2. Difficult Choice

Cecilia also added, “Instead of becoming a spinster, Sister. Just accept it, after all, no one necessarily wants you, right? Who else would you be waiting for?”

The two younger siblings seemed so united in their support for their parents' idea. However, Charlotte was still tongue-tied so she couldn't immediately argue.

“All your friends are married, you're the only one who isn't. Aren't you ashamed that you haven't married yourself?” Barbara added with a stern tone.

Charlotte wet her lips and finally said, “No, Mom. I don't like being set up.”

Beatrice and Cecilia were eager to speak again but Barbara told them to be quiet first.

“Uh, I don't like your refusal. They're already planning to come here,” Barbara began to sound angry.

“It's just a plan, Mom. It can be canceled,” Charlotte replied.

Charles, annoyed by her reply, said, “Don't embarrass me! Anyway, you just get ready. Next week you propose to Oliver.”

“But, Dad. I-”

“I don't want to know, you have to marry that rich widower. If you refuse, you don't have to live here,” Charles threatened, sounding serious.

He even glared at his eldest daughter, implying that his words were no joke.

Charlotte gripped the side of the table. “Dad, are you kicking me out? How could you? Is it wrong for me to refuse, Dad?”

Charles, whose heart was already hard, said, “Why can't you?”

“What's wrong with marrying a widower? If he can guarantee your life, why refuse?” Barbara said, still with a stern tone.

Seeing her parents getting more and more insistent, Charlotte was still confident in her decision, “I am so sorry, Dad, Mom. I still can't do it.”

Beatrice looked at her sister with a displeased look, “How stubborn you are! You should be more self-aware. Don't be a burden on your family. You're already an old maid, how can you be picky about your mate?”

The pregnant woman shook her head in disgust, while Cecilia also responded, “There's not necessarily anyone better, Sister. Let's just accept it. When else will you get a rich husband?”

Cecilia then glanced at Charlotte and frowned, “You're not pretty, you don't have a good educational background, and you only work as a convenience store employee. If someone has a crush on you, you should be grateful.”

“Listen to your sisters.” Barbara said with a still annoyed expression.

The square-faced woman continued, “You're not like your younger siblings who are beautiful, attractive and have a good education so they are free to choose a mate. You have to understand that you have no choice.”

Charlotte didn't want to eat her breakfast at all. Indeed, her stomach, which was empty and begging to be filled, suddenly became full.

“If you don't have those advantages, don't be so picky, Sister,” Beatrice added dispassionately.

That was enough.

Charlotte couldn't take it anymore. All the words coming out of her family's mouths had cut her to the core.

Her tears were about to fall but she desperately tried to hold them back.

“I'm not as beautiful as Cecilia or Beatrice, Mom. I also don't have a high education or a good job, but even so, I want to choose a man to be my own husband, not because I was set up.”

Charles was immediately furious, “Stupid daughter! Still so arrogant. It's already good that someone wants to propose, and you're trying to refuse. Don't you know that Oliver has a lot of suitors?”

Charlotte turned to her father, still holding back tears from falling.

“Yes, you heard me right. There were many people who wanted to be Oliver's wife, but he chose you. You should feel lucky that you were chosen,” Charles said passionately.

Charlotte shook her head.

“I'm sorry, Dad. I still can't marry him,” Charlotte said firmly.

After saying that, the girl ran out of the house and only stopped when she reached the bus stop. And that's when she could no longer hold back her tears.

She leaned against the bus stop pole and let the tears fall freely. It was quiet at that time, and she had come too early for the bus that was supposed to arrive at the bus stop in the next fifteen minutes.

“Why did they do that? Don't I have the right to decide things for myself?” she murmured between tears.

Sometimes, Charlotte really wondered. The way her parents treated her and her two younger siblings was so different. She even suspected that she might not be their biological daughter.

However, she never found any evidence that confirmed her suspicions so she just tried to accept her fate and give in all the time.

“Relax, Charlotte, don't be sad, there will be a way out,” the girl said, trying to reassure herself.

After feeling better, she wiped away her tears and waited for her bus to arrive.

When the afternoon came, Charlotte felt unable to go home. She chose to walk aimlessly to clear her muddled mind.

However, when she saw that it was getting darker, she decided to go home because she had no choice.

Charlotte was wide-eyed with shock when she saw many people in her house. The glass of her parents' house was a little dark, but at night everything in the house could be seen from the outside due to the lights.

“Well, it can't be the proposal now, can it?” Charlotte said in a panic.

She stopped walking, as if she didn't want to enter the house.

But unfortunately she was too late because simultaneously, her father, Charles caught her,

“Charlotte.”

Charlotte didn't turn around, “Y-yes, Dad.”

“Come in quickly!” Charles ordered.

Charlotte gulped, “Dad, I told you that I-”

“Come in!” Charles cut off quickly with his eyes bulging, not wanting to be contradicted.

Charlotte bit her lip, feeling helpless. With a mixed expression, the tired-looking girl finally entered.

As soon as she saw a man sitting on that right section, she was somewhat surprised.

Wasn't he a 55-year-old widower with two children?

However, she saw that the man looked very young. In fact, it looked like he was the same age as her or even younger.

He was sitting next to Rosalia, her aunt who was her father's sister. Due to having a good relationship with Rosalia, Charlotte immediately approached the aunt and greeted, “Aunt Rosalia.”

Rosalia smiled gently, “You must be very tired. I am so sorry, I'm here on short notice.”

Charlotte, who still didn't understand, just nodded without daring to glance or ask her aunt about the young man sitting next to her.

“Rosa, get on with it,” Charles said, impatiently.

“Yes, Rosa. Hurry up!” Barbara said.

Rosalia nodded, “So, here's the deal. I came here because I heard that you were going to be married off to the widower from the next village.”

Charlotte was immediately interested and faced her aunt attentively, happy because she was sure her kind aunt would stand up for her.

“I know how Oliver's character is not good. I don't want you to marry someone who likes to play with women,” Rosalia explained, glancing at Charles with a displeased look.

Charlotte gasped, suddenly looking at her parents with a shocked expression.

How could she be set up with such a person? Why did her parents have such a heart for her?

However, it turned out that Charles and Barbara did not show the slightest guilty expression. Instead, they seemed relaxed and indifferent.

Rosalia continued, “So, I think it's better for you to marry Shane.”

Charlotte finally had the courage to glance at Shane who was still silent. She wanted to ask but her father's voice was back.

“What do you do for a living?” Charles asked Shane in an unfriendly tone.

“I'm a shoe sole maker, sir,” Shane replied.

Charlotte gaped.

The girl suddenly felt that she was being played by circumstances.

Shoe sole maker? Charlotte repeated to herself.

Which was better? To be proposed to by a rich widower with two children who was a long way from her in age or a poor cobbler?

Why wasn't it a single, rich young man who proposed to her?

Her two younger siblings, Cecilia and Beatrice, who were sitting at the very back, immediately laughed mockingly.

But strangely, Charles, the father, simply said, “Oh, well. The decision is yours, Charlotte. Will you accept the cobbler or Oliver?”