Chapter 2 - Marriage or Prison

Elijah's POV

He heard Christian's voice, but he was still dizzy from the amount of alcohol he drank last night. He didn't even know where he had slept or entered the room. His body swayed slightly when someone pulled him upright. When he opened his eyes, it was Christian with a furious look; he still hadn't recovered from standing up to him, so he couldn't figure out why.

"Tell me, what were you thinking when you did that to Charlotte?!"

While closing his eyes, he didn't know what Christian was saying to him. "What are you saying? I'm sleeping, and then you'll wake me up and ask what I did to your sister."

The answer he got from Christian was a punch in the face. His head turned, and while his hand was holding his jaw, he was stunned by Christian's sister's condition. It cries while the body is wrapped in a blanket. There, he woke up and looked at himself; he had no covering on his body down to the bottom. He was still confused and looked at Christian, whose eyes were already glazed over.

"You have been my best friend since elementary school. But why did you do this to my own sister, Elijah?!”

He sat down and remembered what happened last night, but he didn't remember anything except that he was on the sofa and fell asleep there, but when he entered Charlotte's room, he didn't remember anything.

"I cannot remember anything."

"Don't even try to fool me, Elijah!"

He frowned. "I'll tell you if I remember anything, but I don't, Christian!"

"Fix yourself; we'll talk with Charlotte in the living room. By doing this, your freedom will be cut off.”

Christian stood his sister up and helped her out of the room. He could clearly see how she was gasping for breath from crying so much. When they finally got out, he stood up to get his clothes and put them back on. Then he left the room. He will meet Christian, who still has a hard face, who just passed him and continues to enter Charlotte's room, looking like he is going to get his sister's clothes.

He continued to walk towards the living room, but he was surprised that his other friends weren't there. What time is it, and everyone is drunk on wine? How else can they get home?

“If you are wondering why they are not there, I woke them up to move rooms here so we could have a place to talk. Sit there; I'll just take Charlotte back to my room for a while."

Christian left again, and he was left in the living room. He sat on the long sofa and waited for the two siblings to return, but his mind was still confused by what was happening. Did he make a mistake because of the drunkenness that just happened, or did he lose his mind when he woke up earlier?

He looked at the siblings who stopped next to the single seat. Charlotte was bent over, but she was no longer crying. Christian made Charlotte sit on the sofa where he was sitting, but just slightly away from her, Christian also sat in the same chair before he spoke.

"We need to talk about what happened to the two of you when our parents were here. They should have been surprised when they came home tonight, but it looks like they will be surprised because of what you did, Elijah."

He bowed down and thought about how Christian's parents would react to what happened. Uncle Ted and Aunt Mia are like his parents, whenever he is at Christian's house and having fun or drinking. He was overcome with intense nervousness just from their reaction. He turned to Charlotte; she was stunned, and he could clearly see her still-wet eyelashes. He suspected that she was shocked and had done something that made Charlotte look traumatized.

He heard the sound of a car outside the house. His hands were clenched because they were shaking slightly, and he was trying to prepare himself for what they were going to say.

The door opened, and the first to enter was Aunt Mia as she smiled. He couldn't look at her smile because it would surely disappear too.

"We're back!"

No one greeted Charlotte and Christian, so their mother was surprised.

"Char and Chris, won't you at least give me a kiss? It's been a while since we were on vacation together with your dad."

He looked at Christian, but he was already looking at him. He looked away, but Aunt Mia's eyes met his now.

She smiled at him. "You're here, Elijah. Sorry I didn't notice you right away, but nice seeing you again."

He didn't know if he should smile, but he nodded slightly and gave a small smile. His attention shifted to Christian and Charlotte as Aunt Mia approached them.

“Do you two have a problem? You are quiet."

"Yes, we have a problem, Mom," said Christian.

"What is it?"

"It's better if dad is already here to discuss the problem."

Aunt Mia looked at his daughter Charlotte. “Charlotte, you. Are you okay?"

It didn't answer, and Charlotte just remained dumbfounded.

Uncle Ted entered with bags to welcome Charlotte. Yes, he knew it was Charlotte's because, by the time he had been here, he had mastered everything, even what Charlotte wanted.

"Baby daddy is here! We have something for you." He was smiling as he happily walked towards them, but he also stopped when Charlotte did not respond to him. He looked at his wife. "Is she sick? That's why she didn't greet me."

"Sit down first, Mom and Dad," Christian said.

Aunt Mia sat between the two of them and Charlotte, while Uncle Ted also sat opposite Christian on the single sofa.

"We have a big problem, Mom and Dad."

"What?" Uncle Ted frowned when he asked.

Christian sighed. "It was only a few hours before the problem happened before you arrived, and—" Christian looked at him. "I don't know what your reaction will be to what happened to your unica ija."

"What's that?"

"I know it's my fault, but I also didn't know that it would happen like that." Christian stopped for a moment. "Your only daughter will get married before your eldest son."

"What do you mean, Christian? Does Charlotte have a boyfriend? Why don't your dad and I know?"

"Elijah did a sin to Charlotte."

"What's that?"

Christian's jaw dropped. "Elijah... raped, Charlotte!"

"What?! What?!" the couple shouted at the same time.

Uncle Ted turned to him, but he couldn't see any emotion. That made him even more nervous.

"Is what Christian said true, Elijah?"

"Uncle, I'll explain..."

"No! My question is for you to answer. Is what Christian said true?”

He clenched his fist, but his eyes watered. “I'm sorry, Uncle.”

He bent down and clenched his fist, but he received a furious punch from Uncle Ted. He winced when he touched the side of his lips, but it still didn't stop, and Uncle didn't intend to because it was his fault.

"Ted, that's enough!!"

But Uncle still continued to punch him, but with one punch, he really weakened, right in his eye, so he couldn't lick it off.

"I said enough!!" Aunt Mia's voice was trembling.

He sat on the floor while trying to open one of his eyes.

"That's not enough, Elijah! I treated you like a son and let you live in our house, but this is what you do to our only daughter!!”

He fell to his knees and faced the punishment he would inflict. "I don't know what happened, but I will face more consequences for my sin."

"Marry my daughter."

He didn't answer right away because marriage was sacred and nothing was lost when he entered it.

"What, Elijah? You will sin against Charlotte, or I will lock you up, and you will die there in the cell.”

"Dad, I don't want to!"

He frowned when he heard Charlotte's voice.

Uncle Ted looked at Charlotte. "Char, this is the best way we can do it. I don't want to laugh at you and be the target of hurtful words because of what happened."

"My... studies, dad," tears welled up in Charlotte's eyes again.

Uncle can also see in his eyes that he feels sorry for his daughter, but he just doesn't want to show it to Charlotte.

"You will still continue your studies. You won't stop."

Charlotte shook her head. "Dad, please. I don't want to get married."

"That's the right thing to do, Charlotte. After one week, the marriage of the two of you will take place, whether you like it or not," Christian said firmly.

"But brother..."

"That's our final decision, but if you want, choose between marrying Elijah or filing a case for what he does to you.”

He secretly looked at Charlotte; even he was waiting for her answer, but Charlotte just bowed and did not buy what Christian said. He was relieved there, but if she chose to imprison him, he would not do anything to prevent her from being imprisoned.

Christian looked at him seriously. "You're still lucky, Elijah, because my sister is kind, but someone like you just took advantage of her."

A drop of tears fell down his cheek. It would take a long time before Christian would forgive him.