Chapter 4
1083 Words
"No, Father!" Nancy screamed as her father opened her bedroom door and exited.
She turned to her mother and pleaded, "Please, Mom, talk to Dad. I cannot marry that man. I cannot marry Charles."
Mrs. Olivia Marlon sighed and walked over to the bed to join her daughter, still holding the bouquet of roses Charles had given her.
"I'm sorry, Nancy. I wish I could speak to your father about this. But you know he's working under the AJ Political Party, and even though he doesn't like Charles or approve of him as your husband, he can't say no.
We were hoping for your father's promotion, which is why he sent your photos to them."
"Mom..." Nancy stared at her mother in shock, tears filling her eyes. She remembered the day her mother had called her while she was at home in City X, cooking.
Her mother had asked her to send photos, saying she needed them. Nancy, who rarely took photos or posted online, didn't know her mother's true intention was to send them to the Alejandro family. If she had known, she would have sent an unflattering photo instead.
"Why, Mom? Why did you hide this from me? Why didn't you tell me you were sending my photo to the Alejandro family? I could have sent an ugly photo, and Charles wouldn't have chosen me," Nancy cried harder, standing by the window, hurt by her parents' decision to trade her off to Charles.
She wondered how she could escape from Charles, as she didn't want to marry him. His family ruled the city, which was named after them.
Mrs. Olivia Marlon apologized, "I'm sorry, Nancy. I didn't mean to make you sad."
Nancy moved from the window to sit on the bed and cry. Her mother joined her, sitting beside her.
"Please, Mom, I have to escape this marriage. Dad won't call it off, and I don't want to marry Charles. Didn't you see how he looked at me? With lust in his eyes. I can't marry a man who lusts after everything in a skirt," Nancy begged.
Mrs. Olivia Marlon laughed, "No, Nancy, don't say that. I believe Charles chose you because he truly loves you and wants to marry you."
"No, Mom. I don't like him," Nancy disagreed, but her mother picked up the bouquet and hugged Nancy, comforting her. "It's okay, my angel. Stop crying. You're beautiful, and that's why Charles looked at you like that. He chose you because he likes you. Your father wanted his rank promoted, which is why he submitted your photo. Among all the rejected photos, Charles still chose yours."
"No, Mom, I don't want him. I want to marry a simple man who will love only me, not a powerful man like Charles," Nancy cried harder.
"See, Charles even brought you these beautiful flowers to show how much he loves you. Please stop crying, my angel. I don't like seeing you like this. I wish I could talk to your father, but even after you ran upstairs, Charles didn't get angry or reject you. He truly loves you and wants you as his wife. That's why he chose you, and we hadn't seen him here until your return from City X."
"No, Mom! I don't want Charles! Who told him I was back in the country? Did you and Dad call him to tell him I was home?" Nancy asked, moving away from her mother's embrace to see her face, wondering if she was lying.
Mrs. Olivia Marlon frowned and replied, "No, Nancy. We hadn't seen Charles since he chose your photo last month. I'm shocked to see him today. I don't know who informed him of your return. Maybe he was eager to see you and meet you."
"No, Mom..." Nancy said, and her mother stood up to meet her.
"It's okay, my beautiful angel. Stop crying. Your father is right about love growing with time. Give Charles a chance. Being the President's son isn't easy, and people judge him wrongly. He might be a nice man, and you wouldn't know because of his title. Stop listening to online gossip. Get to know him first before you judge. Let's go downstairs for dinner; it's getting late."
Mrs. Olivia gently led Nancy downstairs to the dining room. Nancy sighed, knowing she had no other option.
She knew the young maids had seen her reaction to Charles earlier. Likewise, she sat nervously in her usual chair, pulling it closer to the table, famished.
Her father stepped out of his private office and joined them at the table, his face still stern.
Nancy sighed and began eating, thinking of how to escape Charles's clutches.
After dinner, Nancy thanked her parents and went upstairs to her bedroom.
She paced, knowing the wedding was in two days.
"Two days. How do I escape this marriage? How do I escape Charles?" Nancy asked herself, stopping to think. "I really cannot marry that man. Mom and Dad can't do this to me. I need to escape, but how?"
Nancy sat on her bed, picked up her phone, and checked for the next flight to City X.
"The next flight is tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. I need to be ready and find an excuse to get there in time," she said.
Nancy smiled, purchasing her return ticket to City X, planning her escape.
"No. I really cannot marry that man, so I must leave," Nancy decided, going to the washroom before returning to bed.
She lay down, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.
****
Charles Alejandro arrived home late at night, delayed by traffic on the city's major roads. He lived with his parents in the presidential villa.
He got out of his car and walked toward the mansion, a powerful two-story building guarded by bodyguards.
The mansion was silent, exuding excellence.
Charles entered the living room and headed for the stairs to his bedroom on the top floor.
Just then, his mother stepped out of the kitchen, smiling as she saw him.
"Charles... Did you meet your chosen bride today?" she called.
"Mom," Charles turned to face her, smiling as he walked back to her. He hadn't seen her when he first entered.
He wondered who had told his mother he went to see his bride, knowing his parents monitored him.
Charles smiled and approached his mother, who asked, "Charles... Is she the one? I see you're smiling, my son. Is she the lady from the photo?"
- Writer
