Moving up the wedding date was obviously no big deal for Andreas. Especially since there was someone who would undoubtedly support it wholeheartedly.
That someone was Noelle. The grandmother wasted no time in supporting Andreas and Vlora’s decision. She took matters into her own hands and prepared everything that had to do with the wedding.
Understandable. Grandmothers all over the world would be happy to see their grandchildren get married. Especially when it’s their first acknowledged grandchild.
In stark contrast to Noelle’s joy, Andreas received a confused look from his parents. Still, he could see the gleam in Amanda’s eyes, and his younger sibling was practically beaming with happiness.
Of course, in Vian’s eyes, Andreas was the perfect older brother. As a younger sibling, she could not find a fault with Andreas. Andreas looked out for her and had always been a pleasant companion.
However, Vian had to be objective enough to say that Andreas had not been the most responsible of men. She knew Andreas’ behavior, which often involved changing partners, and it clearly irritated her.
But everything changed when Vlora came into the picture. Vian could see Andreas’ seriousness, and she eagerly awaited his proof-Andreas’ commitment and marriage.
“You’ve finally decided to speed up your wedding.”
Andreas started to respond to Vian’s words, but Bryan spoke up before he could, without putting down the newspaper he was reading.
“What exactly are you planning to speed up your wedding with this woman? Are you trying to gather your own people?”
Andreas took a short breath, leaned back on the sofa and answered.
“Of course, I want to gather my own people,” Andreas replied without feeling the need to hide his intentions. “It starts with choosing the right woman. Vlora is the right candidate. Besides, Nana is anxious to have a great-grandchild. Don’t you want to see how cute our baby will be?”
Andreas intended these words to taunt Bryan, but they led to more than that. For some reason, the image of an adorable baby suddenly came to Andreas’ mind. It felt good and he smiled spontaneously.
Even more amusingly, Andreas suddenly remembered the teasing he had directed at Lucas. Back then, Lucas had talked about the progress of Velia’s pregnancy. Andreas thought Lucas was being childish. Lucas’ behavior was uncharacteristic of his usual self. How could Lucas get so excited over a simple black and white picture?
But now the tables were turned on Andreas. Even before his marriage and Vlora’s pregnancy, he felt an enthusiasm that was beyond prediction. It made him understand something. That a baby was a small being that had a great influence. Even an immense influence, capable of enchanting grown men like them.
Andreas’ smile widened. “It seems that getting married is indeed the right idea.”
Amanda and Vian could clearly see the difference in Andreas’ expression. Without a doubt, Andreas looked like someone who was impatiently awaiting his wedding day.
A minute passed and Andreas snapped out of his daydream. He cleared his throat, straightened his back, and turned to Bryan.
“I don’t really need your blessing or anything like that, because I’ve clearly learned from history. I also don’t prioritize your presence. The wedding will take place with or without you. So, you don’t have to worry. Your presence is not important at all.”
It seemed impossible for Bryan to concentrate on the newspaper. Now the paper was out of sight and he was staring at Andreas.
“But,” Andreas continued with a sigh, “as CEO, maybe you is still worried about how people perceive our family. I guess you still wants to uphold our dignity in front of others.”
Bryan’s face hardened. No need to ask, he held back the threatening explosion of his emotions.
“You can’t get married that fast, Reas. If you’re still worried about how people view our family, you should know that a sudden marriage will only make things worse.”
Andreas sighed briefly. “You probably don’t know that people love romantic surprises these days,” he replied lightly. “As it turns out, Andreas and Vlora have been in a relationship for quite some time. You can tell by how often Andreas visits Greatech to see his girlfriend, who also happens to be a secretary at the company. Without the public knowing, they’ve been planning the wedding all this time”.
A confident smile closed the quotation that had filled Andreas’ mind. What a well thought out scenario.
“This is roughly the article that will be written in the mass media. You see? Didn’t I tell you? You don’t have to worry. I’ve prepared for every eventuality. Frans will handle it with ease.
Despite the logical plan, Vian could not help but gape in astonishment. Being familiar with social media, he knew that Andreas’ words were one hundred percent true. People in this era took pleasure in sudden marriages and hidden romantic stories. It had undeniably become a trend.
“Kill two birds with one stone. People will be amazed because a man decided to get married after going through his adventurous phase. Not to mention that he chose a completely unexpected woman. I can guarantee that people will start to notice me in a few days.”
More than wanting to avoid the arranged marriage with Nadine, Bryan finally realized it. Andreas’ refusal of the arranged marriage wasn’t the only thing he had to anticipate, but it was only the beginning.
It had become impossible for Bryan to contain his emotions. The newspaper in his hand moved, landing forcefully on the table with a loud bang as he slammed it down.
“It seems you really want to defy me.”
Amanda jumped. That was a signal to her. Tensions were rising and she had to intervene quickly.
“Hon, that doesn’t mean Andreas wants to defy you.”
Andreas made an innocent face. “I want to defy you, Papa. There’s no need to hide it anymore.”
“You won’t get what you want, Reas,” Bryan promised with clenched fists. “I won’t let you screw things up.”
“I’ll be glad to remind you of that. As a first proof, I’ll get the marriage I want. Slowly I’ll achieve other things, too,” Andreas said with a grin. Then he stood up. “Talk to Jonas and gather your strength. Don’t let this be an easy fight.”
*