it wasn’t my fault but nothing, I got nothing from her. She was just staring at me and looking around defensively to see if anyone was looking our way.

I shouldn’t have forgotten, her reputation matters more than me.

She doesn’t seem to care about anything but that.

“What are we going to do?” Mother asked after she was done looking around.

There was nothing to do, Marcus was gone and nothing would change that.

“I have no idea, it's just a matter of time before everyone starts asking questions. They would want to know where the fiance is,” Mrs Meyers said and as if that wasn’t enough, she glared at me.

“This wouldn’t have happened if you had done your part well. He wouldn’t have gone out if you had given him what he wanted,” she sneered.

I think I’m going crazy now, I can’t think or breathe clearly. I need to leave before anything happens.

I looked around and turned to leave but someone held my arm.

I looked at the hand and with the rings on the fingers I already knew it was my mother.

She pulled me closer to herself.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going to?” She whispered.

“I……I…..” I took a deep breath and looked around and gulped again when my eyes connected with Mr King’s.

I quickly looked away from him and faced Mother.

“I need some air, I…” her hold on my hand tightened and I winced.

“You’re hurting me, mother,” I told her but that didn’t stop her from tightening her grip.

“You aren’t going anywhere until you figure out how to solve this mess,” she harshly said.

At that moment my phone in my hand dinged, since my mother was holding my right hand and wouldn't let go, I used my other hand to bring it out. I almost fainted when I saw the picture on the screen. Right there on my phone screen was Marcus but he wasn’t alone, he was with someone, a lady who turned out to be my sister, Dahlia.