Surprise !

Naella

My father kept his threats of marrying me to the unknown son of his business partner. Despite my pleas, my sulks, my tears, he didn't flinch at all. What am I going to do to make him change his mind? Why is my father so stubborn?

"Please dad, if you want to punish me, I'm ready to take any punishment, but not this one! Marrying a stranger, anything but not that!" I begged him to change his mind.

However, my father's gaze is impassive. It seemed like he had no shred of compassion. Despite the tons of tears I've already shed so far to coax him, he remained insensitive to this. He tells me in a harsh tone

"Stop trying to make me change my mind Naëlla!I've already made my decision and nothing will change that. You're going to marry this young man as planned. And don't think I want to punish you. I'm doing it for your own good, even if right now you think it's a bad thing. When the time is right, you're going to thank me for making this decision."

"You say you're doing it for my sake huh? But have you even thought about my feelings for a moment? Charles is my soul mate. We've been in love for four years now. You haven't even tried to get to know him, he's a resourceful young man with a bright future ahead of him. Please don't separate us dad!" I continue to beg him in tears.

"Enough talking stubborn kid! You're going to marry Ethan, that's all! Don't worry about your Charles, you'll end up forgetting him faster than you can imagine. It's all childishness, it will pass you just as quickly."

"Never! And know that this marriage will never work. I intend to spend my life with Charles!" I summoned my father, giving him a defiant look.

I run and lock myself in my room, I'm so disgusted by what my father is doing. I can't understand that in this modern age, they can decide to marry us against our will, as if we were still in medieval times. Why is my father doing this to me? I'm in so much pain! My back is against the wall now. Nothing can change my father's mind. Like a condemned person, I am waiting for the day of the sentence without being able to change anything. Since that day, I have a driver at my disposal. He watches my actions and gestures. I don't even have the right to speak at my ease to Charles.

"What's going on sweetheart? Why do you avoid me so much?" Charles inquired while we were in the classroom.

"That's the best thing to do for your security and that of your mom, Charles."

"Is that so? Sacrificing our love is the best thing for you?" Charles asks offended by my words.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but my father is determined to marry me by force. You have noticed that I am now accompanied by a driver. He gives him the report of everything I do, with whom I speak..."

"In that case, we can run away. Things can happen as he wants them to." Charles cuts me off.

"What?" I said looking at him, finding his idea stupid.

"You've listened perfectly to what I said. Your dad has a lot of money and I'm sure even if you take 10 million he won't notice the lose." He resumes with the utmost seriousness.  

I disapprove of Charles' idea and I tell him

'No sweetheart, it's not a good idea. My dad would find me and he doesn't deserve me to do that to him. Of course, he was hard on me, but he's my father all the same! He would die of heart pain if I did such a thing."

"But it's you who deserves to be married to a stranger against your will isn't it? I come to believe that the love you sing every day to have for me is only an utopia." Charles replies looking disappointed.

"Nothing will change between us my love. Even if I get married, we'll continue to see each other and I will never accept that he touches me. He will end up divorcing me. Believe me!" 

I try to reassure him as much as I can. Charles was not convinced by my words. However, neither he or I really had the power of changing my fate. Moreover, we did anything we could to avoid this to happen, but it seems my dad is stronger than us joined.

Two weeks later, the meeting with my future family in-law took place again. This time they came to our house. The desire to see them bothered me so much. What kind of man is this guy? How can he agree to marry a woman of whom he knows neither Adam nor Eve? Can't he find his own wife, pick her up and marry her off? Did he need his dad to date and marry him a woman, now in this 21st century? He annoys me already without having met him. I have to sit in the living room next to my father and pretend to welcome our guests. When they come in, my head was down. I don't even want to look at these people. Especially my future husband.

Ethan

I get into the house of my future father-in-law without much enthusiasm. I searched like crazy for the girl from the mall. Not having her name, I could not advance a single iota. What a fool I was not to even ask her name? Anyway, I intend to search this town from top to bottom if necessary, to find her. For the moment, I must first end this marriage imposed on me by my father. After that, I will continue my Don Juan life without caring for that supposed wife. I follow my parents in spite of myself. Tania stayed at home, although she was dying to meet her future sister-in-law. She had something urgent to do. Our hosts install us on seats that had been reserved for us beforehand. Everything is of high quality in this vast living room. My future father-in-law is sitting next to my bride. She seems shy, from the head she keeps lowered. Looks like she's not interested in our presence. My mother throws an intrigue at her position and that's the only time she looks up at her and smiles shyly. But by scrutinizing her, I realize that it is none other than the young girl from the mall. All of a sudden, I feel weird.