It started with arranged marriage

Chapter 2

- Lily Jane Collin  -

My brother, Nick came and knocked on my room door “wake up now sleepyhead, we’re going to be late.” I woke up groaning and started to freshen up. After dressing up, I called Nick to help me to carry my luggage. But I got no response from him and mumbled to myself “ if Steven is here, he’ll offer help immediately.” Steve was my other older brother, he was a year older than Nick and three year older than me. 

While I was running downstairs carrying down my heavy luggage and almost tripped from the stairs. Our maid, Susan saw me and ran to me and helped me to carry my luggage. “Thank You! Susan” I said, padding her shoulders. 

“Good morning,” I said, kissing my grandma and mom cheek. “Morning dear,” said my grandma. Everyone was almost finished eating breakfast as I was just sitting down and starting to eat. Mom, grandma and Nick glanced at me as I was a dead meat. I was eating and mom started nagging about how we arrived late because of my late woke up. I tried to change the topic, asked mom “is Steve coming here or going straight to the mansion?” 

“We’ll meet up with Steve over there, now hurry up we don’t have time, we need to drive there,” Nick urged me to eat fast. I was whining and mumbling to myself, “why do we need to depart early in the morning.” 

Then again, mom was  like “hurry up, Lily.” “Okay___Okay___ I’m done, Coming,” I ran to the car. I managed to pass the rush hour morning and got into the car, sat down next to the driver’s seat. Grandma and mom were sitting at the back seat while Nick was starting the car engine. I pulled down the car window and waved hand to the maids and said “Merry Christmas and Happy New year everyone. Have a blessed and happy holiday.”

I felt like it had been the whole day sitting in the car. I was whining about how Nick drove slow. I was so excited about meeting with my brother, Steve and wanted to arrive soon. “ I can’t wait to see Steve, it’s been almost a month that we haven't seen each other.” I said it to mom. Mom smiled and said “same here too”. Nick just ignored my whining and kept driving at the same speed. 

Steve was a cardiologist surgeon and since he started working at the new private hospital, he barely got back home. He was living alone near his workplace. Unlike Steve, Nick followed dad's footsteps and he was managing and leading our family business, Collin Hotels & Resorts since dad passed away four years ago. Collin Hotels & Resorts is one of the most successful chain hotel businesses in the US. 

“Look! Someone is pouting his lips and jealous about Steve,” I teased Nick, poking in his arm. Mom and grandma started laughing and Nick countered “Oh____ really! Do you think I’m jealous of Steve?” All the way to the mansion was full of laughter and excitement. 

As we arrived at the mansion, I saw Steve’s car. I ran inside the house with full speed “Steve, where are you? We are here,” I called Steve, my voice was literally as loud as the speaker. Then Nick came in with lots of luggages and mom and grandma were behind him. I heard footsteps coming from the kitchen and it was Steve. 

“Steve___ Oh God___ I miss you, miss you a lot,” I ran to him and gave him my biggest, warmest hug. “You guys can catch up later, now help me carry all this luggages and send it to the room, please” Nick cutted off the reunion moment. There was no maid at the mansion during Christmas holiday, mom always gave a holiday to all the maids  who were working at our family. That’s why we needed to do everything by ourselves during christmas holiday. 

We all went to our room to unpack our stuff before my mom friend's family arrived. It was almost dinner time already, mom called all of us to help her with preparing dinner as we were waiting for the guest. All of us were chatting, laughing and talking about childhood embarrassing memories while preparing dinner. We all were enjoying the quality time with family. 

Our family was not like other rich families. Even though we were rich and we had maids at our house, all of us needed to clean up our room and our stuff by ourselves. That was one of mom’s house rules out of many other rules. After we finished cooking, I started setting the table and arranged flowers and put it in the middle of the dining table. Now we all just needed to wait for the guest to arrive. 

“I think we better start the fireplace,” said mom. “I will do it now mom,” Steve offered to start the fireplace. We all were gathering at the living room while chatting and waiting for the guests. 

“So___ bro, do you have a girlfriend already or you have someone you like?” I suddenly attacked Steve with the question that he really wanted to avoid talking. Mom and grandma were also “yeah___ we also want to know, we thought that you will bring your date on this holiday”. 

As Steve wanted to change the topic, so he counter attacked Nick, “how about you Nick? You have someone already?”. “Don’t be ridiculous, can’t imagine myself with someone,” Nick fired back to Steve. 

“Common____ we are asking about you not Nick, at least he has someone who has been crushing on him,” I countered with a joke. Before I got an answer from Steve, “oh__ look!, I think they’re here,” Steve said pointing outside of the window. 

“Kids, let’s go out and welcome them,” mom said as we all followed mom except grandma. We asked grand to just wait inside as outside was cold and snowing. 

While we were walking out to the front door, I mumbled to my brothers “Thanks God! Dinner time is finally here”. They didn’t say anything back but just chuckled to my reaction about the dinner. 

There were three people coming out from the car. I recognized mom’s friend, aunt Julia and her husband Max. I didn’t recognize another guy who was coming with them. Nick went straight to that guy and gave him a hug. 

“Merry Christmas and welcome, Julia. How long has it been since the last time we met?” as mom and aunt Julia were hugging happily. Steve told mom “mom, let invite them inside first, it’s freezing outside”. “Oh___ yeah, where is my manner, sorry Juila. I was too happy and forgot to invite in first. Common in” mom invited them and we all went inside the house and went to the living room. 

Then aunt Juila approached me and said “you must be Lily. You grow up as such a beautiful lady”. Then mom introduced us to them. “Mom, you still remember Julia's family right?” mom asked grandma. “Of course! Why wouldn’t I”. Mom continued with the introducing part “Steve, Lily, this is Julia and Max and their son Eric. Julia, this is my oldest son Steve and youngest daughter Lily. I think you already know Nick” then mom faced it to Nick “I think you don’t need introducing as you already know them”. Nick and Eric were best friends and they had known each other for a long time. 

After we were finishing the introduction, I was accidently made eye contact with Eric. When our eyes met, I got that weird feeling and chill. That was our first encounter as an adult. According to his mom and my mom, we used to be inseparable when we were a kid. I needed to admit that he was incredibly charming and handsome.