Chapter 94: Marriage.

Chapter 94: Marriage.
Denise woke up, wrapped in Shane's embrace, a warmth that felt both comforting and alarming. The moment her consciousness settled in, a wave of panic washed over her. “What am I doing here? I hope I didn't pass the night here,” she gasped, springing up from the bed.
“You did,” Shane replied, looking at her with a mix of disbelief and amusement.
“Oh no, I shouldn’t have!” Denise exclaimed, hurrying out of his bed, leaving Shane speechless. Wasn't this the same person who had thrown herself at him, kissing him and asking for sex?
“Just be careful so you don't trip and fall,” Shane warned casually as she grabbed the robe of her nightgown, still disoriented.
Denise quickly opened the door, and just as she stepped out, she saw Dua striding down the hallway on the second floor where she was currently stuck. Instinctively, Denise stepped back, peering out just enough to catch Dua knocking on her bedroom door, calling out for her name. “Fuck! Why did she have to come look for me now of all times?” Denise cursed under her breath.
Suddenly, Shane poked his head out from behind her, startling her. “What is wrong with you?” she whisper-yelled, trying to maintain her composure.
After a moment of tense silence, the sound of Dua's footsteps receded, and Denise sighed in relief. She dared to step out fully, only to be met with another surprise.
“What's going on here?” Desmond's voice rang out in the hallway, his posture casual but his expression curious.
“Why are you coming out of there this early in the morning and in your nightwear?” Desmond questioned, grasping a steaming cup of coffee.
Denise stuttered, trying to find the right words. “Umm… that…”
“She came here for me to solve a school homework for her,” Shane interjected smoothly.
Desmond scrutinized Denise, who was still only holding the robe of her nightgown. “Where’s your book?” he asked, suspicion creeping into his tone.
“I haven’t solved the homework yet; she just came to show it to me,” Shane replied quickly.
“Exactly, yeah,” Denise added, trying to sound confident, though the heat of embarrassment crept up her neck.
“Still, you didn’t have to do that, wearing your nightwear?” Desmond said, his eyes sweeping over her outfit. “This see-through nightwear,” he added.
“It was urgent! I couldn’t wait to change,” Denise replied, crossing her arms defensively.
“Urgent?” Desmond scoffed, arching an eyebrow. “It’s Saturday, and tomorrow's Sunday. What could possibly be so urgent? Got a fire to put out?” He paused, gauging their silence, eyes narrowing playfully. “What’s going on between you two?”
“We are...” Shane began.
“Nothing… absolutely nothing is between us,” Denise interrupted firmly.
“Can you please keep what you just saw a secret?” Denise pleaded with Desmond, a hint of desperation lacing her tone.
“I’ll give you the book you wanted and… the movie,” she offered, fidgeting.
“And…” Desmond pressed, a gleam of mischief sparking in his eyes.
“I’ll buy you the video game,” she added quickly, watching as Desmond nodded in satisfaction.
“Deal. Just don’t expect me to spill the beans about your little secret,” he replied, a wide grin spreading across his face as Shane chuckled under his breath.
“Des! I told you there’s nothing between us,” Denise almost shouted, her frustration bubbling over.
“I’m not a kid, you know. Sure, I might be young, but I’m not that naive,” Desmond shot back, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Right, because there’s truly nothing happening here,” Denise asserted, pointing a finger at Shane for emphasis.
“Actually, you’re right,” Shane chimed in, looking completely unfazed as Denise turned to him, a silent question forming in her gaze. “I love your sister… a lot. I’m dating her, hoping that it leads to marriage.” His confession hung in the air, thick with gravity.
Denise’s eyes widened at the word ‘marriage.’ “Marriage?!” she exclaimed, disbelief flooding her voice.
“Yes, marriage—if she agrees,” Shane replied calmly, though the underlying tension in his words was palpable.
“I’m not rushing you, though. Take your time,” he added, the sincerity evident in his expression.
"Wow!" Desmond clapped, an amused grin spreading across his face. "I have never been wrong," he chuckled, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"I'm not against your relationship, just don't hurt my sister," he added with genuine concern.
"Thanks, brother-in-law," Shane smiled, an air of pride in his voice.
"Brother-in-law?" Denise scoffed, throwing a playful glare at Shane, who simply shrugged, a playful smirk on his lips.
Desmond chuckled, "Well, I must warn you: your biggest obstacle will be our elder sister, Dua. Trust me, she's not going to make this easy for you." 
Shane raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "But I don’t see Dua reacting like that."
"You don’t know Dua," Desmond replied, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Don’t underestimate her. She’s a tough nut to crack."
Shane exchanged looks with Denise, both surprised by Desmond's warning. Denise shot Shane a "told ya" look, the corners of her mouth twitching in a smirk.
"I'm going to win her over, don't worry," Shane replied with a burst of optimism, even if he felt a twinge of uncertainty behind his words.
"Good luck with that," Desmond said, his smile widening as he exited the hallway.
As soon as Desmond was out of sight, Denise turned to Shane. "How could you just spill all that out so recklessly?"
"I wasn’t joking when I expressed my feelings for you," Shane replied, his sincerity evident. "I meant every word."
Denise's heart fluttered, leaving her momentarily speechless. A pink blush crept onto her cheeks as she quickly turned away, shyly retreating to her room. Shane chuckled, enchanted by her cute reaction.
Once in her bedroom, Denise busied herself preparing for the day, but Shane's words echoed in her mind—his heartfelt confession and his unwavering belief in them. 
She shook her head, trying to focus on the day ahead. When she finally ventured downstairs, she was met with her sister Dua's piercing gaze. 
"Where were you?" Dua asked, her tone more curious than accusatory.
"Where else would I be if not my bedroom?" Denise replied, her tone laced with playful defiance.
"But I came to your bedroom earlier, knocking and calling out your name, and I received no response," Dua said, arching an eyebrow and crossing her arms, a faint hint of suspicion in her voice.
"I was probably still sleeping then," Denise countered, feigning innocence as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"You? Sleeping so soundly? I find that hard to believe. You wake up to the slightest sound—like the rustle of a mouse in the walls," Dua teased, her skeptical gaze piercing through Denise's facade.
Denise felt her heart race, and she silently prayed to whatever power was listening that her sister wouldn't see through her. "I might have just been in a deep dream about something important," she said, trying her best to sound convincing.
"Or it may be because you stayed up late binge-watching that ridiculous show," Dua concluded, shaking her head as she sprinkled sugar into her cup of tea.
Denise sighed with relief, grateful for the misdirection. "So, what’s the big deal this early in the morning?" she asked, curious despite herself.
"I need you to come shopping with me for my babies," Dua replied, a bright smile lighting up her face at the thought of her little ones.
Before Denise could respond, Steven strolled into the dining area, wearing a casual half-smile. "I'll go with you," he chimed in, his eagerness evident.
"Oh, sure! That'd be just perfect for you to accompany her! After all, shopping for children is a serious business, and the father is the best company," Denise exclaimed, her sarcasm dripping like honey as she raised an eyebrow.
Dua turned to Steven, a playful pout forming on her lips. "Don’t you have work to do?"
"Work can wait," he replied, leaning down to place a soft kiss on Dua's head. The warmth of the gesture made Denise roll her eyes, but a smile crept onto her face nonetheless.
"Ahem," she cleared her throat dramatically. "You both aren't the only ones here, you know," she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Then why don’t you buzz off if you can’t stand it?" Steven shot back, his tone light but laced with feigned annoyance and Denise and Dua cracked up in a laugh.