3. Ran Away

Nancy finished drying and combing her long golden hair, letting it cascade down her back. She left her room and went downstairs to the living room to have dinner with her parents.

Her stomach growled loudly, so she held the iron railing for support as she descended the stairs, careful not to fall or miss a step.

Nancy saw guests had arrived at her parents' home, which made her frown. She hated the way her father's mansion was built, with the living room connected to the dining room, making it easy for guests to spy on her family affairs. She valued her privacy and hated being monitored.

Nancy saw the tall, handsome Black man who exuded authority standing in their living room, 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 like he was stripping her náked with his look of desire.

Nancy glanced away from the Black man and saw her parents standing nervously in the living room.

She walked to her mother and asked, "Mom, isn't dinner ready yet?"

Mrs. Olivia Marlon was nervous, not expecting Charles to visit her home personally. She nervously responded to Nancy, "Nancy, dear, come meet your groom."

"My what?" Nancy gasped in shock and swiftly turned to face Charles. She met his handsome gaze, his eyes not averting from her for a moment as he stood in the living room, watching her.

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

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

"Two days?!" Nancy gasped, almost fainting.

"Calm down, Nancy," Charles interjected, and Nancy shivered at his deep, masculine voice.

Nancy couldn't believe she was getting married to Charles, and their wedding was in two days. She finally gathered her courage and said to him, her lips trembling, "I cannot marry you, sir."

"Nancy!" Her father screamed, trying to hush 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 saw many young women's photos before choosing you, so you should be grateful to become the country's future first lady."

"No, Father! I cannot accept this marriage. I cannot marry him!" Nancy shouted and moved backward, quickly bolting to the stairs and dashing upstairs 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, not wanting to marry Charles. She locked her room door and went to her bed, crying.

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

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

"Hmm," Charles stood speechless in the living room, staring upstairs 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 made his muscles harden with the desire to claim her.

Charles doubted he could control himself if he were left alone with Nancy. She looked even more beautiful than in her photo. He finally looked back at 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 and speak to my daughter. The wedding will still happen."

"Hmm, that's alright. I'm looking forward to the wedding. I 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 flowers to Nancy and let her know that I truly love her and want to marry her," Charles said, handing the bouquet of roses to Mrs. Olivia.

Mrs. Olivia smiled and collected it, standing aside while her husband apologized again, "We are sincerely sorry, Your Excellency. Please forgive our daughter's rude behavior towards you."

"That's alright. I understand her fears. It's not a problem. I came here to welcome her on her return to the city. Do send my greetings to Nancy and let her know that I want her. I have to be on my way now. Goodbye, Senator Logan," Charles said, turning to walk away.

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

The stationed security men opened and shut the car door as soon as Charles entered his Jeep, and the three cars drove out of Senator Logan Marlon's residence.

~~~~~

Nancy stood at her room window upstairs, staring down at the garage. She saw Charles walk out of her family home, get into his car, and the three cars drive away.

Nancy couldn't believe her parents wanted her to marry Charles Alejandro, the president's son, by force. She hadn't met Charles before, but she had heard of him and how netizens ridiculed and abused his family online for refusing to relinquish their ruling seat.

Furthermore, Nancy had also heard about Charles affairs with many young women in their state, and he was rumored to be a playboy, not the kind of man she wanted to marry.

The sound of her room door being pushed open jolted her back to reality. She turned from the window and saw her parents angrily walk into her room.

"Nancy! What was the meaning of that silly drama you displayed when meeting Charles Alejandro today? Don't you know that plenty of young women would have jumped at the offer with joy and accepted to marry Charles immediately?" Her father questioned angrily, standing beside the door and glaring at her. Her mother stood in silence, holding the bouquet of roses she had seen Charles with.

Her father yelled at her, "Answer me, Nancy!"

"Dad, Charles is 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 kind of 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 was looking for the right excuse to make her parents understand that she couldn't marry a man like Charles.

"Love? What do you know about love, Nancy? You'll get to love Charles with time, after you both become husband and wife. That's how your mother and I got married, and we're still together. What if you sit here waiting for the man you'll love first, and he doesn't love you back, and you end up loving him alone?

Well, I cannot reject the Alejandro family's proposal, even though I know you'll object to it. They're the ones ruling the country, and they'll feel extremely insulted if you reject 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'll have to marry Charles whether you like him or not."

"No, Father! I cannot marry him!" Nancy screamed, crying aloud, unable to believe her father really wanted her to marry Charles by force.

Her father turned to leave her room, paused at the door, and said to her mother, "Talk to your daughter and get her prepared for everything she'll need to become Charles's wife. This Saturday, she'll be going to the presidential villa to live with Charles whether she likes him or not."