“Dad?” whispered Emily, surprised to see Fred in front of them.
Fred’s steps came to a halt as well, equally surprised to realize that the car in front of him was indeed Daniel’s. A look of astonishment was clearly drawn on his face.
“How did you two meet?” asked Fred, his voice reflecting deep confusion.
“I-it was…” Emily stammered, unsure of how to explain to Fred.
“We have just returned from a company event,” Daniel interjected, assisting Emily in responding to Fred’s question in a calm voice.
“I see. Don’t you want to come inside for a quick drink?” asked Fred, his tone of voice turning warmer.
“Come in first, sir,” Daniel said, nodding respectfully to Emily.
“Alright then,” said Emily, her voice trembling slightly, reflecting the anxiety she was feeling.
The three of them finally stepped inside the house.
“Just a moment. I’ll get you something to drink, sir,” Fred said, his voice echoing in the quiet room.
However, Emily gently declined. “Ah, no need, sir. I won’t be long.”
Suddenly, Daniel broke the silence, “Dad, we’re getting married,” he said, trying to prepare Fred for the unexpected news.
Daniel’s sudden confession took aback Emily, and confusion flashed across Fred’s face. The room instantly became tense.
“What?” Fred asked, his voice barely audible, while Emily gulped, awkward with the developing situation.
“We’re getting married, Dad. Please bless us,” Daniel said in a steady voice, his eyes pleading for understanding.
“Getting married?” Fred glanced between Daniel and Emily, attempting to process the surprising news.
“You guys are joking, right? Haha.” Fred chuckled, trying to ease the tension. However, seeing their serious expressions, he fell silent.
“So, is this serious?” asked Fred, his tone of voice a mixture of doubt and confusion. “I think I need to get a drink first. We’ll talk later,” he said, leaving them to collect their thoughts.
When Fred returned with three cups of drink in his hand, he gave them a serious look. “All right,” he said. “Tell me, when did this all happen? How did you guys suddenly plan a marriage?”
Emily sighed, speaking through Daniel’s point of view because of their swapped souls. “I don’t know how long I’ve loved Emily, but I’m serious about marrying her,” she said in a soft but confident voice.
Fred looked at Daniel, where Emily’s soul was trapped. “Does your family already know about this wedding plan?” he asked carefully.
“I-it’s…” Emily stammered, at a loss what to answer since Daniel’s grandfather had not given his blessing.
Daniel, who was in Emily’s body, finally said, “No, we haven’t gotten the blessing yet. But I’m sure our love will overcome all obstacles. The important thing is that we love each other and want to be together. Are you able to bless us, Dad?”
“This news is too sudden for me. But, if you are already sure of each other, I can’t say anything else. You know I love you very much, Em. You are my precious daughter, and I don’t want you to fail in marriage a second time.”
Emily, whose soul and body were swapped with Daniel’s, felt her eyes tear up as she heard Fred’s words. She tried hard to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall, guilt wracking her heart. If only Fred knew the bitter truth behind their marriage that it was merely the result of an agreement, not born of genuine love, she didn’t know how Fred would react.
After getting Fred’s blessing and having a brief conversation, Emily finally excused herself. “Thank you for your understanding and blessing. I have to go back now.”
Fred nodded with understanding. Meanwhile, Daniel escorted Emily to the front of the car, making sure they were far enough away from Fred that they could talk more freely. “Why did you almost cry earlier?” Daniel asked.
Emily took a deep breath, searching for the right words. “It’s because I feel guilty. I’ve deceived him,” she replied, her voice trembling. “We got married only because of the agreement between us, not because of love.”
Daniel looked at Emily with a stern gaze. “Didn’t I say all this a long time ago? We had no choice,” he said, his voice containing a hint of annoyance. “You’re in my body right now, while grandfather is trying so hard to set me up with the woman of his choice.”
Daniel took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before continuing. “It’s enough to last for a year, after which we’ll go our separate ways. Hopefully, during that time, we’ll have returned our souls to our respective bodies.”
Emily nodded, her eyes showing understanding. “Yes, I understand,” she replied, her voice soft.
“Please go home. It’s getting late. Get some rest and don’t think about it,” Daniel said.
“Alright, sir. I’m going home first,” Emily said before getting into the car.
***
The news of Daniel’s intention to marry a common woman spread quickly and finally reached Olivia’s ears. She was hanging out with her high society friends when one of them brought the news to everyone’s attention.
“Isn’t this the future husband you told us about? What happened? He said he was going to marry a common woman,” one of her friends said in an astonished tone, reading the news from her cell phone.
Olivia, curious and surprised, snatched the phone from her friend’s hand. Her heart was pounding, her mind filled with questions. Since the last time she met Daniel, she had never gotten a reply to her messages or calls. And now, suddenly, news spread that Daniel intended to marry a woman from a different circle to them.
“What the hell is this?” muttered Olivia, her eyes not leaving the screen of the phone with the news. “He didn’t even tell me this,” she continued, her voice trembling with a mixture of emotions that were hard to explain.
Her friends looked at each other, unsure of how to respond.
‘Who is this woman? How special is she that you broke up our arranged marriage, Daniel?’ Olivia thought to herself.
***
The next day, after Daniel had finished his shower, the wonderful aroma of food wafting from the kitchen greeted him. Fred smiled at him as he entered the room. “Come over here,” he invited in a friendly voice.
Fred pointed towards the neatly set table, full of appetizing dishes. “I hope you’ll like it. I’m trying a new recipe,” he said, his enthusiasm clear in every word.
Daniel sat down, his eyes scanning the various food options in front of him. “You prepare all this food yourself?” he asked, surprised and impressed.
“Of course, after you get married, you won’t be able to taste my cooking anymore,” Fred replied. “I was worried when you broke up with Ethan, but I didn’t expect you to get over him so quickly and even plan a wedding with your boss. It seems so fast. Don’t you hate your boss that much?”
Daniel gave a short answer. “Yes, from feelings. Who knows? There’s no reason in love.”
“A hate but love relationship?” Fred teased, making Daniel smile slightly in response to the teasing.
“But, your boss now… his demeanor has noticeably changed. He seemed cold when he picked you up for Thailand that day, but now his demeanor is very much different. His demeanor has become a little softer. I guess I shouldn’t judge someone by first impressions, huh?”
Fred said that without realizing that the Emily in front of him now had Daniel’s soul trapped inside. Daniel returned a faint smile in response to Fred’s words.
The ringing of the house bell suddenly disturbed the peaceful morning atmosphere. Fred, with a surprised look on his face, asked, “Who’s here so early?”
“Let me open the door,” Daniel suggested.
“All right then,” Fred replied.
As Daniel opened the door, he was surprised to see someone he knew very well. Although the man was old, his aura of leadership was still strong and clear. It was his grandfather, Jake Winston.
“What brings you here?” asked Daniel respectfully, yet with a deep sense of curiosity.
“Can we talk inside?” asked Jake.