Not Getting Married

TIFFANY

“Why won't you marry him?” Grandpa asked for the upteenth time.

I stood across him, my hands rested on my hips as if I was ready to pick a fight with him.

This is a battle about my happiness anyway, I have to win.

"Oscar Vance is not the one for me. He's cold, ruthless and lacks every moral decency a man should have,” I paused and made sure to look into grandpa's eyes as I uttered. "I'd rather die than marry such a man.”

Grandpa's jaw dropped but he couldn't say a word. I watched his face turn livid as he pointed his index finger at me.

"Did you really think this is about you right now? This is about the family, the Perkins family needs to survive and this marriage is our only hope!" He quipped angrily as I flinched hard.

His words landed directly on my face, sending a jolting pressure through all my joints.

Firmly trying to hold my trembling feet on ground, I took a breath and straightened my spine. "How is this not about me, Grandpa? I'm the one that'll walk down the aisle. I'm the one that'll hold his hand, endure his shortcomings and say "yes, I do” to all his requests for the rest of my life just because he's my family's savior."

Grandpa's body shrinked on the sofa he sat on, his expression softened a little. Seems like he's finally understanding the weight of his words.

“Oscar has been here several times, you both have had several conversations where you felt genuinely happy, so why? Why are you badmouthing him now? What did he do to make you hate him so much?” He asked, both his brows arched in total confusion.

However, he wasn't lying. I've had conversations with Oscar and spent time with him that I really enjoyed but I can't marry him.

Never.

“Oscar is not a nice man, he's not even human. Oscar's a demon, do you know what people call him out there? They call him Hell's gate CEO, no one out there has one good thing to say about him,” I replied, staring deep into grandpa's eyes as if that'll make him understand my point.

"What's going on? Why are you suddenly arguing?” Stephanie, my best friend, came downstairs with my sister, Hazel, by her side.

She arrived early this morning but has been inside comforting Hazel that just went through a heartbreak.

"I'm glad you're here, Steph,” Grandpa said as he turned to me. "Go on, repeat that thing you said you said about her brother."

“And I want you to be as thorough as you were with me, tell your best friend exactly how inhumane you think her brother is," Grandpa clicked his tongue distastefully.

His eyes glazed me over, one last time, in bitter disappointment before he walked up the stairs, toward his room.

Stephanie's expression was twisted till she reached my side while Hazel quietly settled on the sofa Grandpa stood from.

“Since when has my brother been inhumane? To you in particular?" Steph asked, her brows deepened and her nose was a bit scrunched up, as if she was ready to be disgusted in whatever answer I was going to give.

I held her hand gently, the golden chandelier light at the center of the living room settled over us, making it look as if we were about to act a stage play for Hazel to lighten up her mood.

“You know that was just an excuse, right? I'm doing this for Ethan," I said in a low voice, trying to force some sympathy out of her stone cold face.

But instead, she withdrew her hand from mine in a somewhat rude way, rough and disregarding, before she crossed her arms over her chest.

"At the expense of my brother's reputation before your Grandpa? Did you think you're doing the right thing?” She asked, her tone clipped. "You should not even refuse this marriage, your family needs this, Tiff, this is not the time to be all over some boy you call a boyfriend.”

"I've been with Ethan for three years, okay? Why are you acting as if you didn't know? I can't just leave Ethan for your brother!” My voice pitched without my intention.

Even though I saw the change in Stephanie's face, the way her lips parted in somewhat surprise and the way her shoulders slumped defeated, I didn't keep quiet.

"Why are you so protective of Oscar anyway? He's just your stepbrother, you guys aren't even close. Don't judge me if you won't be the one to end up in his better crying later,” I blurted anyway.

An awkward silence settled over the living room after I was done saying my mind. You should feel relieved in this kind of situation right? Why did a sudden cold just wash over my body and the pressure in my knees seems to be doubled.

It felt as if…I just lost my best friend.

"Steph, I didn't mean to-”

"I understand. You also believe that my brother is as bad as they say?" She scoffed, the kind that screamed at my face that I must have really taken her for granted.

“We've been best friends for five years, way before you even met Ethan and you'll choose Ethan over me? You think you'll suffer if you marry into my family?" She continued, question after question as I watched her expression falter all through.

“Steph, I really was-"

“You've always been selfish, it's nothing new. Why am I even acting surprised? It's your grandpa that I pity. He raised you alone for five years, all for you to end up like this," Steph cut me off again as she stood up and started packing her bag.

"Are you trying to walk out on me? You're the only one I thought would understand me and now, you're also doing this? Doesn't my happiness matter too? Should I cave in to your brother's immoral character just because we're friends? Are you the one that'll live in sadness everyday?” I seethed.

My fist folded tightly at my sides as tears glazed my eyeballs unaware.

I thought she'd understand, she always does but she's being biased this time because he's her brother.

“I have something to do at work, call me when you're ready to talk again,” she glanced at me briefly before she turned to my sister who was still curled on the sofa.

"Hazel, don't think about him too much, okay? You deserve a better guy than his cheating ass.”

She walked out of the living room after that, shutting the door behind her. Steph walked out on me because I refused to marry her stepbrother.

"Tiff, that was really cruel. You shouldn't do that to your best friend, especially not dictating her relationship with her brother when you know she has always been sensitive about it,” Hazel stood up and walked back to her room upstairs.

I really wished I had shut up earlier. I wouldn't have hit her sore wound.

It wasn't really my fault too, don't I have a choice who I am to spend the rest of my life with? This is about my happiness, why did they think they can decide for me because it'll benefit the family.

I don't care if Grandpa's is the last standing male in the family, who said women can't take over the family business too?

I was still standing on the same spot when my phone rang on another sofa beside me. I picked it up and Ethan's name lit up the screen.

A small smile tugged at my lips instinctively as I swiped green. “Hey baby," I said in a cute, coquettish tone.

“I heard you're getting engaged to Oscar Vance, is that true?" Ethan's voice was stern, nothing like I've ever heard before.

My hand tightened around my phone more than it's supposed to, as I swallowed repeatedly.

How am I going to explain to him that I'm trying to get out of this engagement and he should wait for me?

Oscar Vance is every lady in Manhattan's dream, is he even going to believe me?

“Ethan, I…” My voice trailed as I took a deep breath to steady my palpitating heart.

Will Ethan believe me?