Chapter 61 Wealthy Ring
MIA
"Mom, please."
"She was one of the cleaners."
"Oh," Axel's aunt said.
Axel heaved a sigh and squeezed my purse tightly, getting uncomfortable.
"Honey, you want to marry a mere cleaner?" his aunt whispered as if I couldn't hear her.
"I asked the same question." His mother said.
"Can we have dinner already, please. I am hungry." Axel said, making my heart tighten.
"Why do you want to marry her, Axel?" His mother asked. "What about...."
"No one, Mom. What about no one?" Axel chipped in.
I stared at my purse as my heart tightened continuously.
"Mia is the one I love and I am going to marry her whether you two or anyone in the family likes it or not."
I looked at him.
He is sipping his drink.
I found my heart relaxing after he said that.
I fought the urge to smile when I heard the clicking of the tongue from his mom, making me look at her.
She is looking at me unpleasantly.
I lowered my gaze.
"Now can we eat?" Axel asked. "Waiter!"
MINUTES LATER.....
I wiped my lips with the napkin and placed it on the empty plate like everyone else did.
We just finished eating a very delicious expensive meal and my belly is beyond full.
I felt eyes on me, making me look in that direction.
Axel's mother is looking at me while sipping her drink.
I felt uneasy as I lowered my gaze.
"That was a delicious meal," Axel said as the waiter packed our plates.
"You can say that again, honey." His aunt said.
"So tell us, Mia." His mom spoke up, making me more uneasy.
"What do you do now?" She asked.
I looked between her and Axel's aunt. She is sipping her drink and waiting for my answer.
"I um...."
"I mean I know I fired you from my mall. What other job are you doing now?" She retorted.
"Ooh," Axel's aunt exclaimed a bit.
I squeezed my purse at the weight of embarrassment that is being poured on me right now.
"My son might want you but I can't let him be with someone who doesn't have a good source of income."
"Mom,"
"You need to have a good-paying job. Don't think because he is rich you don't have to work," she said, staring at me sternly.
"Mom, please," Axel said.
"Or did you find a cleaning job at another mall cause that's all you know how to do?"
"Mom, for fuck's sake!" Axel blurted.
My heart tightened as I gulped.
"Watch your tone, honey. That's your mother you are talking to like that." his aunt reminded him.
"She is disrespecting my fiancée and I don't like it."
I stared at my purse as I held down my tears.
"Magret, please be nice." His aunt said to his mom. "You really don't want to get him upset, do you?"
His mother scoffed, picking up her glass of champagne and sipping.
"Um...I need to use the restroom. Please excuse me." I said, looking at Axel as I got on my feet.
"I will go with you," Axel said, getting on his feet as well.
I was about to protest but....
"Really, Axel?" His mom asked. "You want to follow her to the damn restroom? Really?"
Axel heaved a sigh.
"It's okay, Axel. I won't be long." I said, walking away before he could say anything.
My tears fought for freedom as I walked towards a door at the end that had the word, Convenience written boldly on the door.
I walked in and looked for the ladies' rooms which I found effortlessly.
I walked into it and walked towards one of the toilets. I entered, closed the door, and sat on the covered toilet seat.
I let it all out, sobbing as the disapproval on his mother's face flashed in my head.
Don't get me started with all she said.
She doesn't like me.
Axel was right. She has been pushing him towards Amy.
I let out a breath as I stared at my purse.
Axel really wants me. I saw it by the way he was defending me there.
My faith is in him.
Like he said, I don't have to worry. We are getting married.
That's all that matters.
I looked around and found a tissue. I grabbed some amount and wiped my tears.
I sniffled as I wiped my tears again.
I inhaled and exhaled, calming myself.
Everything is fine, Mia.
You are getting married to the love of your life.
No crying, okay?
I nodded at my thoughts, staring at the door.
I got on my feet and walked out of the toilet. I walked towards the counter with a huge mirror above it.
I stared at myself in the mirror, taking note of my makeup as I placed my purse on the counter.
My makeup is slightly ruined.
Oh gosh.
I turned on the tap and washed my hands. Done with that, I turned off the taps and grabbed a paper hung on the wall.
I wiped my hands as I stared at myself in the mirror. My heart tightened again as Axel's mother's words repeated in my head.
I let out a sigh.
I discarded the paper and opened my purse. I took my wipe and was about to fix my makeup when.....
The door opened, revealing a very beautiful brunette woman who looked a bit older than me, dressed in a short tight blue dress, and talking happily on the phone.
"I am serious, Gina! Max just proposed!" She squealed happily as she walked towards the counter where I was standing.
I looked at her momentarily. She is smiling happily.
"I am so excited. You should have seen the way he did it. It was so romantic." she said, almost jumping for joy.
I wiped my lids a bit.
"You should see my ring. Of course it is a diamond ring, silly! It is so pretty." she said, making me look at her.
She is looking at her finger as her ring sparkles.
Wow. It is really pretty.
"I will take a picture and send it to you immediately. Yes. Hang on."
I watched as she hung up and took a picture of her ring happily.
She squealed inaudibly as she worked on sending the picture.
I focused on fixing my makeup but I sensed her looking my way.
"Hello," she said, making me look at her.
She is looking at me.
"Hi," I said.
"Wait, aren't you the one with the owner of Steel Mall and her son back there?" she asked.
She must have noticed me.
I nodded slightly.
"Sorry, don't see this the wrong way but I couldn't help but stare. She is quite popular, you know,"
I lowered my gaze, recalling how impolite Axel's mother was to me.
"And I saw you walking in with her son. Are you two a couple?" She asked, making me look at her.
She is smiling at me like the information she wants to confirm is juicy.
I was about to answer but her eyes moved to my ring.
She held my hand, catching me off guard.
"You both are. Wow. You are engaged." She said, looking at me with amazement.
"Yes, we are," I said, smiling a bit nervously.
"Wow. Congratulations," she said, staring at my ring.
"Thank you. You too. I heard your conversation."
She chuckled a bit.
"Yeah. Thank you," she said, furrowing her brows at my ring.
I stared at her.
She tilted her head confusedly as she stared at my ring.
"Um....is something wrong?"
She looked at me.
I stared at her.
"He gave you this ring?" She asked.
I looked at my ring and then at her.
"Yes, he did."
"I know a lot about rings. My dad was a vendor once. Firstly, this is not real gold." she gestured at my ring.
I furrowed my brows slightly.
"The gold is fake and I think it is one of the cheapest rings out there. Barely a hundred dollars."
I looked at my ring.
"Did he really propose with this ring?"
I looked at her, void of what to think right now.
I don't understand what she meant.
"See mine," she said, moving her hand to me and I saw her ring clearly.
"It's a diamond. Fourteen carat. Mad expensive, sweetie. And my man is not even as wealthy as the Steels."
I looked at her.
"I find it hard to understand why your man as wealthy as he is would propose to you with a very cheap ring like this. It will make you ask things like, Does he really value you?" She said, holding my hand.
I looked at my ring as I thought about the mall.
The way the salesperson took the first dress and brought the cheaper ones.
Now, my ring?
Barely a hundred dollars.
I don't understand.
The woman's phone rang, making me look at her.
"Excuse me." She said, touching my arm slightly before taking her call and walking past me.
"Thank you so much, Gina! Yes, of course you will be my maid of honor. Who else, silly?" She asked, chuckling as she walked out the door.
I turned to the mirror as the salesperson replayed in my head and then the ring.
I looked at my ring again.
Fake gold and a cheap ring.
I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to process everything.
I walked out of the convenience store, taking steps towards the table as I fiddled with the ring on my finger.
"I find it hard to understand why your man as wealthy as he is would propose to you with a very cheap ring like this. It will make you ask things like, Does he really value you?"
My heart reacted a bit as I walked.
I approached the table and I found only Axel seated. His mom and aunt are nowhere to be found.
Axel is busy with his phone as I get closer. He is smiling at whatever he is reading on his phone.
"Axel?"
He looked at me.
"Hey," he said, smiling as he placed the phone on the table. "You took so long there."
"Yeah, I am sorry about that," I said, sitting on my chair.
"It's okay. I understand," he said, caressing my cheek.
"Where are your mom and aunt?" I asked, looking at me.
"They already left."
"Oh." I lowered my gaze as thoughts about what I heard and the mall consumed me.
He raised my chin with his fingers, making me look at him.
"Guess what,"
I stared at him.
He lowered his shoulders.
"Come on, guess."
I shrugged slightly. "Tell me."
"Our date has been set."
I froze.
He nodded, smiling happily.
"What?"
"My mom has approved. We are getting married on Friday."
I furrowed my brows.
"Friday?"
As in, in a few days?