Chapter 2: Making a choice
1364 Words
Chapter 2
Making a choice
“To hell with the inheritance!” I'm never going to marry someone I've never seen nor heard of.” Dan mumbled, but his father could hear him clearly.
“What did you just say?” His father asked.
“Nothing, Dad.”
“Better. Just one more word from you, and you'll see how I'll channel all my possessions to Ethane, the gardener. Besides, he's also like a son to me.”
“Mum, won't you say something? Would you just allow Dad to force your son into marrying a lady he never knew? Say something, mom, say something, please! This is a moment of forever we are talking about!” Dan pleaded with his mom, who was just standing quietly, listening to Dan and his father's argument.
“Dan, my son,” she instantly became mute before she finished her statement, as she had eye contact with her husband. The look on his face depicts his highest level of anger. For the decades she has spent with him, she knows how terrible her husband can be at making decisions whenever he's angry.
“Dan, just do as your father instructed. I believe that he's doing it for your own good.” She convinced her son.
Ethane was a poor boy who was adopted by the Miller's family after losing his whole family in a fatal accident when he was just ten.
“I’m giving you only twenty-four hours to make a choice. Remember, your wedding to Clara is in the next two weeks.” Mr. Miller declared, and he dashed out of the room.
“Mum, this is not fair! This is not fair at all. This is an infringement of my rights!”
“I know, son, but you don't have a choice now. Or would you rather lose all your father's wealth to Ethane and go ahead with your marriage to Lucia? Think well before you make any final decisions.” She dashed out to her room, leaving Dan all alone in the living room. He sat down quietly as he wallowed in his thoughts.
He wished he could ignore his father's threat and marry at his will.
He was so devastated at the moment. He was dealing with the embarrassing moment when his wedding came to a halt at the altar in the presence of thousands of people, and he still had to make a choice about spending his life with another woman.
He had never seen Clara in his entire life, but he was convinced she would not be his class of woman.
“I know what to do. I'll use up the money I have in my account to start my own business rather than marrying Clara. Dad, all your plans have failed!” Dan thought to himself.
He took a quick shower and headed to the bank to withdraw his funds.
“This is impossible, Dad; you can't do this to me!” Dan mumbled as he entered his car and sped home.
“Dad, what's the meaning of all this, now?” He yelled as he reached home and saw his parents sitting in the living room. ”
“What is all this? Is there any problem?”
“Yes, Dad. There's a problem. A very big problem.”
“Dan, what are you talking about?” His mother asked in her always soft tone.
“How could you, Dad? How could you do this to me? I went to the bank today, only to discover that I could not access my money. All accounts were frozen. Dad, has it gotten to this extent?
“Hahahaha.” Mr. Miller gave out a sarcastic laugh.
“I know this must happen. My instincts were never wrong.” Mr. Miller said, sipping a glass of wine as he held up his newspaper and continued reading.
“What are you two arguing about? Can someone please put me in the picture of what is going on?” Mrs. Miller stated.
“You know, you children of this generation always think that you can outsmart your parents. If I were you, Dan, I would stop trying by now and do the right thing.”
“You didn't succeed in getting married while I was off town, and now you want to withdraw all my money that you've saved up in your account and be independent, right?”
“Dad! I'm your son for crying out loud!”
“Yes, I know you're my son; that's why I need you to know that I'm your father, and I deserve some respect in regards to your choice from you. Remember, you have less than twelve hours from now to make your choice. I'm sending a notice to the Dantes’ tomorrow, informing them of the wedding plan.”
“It is fine if you want to become independent, but be assured that you are not starting that life of independence with my sweat if you choose to go against my wish. I laboured for this wealth you're enjoying now, so if you want a free life, you can as well start to labour from scratch.”
Dan was short of words; he quietly moved to his room after a long, stressful day. Now, he is afraid of his father's next line of action if he tries to do anything contrary to his dad's choice.
“Dan, the best thing for you to do is to marry the girl your father wants. You can just keep her at home as a wife while you continue your life. After due frustration, she'll leave by herself, and before then, you must have gathered enough to make you independent of your father's riches.” A voice kept ringing in his world of imagination as he pestered around the four corners of his room.
Dan immediately took a shower and graced down the living room, where his father was watching television.
“I'll marry her. I'm sorry for trying to prove stubborn to your instructions Dad.I was naive of the good plans you have for me in store.” Dan said as he stood before his father.
“Ha, Dan, I hope you're not trying to play smart with me again. Because if you try this time around, I'm afraid you'll not have much of a choice to make again so long as I live,” his father retorted.
“No, Dad, my decision is final. You can set up a date for me and Clara tomorrow so as to get to know each other a little before the marriage.” Dan requested.
“That's my son! I know you'll always make me proud.” Mr. Miller said, patting his son on the back with a light smile.
The Dantes' family
“Clara, you're having a date tomorrow with Dan Miller, and be ready to meet the Miller family for a family dinner the next day. It is time you start familiarising yourself with them before the wedding, which is coming up in the next two weeks.” Mr. Gomez Dantes told Clara, who was seated at the dining, eating the sumptuous dinner prepared by her mom after a stressful day at work.
“Dad, are you talking to someone?”
“Who else is bearing the same name as you in this house?”
Stunned, Clara dropped the spoon of food she had fetched to eat.
“Dad, I don't understand what you're saying.”
He lowered the volume of the television to avoid obstruction.
“I believe that with this, you can hear me clearly now. What I said is simple and straightforward. You're going on a date tomorrow with Dan Miller, your future husband, and you'll attend a family dinner at the Miller's mansion to familiarise yourself with them before your upcoming wedding. Is that too hard to understand?”
“Dad! How can you plan a wedding for me without my consent?”
“Clara, you don't have a choice in this. Just do as I said.”
“Never! Dad, I can never marry that a
rrogant son of the Miller's. Not even for his money.”
- Writer
