Chapter 5

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I AM almost passing by the hallway when I arrived seeing the two-person talking with my mom. The man seems to be the age of Brent, and the other person has a carbon copy of that old man. I assumed they are a father-son relationship. His son, if I’m not mistaken looks the same as my age. I was about to cross the living room when they noticed my presence and looks at me in amazement as if I were an angel who went down from heaven. I stopped walking.

The guy who I also noticed, looks at me intently and didn’t cut his gaze. I could see the malice in that appealing face when he starts scanning my looks from the head up to my toe. His looks seem to be good-looking alright, but his eyes are like a dart shooting straight to my… body?

What the hell! Why the heck he looks at me that way?

My mom speaks at the old man, “She's my daughter I'm referring to.” Then her attention focuses on me as she calls me to join them. “Come here, Celestine. Introduce yourself to Mister Bellevera, and his son. Mister Bellevera is the legitimate CEO of the company. Isn't it great?"

I smiled broadly. “Yes. Of course.” But it doesn’t interest me.

“And this is Ezekiel, his only son,” mom said as introducing me to that guy.

The person my mom called Ezekiel, move to stand and offered his hand which I accepted, hesitantly. I really hate men especially this kind of man standing in my front wearing that greening face to greet me.

I even felt the slight squeeze he made on my hand obviously full of ...

“You have a very nice hand,” he said as if he didn't want to let go of my hand.

“From now on, you will treat them well. And you will start to go out with his son.” I forced a look at what mommy said. My eyes widened. This is wrong, terribly wrong.

How can that happen? I never dated any man in my life. And I never even had a good relationship with men too. I might have some allergies and nightmares when I’m with them.

“You'll going to marry him,” mommy continued.

I would have taken back my hand that seems he didn't want to let go.

The last thing mommy said finally echoed in my brain.

The freedom I'll be longing for is almost a freedom when I Celestine Rain Alcazar will marry a man that I hated the most.

I was about to take back my hand from him, for my last attempt. He’s holding it tightly when this cocky bastard just kissed the back of my hand before unleashing it and taking my hand after that long handshake that looks like holding hands.

“Nice, meeting you, my future wife.” He still grinning from ear to ear. I don't know if mom notices it.

“He'll be your fiancé.”

No. It's a hell. A hell fiancé. My mind kept protesting. But there still no words to come out.

I can't believe my mom arranged my life into a marriage I never wanted just for the sake of money.

Tell me. This is not happening…

Tell me this is a dream, a nightmare rather.

I already woke up from a nightmare. Is this will be a new chapter of nightmare in my life?

This is not happening, for Pete's sake!

I simply pinched my arm, it made a red mark and hurts me a little.

So, it's true... Is it true that I am going to get married soon?

“Sorry, just give us a moment,” I said in a hushed tone. I need to talk to mom. I need to clarify this. “Please excuse us,” I finally said walking straightly far from them, grabbing my mom’s arm.

MOM AND I reached the kitchen. Away from the ears of those two men. They're still comfortably sitting, and talking on the sofa in the living room.

“Mom, what is this all about? Why all of a sudden? You know that he just died—” my mom cut me out, and insisted on her own reason.

“That's exactly my reason, hija. Your Daddy Brent has died and we will lose a man in our family. There is no one to protect you. Mister Bellevera is the exact guy for you, he will surely protect you.”

Every time I am remembering that face, how that Ezekiel stared, I am feeling disgusted. Well, that Bellevera isn't that ugly. I just have a big hunch that he’s a hell of a playboy. He looks like a girl-magnet and chases by a woman. The looks of his face creep me out, the same way how he looks at me too. Everything seems to be horrified. It gives me an idea that I need to get away from him.

I'm two-inch taller than him, now that I'm wearing a three-inch stiletto after I assessed him earlier. He has an angular jaw, quite a few small growing mustaches around his chin. He looks skinny, I'm not even sure if he's a well-built person. His angular square face reminds me of Brent. He is close to brown in color, a little bit tan. The eyes are beautiful and have a brilliant look mixed with l*st or pleasure. I bite my lower lip because of that thought. I should stop thinking that way, but how he stares at me gives the idea.

I close my eyes emphatically. “No Mom! I am protesting. I will not allow myself to marry someone I do not love.” And I can’t love him. I belong to someone else and definitely not him nor any other guy.

“Date with him.” Mom obviously dictating me instead of a request. “You will know, time after time, you might also learn to love him. He's the only way for our prosperous life to have it back, Celestine. I just want something a good life that I can't offer. I know I shouldn't interfere but this is the least I can do just so we don't fall into hard life as squatter people do. I don't want a poverty life again, Celes. Not now,” mommy growled at me.

She grabbed both my shoulders and stared lower down straight into my eyes. "If you still care for me, and you wanted to help me, accept the marriage." Then she released me. Mommy's voice was full of pleading which was really hard to refuse. Her stare offers me that how much I ran with her decision, I can’t for sure get over it especially when it is the final words of obligation.

She turned her back at me and spoke again. “He likes you a lot, Celes. And it's not that hard for you to like him back. He seems to be a good person, has a good background and he’s handsome too. Try to date him, and be kind to him. I just want to have a good grandchild before I die.”

Did you, mom ask me if I like him?

But of course, it didn’t come out of my mouth. I didn’t even make any word to fight her back. She’s my mother, and the parents have all the right to make a decision, whether the children are against it. Parents always win the fight.

“Just think about it. After a month of dating him, you will see. You'll like him too,” that was the last I heard from my mom before I leave her, and went upstairs where my room is.

I push the door shut as it gives a heavy striking sound, and locked it. I hate Brent! I hate mom too. None of them gives me freedom of disturbance. They always think only of themselves. I guess I can never have a placid life towards the end.

I sat on my bed as my butt started to buried down showing how soft my bed is.

I would rather endure to sleep in a pallet rough bed, living in the estuary, have a poor life than imprison in a relationship that feels like a living hell.

I took my bag and scrambled it looking at my phone. My hands are trembling when I dialed Roa's number, my manager, and my savior. “Ate…”

“Oh. Why were you calling? Is there a problem?” Her voice seems disturbed.

“Can I sleep with you for at least two nights?” I am begging her. Please.. just this time…

I waited for Roa's response. I even heard her sigh on the other line before she agreed.

“Did you fight with Aunt Lucy?”

I shook my head. “N-no. I just wanted to be with you,” I lied. I wanted to run away in this kind of situation—that’s the truth. Running away is a better idea than solving a problem that seems to be insuperable.

“I am going to prepare some dinner then I will wait for you.”

“All right, ate. Thank you so much.” Then I hang the phone up. Finally! I felt relieved. Even a few days, assuredly enough for me to think about how I will get rid of this trouble that mom made.

I knew Roa was hesitant to agree with me, she didn’t want me to be there because she couldn’t concentrate on work. She's a career-driven person, was separated from her husband, and had no child. Because no children, she seems to get focus on work. It has been almost eight years since she and her husband separated in the court order. That was before the fifth year of their divorce because it took three years to process their annulment. Her husband was beating her and several times imprisoned for dr*g abuse.

I held my head high, immediately pulled out the small luggage. Putting the clothes inside the luggage for a week’s use. In case Roa will not agree, staying with her for a week. For sure, she will ask me to just stay for days and not more than what I wanted to. I will find a hotel better than my home, sleep or check some available apartments. I will use all the entire money I have saved to find a house that will call home just to be away from this mansion house. This house is indeed huge but my world is getting smaller here. This house can’t even call as home anymore.

After finishing packing my clothes, some important documents, and things, I slowly walking passing the hallway going into the staircase, making a quiet movement going down.

I almost fell down the stairs as I was going down dragging the suitcase when I found a person, standing, looking at me and transferred the gaze to the suitcase I am holding. I wish it was just one step closer to the main door. But it wasn’t.