CHAPTER 3
1055 Words
AVIAN'S POV
"I accept", I said to my stepmother as soon as I saw her.
She looked at me curiously.
"Accept what?", she asked.
"I accept to get married to Derrick", I told her with my head bowed in shame.
She tried to feign ignorance.
"You mean that you are going to get married to Derrick", she questioned.
"Yes, but on one condition".
"I could not let this opportunity pass me. At least if I was going to get married without my will, I should benefit from this ridiculous marriage", I thought to myself.
"Ohh, so you have a condition?", She laughed devilishly.
"Yes, I do. My condition is that his parents have to pay for my father's surgery".
"At least, you made the wisest decision of your life " she said to me.
The next thing I heard was that I would be meeting with Derrick's parents in the evening. I hurriedly went back home to freshen up to look presentable in the presence of Derrick's parents. An adage I would never forget my mom always told me is "Dress the way you want to be addressed".
I looked at my watch and realize that it was already past 6pm.
"I can't wait to be done with this meet and greet of a thing".
"In a few minutes they will be here", I heard my stepmother shouting from downstairs.
She left my dad in the care of a nurse just to do the introduction between Derrick's parents and I. Tanya was also present.
"Why is she here? She rejected the marriage proposal. Why must she be present when I am forced to marry someone I don't want to", I said to myself aloud that Tanya happened to overhear me.
She looked at me from head to toe before hissing and walked away.
"Avian!!!", I could hear my stepmother scream.
"Ma", I replied to her.
With a final glance at myself in the mirror, I went downstairs.
"They are here", she informed me.
"You have to behave yourself", she added.
"Like I haven't been behaving myself?", I said silently.
Tanya opened the door for the Carl's. Truth be told, Derrick's mother is such a beautiful woman. Even in her late stage, her beauty still shined radiantly. She has a petite figure and her long black hair falls over her shoulders.
Derrick's father was putting on gray pants with a long-sleeved shirt tucked in neatly. His protruding belly gives the way out. I greeted them politely and they answered me nicely.
"Come in. Sit down. You are all welcome to our humble home", my Stepmother said to them with a warm smile.
"See how the Lucifer herself is playing the nice step mom role", I said under my breath.
"What would you like to drink or eat?", she asked Derrick's parents.
Deep down, I know that my stepmother was not genuine with this question of hers. Regardless, she was trying hard to gain the Carl's favor.
"Nothing. We are okay". Derrick's father was the first to break the silence.
"Are you sure? Should I bring wine?", my stepmother asked.
"Wine? Wine?? Where did this woman see wine from? We barely have juice just to talk of wine". The thought of it made me laugh so hard that I forgot I was in the presence of a visitor.
"I am sorry", I apologized as soon as I noticed my stepmother and Tanya glaring hard at me.
"No, we are okay". This time it was Derrick's mother who gave a reply.
"Let's go straight to why we're here today. We are looking for a bride for our son". He has refused to bring a wife home and we are tired of his promiscuous behavior. That is why we decided to propose a marriage between my son and one of your daughters". Derrick's father explained.
"The so-called son is not even here. That means I am not the only one who is not interested in marriage", I thought to myself.
Carl's mother looked at me suspiciously before returning her gaze to my stepmother.
"Who is Tanya?", She asked.
Tanya pretended as if she did not hear her name being called. I glanced over to see her expression but I couldn't read what was in her mind.
"Tanya?" I had to call out again.
"Yes? What is your problem?", she replied rudely.
"Didn't you hear when you were called?", I asked her curiously.
She replied angrily, "I am not deaf".
She hissed and walked out.
All these while, the Carl's were watching with keen interest to this display of Tanya's rude behavior. I could see Derrick's mother whispering into her husband's ear.
"I am sorry for her rude behavior. She isn't always like this. Please forgive me". My stepmother apologized to the Carl.
Of course, she would apologize for her rude daughter's behavior. Birds of the same feathers flock together.
"This is Avian, she is my stepdaughter", she introduced me to Derrick's parents.
"Hello, ma. Hello sir. Nice meeting you", I replied curtly.
"ohh good evening my dear". They answered in unison.
"She would be the one getting married to your son", she said to them.
"Ohh.. I thought you said it was Tanya?" Derrick's mother asked.
"So sorry for the mix up. So the thing is that Tanya already has a fiance that is why I decided that Avian should take her place instead".
Ohhh! how well this woman lies!!
Tanya has no fiance..she is just a f*cking cheat and a slut. I was the one with a boyfriend before she went to have s*x with my boyfriend. Well, Jack is my past now. I should not be bothered about him.
I sat down quietly the entire time listening keenly to the conversation between my stepmother and Derrick's stepmother. I heard the part where Derrick's mother said the wedding was tomorrow. Also, they agreed to sponsor my Dad's surgery. That's all I care about right now.
After their discussion, they stood up and left. Before they left, they transferred the money for my father's surgery.
I rushed down to the hospital to inform the doctor that he should operate on my father immediately.
Without wasting much time, he was moved to the ER accompanied by doctors and nurses.
After waiting for what seemed like forever, the Doctor came out.
- Writer
