CHAPTER THREE

I was inside my room thinking about everything my mother said. I imagined everything she went through before the surgery. I thought about what would happen if I didn't marry Lawson. How would Aaron take it? Then my phone rang and it was Aaron.

“Do you plan to leave me? You changed our agreement when you got to your house. Have you forgotten how far we have gone? What did your family say to you to make you change your mind?” 

Aaron keeps bombarding me with questions I am not ready to answer. I love Aaron dearly and I know he loves me too. We planned to get married, but we are still waiting for the right time. This burden my family has placed on me is too much for me to carry. What will I do? I keep asking myself.

“You don't want to answer me right? I know you have made up your mind, but please make the right choice, don't forget the love we shared, make your decision the one you won't regret you ever made. I will always be there for you and I love you so dearly". 

Aaron said and hung up.

I was left to make my choice, which is very difficult for me.

“ My dear Rachel, please open the door, let's have a mother and daughter conversation, and I heard you haven't eaten anything since you came back. Please come out and eat, it's fine if you don't want to talk,” my mother said.

“Please let me be, I need to be alone for some time, and I am not hungry, thanks,” I said from inside.

How would I get married to someone I never loved? What kind of child would I be if I didn't agree to marry Lawson to pay off my parents' debt? How would my parents treat me after I declined their request? What about Aaron, how would he take it? My happiness matters to me also. What should I do? I kept ruminating on my thoughts 

 All these thoughts keep popping in my mind but at last I concluded I would marry Lawson to save my family from being a debtor and from being his Slave forever because my parents cannot afford to pay back the money owed, I would sacrifice my happiness for my family and I wanted to be a good child to my parents.

I opened the door of my room and went straight to the sitting room.

“ I will get married to Lawson” 

I said as I entered the sitting room where my mother and Grace, my younger sister were sitted, my mother was so happy, she shouted and started thanking and praying for me. Grace ran to me and hugged me.

“Rachel agreed to marry Lawson, please come home now”

My mother called my father and he came in within a twinkle of an eye.

“Thank you so much, God bless you abundantly. You will never regret this decision, I promise.”

My father said with confidence as if he could challenge Lawson's authority.

“ I thought about it thoroughly, and I came to a conclusion that this will be the best sacrifice I have ever made to this family, so I am trading my happiness for it, and I hope I will never regret it.” 

I voiced out after a long silence in the room, which my parents assured me I wouldn't.

My father informed me that he will make arrangements for me and Lawson to meet in order for us to talk, which is okay by me.

The next day was Saturday. My father had spoken to Lawson, and he called to make arrangements.

“ Hello, this is Lawson Webmar, am I on to Miss Rachel” he said on the other side of the phone.

“ Yes, you are talking to Rachel McGregor,” I replied.

We spoke for a few minutes which made us decide to go to the next day in one fango cy restaurant in the city 

The next day, his driver came by at 4:00pm to pick me up from the restaurant, although we agreed at 5:00pm.

“ Give me some minutes to get ready,” I said as the driver waited outside, and I joined him some minutes later.

I dressed in a long and elegant blue gown and made my hair fall to the back without any makeup on, just red lipstick.

I arrived at the Velvet Room restaurant, and Lawson was already there.

I spotted his handsome face, sitting on a chair with the best smile I have ever seen in a well-fitted brown suit, high-quality black shoes,” Good evening, I said as I was about to sit. He stood up, adjusted the chair for me to sit and then sat.

“Thanks for coming, and also thanks for the opportunity to make me your husband. I had feelings for you from the day I saw you with your father at the office and I am happy you will eventually be mine”.

Lawson said, grinning from ear to ear, we ordered food and continued talking.

“Inform your family about our plan and let's start the wedding preparations as soon as possible, no more drama, just a few people are okay. I don't want a loud wedding”

I said and noticed his reaction, but he didn't disagree with me, he said he is okay if; that's how I wanted it.

We finished eating, exchanged contacts and he ordered the driver to drop me off at home.

I got home, met my dad in the sitting room watching the news.

“Good evening, Dad. I met with Lawson, and we need to start the wedding preparations. Let's get married as soon as possible and face reality.”

 I said, heading inside my room.