Tomas.
“Carl?!” I furrowed my eyebrows in disbelief.
He gestured toward me, and we both broke into grins as we embraced each other. It had been over a month since we last saw one another. I had sent Carl to handle our business while I focused on my relationship with Jennifer. I hadn’t anticipated that love would consume my thoughts and make me disregard my business responsibilities. Losing money didn’t seem to matter when I was spending time with my future wife.
Jennifer was in the hotel lobby when her gaze landed on me and Carl embracing. The look on her face left me momentarily speechless.
“Mr. Carl!” Jennifer exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. She cupped her mouth with her hand. “God! I can’t believe my eyes! Where have you been all this time?” Her excitement was palpable, and I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Why did she seem so energized by Carl’s presence? I reminded myself that he was like a father to both of us, but still, I hated to see her care for anyone else so openly.
“I missed you, my little daughter,” Carl said as he hurried over to kiss her forehead. “My daughter?” I thought. Hadn’t they just met? I felt a surge of jealousy. “Don’t mess with her hair, Carl! I want to punch you,” I muttered to myself.
I walked up to Jennifer and hugged her from behind, resting my head against her neck. “Guess what? My sweetheart is pregnant,” I said, rubbing my hand in circles over her stomach with a playful grin. Any man in my position would feel proud to have made his partner pregnant; it felt like a sign of manhood.
“Really? Then I should start planning the wedding soon-how about tomorrow?” Carl said, his eyes dancing with excitement. His enthusiasm was infectious, and I felt a mix of joy and anxiety. This was my savior, and I was tempted to let him call Jennifer his daughter if it meant he could help us. My heart raced, and I felt a surge of determination. How could he make her accept this without dismissing the conditions?
“Wait, hold up, Father! I can’t,” Jennifer said, glancing nervously between Carl and me. She shrugged her shoulders, her expression filled with shame. She clearly didn’t want to share her conditions with Carl, possibly fearing his disapproval.
“She can’t marry me, Carl,” I blurted out, crossing my arms and feigning disappointment.
“Why?! Are you playing around with her? How could you, Tomas?!” Carl chastised me. I understood Carl’s concern, having learned so much from him over the years. But what was he really getting at?
“Wait a minute! She can’t because Jennifer doesn’t want to marry me! You need to convince her otherwise; she’s quite irritating!” I shot back, raising an eyebrow at Carl. I never imagined I would be in this position-thinking about marrying someone and feeling rejected due to some ridiculous conditions. And then there was Jimmy, who had invaded my life and forced me to accept him as a friend. It felt surreal.
“Tell me what’s going on here, Jennifer!” Carl’s tone was firm, and I opted to stay quiet, watching them. Jennifer was innocent; if she had more experience in relationships, she might see through Carl’s act.
“I put some conditions on marrying him, that’s all,” Jennifer admitted, tugging her hair nervously behind her ear, her cheeks flushed. I couldn’t help but find her embarrassment endearing.
“Okay, I’ll hear the conditions later. For now, I need to prepare… for the wedding. Tomorrow night,” Carl declared, pointing as if commanding us both. Yes, that’s my man! If I had known a week ago that he could press Jennifer with just a few words, I wouldn’t have sent anyone else.
“B-but…” Jennifer stammered, fidgeting nervously. I found her anxious demeanor utterly charming. I would trade all my wealth just to see her like this for the rest of my life. Wait, was I already crafting my marriage vows in my head? How inspired I felt!
Carl stepped closer, leaning in to whisper, “I know everything about the conditions! Jimmy told me. I’m here to help.” His words were a revelation. I felt a rush of gratitude towards Jimmy. Somehow, he had matured and was now a valuable ally. After marrying his sister, I would have to accept Jimmy as my brother-in-law.
I shook my head in disbelief and patted Carl on the shoulder as he walked away.
Carl didn’t turn his back to us, and I caught Jennifer’s stunned expression. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. But what were these conditions? I pulled out my phone and called Jimmy.
“Hey, buddy! Where are you?” I asked in a serious tone.
“I’m in my office. What’s up? Did Carl arrive?” Jimmy replied, sounding cheerful.
“Oh yes, he’s planning our wedding for tomorrow! What about you?” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I glanced at Jennifer.
“What do you mean, Tomas?” Jimmy gasped.
I moved away from Jennifer, ensuring she wouldn’t overhear. “Man, I mean, what about you and Olga? Are you giving up on her?” I muttered, exasperated. He was a mafia leader, for God’s sake! He shouldn’t be so easily defeated.
“I guess she rejected me somehow. I’m okay with that,” Jimmy said, his voice heavy with defeat. I wanted to slap him for being so weak.
“Oh! The mafia leader is going to let her reject him? So weak! Besides, she was about to kiss you! She just panicked about her father. That doesn’t mean she rejected you! You need to confront her father and make him accept this marriage-politely, of course!” I insisted.
“Um, okay! But I don’t know how to use anything except money and guns!” Jimmy groaned.
“Alright then! You need my help. Leave it to me,” I concluded, ending the call. Of course, I was the mafia king-I had the brains, the money, and the power.
I turned back to find Jennifer sitting on the couch, her expression distant. I walked over and placed my hands on her shoulders. “Sweetie! What’s going on? Come back to earth! Do you hate me that much? You don’t want to marry me?” I teased, pretending to be hurt.
She shook her head. “No, but I feel so stressed!” she sighed.
I sat down beside her and took her hand. “Why, honey?” I gazed into her eyes.
“It’s the wedding, the white dress, the new life! I’ll be a married woman! I’m afraid,” she admitted, frowning.
“No, it’s the same! You’ll walk down the aisle holding your father’s hand-yes, I mean Carl’s. I’ll be right by your side forever. We’ll have a beautiful family and sweet children. And your brother will always support you-he could even kill me if I ever upset you!” I joked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
She looked at me, her eyes wide. “But I wanted him to start a new life too,” she said, sounding disappointed.
“Who says he won’t?” I stood up and winked at her.
“Huh? What do you mean?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.
“You asked me to help him find a wife, so I will! I really think Olga is the right person. I just need your help with a small thing,” I explained.
Jennifer blinked in confusion. “What?”
“Ask her if she wants to marry Jimmy. If she does, I’ll handle the rest with her father,” I clarified.
“Okay, but what will you do?” Jennifer asked.
“Don’t be nosy like your brother! Leave it to me! I’m the smart one here, remember?” I winked confidently.
“Okay, I’ll go find Olga now,” Jennifer said, nodding.
“Call me when you get her answer. Hurry up; we don’t have much time!” I urged, watching as she walked away to call Olga.
A few minutes later, my phone rang. It was Jennifer. I had a strong feeling I knew Olga’s answer, but I wanted to be sure-no one should be forced into marriage.
“Yes, honey! What did she say?” I asked, raising an eyebrow in anticipation.
“She likes him, she’s attracted to him, and she wants to marry Jimmy. But she’s afraid her father will refuse and cause problems. Plus, she thinks he might get bored with her since she has no experience in relationships,” Jennifer relayed.
“Okay, then it’s settled. Tell her not to worry. I’ll send a driver to take both of you to choose wedding dresses-one for each of you,” I instructed.
“What? What should I tell her?” Jennifer gasped.
“Nothing! Just tell her Tomas was a playboy too, but love changed him for the better. Remind her that Jimmy is powerful and her father won’t refuse him. Tell her not to worry,” I detailed before hanging up.
Carl was standing nearby, a grin on his face. “Well done, Tomas,” he said, impressed.
I nodded, feeling satisfied. “But I want you to invite Olga’s father to the wedding tomorrow. Don’t tell him anything about the situation, and make sure to invite the man she’s supposed to marry in the arranged marriage as well. This is going to be a big surprise,” I commanded.
“Welcome back, my king!” Carl said, leaning his head slightly with a broad smile.
I patted him on the shoulder. “Our mission is to make sure her father comes to the wedding! Got it? Arrange everything,” I instructed.
“And what are you going to do now, Mr. Tomas?” Carl rolled his eyes playfully.
“I’m going to kidnap the groom-Jimmy! I’ll get him ready too! This will be hilarious! A trap for everyone! At least then everyone will understand why I deserve to be in this position!” I laughed, my heart racing at the thought of the chaos to come.