Chapter 10 A Bitter Confrontation
“How do you know them? How do you know so much about me?” Christian smiled at her question but preferred not to confess any more secrets. He needed more time with her. Maybe this would force her to agree to another date with him.
“You will need to get engaged to me to know that.”
“Oh!” Skylar stared at the enormous expanse of water in front of her while contemplating his reply. No, she couldn’t see herself getting engaged to him this early. She needed more time to get adjusted to the thought.
“Then I’m afraid it has to wait. I’m not ready to get engaged now.” Christian let out a sigh and pulled his feet out of the water. He hadn’t expected her to still keep harping on the same thing after knowing his motive. Grandpa Ben couldn’t pull the business any longer. Therefore, he needed to get engaged urgently to get access to the business. Couldn’t she understand how important it was?
“What happened? Are we leaving?” she asked with confusion, pulling her feet out as well.
Christian frowned while wiping his feet with his large pocket handkerchief and wearing his shoes. Skylar took the handkerchief from him and did the same.
He walked towards the parking area in silence, and Skylar rushed after him. What went wrong suddenly? Was the date over? Did she win the challenge? Confused, she watched him stride angrily toward his car. What made him so angry?
“Are we going home now?” She waited for his answer, but he just unlocked the door and climbed in without answering her. It annoyed Skylar a lot. Why the hell was he overreacting? She hadn’t said something he didn’t know already. She climbed in and sat with a grumpy look on her face.
“Is the date over? Well, how have I fared? Have I won the challenge?” she prodded, while his jaws clenched with fury. Was she still considering opting out of the wedding when he explained the reason for marrying him?
“You’ve lost the challenge. We’ll have the engagement this weekend.” She gasped with surprise, realizing that the challenge was just a show. He would never agree that she had won it. Why didn’t she realize it before? Anger bubbled inside her at his highhandedness. It wasn’t his decision alone. Since it involved them both, he had to consider her readiness to get engaged at eighteen. He couldn’t just dump his decisions on her.
“No, I refuse to get engaged to you at such short notice. It isn’t a decision to be taken at the drop of a hat. Marriage and engagement are life-changing decisions, Christian. I have my own dreams to chase at eighteen and marriage doesn’t feature in them right now. I need time.”
“You know what? You’re the most selfish person I’ve ever seen. After knowing how urgent this is, how can you just think of your own dreams? No one is stopping you from chasing them. You can still pursue your dreams after getting engaged. Grandpa Ben can’t pull the business anymore. I have to return to the university. Your grandparents want it badly. But to you, none of them matter, right?” he demanded, his face flushed with fury.
His words angered Skylar, and she turned to face him. “If Grandpa Ben was so unwell, why can’t he drop his demand and hand the business over to you? Why do you have to get engaged for it? I’m not declining anything. All I’m asking for is time to complete my education. It’s a basic right, isn’t it? How does it make me selfish? I find you all equally selfish for ruining my life at eighteen.”
“What about your parents’ last wish? What about your grandparents’ failing health? None of those concerns you, right? You can complete your education after the engagement. How will it ruin your life? Change your mindset and start looking beyond yourself, Skylar.” His words made her angrier than she was.
“My parents wanted me to marry Sebastian, not you. If Sebastian opted out, it’s not my fault. So marrying you wasn’t my parents’ last wish. As for my grandparents, I’m sure they’ll understand me once I talk to them. If anyone needs to change their mindset, it’s you and Grandpa Ben, not me,” she retaliated, not ready to give in at all.
“Is that your final decision?” His voice was grave and angry, as if he was on the brink of losing his temper.
“Yes.” She looked at him determinedly, and Christian sighed, feeling frustrated.
“Then face Grandpa Ben when he summons you. It’s your decision, and you should be the one to explain it to him.” Skylar’s heart constricted with fear, but she remained strong. She knew she wouldn’t stand a chance of convincing Grandpa Ben. She hardly could utter a word in front of him and Christian knew that. No, she had to avoid this.
“Why would I? He’s your grandpa. You face him. I’ll face mine.” Christian wanted to tear his hair off. He hadn’t expected her to fight him to this level. It frustrated him to the limit, and he was losing his patience with her. It didn’t look like she would get engaged to him at all. With his semester-end exams coming right up, he was at his wit’s end. He couldn’t wait for her to take her time. He had to return to his university immediately to appear for his MBA finals.
He had planned this so well. He had expected to complete his education, handle the family business, and marry Skylar. It was a picture-perfect life! Now, everything felt like a distant dream. Without marrying her, his grandpa wouldn’t hand over the reins of the business and Skylar had no plans to marry him.
“You’re the most stubborn brat I’ve ever come across.” He seethed as he switched on the ignition.
“Excuse me! Am I a brat or you are? Now you have returned to capture your family business. Where were you when your parents needed you? I don’t need to dance to your tunes for you to gain access to your business. If you’re so much I need of money, grab a whore and get married!” She opened the car door and marched out, leaving a stunned Christian gaping at her.
He was too upset to stop her. He watched her hail a cab and speed away. His heart was crushed into a million pieces. Why did he have to love her so much when she didn’t care about him? He wanted to tell her he wasn’t marrying her for money. He wasn’t marrying her for his business. It was just an excuse to get her to marry him. Grandpa Ben might have made him sign the agreement initially, but now seeing him all changed, he was ready to hand him the reins of the business.
After fifteen minutes, he slowly drove home with a heavy heart. He didn’t have the wish to fight with her all over again. If she wanted time, she would get time. He would go far away from her and never disturb her.
He returned home and packed up his stuff. “What happened, my boy?” asked his grandpa, noticing the shattered look on his face.
“She isn’t ready to get engaged to me now, let alone marry me.”
“I think you should give her time to grow up. Maybe she will understand you better when she matures.” Christian nodded, but only he knew maybe it was an impossible dream. Skylar Carnell cannot love anyone else but herself.
“Maybe. I have to return to the university for my term-end exams, Grandpa.” Grandpa Ben nodded, patting him on his back.
“All the best, my boy. How are your preparations?”
“Not good! But don’t worry, I have a week to prepare. I’ll return next month after my graduation. Will you come over to my graduation ceremony?” he asked expectantly, since he had no one else but his grandpa now. Last time, Sebastian, Lillian, and his grandpa attended his graduation ceremony at college.
“I will. Have you talked to Seb lately?” Christian shook his head with a worried look on his face. It was strange that his older brother hadn’t called him at all in the last ten days. What was going on?
“No, Grandpa. His phone is switched off, and he hasn’t called me. Maybe I’ll call Erica and find out.”
“Update me whenever you have a word with Seb. I’m willing to forgive him. He can come home with his wife.” Christian felt bad for his old grandpa. He hugged him before leaving.
“I’ll tell him, Grandpa. Take care of yourself. I’ll inform you of the details of my graduation ceremony. We will come home together.”
Although he put up a cheerful face forward, he was far from feeling so. He had high hopes for this trip but they were all shattered. He left quietly for Harvard to complete his education. Although he had thought of informing Granny Miriam before leaving, he dropped the idea. No, he couldn’t face Skylar’s hatred again!