Chapter 3. Ran Away

Nancy finished drying her long, wet golden hair in her bedroom and combed it to cascade down her back. She walked out of her room and headed downstairs to the living room to have dinner with her parents.

Her stomach growled loudly with hunger, so she held onto the iron railing for support as she descended, careful not to fall or miss a step. She then reached the bottom.

Nancy saw that a guest had arrived at her parents' home, which made her frown. She hated how her father's mansion was designed—the living room was connected directly to the dining room, making it easy for guests to spy on family affairs. She valued her privacy and disliked being monitored.

Nancy noticed a tall, handsome Black man exuding authority, standing in the living room and watching her as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

She felt uncomfortable under his watchful gaze. The way his black eyes stared at her made her feel as if he were already stripping her náked with that look of desire.

Nancy looked away from the man and turned to her parents, who stood nervously in the living room.

She walked up to her mother and asked, "Mom... Is dinner not ready yet?"

Mrs. Olivia was nervous; she hadn't expected Charles to visit personally. She responded anxiously, "Nancy, dear, come meet your groom."

"My what?" Nancy gasped in shock. She swiftly turned to face Charles, meeting his handsome black gaze. His eyes didn't avert from her for a moment as he stood there, watching her.

Snapping out of her shock, Nancy asked her mother, "Mom... When did I get married to him?"

"You're not married to him yet, Nancy. This is Charles Alejandro, President Nolan Alejandro's only son and child. The wedding is in two days," her father declared.

"What? Two days!" Nancy gasped, nearly fainting.

"Calm down, Nancy," Charles said.

Nancy shivered at his deep, masculine voice. She couldn't believe she was getting married to him in just two days.

Gathering her courage, Nancy said with trembling lips, "I cannot... marry you, sir."

"Nancy!" her father screamed, hushing her. Charles Alejandro was the most feared young man in the city.

Senator Logan warned, "Nancy! You have no right to object to this marriage. Charles Alejandro has seen photos of many pretty young women and chose you. You should be grateful to become the country's future first lady."

"No, Father! I cannot accept this marriage. I cannot marry him!" Nancy pointed at Charles and backed away, bolting up the stairs to her bedroom. Her hips bouncing and swaying as she ran.

She reached the top floor, entered her room, and shut the door.

"Nancy! Come back here!" her father called, but Nancy refused to answer. She didn't want to marry Charles. She locked her door and went to her bed, crying.

"Hmm, let me go upstairs and call Nancy back," Mrs. Olivia offered, but her husband quickly stopped her. "That won't be necessary."

Senator Logan turned to Charles and apologized, "We're truly sorry, Your Excellency. We haven't informed Nancy about the arranged marriage with you, sir."

"Hmm," Charles stood speechless in the living room, staring up to the second floor. He hoped his chosen bride would peek out and look down at him. The way her hips had moved and swayed seductively had hardened his muscles with the urge to claim her.

Charles doubted he could control himself if left alone with Nancy. She looked even more beautiful than her photo. He then turned back to her parents, meeting her mother's gaze. She resembled Nancy.

Mrs. Olivia smiled nervously and said to Charles, "Don't worry, Your Excellency. I'll go upstairs now and speak to my daughter. The wedding will still proceed."

"Hmm, that's alright. I'll be looking forward to the wedding. I just came here to welcome my bride on her return to the city, but it's obvious she doesn't want to see me. Please give these red roses flowers to Nancy and let her know that I truly love her and want to marry her." Charles handed over the bouquet of rose petals he was holding to Mrs. Olivia.

Mrs. Olivia smiled, accepted the bouquet of red roses, and stepped aside while her husband apologized again. "We are sincerely sorry, Your Excellency. Please forgive our daughter for her rude behavior toward you."

"That's alright. I understand Nancy's fears, but it's not a problem. Send my greetings and let her know that I want her. I have to be on my way now. Goodbye, Senator Logan," Charles bowed to leave.

"Yes, goodbye, Your Excellency," Senator Logan replied, escorting Charles out of the living room and to his car.

The stationed security men opened the door for him and shut it once he was inside. Then the three cars drove out of Senator Logan Marlon's residence.

~•~

Nancy stood at her upstairs bedroom window, staring down at the garage. She watched Charles walk out of her family home, get into his car, and drive away with the three vehicles.

She couldn't believe her parents wanted her to marry Charles Alejandro, the president's son, by force.

Nancy hadn't met Charles before, but she had heard about him, because the netizens often ridiculed and criticized his family online for refusing to relinquish power.

Nancy had heard about Charles affairs with many pretty young women in the state. He was rumored to be a playboy, not the kind of man she wanted as a husband.

The sound of her door being pushed open jolted her back to reality. Nancy turned from the window to see her parents angrily entering her room.

"Nancy! What was the meaning of that silly drama you displayed in front of Charles Alejandro? Don't you know plenty of young women would jump at the offer with joy and accept marrying Charles immediately?" her father questioned angrily, standing beside her door and glaring at her.

Her mother stood silently, holding the bouquet of red roses Nancy had seen Charles with earlier.

Her father yelled, "Answer me, Nancy!"

"Dad, that's not the kind of man I want. I don't love him, and that's the truth," Nancy said, breaking into sobs.

Charles Alejandro wasn't the man she wanted to marry.

She wanted a good man who would love only her, not a cheat like Charles who wouldn't value her as his wife.

Nancy searched for the right excuse to make her parents understand that she couldn't marry a man like Charles or become his wife.

"Love? What do you know about love, Nancy? You'll grow to love Charles with time, after you become husband and wife. That's how your mother and I got married, and we're still together today. What if you wait for a man you love first, and he doesn't love you back, leaving you loving him alone?"

"Well, I cannot reject the Alejandro family's proposal, even though I knew you would object. They're the ones ruling the country, and they'll feel extremely insulted by you rejecting their only son's proposal! He chose you, Nancy Marlon, among all the other pretty young women's photos he must have seen. So, you will marry Charles whether you like him or not."

"No, Father! I cannot marry Charles!" Nancy screamed, bursting into tears. She couldn't believe her father wanted to force her to marry Charles Alejandro.

Senator Logan turned to leave the room, pausing at the door to say to his wife, "Talk to our daughter and prepare her with everything she'll need to become Charles's wife. This Saturday, she'll go to the presidential villa to live with him—whether she likes him or not."