Chapter 4 : A New Beginning?

Chrisanna

Damn! Was that a— dream? I find myself on my bed when I open my eyes wider. I was sleeping! That was a dream! That marriage—

I get up right away and roll my eyes around. Meanwhile, mama comes into the room. My eyes widen at her. She's wearing the same dress that she was wearing at the wedding!

"Hey, you woke up?" She smiles and strides towards my bed. Cupping my face, she looks at me with concern in her eyes. "How are you feeling now?"

I frown. "What happened to me?"

"Chrissie, you fainted after the wedding ceremony", she tells me.

My lips part in shock. I look down at myself. I'm wearing the wedding dress. This means I actually fainted.

"I'm married?" I exclaim.

"Chrissie, are you alright, sweetie?" her voice is more serious this time as she stares down at me.

I pull on an immediate smile and hold her wrist. "Yes. I'm fine, mama. I just don't remember how I— fainted. I thought I was dreaming about the— wedding", I mutter, recollecting every moment of the ceremony.

I can't believe it really happened. That was so fast!

That was your idea to get married that fast, Chrisanna! I curse myself.

Mama grins. "Right, no? Even I'm feeling like it's a dream. That was so fast"

Mama kisses my forehead. "Summer is cruel this year. The doctor was saying you fainted due to the heat and stress"

As mama keeps talking while getting my clothes ready, I'm sitting stunned on the bed, recalling those last words I remember. Those words that Samuel told me.

What did he mean?

He changed his mind at the last minute. Then how could he even threaten me like that right after the marriage ceremony?

"Chrissie, come on, get up and take a shower. You'll feel better", mama says. "I'm going downstairs. Everyone is waiting for you"

I pass her a smile and mama walks out of the room.

*

I come downstairs without taking a shower, still finding it all unbelievable. As I climb down the stairs, I find everyone laughing and gossiping together.

"Look, who's up?" Aunt Irene beams as everyone looks at me. I manage to pull on a smile again.

"How're you feeling?" Paa's voice is full of concern.

"Good!" I say.

"You had a photo shoot last night and again this early morning. I knew you must be tired", Emmy says.

"That's fine. I'm used to taking stress!" As I say, my eyes fall on Samuel near the main door. He's roaming around while speaking to someone on the call. "This time the stress is a person!" Thankfully I say that in a low tone.

"You didn't take a shower?" mama asks.

"No. I—" I hesitate at first before blurting out a lame excuse. "I didn't get any pictures with you all in my bridal dress"

"Ah!" Kylee chuckles. "With us or with Samuel?"

Unbelievably, I feel my cheeks burning.

This girl is impossible! I feel embarrassed in front of everyone now as they all giggle.

"That's fair. She makes other people's weddings memorable. Hers should be memorable too", Uncle Kane says.

"Let's go for a photoshoot then!" Kylee cheers up.

I can't keep that smile on as Samuel shows up there. We have straight eye contact. He's still in the wedding suit. I hardly noticed him though. This is the second time we're meeting after years.

Before the wedding, we just met for five minutes and we ended up arguing. I couldn't even notice how drastically he has changed but still, he looks the same.

He clears his throat to grab attention.

"Actually, I have a lot of work piled up in Melbourne. They keep calling me", he hesitantly says.

"I'll handle them", Uncle Kane says.

Samuel doesn't look at him. "No. Thanks. I'll do that. I just need to go back"

A moment of silence.

I honestly don't feel anything.

"Go back?" Emmy blurts out. "What do you mean by that Samuel? You just got married today"

"Yeah. I know, mom. But— it was so fast. I couldn't even manage the schedule", he mutters.

"I got it, Samuel", Emmy says. "And Kane has already said that he would manage everything for you. You should not worry about all that now"

"I don't want someone—" he pauses. "I mean him— to worry about me"

It's been eight years! Samuel still talks to uncle Kane like that? I find it hard to accept. Why is he so mad at him? For so many fucking years!

And everyone is so used to it.

"I'm not worrying about you, Samuel", Uncle Kane interrupts. "There's nothing to worry about. We can fix it"

"Exactly. And you can get stuck over there", Emmy adds. "Chrisanna is already engaged with her bookings. She can't go. Your work can be done from here and there can be other options too"

Samuel throws me a cold glance. "Chrisanna doesn't have to leave her commitments. I didn't say she had to come"

I look away. This is all so weird to me. Where am I stuck?

"Okay, Samuel", Emmy lets out a deep sigh. "When you agreed to this marriage, you knew what kind of change was coming. You can't be in Melbourne anymore. You have to be here. With Chrisanna"

Samuel's jaw clenches as if he's controlling a big blotch of lava inside of him and it only makes me more and more nervous about our relationship.

"We already didn't want you to handle that branch over there. You chose that. You didn't come home for years. And when you agreed to this alliance, you should know that it was an indirect sign for us— that you'll come back"

"Mom—"

"Okay. Sorry to interfere", paa finally speaks.

God! Why does this boy always create trouble? Samuel can only make things complicated.

Paa looks at Samuel. "Samuel, I know that was fast. But you agreed to this. You told us you were okay with any decision Chrisanna makes. So, it's fine if you couldn't complete your work over there. It's okay. The company is the same. You can work from here too. Kane always wanted you to work in the main branch. You have no one over there, Sam. I let you be alone. But not for the whole life. Emily asked me to call you back but I didn't. Because I promised you that I'll support YOU— until it's not harmful to you", paa concludes.

I'm always mesmerised by the affection paa has for him. He loves him as much as he loves me.

Samuel is silent and his body language has completely changed. He looks around, taking a deep breath.

"I'm staying here", his voice is calm as everyone smiles.

Emmy surges to him right away and takes him into a tight embrace. Samuel hugs her back.

"Thank you", Emmy's voice is shaking.

"Samuel!" Kylee screams, joining them. "You'll stay here!"

"Yes, my love", Samuel kisses Kylee's forehead.

"God, I'm so happy!" she can't stop screaming.

Emmy looks so overwhelmed as her eyes almost pool.

"Hey, mom. Not again", Samuel's voice softens as he cleans her tears and hugs her again.

An automatic smile spreads across my face as I watch them. It warms my heart to witness this moment, even though I could never know why Samuel always kept running.

Maybe, he'll stop now.

Will he?

I don't know.

"Okay! Enough of this emotional sequence", mama catches up with Emmy and hugs her from behind.

Emmy passes a smile to all of us. "I'm good"

"Okay, now! Samuel has to find a place for himself!" Kylee giggles.

"I already found a place, straight across our office", Uncle Kane says.

Samuel shrugs. "Is that for rent?"

"No. It's not for rent, actually", Uncle Kane replies. "You and Chrisanna can visit that place. If you like it—"

"No", Samuel immediately interrupts, not looking at him. "You all know that I still can't afford a place to buy right now"

"Samuel, it's fine. It's all yours", Emmy says.

"No. I just work for the company. That's it, mom. I don't wanna be an heir or owner or anything. Yet"

"But—"

"Emily", Uncle Kane interrupts. "Let him decide it. We can't do anything that makes him feel bad about his ability", he looks back at Samuel again. "Until you find a good place at an affordable price, why don't you stay with us at our mansion", Uncle Kane suggests.

I find Samuel's reaction getting uncomfortable again.

And I don't know why I feel the urge to blurt it out, "Or we can move to my apartment too", as I realise what I have uttered, my voice shakes. Samuel's gaze lands on me. "I mean if you are okay with that. The apartment is small but it should be okay for the two of us"

That must be a stupid move from me before talking to him in person. We didn't have a word after the marriage yet!

"That's a good idea too", mama says.

"Amm— we'll stay with mom and others", Samuel blurts out.

"Well, I didn't think you would choose that", Emmy rolls her eyes.

"Why though?" Kylee snarls.

"Because she's definitely going to boss around and keep everything of her choice", he glares at me.

"Excuse me?" I snarl.

"I wouldn't be wrong though", Samuel's eyes are straight into mine as he keeps throwing me evils.

"I wouldn't do that", I argue back.

"Okay!" Emmy screeches, standing between both of us. "You guys aren't going to fight on your wedding day. Are you?"

I calm myself down and look away.

Mama laughs. "Okay, then we should go and get the packing done"

So, I'm moving with this grumpy kid who's my husband now. What a fate I have!

*

All my stuff is already packed from last night, still, I'm sitting in my room, wearing my bridal attire, staring aimlessly at my phone.

I scroll through social media for a while. None of my friends know that I got married today. There's a message from Eric congratulating me. Unfortunately, he had to rush back to California as he's a PhD. Student.

I let out a deep sigh and put my phone back into my purse. Grabbing one of the luggage bags, I walk out of my room with Zoey following me.

*

Samuel had been silent throughout the way as we shared the car with Emmy and Kylee. They were in the front seat and Uncle Kane was coming alone.

We acted as if none of us existed there at that very moment.

As we reach Uncle Kane's mansion, Samuel gets down the car and walks inside without a word.

"He's still not comfortable with the decision of staying here", Emmy sighs.

Well, he's not happy with many decisions. I wish I could tell her.

"You don't worry. He just needs some time to adjust", Emmy touches my cheek and takes me inside the most familiar place where I spent half of my life visiting and playing. Thankfully, I don't have to adjust.

*

"What are you doing in my room?" Those were the words from my utterly sweet, humble and well-mannered husband when he walked inside like a thunderstorm.

I turn back to him, confused. "Are you on drugs, Samuel? This is my room too. From now"

"Oh, really? Who told you?" he snarls.

I aggressively pull out the second earring and roll my eyes at him. "No one has to say that. It's a common sense that I didn't know you lacked"

He groans, looking away. Okay, he's super-frustrated.

"I can't share a room with you", he shrugs.

"Okay. What do you want me to do then? Find another room in the same house where your whole family lives?"

He is silently giving me death stares. He had never been like this. I still remember the warmth and softness in his eyes when he used to look at me when we were younger. His gaze used to give me so many unknown feelings and now those eyes only give me chills.

"Okay, that's not working", he rolls back and kicks his foot against the ground.

"Yeah. That would work if you simply agreed to move into my apartment", I fire back.

Okay, I also had one bedroom. Not two. Who cares? I would love to win over him verbally just once. He doesn't know I have just one bedroom in my apartment.

"It all happened because of you", he shoots me a glare and in just a matter of seconds, he decreases the gap between us, stepping closer to me. My breath hitches right when he leans down to my face, his fierce gaze piercing my eyes. "I told you to call the wedding off, didn't I? And what did you do? You are so fucking stubborn, Chrisanna!" he snarls, shuddering me on the spot.

Enough!

"Stop!" I fire back, pushing him and making a distance between us. "Stop blaming me for everything, Samuel. I have had enough. It was your fault for not calling the wedding off but you wanted to keep your fucking image. I was about to call it off but you messaged me that we can't do this, hurt our families. And now, you're blaming me?"

"Which message?" he snaps.