Chương 12: Chapter twelve: Family Meeting

~~~A fool who lose tomorrow reaching back for yesterday. I won't turn my head in sorrow if you should go away. I'll stand here and remember just how good it's been. And I know I'll never love this way again.

I know I'll never love this way again so I keep holding on before the good is gone~~~

-Regine Velasquez-

~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~

"Where are we going, mom?" I asked my mom for the third time, but once again I didn't get an answer.

She kept pulling me into the living room and what surprised me was that she didn't stop there until we reached the garage where Dad and Dale seemed to be waiting for us.

"Wait! What is this? Where are we going?" I asked confused when Dad opened the door for us while Dale took the driver's seat. "Mom, what is this?" I'm on the verge of tears, but still, none of them has opened their mouths to give an answer.

I breathed loudly and noticed that Dale was kept on checking me on the rearview mirror. I asked him a silent question through my eyes but he just gave me a slight smile.

I really wanted to cry, to protest and tell them to at least talk to me as they started ignoring me since yesterday when mom found out the truth. And when she woke me up this morning, she just told me to change because we're going to visit her and dad's friend. But seeing how serious they are right now inside the car, I can feel that something wrong is going to happen.

I closed my eyes and leaned against my seat. Nobody speaks even uttering a single word and I admit, the silence inside the car is more deafening than the loud music at the bar during that night.

And before I dozed off, someone opened the radio and I sighed... I was wrong. It's not the radio, but a disc that plays old country music. I forgot that this is my dad's car and of course, expect to hear all the old songs of his age.

After almost 20 minutes of travel to I don't know where, we finally came to stop. But I couldn't help furrowing my eyebrows as soon as I got out of the car. We are in front of an exclusive restaurant in which I thought of meeting my parents' friend. And again, I wanted to ask mom but I held back since I knew she and dad were ignoring me. I just swallowed my question and followed them as they entered the restaurant.

Little did I know that this day would be the beginning of my lifelong consequences... the consequences of what I've done. My life would change and will start to experience a hell of a roller coaster upon my journey.

And that change began the moment we entered the exclusive reservation room where my jaws dropped to the floor as my eyes widened in surprise. Luke's family, including their lawyer Mr. Raymond Clark and our family lawyer Mr. Stephen Chang, were all seated on the long rectangular wooden table.

My heart began to beat faster. Why did I suddenly felt nervous upon seeing Luke's parents?

"W-What is this?" I asked in no particular. My eyes were moving around in search of a certain someone since I noticed that he isn't there.

But before anyone from the group could open their mouths, my question was followed by another question from behind me.

"What is going on here?"

I turned around slowly just to find the person my eyes had been searching for, Luke. He's standing in all his glory with the same reaction as me.

"Can anyone tell me what's going on here? Mom, is this the lunch meeting you mentioned earlier when you called me?"

I held my breath when he glanced at my direction. His eyes immediately showed disgust especially when he scanned my dress. This suddenly made me conscious of what I'm wearing. I simply checked my outfit but instantly uttered a silent curse as I realized that I'm only wearing a spaghetti strap sundress which ended two inches above my knee. My cleavage flaunts from my low sweet neckline and my legs were almost in full display.

I tried to pull down the hem of my dress but it didn't lessen the disgust in his face, it added instead. He sneered and he followed it by shaking his head.

"Alright, since we're already completed, maybe you two can join us now so we can start this family meeting while having our lunch."

I was about to throw a question, but Luke beat me.

"Family meeting? What are you talking about, dad?" He said looking at the old Williams while I remained motionless a meter away from him.

I took another glance at the table and then at him and it was only then that I realized that only the two of us were left alone standing while our family already took their seats.

"We will start discussing it once you two also take a seat." My Dad said seriously.

I took the vacant chair next to Dale and he took the one which was exactly in front of me.

My mind was still in turmoil as they began with the discussion. Honestly, I don't know and I don't care what the result of this boring and lifeless meeting will be... well, not until one of them uttered the word 'marriage'.

We all turned to the man across my seat when he dropped his spoon loudly, which caught everyone's attention.

"I won't marry her!" Luke hardly said looking straight at me.

But because I wasn't listening to them as they talked, I looked like a 10-year-old kid who had no idea what was going on around me.

"You have no choice, son, it's the best way to protect our business." Mr. James Williams, Luke's father threw him a hard glare.

"And it's also the best way to save our family's reputation." Lilian, his mother sounded worried, maybe for his son's reaction.

But my family has remained silent.

"Wait! I don't understand how marrying Samantha would save our family's reputation. Are we indebted to them?"

"Luke---" but Lilian was interrupted when my father finally spoke.

"Yes, but it's only you who are indebted to us, especially to my daughter."

"What---"

"She's pregnant, Luke. My sister is pregnant with your child." Dale threw the bomb.

'Ting!' Another loud thud was echoed in the four corners of the dining room when Luke accidentally dropped his fork on the floor. He looked at me slowly, which made my heart shrink. And with the kind of look he gave me, I saw hatred... disgust and pure hatred.

"You're pregnant."

It wasn't a question, but more of a confirmation and I nodded. I already told him about it but he just walked away from me. Then suddenly everyone fell into a silent, except my heart. It's pounding loudly inside my chest that seems like it wants to rip my ribcage.

My dad was the first to break the deafening silence.

"We're going to set your wedding next month."

"Next month? Are you serious? I don't love your daughter! I don't even consider her a friend!"

"Luke Marcuz Williams, look who you're talking to!" the old Williams' voice roared throughout the room.

"I don't care whether you love my daughter or not, but you have to take responsibility for being the father of your child."

"Dad..." I tried to protest but Luke didn't give me the chance to do it.

"Why don't you ask your daughter what happened that night and what she did?"

"I know what she did." Dad said seriously, nodding.

"Really? Is it because she told you? But did she also tell you that it was her plan to ruin my life and my relationship?" Then he threw me a hard glare. "I won't marry her. I have a girlfriend and whether she's having my child or not, I still won't marry her!"

I lowered my head upon hearing Luke's words. It's not the first time I heard them and it hurts, but no one told me that it hurts more when it's in front of my parents. Guilt and pain mingled inside, slowly blocking my air passage and tightening my chest.

"And do you think you have a choice? Why don't you ask your parents?"

"Your father and I decided to set your wedding in the first week of the following month." Lilian took the words of her husband.

"Mom?"

"You have to marry her, son, for the sake of your child. We don't want him or her to be born without a complete family."

"Mom, you know I can't! I have a girlfriend and I love her!"

"Then forget about her and start accepting the truth that you're going to be a father and you will have to marry Samantha before her baby bump started to show."

They continued to argue around the table, my dad and Luke's parents as if the person they were talking to wasn't on the same room.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to marry your daughter, Uncle Steve." He said not looking at my father but to me. "I believe that marriage should be agreed by both parties. I don't wanna be trap in a loveless marriage!"

'Ouch!' I screamed in silence.

I wanted to tell him that it wouldn't be a loveless marriage because I love him. Maybe it would be a one-sided relationship, but I also don't want to lose hope that he will be able to learn to love me when we finally live in one roof.

"She's not the woman I dreamed of being my wife, besides, she's too young to get married. And I don't see myself being with her in my whole life."

I gulped the pain that surged within me and continued to listen to him as he dominated the discussion.

"I guess she still doesn't know how to cook or even fry an egg and oh--- wait!"

I breathed waiting for his next words.

"I think the only thing the 'princess' knew is to ask what she wanted and she will easily get whatever it is, like this wedding!"

My eyebrows formed a straight line when he emphasized the word 'Princess'. What is he talking about?

"So tell me, did she ask you to set this meeting and force me to marry her?"

"I didn't ask them, in fact, I didn't do anything about this---" the time I opened my mouth, he interrupted me followed by a sarcastic laugh.

"Really? You didn't do anything, huh?"

"This discussion is over." I know Dad was trying to remain calm, but his voice failed him.

"If you're going to ask me how much I wanted this wedding, I admit, this is all I wanted from the beginning. I wanted you to be mine. I wanted you to love me like the way that I love you, but somehow, thinking this little bump inside me made me realize what's more important to me... and that is, I want you to be a father to my baby."

"And do you think that's easy? That I would easily believe you? Well, Samantha, don't use the child to trap me, because I won't fall for your trick!"

"Why can't you believe me---" I was cut when Dad banged his palm on the table.

"Enough! I said this discussion is over! Whether the two of you agree or not, you will continue to tie the knot on the first week of the next month!"

"But Dad, I'm only seventeen."

"And so, what if you're only seventeen? You can get married even when you're sixteen as long as you have parental consent that we're allowing you to get married."

"And we both agreed on that, Sam." I turned to my mom as she finally spoke.

"I can't believe this!" Luke screamed in frustration.

"As I said, whether you like it or not, we will continue the wedding."

When Dad, Luke and his father started having a heated conversation, I decided to escape for a while.

"Excuse me, I'll just use the ladies room," I said in no particular. I didn't wait for anyone's reply as I stood up immediately.

Massaging my now throbbing temples, I headed my way towards the ladies bathroom without turning my head to anyone of them.

But when I thought I could let the tears to flow freely because I was finally alone, well, I was wrong. My eyes were dry no matter how long I stared myself in the mirror. I took a deep breath before reapplying a thin amount of lipstick that had already faded as I unconsciously chewed my lips

earlier.

Closing the door behind me, I was about to take a step but I gasped in shock when I found Luke waiting outside the ladies room.

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