It started with arranged marriage

Chapter 4

- Eric William Miller - 

I was on the phone with my girlfriend, Sophia. Sophia and I had been dating since the university year. For me, she was the one but our relationship was not as smooth as we think. We had been in an on and off relationship. But I was really devoted to her even though I know she was not devoted to me as much as I do. Moreover, my parents didn’t like her that much and they assumed that she was dating me because of the money. Besides that they also knew we had been broken up and getting back together many times. Everytime it happened it was because of Sophia. That’s why my parents tried to separate me with her. 

We were arguing about New Year’s Eve. At the beginning, Sophia and I were planning to spend new year’s eve together. But unfortunately, last night my mother just asked me to spend time with family on the new year eve. I was telling Sophia about changing the plan, she was so mad about that and we had been arguing with that for an hour. While I was arguing on the phone, I saw Lily was staring at me with curiosity. I could tell from her glance that she was curious about my phone conversation. 

At some point, I was kinda curious about Lily. Even though I had been friends with Nick many years now, he never mentioned his sister. Mom said me and her were really close when we were really young. But I had no memories about her. It was understandable because we were really young and we didn’t remember. Sophia's yelling voice from the phone was cutting into my thoughts. I quickly finished the argument and hung up the phone. 

Another day passed by with spending another day with the Collin family. I need to admit that at first I wasn’t expecting anything, but it was not so bad. The Collin family was so different from the other families that I knew. All of them were really nice, warm and humble. Especially Collin's siblings, Nick, Steve and Lilly. They never underestimate others and they were also independent, nice, kind and humble. Most importantly they were a really lovingly,caring family,  they never showed off their wealth and were rude to others. 

“Hey man, I’m going to the town center to pitch something, wanna tag along,” Nick asked, wanting me to tag along. “Sure, give me a minute,” I said. Within a minute we went out with a car. While during the car ride, I was thinking whether I should ask Nick about his sister or not.

I was about to ask, then my phone kept ringing. I looked up the caller ID, it was Sophia. I didn’t pick up the phone but the ringing did not stop. “Hey, it looks like it's an important call,” Nick said. “No, it's just a friend,” I told him and hung up the phone. To be honest I don’t want to talk in front of him. Nick didn’t know that we got back together again. Sophia and I broke up three months ago and I told Nick that time was the last time and I promised him I was never getting back with her again. All of my friends knew about my relationship with Sophia, most of my friends didn’t like her including Nick. Last time when I told them I broke up with her, everyone was relieved about me. 

Due to the phone ringing, I couldn’t ask Nick about Lily. We came back to the mansion in the evening. I went straight to my room to check some emails from work. After checking the emails, I went downstairs to get something to eat. On the way to the kitchen, I saw mom and Nick’s mom were talking in the study room. They seemed to have a serious conversation. 

At the kitchen, Steve and Lily were eating. I was opening the fridge and looking for something to eat. “Hey, you need something?” Steve asked. “Nothing important___ I'm just looking for something to eat,” I said while stumbling through the fridge. “Here, you can have this sandwich. I made it for Nick but he said he’s full,” Lily offered me the sandwich that she made for her brother. 

“Thanks, I’ll take it upstairs. Good night guys,” I said, walking out from the kitchen. On the way back to my room, I saw mom and Nick’s mom, Mary were still talking in the study room. Mary looked like she was comforting my mom. I just assumed that there was some issue between mom and dad that’s why Mary was comforting mom. I quickly walked away from the study room and back to my room. 

A faded laughing and talking noise from outside made me wake up. I was kinda annoyed about the noise. I mentally groaned and checked the time. It was freaking 6 am. I wanted to know who was talking that early in the morning and where the noise came from. So, I was opening the door a little bit and peeking from inside. The noise was coming from Nick’s room. His room was just in front of my room. It was Collin’s sibling, three of them were talking and laughing at Nick’s room. 

I couldn’t sleep anymore, so I decided to go outside for morning jogging. I grabbed my phone and stopped in front of Nick’s room. “Hey Nick, I’m going for a jog, wanna join?” I asked Nick. “I’ll pass man, Thanks for asking,” he said. I just nodded at them, said goodbye and I went for a jog. 

I took a quick warm shower after I got back from jogging. Someone knocked on the door while I was wrapping the christmas presents. “Come in,” I shouted from inside. It was my mom who came to my room. Mom came in with a serious face. “Mom, is everything okay?” I asked. “I saw you were talking to Nick’s mom last night too. You don’t look so good. Is everything okay between you and dad?” I asked her again before she got to answer the first question. 

“What makes you think me and your dad has a problem,” mom laughed at my question. That made sense because my parents were a happy marriage couple. They loved each other a lot. I rarely saw them fighting or arguing seriously. “If not about you two then what is it?” I asked. “It’s about you, Eric. I want to talk about you,” she said. Immediately I knew it’ll be about me and Sophia again. 

“Mom, I didn’t do anything wrong though,” I told her. Try my best we weren’t talking about Sophia. “Me and your dad were worried about you. You are not young also we are not young too. We want you to have a stable family instead of roaming around with Sophia,” mom said.

Now Sophia was included in the conversation. Every time we talked and Sophia was included in the talk, we always ended up with arguments. That’s why I tried my best not to talk about her in front of my parents. Now she was included in again. I didn’t want to end up arguing with mom, especially when we were with Collin’s family. 

“Mom can we talk about that when we get back from the holiday,please” I bagged her. It was unlikely my mom would drop that subject right away. When it came to Sophia, mom was really determined what she wanted for me to do with her. Mom always lost her temple if we talked about Sophia. She wasn’t a type of person that can lose the temple easily but every time it was about Sophia, she would act differently. 

“I don’t come here to talk about that girl. I just came here to tell you that you’re getting married with Lily in a few months.” she said. “Lily? You mean Nick’ sister, your best friend’s daughter, Lily Collin?” I sarcastically said. “Mom____ don’t be ridiculous. I don’t even know her. Moreover you know I have a girlfriend,” I said looking away from her.  

“Nothing will change Eric. Max and I were already arranged and talked with Mary too. That’s the final. You said you don’t know lily right, strat getting to know her. You have plenty of time to get to know her,” mom said. 

“Keep in mind that you are getting married soon,” she said and she just left the room. I followed her and stopped her in the staircase. “Mom___ you can’t be serious right?” I asked her again. “I’m deadly serious,” she said and left me alone in the staircase. She left me speechless. All the things she just said didn’t make sense.