I Do Series: Betrothed

Chapter 7

"So, what are we going to do now?" Andrea asked Alexander after she finished the food that he ordered for her. "We already lost our reasons to stop what our family wants."

"I don't know," Alexander answered while shrugging his shoulders.

A long silence filled the whole room when both of them recalled in their minds the pictures of Augustine and Elizabeth's civil wedding. Alexander knew he should contact Andrea's parents, but his mind was filled with Elizabeth's picture in her simple white dress.

"Do you have margaritas here?" Andrea asked to break the awkward silence and the tall wall between them. She stood up and walked towards the kitchen in Alexander's condo unit.

"You know that drowning ourselves with alcohol won't erase the fact that they are now married," Alexander said frankly, making Andrea stare at her in disbelief.

"But, I'm already in the mood to gulp down a bottle of any alcohol you have here," Andrea replied. "Can't you agree for once with me?"

"No," Alexander firmly answered. "You can do that at your house. We are both suffering from hangovers at the moment. So, no."

Andrea's foul mood turns fouler than she could imagine after hearing what he said. She frowned at him and then returned to the living room with heavy footsteps.

"Fine." She said bitterly as she threw herself at the sofa.

Alexander didn't say any words. Instead, he just silently watched Andrea lie on the sofa in her stomach and bury her face in the throw pillow as she shouted out her frustration. He may not know the reason why she suddenly ran away from the Servante's manor, he still knew and understood a fraction of her frustration. And that is that they are both taken aback, and their hearts are shattered into million pieces. But, as for the reason why she ran away without even bringing her wallet or changing her pajamas is something he can't ask. Especially if he considers their situation at the moment.

Another silence filled the four walls of Alexander's condo unit. Both of them remained silent for the next few minutes; they just stayed in their position as they tried to absorb everything that happened in just a day in their lives.

"How about you?" Alexander broke the gigantic wall of silence between them.

"What about me?" Andrea asked in surprise as she turned to face him and sit properly.

"Nothing," he just answered.

Andrea thought Alexander would interrogate her, but he didn't. What surprised her more than that was the fact that he told her that she could stay at his unit. That she gladly accepted, at first. But, after contemplating and after running in circles in her thoughts for the whole day and night, she ends up deciding to go back home. Running away won't help her and won't change her true identity. No matter how much she loathes her parents, it can't change the truth about her, and the fact that she was just born out of her father's affair makes her understand why Therese's treatment of her is like that. She finally found out why Therese, her mom, treats her coldly and never shows affection. Because if she put herself in the same situation as her mom, Therese, she could also see herself acting the same way.

In her opinion, no lady could accept her partner's child from his affair wholeheartedly because that child will always remind her of the mistake he made. And it was an insult for her as a woman. It hurts her pride to know that her partner is not that satisfied or happy with her for him to go and find what she lacks in another woman.

"Andrea!" her father, Rupert, exclaimed as soon as he saw her step inside their home. "Where did-"

"I'm sorry, Dad. But, I want to take a rest first," she cut him off, making the old man in front of her step back.

"O-okay, you should rest first. We'll talk later."' Rupert replied awkwardly as he stared at her daughter, who showed no emotion on her face.

It was as if the lady standing in front of him was not his daughter. She can't see his cheerful ball of sunshine, little girl. His little princess is nowhere to be found in the current presence of the lady in front of him. The version of Andrea, standing in front of them, is the total opposite of Andrea that they knew. And Rupert was very well aware of the reason why she’s acting like that. He knew why; there's no need to remind him why.

"Thank you," Andrea said without any emotion in her tone before she walked past her father and headed towards her room.

She thought she could act as if there was nothing wrong, that she could face her father without any troubles. But, all of that is just her illusions. Because as soon as she stepped down from Alexander's car and stared at their house, the memories from that night flashed back in her mind. And, when she saw her father, all the emotions she thought she sealed properly in her heart began crawling back one by one, making her heart tightens in pain. All of her resolutions are collapsing like Jenga blocks.

Rupert couldn't say or do anything but stare at the back of her daughter, who he hurt so much. The truth is that he did hurt her more than anyone could imagine. As much as he wants to explain everything to her, he doesn't know how and where to begin.

THE next day, Andrea woke up feeling lethargic, but she couldn't just stay in her room for the following hours. She can't shut herself in her room while her work at their company slowly piles up. No matter what situation she is in, it has nothing to do with her job. And, she can't let her problems affect her work; she didn't work that hard just to ruin it for being unprofessional. Andrea still got up and began preparing for work with a heavy feeling in her heart, mind, and body. For her, it will be better to get herself busy with paperwork and meetings rather than shut herself in her room and cry for the whole day.

And just like yesterday, Andrea's mood immediately switches in a hundred-eighty degrees turn as soon as her father and mother are in the dining area of their house. Rupert is busy reading the latest stock market reports on his laptop. At the same time, Therese was also busy reviewing the financial information. If she hasn't known the truth yet, she will still think that her parents are both workaholics who can't separate themselves from their work. Now that she learned the secret of her identity, she sees her parents in front of her differently. All she could see was a pair of a man and a woman busy preparing for their business meetings.

Andrea immediately walked past the dining area when she saw her father had noticed her. She chooses to skip breakfast to avoid being at the same table as her parents. Her heart is not yet prepared to face them.

"What's my schedule today?" Andrea asked her secretary, Rina, as soon as she stepped inside her office. "Here, have some," she added as she put a brown paper bag with a logo of a famous coffee shop on Rina's table.

"You have a meeting later at one in the afternoon, together with the other executives. You'll discuss the current progress of the current projects of our company," Rina immediately answered as she opened her planner. Where she lists down all of Andrea's daily schedule. "And, then you need to review, approve, and sign the reports from the operations department that they sent yesterday, and earlier. That's all in your schedule today."

"Okay, thank you," Andrea simply replied as she smiled faintly at her secretary, who suffered the most when she ran away. Since her parents don't have any idea about her friends, the only person that came into their mind is Rina.

After hearing her schedule, she immediately headed towards her table. She immediately saw a pile of folders she needed to go through for the whole day. Andrea didn't waste any more seconds. As soon as she sat at her swivel chair, she immediately threw herself into her work and set aside her problems. Since working was the only escape she could think of.