Part 76

76

"But, Ma'am, I can't get married because I have so much land mortgaged and debts everywhere for my education. My parents have been working hard to support my education, causing my younger siblings to be neglected in the process."

"You don't need to worry about the debts and mortgaged land. My husband will pay them off for you. And please don't think of this as a business transaction; it's not. There's one issue that I can't mention right now. I wonder why Vano is so eager and pushing you to marry him. As far as I remember, before I lost consciousness after the accident, Vano's wedding with his girlfriend had already been prepared. I even visited the bride's house to officiate the marriage. I don't know what happened; suddenly, I woke up in this hospital. I had to accept the fact that my unborn child was gone and heard that Vano's wedding with his girlfriend had failed. He chose you as his future wife, which means you must be a very special person for my son."

Alexa tightly closed her eyes. "I'm very grateful, Ma'am. You and your husband are willing to pay off all my family's debts. But still..."

Chelsea held Alexa's hand firmly. "Listen to me carefully. If, by any chance, you can't accept this marriage, I won't blame you, and neither will Vano. You and he can go your separate ways later, and this marriage won't be made public until you're absolutely ready to be Vano's wife. I'll be your guarantee. I'll also explain to your father that Vano said you were pregnant as a reason to get their blessing. So please, when your parents arrive, act as if you have a serious relationship to avoid too many interviews. As you know, I'm not in the best condition to handle many activities and conversations right now."

Alexa took a deep breath. "But Miss, you have to promise me that this marriage can end according to my wishes, and I won't be asked to return the money your husband gave to me and my family."

"Of course, you don't need to worry about that," Chelsea reassured Alexa, patting her hand. "Now, please contact your parents again and make sure they arrive here as soon as they can."

"No, Miss, but may I request my phone?" Alexa raised her hand.

"Your phone is with Vano. You can call my husband and son here, and we'll discuss everything before your parents arrive."

"Alright, Miss," Alexa sighed softly. If it weren't for Chelsea persuading her to become Vano's wife, she probably wouldn't have accepted this offer. Seeing Chelsea's sincere plea touched Alexa's heart and convinced her to help.

Tension filled the room as Alexa's parents arrived. The officiating priest, who had been waiting at the hospital, finally breathed a sigh of relief because Vano now had a prospective bride to marry. It meant he could soon return to his office and continue his work. Perhaps, after this, he would be more selective in choosing clients, as he seemed to have had enough of officiating weddings involving grooms like Vano.

"I can't marry Vano to Alexa until we have proof that the debt will be paid and our mortgaged fields will be redeemed," said a middle-aged man, reluctant to accept Vano's outstretched hand to recite the marriage vows.

Carlos reluctantly rose from his seat, taking out his phone. "How much is the total debt? Please tell me, and I'll provide an initial payment because my debit cards have a limit I must adhere to. However, for transactions above the limit, you don't need to worry; I will go to the bank to redeem the mortgaged fields."

The middle-aged man turned to Carlos. "The mortgaged fields amount to around 150 million, and the debt to the loan sharks is about $8,000."

Carlos raised the corners of his lips. Initially, he thought Alexa's parents' debt was in the billions of Indonesian Rupiah, but now he realized he wouldn't need to intervene to pay off these debts. He was confident that Vano's savings would be more than enough to cover these obligations.

"Van, it's better if you hand over your debit card directly to your in-laws. I'm sure there's a sufficient balance to pay off these debts and redeem the fields."

Vano nodded and handed a gold-colored debit card to Celine's father. "You can use this to pay off all the debts and redeem the fields. I'll write the password here." He grabbed a pen and paper, jotting down a six-digit number. "You can check the balance here." He showed them the mobile banking app on the debit card.

Both of Alexa's parents were taken aback by the amount displayed on the screen: 365 million Rupiah.

"It's better to expedite the wedding so that we can also settle the mortgaged fields that have been pending for a long time," Carlos suggested.

Vano and Carlos both sighed in relief. They had finally reached an agreement to proceed with the marriage. Alexa, on the other hand, could only shake her head. It was a tremendous relief for her parents to regain control of their fields, allowing them to resume farming and provide for their daily needs without having to rely on loans.

Perhaps Chelsea's earlier words were true – she was a lucky girl chosen to marry Vano. Now, it was up to her to decide how to handle this marriage, especially since she didn't have a lover crying over her marriage.

Once the marriage ceremony was completed, Alexa's parents returned home. Later that evening, after Alexa finished her work, Vano would escort her back to her place – whether it be her parents' home, her usual rented accommodation, or joining him in his house. As Chelsea had promised, it was entirely up to Alexa.

"But if I may, Dad, I suggest Alexa stays with us at home instead of her renting a place," Carlos suggested as they remained alone in Chelsea's hospital room.

"I think Alexa wouldn't want that, Dad. She's already had a hard time agreeing to this marriage and has shown her displeasure toward me."

"That's understandable. Which is why you should try, Van. Don't outright say no. You can use your mother's name to propose to Alexa and request the hospital to allow her to work from home. This way, she can take care of your mother and live under the same roof as us. And let me remind you again, Van, never entertain the idea of divorce because this marriage is sacred, even though Alexa claims it's entirely up to her."

"No problem at all. In fact, you must win her heart and make this marriage eternal forever. I see Alexa as a good and obedient girl, flawless in every way. You just need to nurture love in both your hearts," Carlos advised.