Chapter 2: Their Sudden Decision

“Hello?” I inquired as my secretary called me.

“The Metaverse Clothing Brand earlier called me and asked for your return schedule.” She narrated through the line.

“I’ll be home next week, so no need to worry, the show will continue” I simply replied and I heard her grab something and it hits the floor. “What’s going on there? Is everything okay?”

“Aha! All is well, Miss. I just dropped the pen." I nodded as I understand her situation. Allison was always been like this, she always dropped any objects off, but thanks God that she never dropped any expensive or important things. I guess she’s just too tired to handle lot of works that’s why sometimes I used to gave her free day leave and like an hour break everyday to refresh her mind and relax. She’s such a workaholic woman, and that’s what I like about her, she’s so much similar to me.

“Okay, if you don’t have any inquiries by then I’ll hung this up to take a short nap.” My eyes are getting heavier and heavier like I can fall asleep in any moments.

“None so far, Miss. I’ll just give you an update later. Goodbye” Together we hanged the phone. I move up my long sleeve and look for my digital watch given to me by one of my sponsor. It’s fast approaching 4 in the afternoon. I can’t believe that my flight would take almost 15 hours. It’s like a double flight, I feel.

I put my phone at the top of my peach round table along with my gray shoulder bag also given to me by one of my bag sponsor during their 38th anniversary. This is what I like about being a model. Aside from making profit just by walking and wearing their dresses and gowns, I can also have some of them and some of my sponsors they give me all of the clothes that I’d wear on the photoshoot or commercials. There are actually lots of them that I’d received every single month of the year that I can’t even able to wear some of them and so I just gave it to my secretary.

Just as I’d closed my eyes, I easily fall asleep.

***

A loud sound knocking on my door awakes me. I looked at my watch again and saw it’s passed 6 in the evening. Probably it’s the maid waking me for a dinner.

I lazily hopped off the bed and look for my sleeper then marched to the door with my left eyes still close.

“How are you? You feeling good?” It wasn’t the maid, it’s my cousin, Waen. As soon as I saw it’s her, I head back and jumped to my bed again. “Come on! Get up you silly lazy girl” She loudly tapped my butt that woke my whole self.

“Ouch!” I loudly screamed at her and throw a pillow on her face.

“Oh, it hurts? Come on, don’t tell me that you just got a booty work. Didn’t you?” I burst into laughter with her silly assumption and throw her with my two pillows.

“You really likes to ruin my day, Waen!” I lazily sit down with my back against the wall.

“The dinner is ready, and aunt and uncle are waiting. Go change yourself and get down, hurry up, don’t make them wait, or she’ll start rapping again.” She reminded me then left my room with a wide smile on her face. We both smile at the rapping things.

As soon as I'd finished taking a half bath and wore my plain black dress that shows my curvy body I'd then head down and saw Mom, Dad and Waen already eating their dinner. It was my favorite fried shrimp dipped into sauce with a lot of vegetable leaves and of course a hot chilly pepper. It's mouth watering and I freaking miss these foods.

Without any invitations I pulled a chair and serve my self.

"This is just a family dinner, you don't need to waste almost 10 minutes trying to make yourself perfect." Again, Mom ruined the moment. I paused for a while and look at Dad. He's staring back at me with his wide smile saying that I shouldn't just mind Mpm.

"Here's for my princess' favorite food." Dad put a shrimp on my plate and I can saw Mom rolling her eyes out with disbelief.

"Thank you dad." I gently thanked and he just nod with a smile on his face. How I wish that Mom can be like Dad just for a single day.

The company is about to go bankrupt, but Dad is just chilling without worrying about it as if he controls everything. He's a very positive person and his attitude is very rare, that's why I liked him more. While mom, she's always on the negative side as if the whole world and even the universe takes away all the happiness from her.

***

As soon as we finished our dinner, we headed outside the house, at the backyard specifically and sat there on the small cottage just near our huge swimming pool.

"I know that you already knew what's the reason why we wanted you to get here and stay here." Mon breaks the silence with her intense and chilling words. It's so creepy like gosh!

I titled my head and look at her with my brow colliding each other.

"Yes of course, I am well informed, but not by the 'stay here' thing." I tried to clear the things out cause they both know that I can't stay here longer. I had lots of things to do in New York. I need to attend the Metaverse Clothing Brand runway show which will be next week, and after that I'll need to fly to France for a brand commercial and a talkshow and so much to mention that I can't even remember.

"Well, you should then know, cause you'll be staying here again and you're goin go marry Luca, a son of your Dad's bestfriend."

"What?" I rose to my feet. I am completely shocked. My eyes widen and my heart raced like crazy. I moved my sight to Dad where he is also staring back at me. I can't believe that this is the reason why they wanted me to badly come here, just to marry? And to save the company? I can't freaking believe this. This is grossed. Is this a kind of movie?

"I am not going to marry anybody that I don't like, especially the guy you're talking about Mom. I have never even meet him, so why should I marry him? To save the conpany? Why, do I look like a fish that you can trade for money Mom? Is that why you raised me just to sell me to save the company?" I can't able to hold my feelings and frustation after every hardship and sacrifices I had did to be at the position where I am now, then she will just burst my bubbles for a man? This is insane!

"You shut up, Calista!" Mom started to raised her voice even louder than mine. "You know how hard me and your Dad had gone through to built this company, and we can't afford to lose it just by that so easily." Again, her words hurts me deeply.

"So that's why it's easy for the both of you to choose the company over me? And talking about sacrifices? Didn't I sacrificed everything for my career? For the low class cheap old modeling that you called." A tear falls from my eyes that wants to let go since our last conversation. Mom and Dad is just staring silently at me. This is the first time that they'd ever saw me cry in front of them, cause just as what I say, that I need to be strong, fierce, fearless and firm in front of them, that's why seeing me break like this for the first time brokes them.

"I also had a dream Mom, dad." I looked at them with a teary eyes begging them to withdraw their words." I also wanted to marry a guy who didn't just love me, but the guy that I also loved. I also dreamed to have a happy family, a better future, a stable career, a successful business and a beautiful tomorrow. But how can I have those when you're now starting to take those rights from me. Can't I dream for myself?" I wiped the tears on my cheeks, I wanted to be tough, but I can't. "I can't marry anyone." I added then ran back inside the house directly to my room and locked it.

It really hurts me as their child. I know that they had the right to dream for me and create a future for me, but this one is way too different. This will just ruin my life. I covered myself with my blanket and turned off the lights. I feel like I'm stuck between the yes and maybe, like they don't even gave me the 'No' button to choose.

"Tok, tok!" A loud twice knock on the door cuts my thought. Dad started to call my name and asking me to open the lights and the door. I didn't mind him as if I didn't hear anything.

After almost an hour of graving myself in the dark, I'd reached for my phone and look for his number.

"My Bossy CEO" I tapped the contacts and call him. Just as the second ring of my call he quickly answered it and a sweet deep voice of him that I'd missed serve as a medicine that heal my breaking heart.