2. Engagement Palava

'The Rowling family must be in a serious financial issue to agree to this ridiculous marriage'

'I really think Agatha Rowling can do better than this, Mandy is such an intelligent girl. She could find someone better,"

'The Billionaire Pauper finally got himself a wife, what a shocker,'

The guest erupted in murmurs as they leaned towards each other in gossip, their eyes darting from the Duprees to the Rowlings.

"What's the meaning of all these?" Agatha asked in a firm but angry voice.

George stared at her for a while, and without uttering a single word to her, he turned facing the guests again.

"The Dupree family has given their consent to the union of their eldest grandson Maxwell Dupree and the Rowlings granddaughter, Mandy Dupree," George announced, further stunning the guest. 

Agatha scoffed, feeling the anger in her rile up. She stared deeply at George before her eyes shifted to Maxwell, who just sat silently on his wheelchair without saying a word. 'Is he dumb too?' Agatha couldn't help but wonder.

"Mother, what's going on?" Mandy spoke, looking from Agatha to Beatrice. The proud smile initially plastered on her face had faded now replaced with a scared and worried look.

"Don't worry, baby, I'm sure your grandmother would handle this," Beatrice said, trying to calm Mandy down. Although she wasn't sure if Agatha would be able to handle it but she had to calm Mandy down before she got one of her panic attack episodes.

"George, what is the ...." Agatha was suddenly interrupted by the maids, who walked in all bearing different gifts.

There was silence as they all watched the maids drop the gifts in front of the Rowling family before Oliver wheeled Maxwell closer to Mandy.

Maxwell stared at her for a while, taking in all of her details. She looked really beautiful, a perfect fit for the elite beauty standards. Any man would easily fall for her in a second, but for some reason, he just didn't feel attracted to her or her looks.

Maxwell extended his palm to Oliver, who placed a small red box on it. He stared at it for a while before opening it, taking out the sparkling diamond ring inside. He raised his face to look at Mandy again.

"Will you marry me?"

The air became stiff, and the atmosphere became as quiet as a grave yard. Everyone held their breath, and their eyes fixed on Mandy anxious about her response.

Mandy couldn't bring herself to look at Maxwell because of his hideous mask. She had tried once, but the sight of the mask made her want to throw up, so she decided to keep her eyes on the diamond ring on his hand.

For a moment, she was tempted to say yes to his marriage proposal. Being a part of the Dupree family was something no one could say no to. The family was loaded with wealth, power, and connections, and Mandy wanted all of those things, but then, she couldn't see herself living as the wife of a man ridiculed by the entire nation and dubbed the Billionaire Pauper.

"No...." Mandy said in a calm voice. Her eyes clustered with tears as she shifted her gaze from Maxwell to Agatha.

"I'm sorry," she said, allowing the tears to flow freely. She turned to see all eyes fixed on her and the reporters clicking pictures of her nonstop.

"I'm really sorry, but I can't," Mandy said again before running out of the party, and Beatrice quickly ran after her.

"We have to talk now..." Agatha said hoarsely and walked out, George Dupree followed suit, walking right behind her.

The guest were shocked to the bones, out of a million ways they thought the night would end, no one guessed that something of this nature would happen. Everything about Mandy was good, from her education to her lifestyle to her successful career as a fashion designer. It was all excellent. She wasn't the type to make negative headlines, so they were all shocked that her engagement ended in such a disaster, but none was as shocked as Sophie.

Sophie had thought she would be the one to make headlines in the tabloids for her fashion disaster, but now, her chances were very slim. No one would be interested to know what she wore to the party, not after the drama that had just been displayed for everyone to watch.

"Erm... please can I have your attention, please," Carlos said, and the guests all stopped bickering. 

"Thank you all for making out time from your busy schedules to come here today, and we apologize for the inconvenience we might have caused you as a result of this misunderstanding," Carlos paused, his eyes scanning the guests, making sure he had all their attention.

"We promise to clear up the misunderstanding, but in the meantime, do enjoy your meal and thank you once more," Carlos said, and with that, he left the stage.

With that speech, the event came to an end, not that it could continue if Carlos didn't say anything but his speech was more like a subtle way of telling the guests to leave and they all understood him perfectly as they started leaving one after the other.

"What was the meaning of that embracement, George?" Agatha asked, burning in rage.

"What embracement? I merely did what we both agreed on," 

"Which is?"

"That your granddaughter marries my eldest grandson, Maxwell is my eldest grandson, and that's who she is going to get married to," 

Agatha scoffed, unable to believe her ears. When she said that to George, she had totally forgotten about his infamous jobless crippled grandson Maxwell.

"I meant Collins, George. I can't marry off my precious granddaughter to that good for nothing jobless and crippled grandson of yours," Agatha yelled.

"Well, I don't think you have much of a choice here, do you?" George asked, his eyes fixed on her.

There was silence as the two stared deeply at each other without uttering a word.

"Now that she said no to the proposal, what would happen if she can't marry him?" Agatha asked.

"We had a deal, Mrs Agatha Rowling, and I suggest you keep to your own end of the deal as I have kept mine because if you don't....." George paused, taking a few steps closer to her. 

He leaned towards her, placing his mouth very close to her ears "You would lose everything, and when I say everything, I mean everything," George said coldly, sending cold chill down Agatha's spin.

"The wedding would take place in a month, but before then, their would be a private engagement dinner just between families this weekend to fix this mess and for your own good Agatha, make sure you have a bride ready," George added before he walked out of the room.

Agatha stared into thin air stunned, she has been outplayed in her own game, the numbers weren't in her favor this time around, and there was no way out without getting hurt.

The ride back home was quiet. No one said anything to anyone. It was almost as if someone important had just died. Sophie didn't need to be told that the family was going through a difficult time, but she had no clue what it was as no one ever informed her about anything going on in the family. She only found out about Mandy's engagement because Beatrice wanted to brag about her daughter getting married into an esteemed family.

"Mother, Mandy has locked herself in her room, I am afraid she might do something to hurt herself," Beatrice worried face, welcome them immediately they walked into the mansion. She was still wearing her party cloth, and her make-up all smashed up in her face.

Agatha didn't say a word to her as she just walked upstairs and retired to her room. Sophie also did the same, not wanting to bear the brunt of whatever it was that was going on. 

.....

A soft knock woke Sophie up, she mumbled, removing her sleeping blindfold, she frown as her eyes traced her door, wondering who it was.

"Who is it?... Come in," Sophie said, still half asleep.

The door swung open, and one of the maids walked in. "Good morning, miss," she greeted with a light bow. 

"Am I in trouble?" Sophie asked. She wasn't used to having a maid wake her up in the morning. That was a princess treatment meant for just Mandy. Sophie has never gotten the chance to experience it.

"The family is having breakfast in the conservatory, and your grandmother requests for your presence," the maid said, ignoring Sophie's question.

Her statement jerked Sophie up, and the little sleep in her eyes suddenly disappeared. "Why?" She asked, 

"I don't know, miss, but I think she wants you to join the family for breakfast," the maid said, and with that, she left.

Sophie stared at the door stunned. "Join the family first breakfast," Sophie repeated. It sounded weird even to her. For the last twenty-seven years, she couldn't remember ever joining her family for anything, not to talk of breakfast, and now Agatha suddenly wants her to join the family breakfast.

"Oh no..." Sophie gasps. "Perhaps she found out about my mismatched shoes," Sophie said. That was the only logical explanation. Agatha was obviously inviting her to the conservatory to scold her for her fashion disaster.

Sophie quickly slidded into her pair of worn-out robe and flip flop. She tied her hair in a bun before she walked out of her room, heading straight to the conservatory.

"Good morning, Father. Good morning, Mother. Good morning, grandmother, Hello sister," Sophie greeted the family immediately she entered, but no one responded to her greeting.

Agatha stared at her from hair to toe before signaling one of the maids to prepare a plate for her.

"Join us for breakfast," Agatha said, making Sophie raise a brow at her.

"I beg your pardon?" Although Sophie had heard it from the maid in her room, it still felt shocking hearing it directly from her grandmother.

Agatha glared at her, "This is a family breakfast, and you are a Rowling, unfortunately. So it's only proper if you join the rest of the family," Agatha said.

"Thank you," Sophie said and sat down. 

The conservatory fell silent with just chipping of birds and clicking of spoon against the teacup, mostly from Sophie, was heard.

"You should learn proper table etiquette. You would surely need it," Agatha said.

Sophie glanced at her, not sure what to make of what she had just said. "Okay..." she wasn't sure if that was the best response to give, but that was all she could come up with.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Sophie almost choked on her tea hearing Agatha's question. Since when did she become interested in anything going on in her life.

"I beg your pardon,"

"You are twenty-seven years old and a breathing female. Is there any breathing male in your life, the family should know of..... perhaps a boyfriend or a male friend from your shabby company, what was it called?" Agatha paused. 

"Neighborhood threads, and it's not shabby, it's just small," Sophie said.

"And the difference would be?" Agatha asked, making Mandy snicker.

"Nothing.." Sophie responded quietly.

"So back to my question," Agatha said, adjusting in her seat, her eyes fixed properly at Sophie.

"Is there anyone?" She asked again.

Sophie gave her a half smile, getting really uncomfortable with the question. She didn't know her family were interested in her life, let alone, her grandmother.

"Well.......Yes," Sophie said, her face flushed with embracement.

The family stared at her stunned, never in their wildest imagination would they think that someone would be romantically involved with Sophie, ever.

"Well, go on," Agatha said, getting really intrigued with Sophie's love life.

"His name is Timothy. He is 32 years old, and he works at Lionheart Logistics," Sophie said, blushing.

"His last name is Lionheart?" Agatha asked.

"No, He just works there. His last name is Griffith,"

"So, he works at Lionheart Logistics. You know, our family owns quite a number of shares at Lionheart, so I practically know all the executives there, but I don't think I have ever met any Timothy Griffith. What department is he in. I might have met him, can't recall," 

"Well...." Sophie paused. She flashed her grandmother a half smile before she continued.

"He works at.... delivery," Sophie said quietly. Not that she was embraced of her boyfriend job, but when it comes to the Rowlings family, anything can be embarrassing.

"Delivery, huh? I don't think I have met him then," Agatha said, making both Beatrice and Mandy snicker.

"I know he isn't rich or from an elite family, but he is really nice, and his family is nice too. We have been dating for five years, and I really like him," Sophie said.

"Interesting... you are getting married next month," Agatha said.

"To Timothy?" Sophie asked, stunned.

"No, to Maxwell,"

"What???"