Chapter 3: Replacement

                ALL I DESIRE WAS A LIFETIME WITH YOU... BUT WHY I FEEL LIKE I AM DECEIVING YOU?

                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                                               ARLET

Holding the sheer drapery, my eyes gazed at the man, who astonished my conscience. That little angel was his daughter. In which world is it possible? How can he be so secretive? My heart sank, peeking at that poor soul studying at the kids playing around. Anybody could understand how heartbreak she must have felt watching those kids. I could feel her pain.

Ruben looked in our way, but the evening rays poured in fragments on the tinted window didn’t favor him to steal a glance at his beautiful bride.

Besides, his jolted bride sauntered across the room, suppressing her advanced adrenaline.

“What am I supposed to do now?” Reile yanked me back like I was the one who could drag her out of this position. It brought me back to the ambiguous crisis Reile was enduring now. If I didn’t meet that angel, I would have acted in the same sense. But it didn’t matter what I assumed. In all this chaos, what I felt was that little birdie needed love and care, just like me.

Looking for a paper, I scribbled.

How do you know?

“Look at this.” She extended her phone to me.

That pretty angel seems excited and shows her love. How much she wants to adore and would like to share her doll collection. That still didn’t justify why Ruben would lie to her. Should I call Ruben and let them have a word in private? Reile deserves an explanation.

“It’s his daughter. I can’t be a fucking mom of a disabled child.” She cried again. I felt terrible for Riele. Not all people have the same priorities in life.

Don’t rush yourself; please talk to him. I am sure he can explain things to you. Why would he hide being a father from you?

She slapped her head with a jutting chin. “He lied to me. That’s what he did. I don’t need his fucking explanation.”

Things were critical at this moment, and I didn’t know how to fix these things. But she should have known about his family, didn’t she?

Didn’t you meet his girl before or his parents?

“No, he mentioned nothing about this girl, and neither I felt the need to meet his parents.” Reile exasperated, jerking her dress.

It was pretty surprising for me. Two people were getting married. The girl didn’t know her husband’s family members, and Ruben had never been concerned about taking Reile and spending time with his parents.

It’s strange.

Well, it’s not new to me. Reile never liked to meet people who couldn’t help her. I stood there thinking of the options that could handle the situation. Should I call William and Debbie? Should I ask Ruben?

But it would not look good. Ruben might think, who the fuck am I? I was busy brooding over the options when I heard Reile’s giggling voice.

She was reading something on her phone. Did she lose her senses?

“I don’t need to marry him.”

She displayed the screen on my face, revealing that they selected her for the Paris fashion event.

Reile, how could you do this? Where the heck is this coming from?

The man down there waiting for you to walk down the aisle. I shook my head, telling her not to take such a horrible step. It surprised me to see how these two hid so many things from each other and called it for marrying each other.

But before I could write, Debbie entered the room.

“You are not ready yet?” Debbie questioned in a lower tone.

“And what the heck are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to help her out?” She snarled, looking at me like it was my mistake.

Reile hugged Debbie and cried. “Mom, I can’t marry him. He is a liar.”

Don’t trust her, Debbie. Please talk to Ruben first, I wish.

“Why are you crying?”

“That disabled girl is his daughter, and I can’t be a mom. Not at this time in my career.” Debbie jolted.

“What?”

“Yes, I don’t want to marry him. Besides, I got selected for the Paris fashion event.”

What is going on here? How come these people don’t have emotions? This is a marriage, a commitment of a lifetime. How can these people talk rubbish? William entered the door watching these ladies churning something.

“What’s going on?”

“Dad, I can’t marry him.” William’s face turned red in anger. Maybe my uncle could put some sense in her mind not to run away from the responsibility she took.

“He lied to her. That little crippled girl is his daughter, and he never mentioned it to Reile.” Debbie supported. William observed the situation.

He loves you. Please talk to him.

Don’t you love him?

I wrote and extended towards Reile. Reile jerked my hand with a sudden movement. “Are you mad?”

“I wanted to marry him because of his status and money. Not turning into a mother of an unwanted child.” She confessed, and the Reile I know materialized. How could someone be so bitter for an unknown child? My heart hurts for her. At least talk to him, and let him know you are uncomfortable about this decision.

William still carrying that stern expression. Debbie is still caressing her selfish daughter. “Calm down,” Debbie whispered.

“You, get me some water,” Debbie ordered, looking in my direction.

I paced with a heavy heart. How destiny plays games with us. The man I am in love with never knew me. And the woman he loves wanted to marry him just for his status and money. I walked down and grabbed a glass of water when Milo grabbed my hand.

“Where were you?” I pointed at Reile’s room.

“Were you helping her?” I bobbed.

“Fine, I will be back in sometime.” Should I mention this thing to Milo? Would it look good? Before I could put something in my remarks, he left, leaving me back. Returned to the room, I could feel they had settled the matter, and these three seemed to carry the same desire.

An itch smeared inside me to ask why Reile suddenly felt confident about her decision.

Debbie gave me a smile, which was unexpected. “Arlet, what do you think about Ruben?”

Why do I feel something was not right at this moment?

I gave them a smile and expressed with minimal emotions that he was a good man to get married to, and I was happy Reile chose him.

“Do you think we are the ones who could decide for your life?”

I swallowed hard. Are they going to throw me out of the house now?

“Mumma, just tell her.” Reile chimed.

“Arlet, marry Ruben.”

What? A zap of shock went through my spine, and the next moment the glass smashed into the floor. Did I hear them right? No, it can’t be.

I shook my head and unconsciously carried a few steps back. How in the world is this possible? Yes, I love him, but I never wanted to be treated as an option of replacement.

I waved my hands and tried hard to mutter the words, “Nnn.... oo.”

I can’t let this thing happen to him. He loves her and deserves to marry her. But my sound of disobedience slashed back on my face when William slapped me. It hit me hard enough to make my ears go bong.

“I don’t care what you say or do. But I can’t let this deal go away so easily from my hand. He promised me his hotel textiles contracts, and this marriage would seal that deal.” My head ached when he clutched my hair and pulled my neck to face the venom of his selfishness.

Don’t. The pain pierces, and the tears well up. I can’t support this deception; he deserves to know why Reile didn’t want to marry him. What did I do so wrong to be treated like this? How can they replace Reile with me?

“You are going to marry him. Do you understand?” He pushed me to the ground, and I looked up grievance.

I wanted to object to this decision with all my being, but I knew what was coming next would not be soothing to my ears. “Dare to decline this decision, and you know what I can do.”

My parent’s house was the only thing I had with me, and I know William was seeking a chance to sell it. My memories, my parents, belonged in that house.

How am I going to face Ruben?