Chapter 27 An Arranged Marriage
1408 Words
After the battle with Hart Turner, Ryan’s fame spread far and wide and he was soon one of the most influential young men in Silver Coast city.
People in the city would reveal respectful smiles when the name of Ryan was mentioned. Moreover, his Forest Creamery also became the most well-known business in the city.
However, Ryan’s father was blind to his success, and he had no plans to inform him of it.
One day when he was in the shop, his phone buzz and it was a call from his father. He wondered why his father called, so he answered the phone.
“Hi, dad. How are you doing?”
Knowing that Ryan was talking with his father, his employees stopped working as they were curious about the phone conversation.
“I need to talk to you, son. You’d better come home recently. You are almost twenty- two years old.
Ryan was becoming confused and he speculated that his family was about to throw him a party to celebrate his birthday.
“Are you gonna throw me a surprise party?” Ryan spoke his mind out.
His father refused his speculation.
“It’s nothing about parties. It’s about your marriage, do you remember that?”
Ryan felt embarrassed as his phone was in speaker mode. And his employees felt surprised by the news.
No one had expected Ryan, a man of talents, would face an arranged marriage.
“Is that true, Mr. Jones? Are you going back home and having a wedding?”
Ryan rubbed his head and pulled a wry face. He had no clue what his father was talking about.
“I don’t know, actually. But I’ll go back to find it out. Anyway, it’s my father’s wish.”
Though Ryan had become a successful businessman, he still had the habit of acting at his father’s beck and call.
His employees became anxious about his plan to go back home.
How could they run the shop well without his direction?
“You can’t leave us. We can’t run this place well without you.”
Ryan gave them a knowing smile because it was not a big deal.
“Don’t worry. I’ll come back as soon as possible.”
The employees stopped persuading and they were ready to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of the business.
Ryan came from a village named Windrush. It was a picturesque place with a long river flowing through it.
Windrush was remote and backward and most families there lived a hard life.
Even so, the family who had an engagement with Ryan was pretty wealthy.
It was said the family earned over one million every year and lived a free and affluent life in the village. They didn’t move to the city for the consideration of high living costs.
The daughter of the family was called Alice Bates.
Alice got extremely indignant when she was informed of the engagement. She found it hard to accept that she would marry a poor wretch.
“What’s wrong with you? How could you arrange for me to marry a poor guy?”
Alice roared at her parents as she couldn’t hide her anger, though it was not proper to do so.
Her father Ade Bates felt very depressed by the whole situation.
He agreed to betroth his daughter to Ryan because Ryan’s father had sent help in his hour of distress.
He also regretted it after his family became the richest in the village. However, he would be criticized by all the other villagers if he broke the promise.
“I’ know it’s my fault. But it’s settled.”
Alice was burning with anger at the thought of her engagement with Ryan. She worried that once they got married, she would live a miserable life.
Her own family was the richest in Windrush and clearly, Ryan’s family was not in the same category.
After a while, her mother also showed disapproval.
“I don’t agree Alice marries that poor man.”
Alice and her mother were staunchly opposed to the engagement, which put Ade in a dilemma.
“I don’t want Alice to marry him either. But what can I do?”
Alice was so mad at her parents and deep inside she accused them of being cowards.
“I got an idea. I’ll make him give up.”
Her mother was curious about Alice’s plan.
“What is it?”
Alice stared at her father and said, “You’ll find. I’ll need your support by then.”
The news that Ryan would go back home caused a heated discussion in the shop, and Phil offered to accompany him on the trip to Windrush.
On the one hand, Ryan could use his help on the way home. On the other hand, he feared that he was not able to take charge of the shop when Ryan was away.
“Can I go with you, Mr. Jones?”
Ryan declined his offer because he would rather deal with the problem on his own.
“It’s better you stay here and take charge of the business. You can do it.”
Ryan showed complete trust in Phil and he believed Phil had enough abilities to run the shop.
Phil felt moved by Ryan’s trust and he took his suggestion with gratitude.
Later that day, Ryan thought he should buy some cheapie clothes and take them home.
Several blocks away stood a clothing shop, and the shop owner seldom received customers for months. It was very likely the shop would be closed soon. When the shop owner saw Ryan come in, she showed great passion and hospitality.
“What can I do for you, sir?”
When Ryan was looking around, her ex-husband walked in. He glowered at Ryan but said nothing.
Her ex-husband came back in the hope of resuming the matrimonial relationship. And evidently, it was beyond his imagination that his wife was spending time alone with a man in the shop.
“Who are you? Why are you here? This is not a proper place for you.”
His wife became anxious because the clothes sold in the shop were very cheap, and her ex-husband was making the situation difficult.
It was not easy to get a customer and she expected Ryan to buy one piece or two.
Hence, she asked her ex-husband to leave.
“It’s none of your business. Get out.”
Her bad attitude made her ex-husband terribly cross.
“Dare you say it again? This poor bastard has no money for your clothes!”
He was not sure whether Ryan was poor or not, he just needed to vent his anger at the moment.
Ryan didn’t argue with him. Instead, he took out a bank card and put it on the table.
“I can pay one million for this shop if you agree to sell it.”
The woman couldn’t help glancing around and she was sure the shop and all the garments together were worth less than one million dollars.
She thought Ryan was just making an angry decision. Anyway, he didn’t look like a billionaire.
“If you have no money to pay. I won’t let you leave.” Her ex-husband threatened.
The woman began to worry about Ryan.
Her ex-husband was a rich man and they got divorced because he had hung around with shady characters.
She supposed Ryan was not financially comparable to her ex-husband.
“What if I have money?” Ryan questioned.
Her husband was convinced that Ryan was a penniless vagrant, and he snapped, “Then I’ll kneel down and bark like a dog.”
Ryan nodded and he was pleased that the man would make a fool of himself.
Then the woman picked up his bank card, swiped it through the POS.
A moment later, they heard the voice from the machine, PAID.
The woman’s ex-husband lapsed into a sullen silence. He couldn’t understand how a plainly-looking man was able to pay such a considerable amount.
“I don’t suppose you have so much money.”
Ryan didn’t continue talking about money, and he commanded in a deep and authoritative voice, “It’s time to fulfill your promise.”
The ex-husband was so indignant but he could only kneel down and barked.
He hadn’t thought he would be humiliated by a strange man and he turned crimson under the insults.
He vowed to avenge the humiliation he suffered today.
- Writer
