Chapter 3 BETROTHED TO A MORON

"I want to tell you something Evelyn," Mr Ronald said as she stopped drinking the red wine and looked at him.

"I'm listening, Mr Ronald!" Evelyn replied and her phone rang immediately.

She brought out her phone from her handbag.

She checks the caller id and it turns out to be her mother, Mrs Brown.

"Excuse me," She said to Mr Ronald.

"Take your time!" He replied and she picked the call.

"Hello Mum!" She mutters.

"Young lady! Where did you keep your phone? I have been calling you since" Mrs Brown asked in a scolding manner.

"Doesn't know you've been calling, eating lunch with colleagues at a restaurant!" She replied.

As she was chatting with her mum, Mr Ronald was looking at her natural flawless face, to him, Evelyn is his goddess and not ANNING goddess.

He loves her a lot but he is afraid she might not work with him again if he discloses his feelings to her and it's love at first sight, he has love her the very day she arrives into ANNING, she arrives at the age of 18 and she looks so young and charming back then.

"Can you please don't stay long and come home, let's discuss about the..." she was still saying when Evelyn hung up, she can't afford Mr Ronald to hear about the marriage.

She put back the phone in her handbag and faced Mr Ronald.

"Yes, what did you want to say Mr Ronald?" Evelyn asked.

"Forget about it and let's celebrate your birthday cheerfully," Mr Ronald replied, munching the hamburger hungrily.

"Okay..."

****

"Don't look at my face!" Amber said to Nathan for the uptenth time which he did instantly.

Amber stood up and Nathan looked up and held her hand.

"Where are you going?" Nathan asked and she snatched her hand from him.

"Restroom!" She replied and fell down.

Nathan wanted to help her up but he threw his hand away making him fall on her and their lips met coincidentally.

Amber's eyes were wide open, she had this surprise look.

All eyes immediately turn to them hearing the clash of someone falling down.

People started to take their pictures including Evelyn, she stood up hastenstly when she saw them.

Gosh! What a lovely couple on Valentine's day!

Amber, so you are in love with him all this time while you are playing hard to get!

Geez!, you are a man Nathan!

Amber pushed Nathan away and rushed to the restroom in embarrassment.

Nathan's heart beat wildly like it's gonna explode, he stood up from the ground and touched his lips.

He blush badly thinking about the kiss.

He remembers her lips feel so soft, just like an intoxicating alcohol or medicine.

Amber folded her fist in anger.

"How dare that bastard" she mutters angrily, washing her embarrassed face.

"Sis has our photo, I must make sure she doesn't post it on her social media, I can still pull a stunt to scare the rest to delete it!" She shouted and ran out.

She rushed to Evelyn's table.

"Sis, please can you delete the photo" Amber begged.

"Nope!," Evelyn replied without giving her a glance.

"Please, sis," Amber begged.

"On a condition" Evelyn replied.

"Alright, sis" She replied with a sigh.

"Go and sit down gently with Nathan!" Evelyn ordered.

Evelyn knows the kind of PA she has, whenever Amber is embarrassed, she prefers to run away.

"Huh, sis!" Amber whined.

"Give and take, remember!" Evelyn said with a wink.

"Gosh" Amber replied and left to sit with Nathan.

The staff that welcomed them came to their table and they looked up.

"Today is the Valentine day and we are welcoming couples in our restaurant, but among all the couples that have been here today, you are the best intimate couple, so Value restaurant is gifting our lovely couple this and a trip to Korea to view the Namsan tower together" She mutters with a smile and in her hand are two ticket and two wrapped up gift.

Nathan collected the wrapped gift but Amber didn't collect it and the staff smiled.

"Thank you!" Nathan replied and collected both the tickets and the wrapped gift.

Nathan holds the gift awkwardly and a message enters Amber's phone.

Amber stood up and left for the restroom immediately.

She enters the restroom and met one of the trainees.

"What's up Dorcas?" Amber asked.

"You told me you aren't dating Nathan and now you are flaunting your love in public" Dorcas said hurtfully.

"Seriously Dorcas, we aren't dating!" Amber replied.

"I don't want to hear" Dorcas replied and left while Amber sighs.

****

"Mr. Ronald, don't you think it's time we go back to work, and why is Stephen not here?" She asked.

"Stephen is doing something at the company!" He replied.

"Okay, then we need to take some food to him," Evelyn said.

"Yes, I overheard your mum telling you to come home," Mr. Ronald said.

"I can go after the photoshoot and moreover it's not important!" Evelyn replied standing up.

"Nope, I will call Stephen to bring your car, you can rest at home and we will continue the photoshoot tomorrow" Mr. Ronald said looking at her face stylishly.

"Alright," She replied, dropping her phone into her handbag.

A guy entered with a smile.

"Stephen, you are here already, how come, Mr. Ronald and I were still discussing about you!" Evelyn said and Stephen pulled her into a bone cracking hug and Evelyn chuckled.

In their company, they have many people who make them smile or crack their ribs.

They have the clumsy madam, the foodie and the joker, Stephen! He is the company's personal make-up artist and Mr. Ronald cousin.

He disengaged from the hug and looked at her face.

"Baby, when did you leave, not seeing for a second, I can't be alive" he said, holding his chest dramatically and Mr. Ronald sat down and watched.

"Is that not Stephen's voice, though we left him at the company" One of the trainees.

Stephen faces them all and smiles.

"Have you ever escaped your shadow or your breath! Nope it's impossicant and moreover I'm here not because of you guys but because of mon amour" He replied diverting his attention back to Evelyn.

"Oh dear, you said you can't be alive if you can't see me for a second, is it! How many hours did we spend already?, 1 and you are not dead" Evelyn replied.

"Oh baby, don't be like this on your birthday," He replied and Evelyn held his ear tight.

He winces in pain and starts to beg.

"Please, darling don't be hard on me on your birthday, moreover you are 21 and older than me, you should be more mature" He mutters and Evelyn steps on his toes with her high heel.

"Death! Yes is what I am seeing, dear I brought your car key and you can immediately go home" he said and Evelyn withdrew her hand and leg.

"Alright, darling, this is for you,see y'all tomorrow " Evelyn replied tipsy because of the red wine and handing Stephen the food she got for him.

"Thanks!" Stephen grins and brings out a pizza.

He chew on the pizza and smile.

"Will give you a call sissy!" Amber shouted after Evelyn who nodded.

"Love you!" Stephen shouted at her back, making Evelyn smile.

Stephen acts all naughtily.

"Brother, why did you let her go, I thought you are gonna let her come to the company, she will be surprised by her birthday and your proposal to be her boyfriend" Stephen whispered to Mr. Ronald.

"I'm not sure I can face her. I will leave her alone, if I can't date her then she can work in my company!" Mr. Ronald replied, sipping Evelyn leftover wine.

Mr. Ronald didn't forget her birthday a bit, they made a surprise for her and he was planning to ask her to be his girlfriend but what can he do, he doesn't have the strength to withstand her rejection.

So he thinks keeping his feelings is better than telling her.

"Gosh! Brother, you aren't like me, you sulk at expressing feelings but an expert in company issues, plus she is wicked!, My ear still hurt" he cried rubbing his ear.

"That's what you get for being a pervert!" Mr. Ronald replied.

"Whatever..."

"Guys, we gotta go!" Mr. Ronald said and they started to murmur.

"Stop whining, we aren't working, you all can go home!" He added and they beam in happiness which makes him chuckle.

****

Evelyn arrived home, she threw her handbag on the nearest couch and collapsed on the sofa.

Mrs. Brown, noticing her presence, came out of her room.

"Welcome Evelyn! Why don't you have a shower?" Mrs. Brown asked.

"I think that will do!" Evelyn replied and went upstairs to her room.

Mrs. Brown sees her bag on the couch and smiles before leaving for the dinning table.

She came down after some minutes, cladded in a sports bra and a bombshort.

"Come to the dinning, '' Mrs. Brown said from the dining room.

"Alright!" Evelyn replied and dashed to the dining room.

She opened her mouth in shock and surprise which make Mrs. Brown smile and a tear escape her eyes.

"Of course, I didn't forget your day, how can I forget the day I brought my princess to this world" Mrs. Brown said and Evelyn pulled her in a hug.

"I thought you forgot mum" She also cried.

"No, princess, mum cannot...look this is your favorite red velvet cake" Mrs. Brown cried.

Evelyn wiped Mrs. Brown's tears with her finger and smiled.

"Shall I make a wish?" She asked.

"Of course," Mrs. Brown replied.

Evelyn closes her eyes and makes a wish before opening it back.

She blows the candles and Mrs. Brown smiles.

"What did you wish for?" Mrs. Brown asked.

"I wish that you wouldn't grow old and leave me all alone in this world like my father" She replied and Mrs. Brown chuckled.

"Well, I'm not getting old at all, are you kidding me, I look like I'm in my early thirties, gosh! You don't have eyes! Mrs. Brown replied and Evelyn smiled.

But she did wish, but it's two things, she has said the first one and the second one is her mum should forget about the marriage and she shouldn't get married.

"Alright mum, shall we cut the cake at the spell of love?" She said,

"L, O, V, E" They spelt and cut the cake.

Evelyn took part of the cake and rubbed it at Mrs. Brown's nose.

Mrs. Brown grins and chase her around the dinning room to the sitting room.

"You naughty kid!" Mrs. Brown said.

They collapse on the sofa and Mrs. Brown sits up.

"Evelyn we have to talk!" She sounds serious unlike some minutes ago.

"Alright, mum!" She replied and sat up.

"About the marriage Evelyn, please it's your father's last wish!" Mrs. Brown pacifies.

"Yeah, I don't know if I should hate my father for that or to love him," She replied.

"No, don't hate him darling, I think he has his reason and he knows the best for you" Mrs. Brown replied hugging her.

"And don't be afraid darling, we are in this together" Mrs. Brown replied rubbing her back.

Even Mrs. Brown doesn't want her only child, or even a daughter, to be married to a person they don't know.

But she knows Evelyn is a girl that faces every challenge thrown at her.

She was very aware she has a strong daughter who loves everyone and who has a soft heart.

Whatever her father has chosen for her, then it's her benefit because a father wouldn't hurt her daughter, right!

Evelyn slept off hugging her mother, and it seems she is tired from work and the celebration.

Mrs. Brown doesn't have the strength to carry the latter, so she went to her and brought a duvet.

She covered Evelyn with a duvet and slept on the nearest couch.