Chapter 23 A Major Turning Point
“Son please, listen to me… I know this is very sudden but it is time… your father is in his late sixties and wants to be done with the company and its affairs altogether. You know this better than I do”, my mother replied, trying to reason with me.
“You could’ve at least talked to me before you went and finalized the engagement… do I not have the right to choose which girl I want to spend the rest of my life with?”, I said through my teeth.
“Do not start with that flimsy excuse… we have been badgering you with the same question for years now…’ Daniel, do you like any girl in your college?’...’ Daniel, do you fancy any woman in your life?’...’ Daniel, here’s the picture of a girl I think you would like.’ And you always shrugged off my questions… like they meant nothing. What else could I have done except this… you left me no choice when you absolutely refused to discuss the topic of marriage or even the prospect of it.”
My mother took a deep breath, giving me a hard look.
Well, what the fuck could I say to that? She was right about my repulsion to marriage but still… engaging me to someone without even asking me was outrageous.
“But that still doesn’t justify this absurd situation you’ve created”, I replied, my anger somewhat cooling down.
“What your mother said might not justify this…. but I do have something to say that will,” Father interjected, taking Mother by surprise. She hadn’t expected him to side with her on this. And neither had I.
“Well, what is it then?”, my tone edged on impatience, I was sure there was nothing he could say that would be viable justification for this.
“Come with me”, his voice dropped, seriousness writ on his face as he led me outside.
I was suddenly hyper aware of everyone's presence. It had to be bloody important if he had to make sure there were no eyes or ears on us.
“What is it father, you’re freaking me out. Do you have cancer or something?” I asked him when we were outside on the veranda and out of earshot.
“What! No”, he incredulously said, shaking his head, much to my relief.
“This is something I have been worrying about for as long as I have lived… but it is your burden to bear now. Schafer as you know has been looking for a way to bring us down and run us into the ground for years on end. Not out of contempt but fear…”, he paused… looking to the night sky as he breathed in the cool breeze.
“Fear of what? He knows his position is secure… in the political arena as well as business.”
“Fear of you.” I was taken aback by those three words. I knew Schafer was cautious of me… but not to this extent to actually fear me.
“He knows I am too level-headed to take any real, destructive action against him. He’s known so for years… but you… he’s been watching you very closely for the past decade… especially since you’ve taken over the business of running the company. He knows you are capable of taking much more catastrophic actions than I ever was…. and he knows this very well that you have been holding a grudge against him since forever because he deceitfully betrayed your grandfather and backstabbed him… literally and figuratively,” he paused, gathering himself.
I could see that he still beat himself up for not avenging his own father… but I couldn’t blame him, he loved his family too much to risk putting them in danger.
“Now is an especially dangerous time for us. Let’s be honest, I am getting old… and weak too. With the elections overhead, this is a golden time for Schafer to rid me of my power and my influence and even my life… and the way he’s been organizing rallies and collecting senators in his pockets… there is a good chance of that happening. Unless….” he trailed off.
He didn’t have to continue for me to understand.
He’d just put what I already knew in crystal clear words and their predicament could not be ignored.
“I understand. But couldn’t you have told me this before and let me choose my own wife?”, I raised a brow at him, trying to lighten the situation.
“You can still choose of course… it’s not like we signed an ironclad agreement with the Williams. And it is your own fault that your mother had to take such drastic action to get your attention. You refused to listen to her”, he said, trying to guilt-trip me.
“Fine, fine. Tell Senator George Williams that I’ve refused to marry his daughter, make up some excuse, I don’t know…. just take care of it”, I grumbled.
“I will do that but make sure you have a girl ready for your wedding. Your wedding is a day after your uncle’s which is 3 weeks from now. Keep in mind that there is no room for postponement”, he told me.
My brain was spinning… with absurd possibilities.
“I want my wedding to take place on the same day as uncle’s”, I suddenly spoke… the words escaping me before I could fully process them.
“But why?”
“Can you get it done or not?”, I gave him a bored look.
“I’m willing to get anything done as long as you get yourself a bride.” And with a conspiratorial grin, he went back inside to tend to the guests.
I stayed… trying to process the whirlwind of my incredulous thoughts.
Through the thick glass windows…. I could see Ayesha talking to multiple politicians and their wives all at once. She laughed at their jokes, smiling politely like she was the daintiest little thing. All the people she talked to or was even in the mere proximity of held her gaze like she was some sort of witch that could command every ounce of their attention with a small flick of her hands. She was so naturally adept at mesmerizing men and holding their attention without any effort whatsoever. As for the women, they didn’t like her, they envied her and the few that were above pettiness clearly respected her.
And the best part was she didn’t even realize the kind of power she possessed.
She pushed her hair back, smiling and bending down to ruffle Stacy’s hair as she laughed at one of her probably lame jokes.
Her hazel eyes suddenly connected with mine…. shining under the golden lights.
She didn’t look away… I wouldn’t let her… and she knew it.
And at that moment… as I held her intoxicating gaze…. I knew that no matter how selfish of a decision I had just made…. I wouldn’t regret it.
I had wanted to make her mine forever all along…. even though I didn’t deserve her in the least.
I thought I could be good and selfless. Just for once in my entire fucked up life. And let her go.
But I just couldn’t. And the worst part was…. not one piece of my soul felt even the least bit sorry about it.