The Gilded Cage

chapter 20

— "Your opinion first..."

He said it as he approached me, standing directly in front of me at a short distance!

I tried not to show my tension and answered calmly: "You know my opinion in advance. If you want to get married, maybe you should marry a crazy woman other than me, especially someone like you!"

He laughed softly and put his hand behind his neck, muttering sarcastically: "Someone like me? Why do you deliberately stuff your speech with insults?! Okay, you can't deny that you're attracted to me, even if a little!"

He has taken an overdose of confidence!! His level of arrogance and conceit is at its peak!..

I smiled sarcastically in annoyance: "Such vanity! Not only did you not consider your son's feelings or try to force me to submit to your idea, but you also want me to break up with Ethan... No wonder your ex-wife is somewhat excused!"

Those sarcastic and cheerful features completely faded without warning, and his face grimaced, becoming rigid as he eyed me with angry eyes, and I only now comprehended the folly I uttered! His eyes were shooting all kinds of warnings at me!

I whispered, stammering and impulsively: "I meant that you're—"

— "What on earth do you know..."

He whispered it indignantly and stood up, so I froze as I saw him turn around, heading to his room. I sat in my place, not comprehending, until he returned again for me to see him pick up his phone, which he had forgotten on the table, and gave me a fleeting glance filled with contempt, which greatly astonished me! And soon I jumped up when the door slammed forcefully, causing the sound to echo throughout the entire apartment, and I bet anyone walking outside heard this loud sound!

Well... I admit that his eyes speak and express everything! There's no need for him to utter a word or explain his contempt and disgust that just surprised me. Everything was clear! Why did he make me feel as if I were a criminal in his eyes?!

Wait, I can't deny part of my mistake! I shouldn't have said something like that! I don't know what happened during his marriage to that so-called Clara, but...

Anyway, he shouldn't have provoked me from the beginning!..

It's as if he wears numerous masks and confuses me... I don't understand anything and can no longer comprehend matters!

At least let's be realistic. Nothing forces me to marry someone like him! Nothing...

I can't even imagine Sam's or Ethan's reaction if they knew about us sharing one apartment and living together under one roof!

Sam might understand a little, but Ethan won't give me a chance to explain, especially since I'm here to wait for the employment letter and settle down...

So what if both of them were surprised that I would marry someone like Chris without prior warning!

It would undoubtedly be suspicious...

And all this on one side, and what my father and mother might do on the other!

"Someone like me? Why do you deliberately stuff your speech with insults?! Okay, you can't deny that you're attracted to me, even if a little!"

I jumped in my place as if I had been slapped in the face with water as cold as frost as I remembered his sentence that flashed in my mind suddenly! Even its echo reverberates in my mind, and his voice pierces my thoughts!

I felt flustered for no reason, so I tried hard to get it out of my head as I closed my eyes forcefully and in dislike...

Oh my God, and what do I have to do with what happened in his family?! I will never, ever accept his offer. His thinking is very selfish, so what is his son's fault in all this? This isn't fair... And regardless of his son or him, his way of proposing the suggestion wasn't as if he was giving me a choice or taking my opinion. Rather, I strongly sensed that he was trying to force me to accept the idea! And he dares to mention the word "convenience" in his offer. I've never seen in my life a convenience like this that isn't mutual and harms the other party!

I sighed with intense displeasure and annoyance...

Why am I annoyed?

Is it because of what just happened?

I feel... regretful! What if I reminded him of bad and painful things?!

I exhaled in fury as I threw myself on the sofa until I even felt pain in my elbow from throwing myself on it forcefully, and I don't know how long I remained thinking... I still find it hard to believe that this young man is a father... and to a child who is five and will soon be six. What madness is this! Thoughts and events collapsed on my head to hover over me until they exhausted me, and I didn't feel myself as I fell into a deep sleep...

In the morning...

I tried to open my eyes lazily several times. I feel my eyelids are heavy, and I can barely move them...

I don't know how many times I tried until I managed to open my eyes a little, allowing the strong sunlight to aggressively invade my eyes, so I quickly closed them and opened them again to get used to the light...

What is this?

I thought about the thing I felt over my body, which was nothing but a blanket...

I don't remember bringing anything from the room!

Maybe it's him!

I straightened up a little and leaned my body on my left elbow, yawning until I felt some movement in the place...

I turned my head a little, and then I comprehended the presence of the person sitting on the opposite sofa!

Who is this! A dream? An illusion? Is this Chris?? Why has his size shrunk to this degree, for heaven's sake?

I rubbed my eyes, trying to comprehend and focus until this person said in a childish voice filled with enthusiasm: "Dad! Mom has woken up...!!"

I furrowed my brow, not understanding and in bewilderment, and looked around me, searching for this child's mother, but I found no one but myself, and then I realized he meant me!!

Wait...

I'm not in another apartment, right? And not stuck in a 3D dream! So... who is this?!

The little one smiled cheerfully and kindly and approached me, saying with rosy cheeks: "Good morning, Miss Charlotte!"

My tongue was unable to move while my eyes were wide open, staring at him until I felt they would pop out of their sockets! And at the moment I noticed Chris coming out of the room with a confident smile and an eye gleaming mischievously, I noticed that the little one was nothing but a miniature version of him!