CHAPTER 8

Darlington Briggs,

How would you feel if your parents imposed a spouse on you? Someone you haven't met before?

I watched my father walk away from us by climbing the stairs, and he went back to his room, exiting our view.

"Mother," I gazed back at my mother, struggling to comprehend and assimilate the news my father had just shared about my impending marriage, like a piece of document signed on an agreement.

"Calm down, Darlington. You will not marry any Amara Nicholas, not while I am here," my mother said, and my younger sister laughed, making me glare at her.

"What's so funny, Samara?" My mother asked her before I could. "Just because your father didn't marry you too off like that, right? That's why you are shamelessly laughing at your older brother, right?"

"No, Mother."

Our mother looked displeased at Samara, who coughed and apologized to us, "Mom, I'm sorry. But this is very funny. How can our dad marry Darlington without Darlington consenting to it or knowing about it, and now his