Chapter 4: What A Perfect Day To Face My Past

JASMINE

"Dad, good morning." I greet him, but he ignores it. Eventually, he turns around, holding a glass of drink in his left hand. He moved over to the dining table and picked up a file throwing it at me, i fumbled to catch the file.

"What’s this?" I questioned while looking over. I've never come across my father in a mood like this before. He is usually strict, but this feels different. I gradually opened the file and finds a letter from my university. Snapping it shut without reading, I immediately realized that my father knows about my academic struggles.

I sighed with relief suspecting that my father was mistaken earlier about a future husband. Given he hasn’t commented on it, i believe I'm safe for now.

"Dad, I’m genuinely sorry; please let me explain."I attempted to calm my father, trying to devise a suitable lie. 

"Jasmine take a sit." He said as he dropped the glass on the table, the sound making me to jump. 

"Jasmine, I have news to share with you," he states, his voice stern. "You will be getting married soon."

"What? Father, you can’t be serious!" I exclaimed.

"There’s no joke here, Jas. I mean it."

"I don’t even know this person! And I haven’t finished school yet!"

"Jasmine, you’re not a child anymore," he reminded me. "At 21, I had started the company with my friend, working tirelessly to build it. It’s time to get serious about with your life and future which is exactly what I'm helping you to do."

How can my father be so unreasonable? Doesn’t he care about my desires?

"But dad…" He interrupted me with a firm, disappointed voice. "I would have regretted this decision if you were dedicated to your life. You should have finished your first degree by now if not for the issues you had in high school. I worked hard to secure an admission for you."

"I’m sorry, Father. I promise to improve," I beg, hoping to appease him.

But he merely laughed mockingly. "How many times have I dealt with your problems, Jasmine?"

"Dad, please give me this final chance; I vow to do better. I’m in my final year, and I promise to excel in my final exams."

"My friend, your future father-in-law, and I have decided to unite our children to ensure our lineage enjoys the fruits of our labor."

"Dad, after all these years, I thought you were joking. Who marries off their children without their full consent in this era? This is 2025!"

"Prepare yourself, Jasmine," he commands, his tone unwavering. "You have an appointment with your soon-to-be husband tomorrow. If you fail to attend, I will disown you and adopt another child."

With that, he heads to his room, leaving me frustrated and powerless. I yell after him, "Dad, come back!" but he is already gone.

I decided to take charge of the situation. Entering my father’s study i take a sheet of paper and a pen. With bold strokes, I write my message clearly.

The note reads: "If you don’t call off this meeting before tomorrow, I will poison myself and die. Awaiting your call before I take action."

********************

Looking at my reflection in the mirror, my hair is perfectly tied back and my makeup was beautifully applied by Prisca.

I cannot fathom my father’s harsh text message, suggesting i kill herself if I'm serious about dieing so he can remarry or adopt another daughter to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

How inconsiderate can he be?

I thinks about how unfair he is to set me up with someone I've never met. As i stood there, lost in thought, Prisca steps in and adjusts my gown. 

"You look beautiful, Jas," she compliments, blowing a kiss my way.

"All of this is just too much for me. I want my Frederick back."

"You should be thankful that you saw Frederick’s true colors before revealing your identity to him. He’s just after your money," I tried to defend Frederick, but Prisca interrupts. "Stop dwelling on your past, Jas, and focus on your future. Find your Prince Charming," she suggested with a wink. 

"But what if I don’t like him?" I expressed my anxiety.

"Then, pretend to enjoy his company until you can leave," Prisca advised with a smile. 

I chuckled and shook my head at Prisca’s antics. I headed to the warm restaurant, secretly hoping my date finds me unattractive so I can resolve things with Frederick. I've decided to forgive him for cheating on me because I've done same.

Upon arriving, i checked my phone for messages from my expected date but found none. I'm 20 minutes early, hoping to spot someone undesirable and make a discreet exit.

Entering the restaurant, i scan the tables, locating table 15. Excited that my date hasn’t arrived yet, I'm about to sit at an empty table when i saw two young men stand up to shake hands. One of them is Frederick, looking sharp in an expensive suit. My heart raced as i realizes he is living the life he always desired.

Lost in thought, I returned back to reality as a finger snaps in front of me. Frederick stands before me, looking dapper. "What are you doing here?" he questions.

"Em...I..." I began to stutter in surprise.

"Listen, this place isn’t for people in your class. You’re becoming a gold digger after I dumped you. How do you explain dressing up so nicely for a fancy restaurant? Aren’t you here to meet someone?"

His accusation incensed me, and in an instant, all the love i felt for him evaporated. Why would he call me a gold digger when he is one himself?

"Wait a minute, is this how you manage to gather all the money you spend on me? Oh my goodness!"

"hello you left your notepad." Another voice cuts in, and i glanced up to see the person. He turned to me also staring surprised "Hi, do you remember me? from two nights ago."

"shit!," I whispered recognizing the stranger from the other night. "What a perfect day to face my past."

The drama with Frederick and the stranger guy was just too much so I spotted table 15, now empty, and made my way towards it ignoring both of them.

As I unlocked my phone to call Prisca and fill her in on the latest developments, a familiar figure sat down opposite me. It was the stranger from two nights ago. I ended the call and checked the time; it was exactly 2:00 p.m.

"Hello, mister, what are you doing here? Your time is up," I said, trying to sound confident.

But he countered my question with one of his own. "Anyone who should be asking that is me. I reserved this table for the entire day."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's a big fat lie. Your time has expired. My date is expected to arrive any moment."

He smirked, raising his phone to call someone. Suddenly, my phone rang. I answered, only to realize that he had called me and put it on speaker.

"Wait, are you Mr. Alexander? The one I am supposed to meet?" I asked, my voice laced with surprise.

He nodded, his expression unreadable. "My father must be a joker. Pairing me with a sex worker."

I glared at him, my anger evident in display. "I beg your pardon."

He stood up, his eyes flashing with disdain. "I slept with you in a car, a few moments ago, my business partner called you a gold digger. What more proof do I need to conclude that you're a prostitute and not my type?"

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me seething with anger. "Go to hell!" I shouted after him, but he just kept walking.

I sank back into my chair, replaying the entire conversation in my mind. I couldn't believe how much I despised Frederick, and now Alexander was added to the list. 

A beautiful smile spread across my face as I thought about how I could use Alexander to my advantage. No matter what he thinks of me, I'm getting married to the bastard. Being business partners with Frederick, he is the perfect pawn.

"It's payback time, Frederick," I whispered to myself, my eyes gleaming with determination.

The server approached to take my order, and I beamed at him, a smirk playing on my lips. "I'll have a glass of wine, please," I requested, my voice sweet.

A wine to celebrate my impending victory sounded perfect.