Chapter 1: An Interruption
Emma was sitting at home, drinking a cup of tea while reading one of her favorite novels, "Les Miserables". She had just come upon the scene of Cosette and Jean Valjean meeting for the first time when she heard a knock at the door. Sighing, she put in a bookmark to mark her place and got up to open the door.
"Hell--" Emma started to say, when her cousin, Mina brushed past her and collapsed on the couch. Alarmed, Emma quickly closed the door and paced over to her cousin with a worried face.
"Mina, what's wrong?" she asked. Mina had covered her eyes with her arms and she could see her shoulders shaking in a poor attempt to hold back tears. Waiting patiently, Emma pulled up a chair and held a box of tissues in her hands. After some time, Mina was able to sit up and took a tissue from Emma.
"Emma..." she started to say in a broken voice, "I'm in love."
"Well that is wonderful, isn't it?" Emma asked in a confused tone. Her cousin had always been a beautiful, flirtatious woman who pledged to never settle for one guys because, as she explained to Emma many times, "there were too many fish in the sea to be with only one forever."
"It is, and he is the most handsome, kindest, and wonderful man I have ever met. But my dad just told me that he has arranged my marriage partner! He is the son of one of my dad's business partners and dad says I have no choice. I either go through with the marriage or my parents will cut me out of the family!" Mina finished saying before bursting into tears again. Emma felt her heart ache for her cousin. They had grown up together, been raised in the same social circle, and knew that for women in their position, they would be sold to the highest bidder, the person with the best connections and the most money. Love was never taken seriously and women who tried to fight for independence were either shunned from their families or brought to heel through various means. Emma, was an exception. Her mother had died when Emma was still a toddler and her father was too busy with the family business to really pay attention to her. After going to the same private schools and social events as everyone else in this "high society" of snakes and backstabbers, she decided she did not want to live her life that way and ran away from home. However, due to her high IQ and hard work, she was able to grow out of her father's shadow and become a successful pediatric surgeon. So while her father did not actively seek her out, he also tolerated her position in the hospital and left her mostly alone.
"Emma, what am I going to do?" Mina wailed, bringing Emma back from her thoughts.
"What do you want to do?" Emma asked gently.
"I want to be with Roland, but I can't just leave my family! Dad says this marriage is good for the family, and Amy's condition isn't getting better. Dad and Mom say it might be time to cut our losses since the treatment is so expensive and things aren't getting better, but I can't give up on my little sister! But if I don't marry this person, then I won't have the money to provide for Amy myself. I don't know what to do..." Mina started crying again into the tissue, her eyes swollen and red. Emma leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, made a steeple with her hands, and started to think of possible solutions for her cousin. As she did so, Mina started to calm down, knowing her brilliant cousin would help. Emma usually had a gently demeanor around her and with her black hair, blue eyes, and willowy figure, she should have attracted attention wherever she went. However, when she was not in the comfort of her home, surrounded by her friends or patients, or was thinking very hard about something, she gave off a cold feeling so people generally tried not to look at her or be around her. Mina wasn't sure when Emma started evoking that sense of fear in other people, but she knew it was a form of self-protection, and also a signal Emma was thinking very hard about something. Feeling that coldness, Mina shivered slightly but was comforted in the thought that her cousin was trying her hardest to help her. After a few moments, Emma opened her eyes and looked at Mina.
"I have a few options for you, " she started to say. "One, marry this man and you may be able to provide for Amy. But that funding may not be guaranteed as it will be your husband's money and since we know nothing about him and how he feels about this marriage, it is a huge gamble because he might not give you enough for Amy anyways. Two, run away with Roland and get a job. You will most likely be cut off, but I can help Amy by transferring her to the hospital I work at. Uncle might fight me a little bit on this to get to you, but I can't imagine that if cost is not an issue, he would let his daughter die. Three, I can meet this man myself, explain the situation, and gauge his reaction to see which option would be the safest for you. This might buy you some time and Uncle will be appeased thinking you are willing to meet him, but in reality I will.
Now...what do you choose?"
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