09-Truly love you

Karen jerked her hand from his grip while Kevin cleaned his palm against his coat, as if he just held dirt.

Karen scoffed softly, "Too much pride for someone who got reject-"

Raising his fingers to the air, he warned "Don't you dare say that!"

"Mr Kord, not all women want you" Karen proceeded to say "If it were up to me I wouldn't be here speaking with you, I just..I just have to do this because of my aunt."

"Baseless excuses," Kevin dismissed her words "You've no reason to marry a rich, blind man save for his money."

"I know your dream girl rejected you because you're blind, Mr Kord and this has led you to believe no one can accept you just the way you are but you're wrong."

Karen saw a muscle twitch in his jaw but did not stop talking.

"I don't know about other women, but I'm not looking for perfection nor am I looking for something to increase my status on the social ladder or even money to embezzle,"

Kevin went suddenly quiet as he listened to her.

Karen continued, "Hell, no matter the amount I swindle I won't be able to..to enjoy them because I don't have the time to." her voice cracked. "This..this marriage is just a family-friend planned one and even if it's not the marriage I dreamed of I don't have the time to get the marriage I dreamed of."

Kevin drew in a breath and asked "What's the marriage you dreamed of?"

Karen stared at him, noticing the change of tone from hard to calm and cool.

"What do you care?"

"I don't actually," he replied quickly "So, you're giving up your dreams to marry me?"

Karen perceived his unbelief. "I'm giving up my dreams because time is not on my side and I want to make my aunt happy."

"Well, guess what?" a smirk curved up his lips "I'm not you. I can't give up my dreams to marry you. I will never."

"I don't believe in never," answered Karen

"I don't believe in always," Kevin returned.

"Well, opposites attracts"

"Never,"

"Always," Karen ended.

"Dinner's readyyyy," Aunt Maya called from over the dinner table.

Karen left him standing there and headed for the table however, Mrs Kord emerged and stared at Kevin rubbing his temples, it seemed that Karen must have given him a hard time.

Turning, Mrs Kord requested "Can you help me lead Kevin here, Karen?"

"Of course," Karen agreed and walked back to Kevin with the women's eyes boring through them. Upon getting to him, she didn't know whether to hold his hand but finally decided to do it.

The moment she placed her hand in his and tried to help him to the dinner table, Kevin leaned in and whispered,

"You might want to rethink your decision of throwing your dreams away for me, Karen" he added "I will only make your life a living hell if you push through with this wedding."

The women behind giggled, thinking their matchmaking plan was on the go. On the other end, Karen swallowed hard and said,

"Cut the act, Mr Kord. You don't intimidate me."

"Get your hands off mine," Kevin pushed her hand away and walked to the dinner table.

After a delicious dinner that was only wonderful and hilarious to Aunt Maya and Mrs Kord, it was time to leave.

Mrs Kord said to Karen, "I'll be here to take you for your pre-wedding shoots tomorrow dear. And don't you worry about the expenses. I have it all covered."

Karen could only smile.

"Thanks for the dinner, Amaya." Mrs Kord greeted as they made it to Kevin's Maybach.

"Don't thank me, Marie it's nothing."

They stopped by the car, Mrs Kord turned to Kevin.

"Well, what do you say to your fiancee??"

Kevin lifted his head, "I think she has something to say to you and her aunt, actually."

Karen bit her lips, "What?"

"Tell them," Kevin implored

Karen laughed, "Oh yeah right, Mr Kord can't uhm..wait to have this wedding."

The two women giggled loudly while Kevin made a face and got into his car.

After a short conversation, Mrs Kord joined her son inside the car and back to the mansion. Picking out her phone she began to make reservations for Karen's dress and an appointment for the couple's shoots. She spoke through out the drive and only stopped when the car came to a screeching halt.

Kevin was out before she knew, he walked inside carefully finding his way with his support stick.

"Well, how do you find her??" Mrs Kord came and stood in front of him "If you could see her, you'd have gone weak in your knees."

"She's going to change her mind about the wedding," Kevin said "Stop making reservations and appointments."

"Oh my," Mrs Kord became instantly worried "Why? Did you say something to her?"

"Yes, I told her to call off the wedding. Since her Aunt is amiable perhaps she will listen unlike you, mother."

"Well, she didn't sound like that when we were leaving. She was all smiles, and oh..I saw her looking at your chest!" Mrs Kord giggled like a high school lover.

Kevin let out a sigh and simply continued into the mansion.

An excited Mrs Kord said to her son, "Have a goodnight, darling!"

But Kevin couldn't have a goodnight. His head was full of Karen's refusal to break the wedding. He couldn't understand why at the same time, she didn't want this wedding, yet she couldn't call it off. He felt like a fool with Karen sacrificing her happiness to make her Aunt happy whereas he couldn't do the same for his mother.

How could he? He was in love with someone else, Karen wasn't. Kevin sat up on bed and picked up his phone. Using his talkback, he was able to dial Selene's number. However even after multiple attempts, she didn't pick up.

Settling down on the headboard, he left her a message.

"Mother found a bride for me," his voice was soft, deep and gentle "She's nothing like you. Not even close. She couldn't make my heart beat as fast as it does whenever you're close. Her words failed to give me that tingling sensation yours does. Her perfume did not drive me crazy like yours does. I hated to touch her. However, unlike you. She wants to marry me. She does not care about popularity. She does not want my money." he drew in a breath "I don't know if these are lies but even if they are, I don't care. All I could think about each moment I spent with her was you and how you rejected me, when all I did was love you."

After a brief silence, he added "I love you, Selene and if you were probably blind like me, God knows that that wouldn't change."

"Because I truly love you,"