Anhedonia

Even If It's a Personal Issue

There was an awkward silence in the air that giving Rosie difficulty to breath. She didn't know how long it had been since she held her breath after what Jerry's grandfather had said.

Wedding.. with Jerry? After the divorce?

Her head was spinning and she didn't know how long she would stay conscious. Liam noticed his best friend, so she squeezed her hand, as if telling her to calm down.

"Dad, isn't it ridiculous to decide like that?" Mrs. Kim finally spoke, breaking the silence in the long table.

"Why is it ridiculous? Aren't they supposed to have married long ago? But your son.." The old guy paused as he frowned. "Ditched this gorgeous young lady here."

"Exactly, he already ditched her so I don't think Jerry would like the idea of marrying her."

Rosie pursed her lips with that but she hold back herself and she held Liam's hand this time and gripped it tightly.

"He would love it." The old guy said with certainty in his voice.

"He won't. He saved his son because it's his son, not because he wanted to reconcile with his cousin's wife." There's an emphasis in the last two words of Mrs. Kim and stole a quick meaningful glance at Rosie. "And the reason why we flew here is because of the kid, I don't even know why the Manoban has to do something with it."

"Because Rosie is like a family to us, and if you're thinking that my family is out of this business, then I'm sorry but we are going to protect her." Liam chimes in and even if Rosie didn't want him to intervene at the elders conversation, Liam has the right to speak his side because he's the Prince and not just a normal member of the family.

"Okay, let's say that she's your friend and you have the means to help her, but—."

"Shut up, Merly. This is the reason why I don't want you to come but you still insisted. I flew here not for that reason. I want to see my best friend Chaem and tugging you with me was a mistake." The former chairman hissed at his daughter.

"He still hates his daughter in law." The old lady whispered to Mrs. Manoban, who giggled on her side because it's true. The old man never liked his daughter in law since way back before. They were planning to marry Mr. Kim and Mrs. Manoban to each other but Merly came in the picture and told everyone that she's pregnant with Jerry so the supposedly arranged marriage was discarded.

Jerry's grandfather, Liam's grandmother and Hayley's grandmother have been best friends since they were still in highschool. And they promised to each other that they planned to arrange the marriage of their kids but it didn't go as planned so they decided to continue their plans with their grandkids.

Which Hayley and Liam are both products of the arranged marriage that turns out so well for the couple. Then now that Jerry met Liam's best friend, who became a close friend of the Manoban, the two elders decided to arrange them into a wedding even if the first attempt failed because of Jerry's condition.

When the elders found out that Rosie was going to marry Jayvee, who is still a member of the Kim Group. Jiyong accepted it even though he's not really fond of that idea because he was hoping for Jerry to marry Rosie. He's not being biassed, but Jerry is the real heir even before he was born so Jiyong has already planned his future ahead and not Jayvee's.

They all accepted it but now that Jayvee failed to be a good husband to Rosie, and the fact that Akiro is Jerry's son, the former chairman was so happy to continue his plan without asking for Mr. and Mrs. Kim's permission because he raised Jerry while the couple were so focus on their money that they forgot they have a son who needs them.

"But Dad—."

"Enough. This conversation is final, once Jerry wakes up, the wedding will be on." The old man said dismissively that no one could even react and protest at his final decision. The old lady, even Mr. Park, just agreed to it and they all nodded their heads. "Now leave us alone, I still need to talk to this wrinkled lady."

"I could still beat your ass and your cousin ain't here anymore to stop me." The old lady threatened but it just made the old man laugh but his laughter quickly died down upon remembering the late Hayley's grandmother.

"She's still watching us, wrinkled lady."

"Yeah." The old lady replied and that's everyone's cue to get up from their chair when Mrs. Manoban nodded her head to them, telling them to leave the two elders alone.

As soon as they left the two leaders of each royal family, Liam brought Rosie and her sister and her father to the backyard to talk about the topic earlier.

"What was that?" Rosie asked after they were alone at the gazebo. "Did I just put in an arranged marriage by Jerry's grandfather and your grandma?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know about that plan." Liam said. He's also shocked with that announcement while Mr. Park was already informed about the plan just before they flew to Thailand.

"I think it's the only choice they have since Akiro is his son." Mr. Park commented.

"But what if Rosie doesn't want it? Are we just really going to give her away?" Alice looked at her sister worriedly. It's not like Rosie lost her feelings towards Jerry, but it's still ridiculous just to marry the guy that once left you and that is Alice's concern about the arranged marriage. She doesn't want her sister to get ditch again.

Mr. Park turned to his daughter and looked at her intently. "She's right and it's up to you whether you like the plan or not."

"What if I don't want to marry him? Do you guys have a plan?" Rosie asked.

"We are going to file a claim for custody and sole parental authority over your child." Alice started and she looked at her sister with worried eyes. "I'm just giving you a heads-up. It's not going to be easy because you have no permanent job and Jerry has money."

"So you're basically telling me that I will lose custody of my child because Jerry has more qualifications to raise our son?"

"Unlikely to happen because he has an old issue having a disorder of—."

"Whoa whoa whoa, you're not going to use Jerry's condition just to keep the kid, right?" Liam interrupted their conversation, looking at Alice in disbelief.

"We have to use everything even if it's a personal issue to win the case." Alice said firmly but Liam ain't having it.

Yes, he wants Rosie to win in that case but not to the extent that they will bring up Jerry's condition to the court. It's not even a severe case but having anhedonia is still a reason to make him look like he will neglect his role as the father of Akiro.

"Why don't you just marry him, Rosie? You still love Jerry, right?" Liam suggested though he knows that it wasn't the best suggestion.

"I do, but I'm afraid that he will do the same thing just like before."

"He won't, okay? He was actually meeting a psychiatrist before he left and I think that Jeremy is the sole proof that Jerry is now capable of raising a child and building his own family."

"Liam, who's side are you on?" Rosie asked, with no intention of making the guy feel bad with her question but he was too cute for Rosie to not tease him at the moment.

"Of course, you! You're my best friend, but I was just suggesting that—."

"Relax, Jerry is still in a coma and we don't know how long he will stay in that situation for now. I don't think the marriage proposal is the thing we need to think about." Rosie giggled, wrapping her arms around Liam's waist. "What I'm worried about it Mrs. Kim."

"Right, she kinda looks like a villain to me." Alice commented and they all laughed. "But kidding aside, I could feel that she's planning something against Rosie."

"Why tho? Rosie didn't do anything to her, it was his son who hurt my daughter." Mr. Park scoffed.

"She has all the rights and reasons to protest about Jerry's grandfather's decision. I mean, I got pregnant by Jerry and still marry Jayvee. Even if we turned the world upside down, I'm still a horrible woman for cheating on my fiancé."

"Let's say that you made a mistake but you didn't know that you're pregnant when you married Jayvee. And also your husband hurt you physically just before you guys get married." Liam said.

"But that still didn't justify my actions towards both of them."

"What do you want to do then? Okay fine, you cheated but that's all in the past, Jayvee made your life miserable, isn't that enough to pay for your mistake?" Liam cut off his best friend.

"Sis, I think the only choice you have for now is to agree about the wedding so you would have protection from Jerry's parents. I'm sure the grandfather will never let anyone hurt you and your son as long as Jerry is still in the hospital." Alice has some point and it's the only choice for Rosie now since she knows that Jerry's mom and Dad will do something as they both hate the idea of Jerry reconciling with his ex lover.

Rosie was silent for a few minutes, looking at her father, at her best friend then to her sister. She didn't actually have to think twice because Alice is right. The only person who could protect her and her son is Jerry's grandfather.

"Okay then." She replied.

"You're going to regret it." Mrs. Kim whispered to herself as she had heard the conversation and Rosie's decision.

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