Chapter 6

Adeline’s POV

The sun started setting by the time I reached home, I pull up to my driveway and turn off the ignition. I let out a sigh feeling anxious. I know once I step foot in the house mum and dad would begin the whole conversation of the whole marriage ideal. I mentally pull up my big girl socks and hop off the car and wiggle my hips in an attempt to brush off the slight pain from the fall because of a certain Mr arrogant and handsome who has a beautiful body but a questionable attitude. Anyways I shut the car door and walk towards the main entrance.

The doormen greet me and open the door for me, to which I gave my recognition to them for doing their job. By the time I got to my room I was pulled to the side by my mother to which I gave her a look of confusion, she looked back at me with what looked like worry and sympathy in her eyes. “Mom, is everything okay? Why are you giving me that look?”

The only reaction I get is a tut as she shakes her head “oh sweetheart, we are only trying to help, you’ll understand when you have kids.”

I’ve never been more confused in my whole life.

She saw the look of utter confusion and pulled me towards my dads office… why is dad home early today? “Mum if you want me to surprise dad you could’ve said he’s home before you bought me here.” I said with a relieved smile which vanished and replaced with more confusion when she said “no darling I bought you here because your father wanted to surprise you!”

Confusion. Confusion. Confusion. Can someone tell me what’s going on? Mum telling me I’ll understand when I have kids… dad surprising me… oh I think I know what this is about. No wonder they’ve been walking on eggshells around me. Well, I’ll just decline the engagement as always and call it a day, I know my dad will give in to me anyways.

I reluctantly twisted the doorknob and opened it to see my father already looking up at me with a look of determination that screams he will not fall into his daughters' tricks. Oh, we will see about that old man!

Mum ushered me in and closed the door behind her. I sat down getting comfortable in my chair, it did not go unnoticed the weird look dad gave my mum. “Go get a room! I don’t want to witness my potential brother or sister being made!”

Dad chucked and blushed a little, a look he gives when he got caught red-handed whilst mum just tuts again rolling her eyes. “Oh please missy, you wouldn’t be here without the contribution of both of us-“ I cut her off quickly, I don’t want to imagine that, thanks. “Mum! Not the detail, oh god!”

Dad cuts us off before we start bickering. “Okay my darlings, we all know that you are here today because of us,” he says joining in the mass destruction of Adeline’s embarrassment. “Therefore you won’t be able to until you are 50 or 60 years old.” What? I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have any more eggs left over by then, but I didn’t say that. “Dad! That’s so uncalled for!”

wait this is the perfect opportunity. “Actually dad, you’re right I’ll agree I won’t have kids till I’m 60, no, 70! So how about we drop this subject of marriage and live as we do now daddy” I try give him my best puppy eye look but he turns away… he turned away! How could he resist this look! He never did before!

He turned back to me and his eyes showed he dropped our little banter we had like two second’s ago.

“That’s not going to work today darling. We will discuss it tonight and you will come to a conclusion before you leave this room.” I pout as I give my mum the same puppy eye look, she was always resistant to it, but it’s worth a try? To answer my question, no she’s still resistant to it. She turned to me with a look that said just try it out. Try what out? “I always believed marriage is a sacred thing, you get married to someone you love, just like you do mum and dad.” I take another breath and carry on “I don’t want to marry someone who I don’t love and then live miserably for the rest of my life… I couldn’t… and… I can’t believe I’m saying this but I don’t want to resent you for potentially ruining my life.”

I quickly looked at both of them. For a second I saw a flash of guilt and… eternal sadness? Did I get passed them? Have I managed to get them to reject this silly proposal? I cant let my guard down now. “Oh dear, I can’t imagine me with 6 kids dad… imagine me running around to serve my husband and kids and I have to let go of my career” I let out a fake sob but I didn’t realise how much those words scared me myself, what if that’s actually true? My fake sobs turn real as I start panicking. Wait this isn’t how I planned this!

My dad stood up and came around to hug me. My mum joined in too. “Sweetheart, is that what you had in that head of yours the whole time?” My mum looked like she was tearing up too. Hey at least I think this is working. “But I assure you i witnessed your potential fiancé grow up and he is nothing like that! In fact his father, your dads business partner, said so himself that he will cut his son’s hands off if he dares mistreat you! The one you will marry agreed himself that he will agree to any terms you have! So please my sweet daughter give this a chance” I blew it. My hope flew out of the window. I scooted closer to my dad though. “Your mother is right, if you always feel like it didn’t work out then we will gladly shove you’re fiancé into a bag and throw him off a cliff. Then you can come back, we will always have our doors open for you. However that also means you have to try it out first.”

I thought deeply about it and really wanted to jump off a cliff myself I don’t want to give an answer tonight, however, knowing the look of determination on both of my parents face extinguished the spark of hope I had left. I took a deep breath and said “If I say no to this…?” My parents let go of me and sat down next to me instead. My dad spoke first, “I don’t want to do this princess, but you will have to move to UK to study in Oxford university without our funding.” My mum chirped in. “Honestly baby, if you don’t want to give it a chance, that’s fine we will still love you… but that also means we have to teach you right from wrong and that also means to let go of your stubbornness. So even though we love you, we are obliged to take away your expenses, cars, assets, your credit card…”

Now don’t get me wrong I’m not a spoiled brat okay but my parents never socialised me into how people who have less capital live so I will be destroyed the first day without any money. I should’ve taken up that part time job when I was 17.

I know my parents did this for my own good, but why is it that I have to choose to marry a unknown, potentially old scary dude… no my parents will never do that to me. Anyways, I think we’ve been sitting here in awkward silence for about 10 minutes now, waiting for my answer that will determine my fate. “I have decided…” they both perched up on their seats. “To give this a chance.” They both relieved a sigh and looked at each other with a look that said ‘we did it’ but don’t worry, I have a plan myself, I will get myself a side job, separate credit card just in case this doesn’t work out. Now we all just relax and accept my fate for now. My mum and dad came around to hug me again and kiss my forehead.

“Adam and the Grayson family will come to visit in a few days, don’t be late!”

We left the conversation there, and I got up and left the room still in tact.

Maybe I should at least give it a try, there’s nothing wrong with trying, after all I could care less about my ex.