5. UNCERTAIN TIE

The fucking Jack must have planned something for his only daughter. The man called at a sudden moment when his daughter was in the middle of a row with the man she loved. Fiona pursed, then looked at Steve who was waiting for her statement. She gave an indescribable look, but Steve knew what she meant.

"Is your dad planning something?" asked Steve. "Matchmaking?"

Fiona sighed. "I don't know," she said. "My dad always does unexpected things as usual."

"Want me to deliver?"

"No." Fiona hurriedly replied. "If he knew you, he would be a big temper."

"Why not? I'm just as happy—"

"No, Steve. You know my family, don't you? Yes, that's what it is."

Fiona couldn't explain much and Steve certainly understood what she was saying. The man snored softly. He nodded, then turned to the nightstand beside the bed.

"Where's your phone?" he asked,

Fiona then gave Steve her phone before the man finally gave her a number. She picked up the phone that had already listed the contact name 'My dear' on the screen of her device.

"Call me if you need help," Steve said.

Fiona smiled amusedly and nodded. So much so in love was Steve that he gave his contact with a name that she thought was very romantic. Steve kissed her forehead, then went back to slowly putting their lips together.

"I'll be back quickly," Fiona whispered, reciprocating a nod from Steve. "Don't go anywhere."

"I'm not interested in any other woman but you," Steve joked, which was immediately reciprocated by Fiona.

***

Fiona snorted. Her bead stared at a man she was of course familiar with. He's Sam Smith, the future CEO of S Group and her college friend. Jack certainly knew Sam because the man used to visit his house a lot.

"Dad just wants the best for you," Jack said.

The woman named Fiona Aubrey snored softly. The same remarks that parents always say to their children. Jack didn't even understand Fiona, but the man now assumed that he knew everything.

"I don't want it," Fiona said without looking at the father.

"Fin." Jack made a sound, making the woman staring intently at him.

Fiona quickly got up from the sofa and was about to leave. However, a hand blocked her arm. The woman turned around, finding Sam standing nearby. She hurriedly removed the block.

"I know we're friends, but I hope you remember your promise first," she said.

Sam sighed. There was a sense that had been deep down since his encounter with Fiona during college and hadn't gone away completely until now. It is difficult for him to state this even though he is in front of the beautiful woman now.

Fiona turned around, then left the man and the father who stepped up to catch up with her. Jack shouted his girl's name but was held back by Sam.

"Let me follow her," Sam said.

***

"Fin, Fiona!" exclaimed Sam in the parking lot. He caught up, even getting in front of the woman now. Both hands on his back blocked Fiona's steps.

Fiona sighed irritably. "What do you want?" she asked.

"Just once."

"Once?" Fiona's hazel bead widened. "Once in a lifetime, you mean?"

Sam took a gulp. That's right! He only wanted Fiona to obey once in a lifetime by living with him, not with the others. "Fiona," he said. "It's not about us. It's about your father."

Fiona shook her head. "I will never obey his wishes until any time," she said. "Let me go."

“Fin. Fiona!”

Sam couldn't get in the way of the woman. He let Fiona into the car and drove her vehicle away from the venue. The man clucked irritably. He stared at his woman's departure for a moment, then got into the car and caught up with her. Sam wouldn't let Fiona go for a second.

***

Fiona got out of the car and closed the door of her vehicle aloud. She stepped into a house and banged on its door. Steve opened the wooden door and found his woman looking at him with teary eyes. It was only a few hours ago that Fiona left the house and now she had returned with a flushed face.

"What's wrong?" asked Steve. He invited Fiona in and immediately closed the door after casting a look around and making sure no one was Fiona all the way there.

The man led Fiona to sit down on the couch in front of the fireplace. He helped take off the woman's thick coat, enclosing her body with a blanket to keep warm. Meanwhile, Fiona begins to sob. The beads of her tears flowed down so brazenly.

"Talk to me," Steve said softly. He clasped his hands on both of the woman's cheeks as he wiped away the tears that flowed so fiercely.

Let alone speaking, just crying Fiona didn't make a sound. She sobbed around Steve and sobbed in the man's burst.

Steve himself just fell silent. While rubbing Fiona's back, he tried to look into the woman's heart. Until in the end, Fiona let go of the hug and lowered her head to hold back tears.

"What did your dad do?" asked Steve again. He wiped the tears lightly on Fiona's cheeks.

Fiona sighed. Even an inch of her didn't want to part with Steve, but recalling the arranged marriage Jack had made herself drain her tears again. "Dad matched me," she sobbed.

It was like being struck by lightning, but it didn't completely collapse Steve's heart. The man fell silent. His jaw tightened for an instant. He touched Fiona's chin, then raised the woman's gaze. "With whom?" he asked. "Who did your father match you with?"

Steve seemed impatient and it was true. He has the right to know whom his woman will marry later. Especially now that Fiona is pregnant with their baby. This makes Steve more protective and intense in treating Fiona like his own wife.

"Fiona, tell me," he said again. "Whatever, please, tell me now."

Fiona set the rhythm of her breathing. The look on the face of the man in front of her now looked serious. It was certain Steve would love to hear it, given how much he'd loved to live with Fiona since their first meeting. Her tears flowed down again and then were quickly wiped by Steve. The man didn't want the tears of a cornucopia to wet his entire face and clothes.

“Sam,” Fiona answered. “Sam Smith.”

For the sake of Zeus's lightning, now not only Steve's jaw tightened, but his whole body. The man froze speechlessly as if there was ice magic in Fiona's words just now. His saliva was swallowed through the cracks of his choked esophagus.

How come? He knew who the figure mentioned by Fiona was. Sam Smith is not new to Steve. He knew Sam even better when compared to Fiona. Both of his hands squeezed tightly with his annoyance piled even more inside his chest. Steve almost bluffed before a voice from outside the house unraveled his annoyance.

He looked up, staring through the window, and found someone had just visited his residence. Steve then ran close to the door and opened it. He didn't find anyone outside the house. Only the snow and Fiona's car started to get cold.

"Who was that?"

***