Chapter 3 - Running Away From her groom
1333 Words
Nancy was in her bedroom, drying her long golden hair and combing it to cascade down her back. She walked out of her room and went downstairs to the living room to have dinner with her parents.
She could feel her stomach growling loudly with hunger, so she held onto the iron railing for support as she descended the stairs, ensuring she wouldn’t fall or miss a step as she finally reached the bottom.
Nancy noticed that some guests had arrived at her parents' home, which made her frown, as she hated the way her father's mansion was built. The living room was connected to the dining room, making it easy for guests to spy on her family affairs. She disliked being monitored by anyone, as she valued her privacy.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw a tall, handsome Black man exuding authority. He stood in their living room, watching her.
Nancy felt uncomfortable under his watchful gaze; it was as if his dark eyes were stripping her naked with desire.
She finally looked away from the man and focused on her parents, who stood nervously in the living room.
Nancy walked up to her mother and asked, "Mom, is dinner not ready yet?"
Mrs. Olivia Marlon was nervous, having not expected Charles to visit their home personally. She responded to Nancy, "Nancy dear, come meet your groom."
"My what?" Nancy gasped in shock, swiftly turning to face Charles. She met his handsome gaze, which never averted from her for even a moment.
Snapping out of her shock, Nancy asked her mother, "Mom, when did I marry him?"
"You're not married to him yet, Nancy. This is Charles Alejandro, Mr. President Nolan Alejandro's only son and child, and the wedding is in two days."
"Two days?!" Nancy gasped, nearly fainting.
"Calm down, Nancy," Charles said, and she shivered at the deep, masculine tone of his voice.
Nancy couldn't believe she was getting married to him, and that their wedding was in two days. Gathering her courage, she said to him with trembling lips, "I cannot marry you, sir."
"Nancy!" her father screamed at her to hush her. Charles Alejandro was the most feared young man in the city.
Senator Logan warned, "Nancy! You have no right to object to this marriage. Charles Alejandro has seen many beautiful young women’s photos before he finally chose you. You should be grateful to become the country’s future First Lady."
"No, Father! I cannot accept this marriage; I cannot marry him!" Nancy exclaimed, quickly retreating as she bolted away up the stairs, her hips bouncing and swaying as she ran. She reached the top floor, entered her bedroom, and shut the door behind her.
"Nancy! Come back here!" her father called, but Nancy refused to answer. She didn’t want to marry Charles. Locking her room door, she went to her bed and cried.
"Hmm, let me go upstairs and call her back," Mrs. Olivia Marlon offered, but her husband quickly stopped her. "That won't be necessary."
Senator Logan turned to Charles and apologized, "We are truly sorry, Your Excellency. We hadn't informed Nancy about the arranged marriage with you, sir."
"Hmm," Charles stood speechless in the living room, staring upstairs at the second floor. He hoped his chosen bride would peek out—her pretty head and look down at him, especially after seeing the way her hips had swayed seductively. He felt his muscles harden at the thought of claiming her.
Charles doubted he would be able to control himself if left alone with her. She looked even more beautiful than the photo he had of her. He finally turned back to Nancy's parents, meeting her mother’s gaze, which resembled Nancy’s.
Mrs. Olivia Marlon smiled nervously and said to Charles, "Don't worry, Your Excellency. I will go upstairs now and speak to my daughter. The wedding will still hold."
"Hmm, that's all right. I look forward to the wedding, as I came here to welcome my bride on her return to the city. But it’s clear she doesn’t want to see me. Please, give these flowers to Nancy and let her know that I truly love her and want to marry her," Charles said, handing a bouquet of roses to Mrs. Olivia Marlon.
Mrs. Olivia Marlon smiled, accepted the flowers, and stepped aside while her husband apologized again. "We are sincerely sorry, Your Excellency. Please forgive our daughter's rude behavior towards you."
"That's all right. I understand her fears, but it’s not a problem. I came here to welcome her back to the city. Please convey my greetings to her and let her know that I want to marry her. I must be on my way now. Goodbye, Senator Logan."
"Yes, goodbye, Your Excellency," Senator Logan bowed as he escorted Charles out of their living room and outside to his car.
The stationed security personnel pulled and shut the car door as soon as Charles entered his Jeep, and the three cars finally drove out of Senator Logan Marlon's residence.
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Nancy stood at her bedroom window upstairs, staring down at the garage. She saw Charles walk out of her family home and get into his car before the three cars drove away.
She couldn't believe her parents really wanted her to marry Charles Alejandro, the president's son, by force. Although she hadn’t met Charles before, she had heard about him and how online users often ridiculed and criticized his family for refusing to step down from power.
Nancy had also heard rumors about Charles's affairs with many beautiful young women in their state, as he was rumored to be a male prostitute—not the kind of man she wanted to marry.
The sound of her room door being pushed open jolted her back to reality. She turned away from the window to see her parents angrily entering her room.
"Nancy! What was the meaning of that silly drama you just displayed while meeting with Charles Alejandro today? Don't you know that plenty of young women would jump at the offer with joy and accept to marry Charles immediately?" her father questioned angrily, standing by the door and glaring at her. Meanwhile, her mother remained silent, holding the bouquet of roses Nancy had seen earlier with Charles.
Her father yelled, "Answer me, Nancy!"
"Dad, that's not the kind of man I want. I don't love him, and that's the truth," Nancy said, breaking into sobs. Charles Alejandro was not the kind of man she wanted to marry.
She wanted a good man who would love only her, not a cheat like Charles, who wouldn’t value her as his wife.
Nancy was searching for the right words to make her parents understand that she could not marry a man like Charles, nor become his wife.
"Love? What do you know about love, Nancy? You will grow to love Charles in time. After you both become married, that’s how your mother and I got married, and to this day, we are still a couple. What if you sit here waiting for a man you love, and he doesn’t love you back, while you end up loving him alone?
I cannot reject the Alejandro family's proposal to us, even though I know you will object. They are the ruling family, and they would feel extremely insulted by your rejection of their only son. He chose you, Nancy Marlon, from all the other beautiful young women. So you will have to marry Charles whether you like him or not."
"No, Father! I cannot marry him!" Nancy screamed, bursting into tears as she couldn’t believe her father really wanted her to marry Charles by force.
Her father turned to leave her room but paused at the door, saying to her mother, "Talk to our daughter and prepare her for everything she will need to become Charles's wife. This Saturday, she will go to the presidential villa to live with Charles, whether she likes him or not."
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