Chapter 20 Your mom doesn't like me

Nica's grasp on Christmith's arm tightened when she finally faced his mother.

Luisa's eyes followed her son's hands. He removed the young lady's grasp on him. She should not be delighted with what she is seeing, but she cannot help but smile when he intertwined his hand with the girl. If only she does not know that their marriage is just a contract marriage, she could say that they love each other.

"There's no need to act like a sweet couple in front of me, I know you two are still one another's stranger." Luisa criticized their behavior once it has been just the three of them in the living room.

Chris was surprised by his mother's cold words. He helped Nica to sit before confronting his mother.

"What?" Luisa gave him a confused and innocent stare in response to her son's questioning eyes.

Nica's sadness doubled while she looks at the two, who probably have a misunderstanding because of her.

"Mom, I agreed that we'd stay here for you to get to know my wife-to-be as much as possible." Chris cleared up the situation.

"I already know her and I know that she agreed to be married to you so that she can outbalance her sister," Luisa replied to her son, she did not care even though their guest did not do anything at all.

Nica gritted her teeth and avoided Chris' eyes. She can read in his eyes that he apologizes for his mother's rudeness.

"Mom, when did you start criticizing people you don't even know that much?" there was sadness in his voice.

Luisa felt ashamed, but she did not let it be visible. She is not that kind of person, but she wants to test how long it will be for the shown kindness of her son's future wife to reach its end. According to her son's actions she sees, it was not only because of the company that he chose to marry Janice's half-sister. They halt talking when they heard footsteps coming from the stairs.

"So, you two are already here." Gregory delightfully greeted his son and future daughter-in-law.

Nica felt more embarrassed when she meets the mister again. She recalled their first meeting and how she rejected him then.

Chris quickly held Nica's palm to make her feel less nervous because she is not alone.

"Good afternoon, Sir!" Nica greeted Chris' father and bent her head down.

"Nice to see you again, hija!" The man greeted her back warmly. "I'm happy that my son chose you as his wife-to-be. I'm hoping that this will be the start of our good relationship."

"Thank you, Sir, and I am terribly sorry for being so unprofessional when we first met!" Nica said, embarrassed.

"Forget it, hija! Anyway, it's better for the two of you to rest for now in a vacant room here. Another thing… you should drop the formality. Just call me Dad."

Nica scratched her eyebrow and just shyly smiled at Chris' father. Her smile faded when she accidentally looked at his mother, she bent her head down. She is uncomfortable with the woman because of the gazes that criticize her.

"Hon, they are married yet, so why would you make them stay in the same room?" Luisa disagreed with her husband's sudden decision.

"That's what would be the case in the near future once they get married. Besides, won't Margaret's family stay here as well after two days?"

"But—"

"No more buts, Hon. There are only three available rooms and moving one's things would just be tiresome and a waste of time once they arrive."

Nica was also not able to speak to disagree with what Chris' father wanted. She never expected nor even think that she would share a room with him. But when she thinks of her half-sister being in the same room with Chris, she just agreed with the mister. She looked at Chris to know if he is against it. She could not read what was on his mind, but he did not disagree with his father.

"Is it okay with you that we are together here?" Chris asked the young lady when they were left alone in their room.

"Does your dad know that we'll only get married because of the company?"

"Yes, one of the reasons why he saved your company was for me to finally get a wife. However, he wants us to give him a grandchild. I can't say no, you also know his condition, don't you?"

"But why did you agree to marry me and let me take you from Janice?"

Chris looked carefully at the young lady who waits for his answer. He hesitates to tell the truth to her, and so what came out of his mouth was its opposite phrases.

"I'm still not ready to enter a serious relationship, particularly marriage. I know you feel the same, also, my freedom's at stake with your sister so I chose you."

Nica does not know what to react to what she heard. She was confused by the happiness she felt when he said that he does not want to be married to her half-sister.

But deep inside her heart, she felt disappointment.

"You're disappointed because he merely sees you as a shield against a relationship he does not want to be tied to?" Her conscience said.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked the young lady when she was silent.

"Ah, yeah!" She did not know that she spaced out. She quickly grabbed her traveling bag and moved it to the big cabinet. The young man's things are on the other side, however, she is still not used to having to share a thing. She looked at the big and soft bed. She touched her cheeks because it suddenly went hot when she thought that she will sleep on them with him.

"Don't worry, I'll sleep on the sofa if you're not comfortable sleeping with someone."

Nica looked at the sofa that was in their room. Two persons could sit there, but he would not be able to comfortably sleep there with his height.

"I guess you don't move too much while sleeping, the bed is also big, so it's okay for you to sleep beside me," that just came out of Nica's mouth.

Chris suppressed a smile on his lips and stared at the girl sternly. "Everything will be fine and this is only temporary." He consoled her when he remembered one of the rules they had agreed upon.

"Your mom doesn't like me, what if she insists that you marry Janice inside of me?"

"Just be patient with Mom, it's just that she doesn't know you as much as she knows Janice. I believe she would someday like you and vice versa once you caught each other's heart."

"I'm talking about what if she forces Janice to you and your dad agree?" She was being persistent.

"You're the only one I want and they can't do anything about it. They can't force me to do what I don't want to."

Her heart rejoiced because she felt his sincerity. He even made every sound of the words he spoke, clear.

"Trust me, everything will be okay and I will do everything that won't make you regret marrying me," Chris added meaningfully.

Nica's heart was exhilarated. "Try to trust again and free yourself from sadness," a part of her mind said that.

"But I can't promise you that I will be meek and nice to your mom when she becomes too much."

"I'll talk to Mom. For now, let's take a rest because tomorrow, we'll have many things to take care of."

"Can I go first?" Nica asked, pointing at the bathroom. She suddenly panics and is shy to be next to him.

"Go ahead, I'll go out first and try to make myself drowsy."

When the young man was out of sight, Nica almost ran into the bathroom. She could not do her practice of staying in the bathtub for a long while because she is worried about Chris. She let out a sigh of relief when the young man was not yet back after she got out of the bathroom.

"So you're still awake, Mom." Chris greeted his mother when he saw her in the kitchen. He took a can of beer from the refrigerator and swallowed it once.

"I'll just brew milk for your dad."

Chris felt that his mother is upset, so he hugged her from behind.

"Mom, please be nice to her. She's the only girl that I want to marry."

Luisa turned to look at her son with a surprised face, she then stared at him. "How much beer have you drank?"

"I'm serious, Mom!" Chris growled and put the beer on the table.

"But I thought you like Janice and it's her who you're on good terms with?"

"We're just friends, Mom."

Luisa shook her head, still not convinced.

"I know that what you always hear about Nica isn't good. But I'm telling you, Mom, she's a kind and good person."

Luisa sighed before smiling at him. "It's not like I dislike her, I just don't want your relationship with Janice to be a waste. Also, I'm embarrassed to Margaret because you'll hurt her daughter."

"Janice and I have talked about it already, Mom."

"Does she like you too as much as you want to be married to her?"

Chris could not answer his mother because he does not know how Nica truly feels about him. His mother was already out of sight, but he was left standing there. He swallowed the beer in the can. He felt weak and hopeless by thinking that the young lady will not like someone like him.

When Chris entered the room, he saw her already laying down, facing the left side. Before he decided to enter the bathroom, he stared at her for a couple of minutes, figuring out if she is already asleep.