Ethan’s POV
“You’re not serious,” I chuckled.
Alright! This seems funny. A dry joke that’s making me cackled in laughter.
Marriage? With no one but that two-faced bitch!
“I’ll never joke with something as delicate as this.”
Oh yeah! He knows how delicate this is, yet, he went ahead to make this kind of joke.
What the hell is wrong with this old man? Sorry! No offense, but I really could not take back my word.
“She tried so hard for you.” Grandpa scowled. “Stop being an ingrate.”
And how she tried for me, I have no idea.
As far as I know, Andre captured the culprit. He did everything. How did that bitch come into the picture?
“You are here?”
I angrily snapped my gaze to the owner of that voice. My gaze hardened when my eyes settled on Melinda.
Damn her! Am I seeing Melinda in a bridal ball dress?
No! Are they being real? Send the invitation to the guest already… Without me fucking knowing anything.
Passing a tongue over my lips, I ran a frustrated hand through my hair and let out an awful low cry.
“All thanks to Nicole,”
No! Not that asshole.
“He talked to me about this,”
“Don’t you think you owe me one?” Nicole smirked.
I fisted my hand, sucking in a deep harsh breath.
I don’t want to cause a scene here, even though the urge to break everything breakable here was almost uncontrollable.
Owe him one? Is this what he means by it’s not over yet?
“You’re not mad about this, are you?” Grandpa squinted his eyes on me, his lips slightly parted as he surveyed with curiosity latched on his old wrinkled face. “She did a lot to help you. You know that, don’t you?”
“Help me?” I scoffed. “I do not remember her doing anything for me grandpa.”
“I guess you’re not told,” Melinda pouted.
She held her long full bridal dress and edged closer to me. “That hurts, Ethan.”
“It’s bound to happen that way, Mel.”
For a split moment, I saw a smirk linger on Mel’s lips, but just as quickly as it had come, it had disappeared.
“Of course, Nicole.” Mel chuckled. “Andre must have done well to keep it from him, the one who gave him the CCTV clip.”
I scoffed.
Now they want to cook up some lies, don’t they?
Is this how desperate they are?
I tore my gaze away from them.
“I’m done,” I sighed. “Done with this shit.”
“Language, Ethan!” Grandpa said sternly, flashing me a glare.
Just when I thought I’d gotten on his brighter side
I felt a soft tug on my arm, and a familiar annoying fragrance wailed on my nose.
“It’s okay,” Mel smiled. She leaned closer to me, sweeping her long hair on my chest. “I just want you to love me.”
Ugh! Love her? Over my dead body!
I jerked my hand away from her, roughly pulling her away from me.
“In your dream, Mel,” I smirked.
My gaze moved too quickly from Mel to Cole who still has his gaze on me… Unblinkingly.
“I’d rather marry a pig than walk down the aisle with you.”
Not sparing them another glance, I bolted out of the hall.
Ugh! Good for Grandpa. He’s called me, telling me he has a surprise for me, but damn his stupid surprise turned out to be a nightmare.
How could he? Send out the cards.
This is not funny! He fucking planned my marriage without me.
Hopping inside the car, I fetched out my phone and put a call across Andre who picked up at the second ringing.
“You got the card too, don’t you?” I seethed.
My hold on the phone tightened, venting my anger on it.
It’s not enough! No! I want to vent my anger on someone, not on my phone!
I’m dying, dying to spill some blood.
How dare they?!
“Listen, Ethan…”
“Why?” I growled.
I grabbed a handful of my hair, trying so hard to blink back my tears.
He knows! He fucking knows about it, yet he tells me nothing.
His best friend was getting his whole life planned behind him, yet he says nothing about it.
Is that how much I mean to them? Is my life a gamble to them? Did they take marriage with such tender hands that they do not care about my feelings?
“I’m sorry, Ethan.”
I sniffed.
This is just how it’s always been? First was my mom who was treated badly and now it’s me.
I’d rather die than marry that bitch or let Dawn get married to that asshole.
Sucking in a harsh breath, I wiped a lone tear that escaped my eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked. “About Mel and the CCTV.”
“It won’t have changed anything,” Andre said calmly. “We needed the evidence.”
And we got one! Doesn’t it make sense? That the culprit did not know about the CCTV, and Mel happened to find out about that
It was all planned.
I cut the call, threw the phone on the next seat, and leaned against the headstand.
I thought once everything was over, I’d be able to date Dawn freely. But now, it all seems like I have a new problem.
Oh, of course, I do.
“To the Miller’s mansion.” I sighed.
****
I hopped down the car, not caring whether San parked well or not.
I needed to stop my grandpa, and the only person I could think of was my Dad.
He won’t let this happen to me, would he?
He loves my Mom and he won’t watch while I get treated badly, would he?
“You’re here?”
Dad said calmly as though he was already awaiting my arrival.
His eyes were fixed on the large TV in the sitting room, legs crossed together, and his hands lay motionlessly on his lap.
“You know about this too, don’t you? Why are you not saying anything!” I barked.
Was it only me? I was the only one who didn’t know he was getting married.
Ugh! Is this not ironic? The one getting married is the one left out.
“You want to keep it down, Ethan” Dad frowned, finally looking up to me. “Take a seat, will you?”
I gritted out. My fist balled beside me, and my chest rose and fell under the black tuxedo I wore.
Dad looks too calm to my dislike. He’s not looking livid as I had imagined.
Ugh! What was I thinking? That dad will stand against Grandpa?
“You have to get married”
“I can get married to someone else, ” I seethed.”must it be that bitch?”
“Language, Ethan!” Dad hissed. His frown deepened and he narrowed his gaze. “Dawn Shaw?”
I nodded.
“I’m sorry, Ethan. But you can’t.”
“Why?” I barked. I don’t care, I don’t fucking care if I’m before my Dad.
Don’t they know or do they simply choose to ignore it?
Didn’t you have to love someone before you marry her?
“If Nicole can marry her, why can’t I?”
“I’m sure you already know the answer, Ethan,” Dad said simply. He slapped his temple softly, took a sip from his orange drink, and faced me again. “You couldn’t have managed the two companies together, could you?”
“Why can’t I?”
“You know that more than I do, Ethan.” He replied calmly. “Mel is who you need. She’s going to support and help you, Ethan.”
I clenched and unclenched my fist. My stomach lurched unpleasantly as though I ate something bad this morning.
I can’t? But he can
I opened my mouth to talk, but no word was coming out.
My whole body was shaking in anger and I could only manage to breathe.
“It’s okay, son.” Dad edged closer to me. He placed his palm on my shoulder and let out a tight smile. “Happy married life, Ethan.”