Arranged Marriage

Chapter 4

"MOM, I think, this is not the right time to talk to Shan Shai. My sister is upset, so it's better that you just talk to her tomorrow." Shekaina said.

Shin-Ma sighed. "All right," she replied sparingly.

"Come on mom, I'll take you to the master bedroom,"

"Don't," Shin-Ma refused.

"Ok, mom, I'm going to my room, good night!"

"Goodnight!"

Shekaina kissed her mother's cheek before she started to walk towards her room.

Shin-Ma glared at the closed door of the youngest daughter's room. If only she could do something to stop her husband from his plan, not to continue the arranged marriage of their daughter, she will do. But she knew her husband, he didn't want anyone to rule over him.

For her husband, he is the only one who has the right to make decisions for their family. Because he is the one who works and runs their company. While she, as a wife was only at home to assist the maids in cooking their family meal. She wanted to help her husband but he didn't want to, his justification, that the wife should be at home only to take care of the children and husband.

Her husband was kind, not stingy. He provides for all the needs of their family, he is strict and does not want to disobey his plans for their family.

Shin-Ma shook her head as she started to step forward, to go to the master bedroom.

IT was only seven in the morning when they woke up, they had breakfast in bed so that Liza's older brother could not see her.

After Liza had breakfast, she immediately dug into a medium-sized cabinet where her wigs, cosmetics, and body decorations were hidden. She also took her old clothes to give to Shan Shai.

"Even your clothes," Alyssa commented to her friend.

"Yes, so you don't have to buy new clothes. The money you get as a maid, you save it so you can use it in the small business." Liza replied that she was still busy digging for what would be given to her.

"I haven't even started my work yet. Your advance to think! I'm still not sure that I'll stay at your brother's friend's house for long."

Liza turned to her.

"Because you've always failed in your plans," Liza said frankly, smiling at her.

She frowned at what she said.

"You're mean to me, you're hurting my feelings," she pretending that she was upset.

"I'm just telling the truth," Liza replied. "Just accept everything I give you."

"I feel so sorry for myself," she said almost in a whisper.

What she says is true, even though she didn't expect that to happen to herself. She ran away and would work as a maid so that she was away from her family, especially her father who didn't even think about how she felt for the plan he had arranged marriage for her.

Liza stepped closer to Shan Shai, she was still eating but she looked sad.

"You can back out, I will help you to find a nice job," Liza said and sat down on the side of the bed next to her.

She lifted her face.

"No need, Liza, I'm serious about what I said. I'm going to end up being a maid. That's an honorable job, as long as you visit me from time to time so that I don't feel sad there."

Liza hugged her. "Even if you don't say that, I'll definitely visit you there."

"Thank you, friend," she replied.

She is really lucky with her friend, beautiful, brainy, rich, and sociable but her behavior is down to earth.

"Finish your meal, we'll take a bath, it looks like you don't have to buy anything you're going to use to disguise. I'll take care of you!" Said Liza winking at her.

"Weh?" she reacted. "Really?"

"Trust me!" Liza stood up and approached the cabinet again, she picked up the things she thought her friend could use.

Shan Shai hurried to eat because she remembered, every time they had breakfast they should have a complete family at the table. She would be found not in her room and when it happened, they would immediately go to her friend's house. She should not be reached by her family here at a friend's house.

THE table is ready at the Chiu family home. The Chiu couple is also at the table, they are just waiting for their daughters to eat breakfast together.

"Good morning mom, dad!" Shekaina greeted her parents as she entered the kitchen. It was obvious that she was just waking up because she was still yawning.

"Where is your sister?" Shin-Ma asked her daughter.

Shekaina shrugged, pulled out a chair, and sat down. "Maybe, Shan Shai is still asleep."

"Laura," Zariu called to a maid as she was about to leave the kitchen.

Laura the Chiu family's housemaid, stopped her from walking. "Why, Sir?"

"Please wake up your Mam Shan Shai, the food has been served, she still hasn't come down." Zairu's face was serious as he spoke.

"Yes, Sir!" Laura answered and finally left the kitchen.

"Shan Shai, she seems to have forgotten the rules here inside the house." Said Zairu.

Shin-Ma stops putting fried rice on her husband's plate. "Just understand our daughter."

Shin-Ma wanted to tell her husband that their youngest daughter was upset because their daughter doesn't want Zairu's plan to let her marry a man she doesn't love. But she chose to keep it to herself to avoid arguing in front of the food, she was positive that her husband is not gonna listen to her.

WHILE in front of Shan Shai's room, housemaid Laura was standing outside the door. Laura knocked on the door several times but there was no response from inside the room.

"Mam Shan Shai, wake up. Your parents have been waiting for you in the kitchen," but there was still no response from inside the room, so Laura decided to go downstairs again, she went back to the kitchen.

"Oh, where's Shan Shai?" Zairu asked the maid when he saw her return to the kitchen alone.

"Hmm... Sir, I've been knocking on the door but Mam Shan Shai didn't answer," Laura answered with her head bowed.

Shin-Ma was alarmed by what she heard, she stood up suddenly.

"I'll wake up our daughter," said Shin-Ma. She no longer waited for her husband to speak.

Shin-Ma started walking until she got out of the kitchen. Shekaina also got up to follow her mother.

Zairu was left alone at the table, his gaze followed his wife.

THEY are busy. They sit in front of the large mirror where Liza helps disguise her friend Shan Shai.

"Try wearing this wig," Liza suggested to Shan Shai.

Shan Shai looked closely at the wig she was holding, it was short and black.

"Do I still have to wear it?" she pointed to the wig she was holding.

"Yes, so that no one will know you, even your future boss," Liza replied with a smile.

"In fairness to you, Liza, it's not obvious that you don't want me to work as a maid. You even look excited!"

Laughing, Liza pinched one of Shan Shai's ears. "You're thinking pure nonsense, of course, I don't want to, but as a friend, I'll support you. So if you're just going to disguise yourself, go ahead!"

Liza tied up Shan Shai's long hair, twisted it, and covered it with a short thick wig.

"Oh there, you look even better with short hair, friend!" Liza said happily and she clapped.

Liza was right when she told her that short hair was right for her because she looked younger than her real age.

"Hmmm, how can I hide my real face?" she asked her friend.

"Don't worry, we can hide your real face," Liza replied. "I have a lot of big eyeglasses that I hid, do you remember that day I acted like a nerd in the short-acting workshop we did at school?"

"Yeah!" she replied. Her friend won the project they did at school when they were still in high school, they made a short film. "But it's been a long time."

"Yes," Liza replied. "I hid the ones I used, as a remembrance to myself. But now, I'll let you use them, so take care of it."

"Don't, I might break your eyeglasses," she refused. She was so clumsy.

"It's okay, I know you're clumsy!" Liza smiled jokingly. "Wait, I'll just take it."

Liza stood up. She picked up an oversized box which was placed inside a large cabinet. She just took the eyeglasses and put the box back in the cabinet.

"Here's my friend!" Liza proudly showed off the eyeglasses she was holding.

"Maybe my vision will be blurred, when I wear that, your eyeglasses look very thick,"

Liza sat down next to her. "Don't worry, these eyeglasses are fake. With the thickness of the eyeglasses, whoever you're talking to, the pupil of your eyes can't be seen!"