Keira's eyes watered, her mouth quivering as she stared intently at her father who was equally staring back at her, his eyes filled with so much anger.
" You have no right to go against me, Keira! You're getting married to Tristan Monaghan and that's final!" Mr Houston snapped, his index finger pointed at her.
Keira choked on her tears, this has always been how she was been treated all over the years. Her parents are always good at ordering her around and getting her to go again her own decisions.
Sometimes, she wondered if they were truly her biological parents. Her kid sister Leila, was been treated differently from the way her parents treated herself. Anything Leila wants, she gets!
Her father, Mr Houston recently got a new car for Leila as her 21st birthday party gift; which was celebrated just few weeks ago.
What has Keira ever gotten for her birthday?
Absolutely nothing! They've never for once celebrated her birthday not to talk of throwing a party nor a birthday present!
She was the odd one in the family and that's why she's really bothered if truly they're are birth parents.
And now, she had never expected they'd go to such length of choosing a husband for her!
Why would her parents subject her to a loveless marriage at a young age of 24? Isn't this so crazy and annoying?
" Dad, could you please reconsider your words? I mean, this is a life time commitment. I possibly can't get married to a man who I don't love and he doesn't love me either! How do you think I would survive such a marriage?" Keira asked, after calming herself to pour out her heart to her father.
Hoping he would reconsider and cancel her supposed engagement.
" You've got nothing to worry about, keira. Love comes naturally. Once you both began living together, you would definitely fall deeply in love with yourselves. Don't beat yourself up over such a little thing, Keira." Mrs Houston's voice was heard as she was climbing down the stairs.
Keira couldn't stop the urge to scoff at the ridiculous words her mother had just utterd. How could a mother be saying these words to her daughter?
" What are you saying Mom? Was this how you got married to dad?" Keira asked, feeling so pained.
" That doesn't matter, right now, Keira. There's absolutely nothing you could do go change the situation on ground. It's better you brace yourself up and go get ready. Our guests would be arriving soon for dinner and then, your engagement and wedding date would be fixed!" Mrs Houston said, with no atom of care in her eyes. It was more like she was speaking to a stranger or something more.
Keira stared into her eyes as Mrs Houston was now standing in front of Keira.
Keira let out a pained chuckle after a while of silence. She still find it absurd that her engagement and wedding date would be fixed on behalf of the bride. Isn't that great? Such a great family!
Seeing there was nothing more she could do go stop her upcoming marriage arrangements, Keira felt it's best she doesn't waste any more of her tears over people who doesn't care one bit about her feelings.
With her back kept straight, determined looks, Keira uttered in a Stern voice " Okay! I'm accepting the marriage proposal or whatever it is." Keira said, glaring into her mother's eyes.
Mrs Houston could see the hostile looks in her eyes thus, she felt a shiver run down her spine. She swallowed down nothing to calm herself from shivering under the intense glare of your daughter.
" That's a brilliant answer, Keira! I've been expecting to just spill this out after all, it wasn't that hard or was it?" Mr Houston sneered In his seat on the cushion.
He had quietly been watching his wife persuade her. Though, if Keira didn't accept out of her own will, that doesn't mean the marriage preparations would be stopped!
Keira only rolled her eyes at her father's words but, didn't bother giving him a reply.
"Hurry up to your room and get some rest. The make-up artist would be arriving soon to get you ready for your husband and in-law's visit later tonight." Mrs Houston uttered.
Without another word from Keira, Keira turned around and took the stairs to her bedroom.
The moment she got into the comfort of her bedroom, she sat on the bed and allowed her tears flow freely down her cheeks.
She was still lost in deep thought when the ringing of her phone jolted her out of her trance.
She picked up the phone from her head board, saw the name flashing on her screen and she shivered the more.
What was she to say? Everything was ruined few minutes ago and her heart shattered into pieces!
She watched her phone ringed to a stop for the uptenth time before the caller automatically stopped calling.
Keira sighed and tries placing the phone back down when, it suddenly rang out once more. But this time, it was a different caller.
Without much excitation, Keira clicked on the answer icon.
"Keira, what the hell Is wrong with you?" Her best friend's anxious voice rang out from the other end of the call.
Keira knitted her brows, wondering what her best friend was talking about.
"I really don't get what you mean, Bella " Keira uttered, making Bella roll her eyes at the other end of the call. She has expected such reaction from Keira.
She knew Keira was definitely going to play the dumb game with her and she wasn't ready to have any of that Sturt right now.
" You had better stop feigning ignorance, Keira! Why aren't you picking up Lewis calls? Did he perhaps offended you in anyway? If he actually did, why not pick up his calls and get this over with? You do know how much that guy loves and worship you, Keira! You shouldn't think of hurting him. Give him a call right now and settle whatever dispute you have with him, now!" Bella ordered, as though she was ordering a child.
If Keira wasn't on a bad mood, she would had definitely roll her eyes at all if Bella's words.
" Before hallucinating things, you should ask what's going on. And if you must know, Lewis never offended me in anyway. That guy was the best thing that happened to, Bella. I never for once regretted accepting him into my life as my boyfriend." Keira uttered with a loud sigh.
" Then what's going on, Keira? You know I'm always here to support you. Let it all out " Bella anxiously urged her.
"I'm getting married, Bella" Keira spilled out.
"What!"