Chapter 1 Don't Want To Marry
"Does any of this even make sense?" Mason vented his frustration to his younger sister, Anna. "Out of the thousands of girls who admire me, Mom had to choose one of the least attractive ones as my bride? Even our housemaids are more captivating than that girl."
Today, when Mason laid eyes on the photograph of Isabel Forbes, the girl destined to become his wife in a matter of days, his world turned upside down. He discovered that Isabel didn't fit his narrow definition of beauty; she had a skin condition called leukoderma. In contrast, Mason, a 27-year-old bachelor from Florida and the handsome younger son of wealthy industrialist John Williams, embodied the epitome of perfection, capturing the hearts of countless girls.
Accepting an imperfect and unattractive girl as his wife seemed impossible to Mason, especially when he was constantly surrounded by the most stunning women. This compelled him to unleash his grievances upon his sister Anna, hoping she would understand his predicament.
"You know how stubborn Mom is, Brother. Do you really think she'll listen to any of us? I tried talking to her about this before, and all I got was a scolding," Anna expressed helplessly.
Anna sympathized with Mason, acknowledging that their mother was imposing her decision on him instead of allowing him to choose the kind of wife he desired. While she wished she could assist her brother, Anna knew their mother would remain resolute in her stance.
Mason grew increasingly irritated by Anna's words, feeling as though he had lost his last ally who might have understood him. His sister's inability to empathize with his struggle disappointed him, deepening his sense of isolation.
"I've lost count of how many proposals I've turned down so far. All I've ever wanted is a love-filled relationship with my wife. I've dreamt of having a beautiful wife for as long as I can remember, and now all those dreams lie shattered, all because of that unattractive girl," Mason lamented, his mind conjuring Isabel's image once again.
The mere thought of Isabel made Mason cringe. He had never fathomed that a girl like her would become his wife. It dawned on him that the mere idea of Isabel made him feel repulsed, making it utterly inconceivable for him to spend a lifetime with her.
Loosening his shirt collar, Mason's mind wandered to the enchanting woman he encountered at the office. He yearned to ask her out, but his mother's announcement of his impending marriage to Isabel had extinguished any hopes of pursuing her.
"Do you know Addison, the employee in our office?" Mason asked Anna, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes at the mere mention of her name.
Anna nodded, remembering their previous conversation about Addison.
"I have strong feelings for her, Anna. She's intelligent, stunning, and absolutely perfect. It's hard to tear my eyes away once they lock on her. I've always dreamed of marrying someone like Addison," Mason revealed, his disappointment fading away. A soft smile graced his face as he spoke about her.
But as he compared Isabel to Addison, anger surged through his veins. The thought of marrying a girl with skin imperfections among the sea of beautiful women was beyond his comprehension. "Yeah, I know. Addison is someone to be infatuated with. But why haven't you asked her out yet?" Anna questioned curiously, furthering Mason's disappointment.
"How could I? Mom has already arranged the marriage with that person," Mason replied, his teeth grinding together in frustration.
"If Mom tries to force that upon me, I swear I'll run away with Addison."
He wasn't quite sure if he was bluffing or not. His emotions were spiraling out of control.
"Don't lose your mind, brother. Do you really want to follow in our elder brother's footsteps? The consequences will be dire. It would be better to talk to Dad," Anna suggested, attempting to calm him down. But her words elicited a sadistic laugh from Mason.
"Do you honestly think Dad would take my side over Mom's?" Mason retorted, causing Anna to sigh heavily, knowing all too well that their father held great respect for their mother's decisions.
"Then what should we do? Maybe you should go and talk to Mom."
"What would I even say to her? She already knows about Addison. What I can't understand is why she's doing this. Why did she choose the least attractive girl? Why must the ugly girl be my wife? Why?" Mason cried out in frustration.
Though he yearned to speak with his mother, he knew deep down that his words would fall on deaf ears. Witnessing Mason's distress, Anna desperately wanted to console him but struggled to find the right words. In an attempt to alleviate his sadness, she decided to offer a glimmer of positivity.
"You know, even though Mom can be stubborn, she always has our best interests at heart. Perhaps she sees something special in that girl that...", Anna began, but Mason cut her off before she could finish her sentence.
"Please, spare me. You know perfectly well the kind of girl who would be the perfect match for someone like me—smart, beautiful, like Addison. Not some cheap and unworthy choice that Mom finds appealing."
"What do you plan to do then, brother?" Anna inquired, genuinely puzzled by Mason's state of mind.
"I refuse to marry that unattractive girl. Simple as that. If I ever do marry, it will be someone like Addison, or I won't marry at all," Mason replied bluntly, causing Anna to burst into laughter.
Confusion etched across his face, Mason furrowed his brow as he stared at his sister, unable to grasp the reason for her amusement.
"Seriously? You're going to remain a bachelor forever. The youngest and most handsome son of Industrialist John Williams, destined to be a lifelong bachelor. How pitiful!" Anna remarked sarcastically, laughing uncontrollably.
Mason's fury intensified at Anna's sarcastic remarks, and he glared at her with anger in his eyes, only fueling her laughter further.
Before Mason could retort, Nina Williams entered the room.