The Beauty

Charles Frost POV

Her beauty struck me the moment I saw her. Something tugged at my heart when she spoke and I heard her voice. She's gorgeous. Her long brunette hair that reaches her waist. Her arched eyebrows that furrows everytime she's trying to understand something.

It's crazy I know. I've only known her for an hour and I can tell all these about her. There's something so unique and different about her that I haven't seen before. Something so special that I can't seem to put my finger on. It's been so long since someone caught my attention this way.

After my last relationship that went downhill, I've never had interest in anyone. But seeing her today, I want to get to know her.

Even after she's left, I want to call her back. Maybe I should be careful about all this. I mean this is just an arrangement. According to the documents we put together, she's suppose to be my wife for just a year. If I'm getting this attached just on the first day, then a year is going to be fatal. What am I going to do by the time she leaves?

Put it together Charles.

"So, how did you like her?" Benjamin asks as we walk to the car

"I mean, she's okay" I say simply. Not wanting him to know the thoughts going through my mind. He won't let me hear the end of it.

"Don't give me that bro. I saw the way you looked at her. The last time you looked at a woman like that was Alexis. Which means there's something about her that's interests you" he says with a smirk

"Hooray! Albert Einstein. You've won the medal for being so smart" I roll my eyes.

"I'm not interested in her. She's just different" I say slowly

"I know. You won't guess what happened and how I met her"

"How?"

"Okay so she was dumping her fiancé yesterday when I met her. And she did it so brutally. A minute after she told him it was over, she was called along with him to give the guests a speech on his success. And that's when she corrected the host that it isn't 'fiance' but 'ex-fiance'"

Damn, she sounds crazy

"Benjamin, what woman have you picked out for me?" I ask in astonishment

"The one that knows what she wants."

Elizabeth Harding POV

"Elizabeth!" The voice of my angry mother booms through the phone.

What did I do this time?

"Ryan came to tell us that you dumped him and told him that it's over. Elizabeth what is wrong with you?"

How pathetic! Is he not even ashamed saying such words to my mother?

'Elizabeth dumped me'.

I chuckle.

"Do I sound funny to you young woman?"

"Not at all mom. Something just came to mind."

"Why did you leave the poor man Elizabeth?"

"Mom I just didn't feel like being with him anymore."

"You stupid girl. This is not a conversation to be had over the phone. Eight years is not a walk in the park. Come for dinner tonight at 7pm. You are going to explain to us the real reason why you have left the young man. And if you can't give any tangible reason, you better put that ring back on because I won't condone any indiscipline and irresponsibility"

And she hungs up on me. When did marriage to Ryan become compulsory?

"Girl I am dead tired" Veronica says, entering my apartment

"You have dome some changes to this place" she observes

"Yeah. Everything he ever bought is right in the trash can where they belong"

"You're handling this whole thing very well" she says, sitting on the couch

"What else can I do? Cry? I'm done with that. That jerk does not deserve my tears." I shrug

"Oh and you won't believe what happened?"

"What?"

"He went to my parents and told them about me dumping him and now I'm being called to dinner at 7 tonight"

"Pathetic"

"My exact thought. If they think even for a second that I'm taking him back, they must be joking."

"I mean marriage to Ryan is not compulsory"

"Exactly" I say with a laugh

"So how did that date go?"

Veronica met this guy who's a waiter at Starbucks. I'm yet to meet him but considering the way she speaks of him, he sounds adorable.

"It was magical. He's such a gentleman. He knows all the right things to say. Liz, I'm falling for the dude"

I squeal. She's so happy.

"I only hope my parents would accept him. That would mean a lot to me"

"If they love you, which they do, then they would. No need to worry"

Veronica comes from a rich Mexican family. And since her boyfriend is not at that level, she dreads the fact that her parents may see him to be below their level.

Especially when they are always setting her up on blind dates and forcing her to go out with other rich guys.

"My time is up. I have to get ready for that court dinner" I laugh

"Your mom would look funny being a judge." She chuckles "Don't tell her I said that" she whispers and I laugh

"Anyway, I would love to go with you but I'm so tired. But I can help you get ready though"

"Thank you kind ma'am"

*........*.......*.....*.......*.......*.....*

"Hello mother" I kiss my mom on the cheeks and run to give my father a hug

"Bambina" he says happily. A nickname I've had since I was born. No matter how old I grow, I'll always be a daddy's girl.

"How are you my dear?"

"Wonderful papa"

"Aren't you going to say hello to me at least?" Ryan asks and that is when I see him, sitting so close to Eva on the loveseat couch in my parent's living room.

Pathetic duo. Upon all the empty sofas in the room.

"I think casting you a glance is enough"

As we sit down for dinner, I notice that my mother is going to make this very tough. My father is not a man of many words, hence, most of the time, my mother loves to do the talking. Which I don't like, because if she sets her mind on something, she sees what only she thinks is reasonable.

"Now, Elizabeth, what's your reason for deciding not to marry Ryan anymore?" My mother questions

"At least let's say the Lord's prayer or at least bless our food" my dad says and I blow him a kiss.

The man is a hero. But the prayer didn't last long.

"Mom, like I said, I'm tired" I decide to take the bull by the horns and answer to avoid her repeating herself. I'm going to have to deal with this anyway.

"What do you mean you're tired? That's a stupid answer Elizabeth"

"No it's not. I don't want to marry Ryan. I did and now I don't. It's not obligatory that I marry him mother so please"

"Well this is not up to you, young woman. This is between both you and him. He is also someone's child. You can't decide to cut ties with him whenever you feel like it"

I drop my cutlery because I've had enough.

"Yes I can. I don't want to marry Ryan and I'm not going to."

"Why though?" Eva asks and I glare at her audacity

"Oh you know, since I'm tired and I've grown distant, I think it's better to leave before he cheats. I don't want to come back home one morning and see him in bed with another woman." I say and they both choke on their food.

It'll be better if they died on the spot.

"Did you just insinuate me to be a cheater?" Ryan asks, wheezing.

"If the shoe fits, wear it"

"Elizabeth you are crossing your limits!" My mother raises her voice

"And so are you mother. You have every right to meddle in my love life, because you are my mother. You have every right to advice me on what to do, I won't take that from you. But you have absolutely no right to force me to do something that I don't want to. You are already married. I suggest that you enjoy that marriage and leave me alone. I wanted to marry Ryan, now I don't want to. It's not compulsory for me to. I will not standby idle and allow you to pull a ring down my throat"

"Elizabeth, if you step out of this house without deciding to marry Ryan, then never come back"

"Oh mother it hasn't gotten to that" Ryan says

"Elizabeth is my daughter too Amber, not yours only" my father speaks up for the first time in the last twenty minutes

"Elizabeth, dear, is it anything that Ryan has done that has brought about this decision?"

"No, father" I lie. "I just don't want to marry him anymore and I hope that all of you will understand. If that's too hard then I don't know what to do or say anymore. But I won't marry Ryan. Neither will I allow mother to force me to." I turn to my mother

"If you want Ryan to be the son-in-law of this family so bad, then Eva is your best candidate for a wife. I mean they are well acquainted" I stare at them both

"Don't spew nonsense" my mother says

"It's not nonsense mother. It's called facts. There's a difference. Goodnight"

I kiss my father on the cheeks and exit the house.

That went way worse than I thought it would.