Chapter 6

After spending some time with his grandmother,Aiden directly went to his grandfather who was casually cleaning his quill collection.He just raised his eyes when he saw Aiden's barging in and pushed up his glasses.

"Didn't your parents teach you how to knock?"

"They did,but I saw someone older who didn't."

"...So what brings you here without notice?"

"You know really well,what."

His grandfather sighed.

"I don't know why you keep seeing me as the bad guy."He put the quill back on the box and closed it."I'm literally giving you an opportunity to slack off and you just want to make yourself suffer voluntarily.Fine I'll give you that position."

"Really?"Aiden was surprised.He had a whole presentation prepared and he didn't to use it?His grandfather gave away so easily?Him?

"That is if you fulfill the conditions."

And there is his grandfather.Aiden just looked at him,of course the fact that he was still inside the room meant he was listening.

His grandfather continued."If you marry,I'll give the company to you."

"No!"Was this old man serious?There was no way.

"Either you choose or I'll choose your wife myself."

Aiden was speechless.

"You must be joking!No way you would go this far!"

"I'm very serious.I can save you the time of choosing.My friends have been trying to match up their granddaughters with you a lot lately and some were very nice girls.Now if you actually had a girlfriend yourself,I wouldn't recommend this,but "he then looked at him up and down and sighed "you certainly got a lot of mine and your grandmother's good qualities,but alas that personality of yours,tsk,tsk."he then shook his head.

Being roasted by his own grandfather that had an even more unlikeable personality than him,finally broke Aiden's last string of sanity.

"What century do you think we're living in?!You really want to marry me off to someone like some medieval lady!No way I'm going through with your b******* and who cares if I don't get the company now,I'll get it in the future anyway!"

He then stormed out.His grandmother stopped him on his way.

"You're leaving already,Aiden?What about dinner?"

Aiden didn't want his grandmother getting sad so he gave her a hug and smiled.

"It's okay grandmother,I got something else to do,so I can't join you."

"If you say so,but come visit more often."

"I will." Then he left.

***

Amelie had just parked her car on the garage.After turning it of she tiredly let her head rest on the steering wheel.

"Ugggghhhhh!"

She had gotten a text before that her grandparents would be joining them for dinner tonight.Being as mentally tired as ever after work,Amelie just wanted to lay down and sleep,but now she had to listen to her grandfather talk about the glorious times of their country during communism.She had already heard those stories several times since her childhood.Before, it was fun learning new things,but hearing it now was just boring and tiring.

She stayed like that for a few minutes,then she rose up,smiled and went to battle.

"Hiii!Grandpa!Nana!"

After greeting them like usual,she sat down.Then the topic changed to her sister,then at her cousin who had recently become a mother.

"That little rascal had grown a lot these few months!He blabbered and giggled all the time when we met him.He's going to be so noisy and barly shut up just like his mother!"her grandmother said as she laughed.

"The little ones grow and we get old.That's the cycle at least we are still alive and seeing them.That's my only wish,to see all my grandchildren settle down." Then her grandparents were eyeing her.Amelie just smiled.

"And what have you been up to lately Ame?"

"Oh,nothing different.Just work."

"Work is gonna be there anyway,until you retire."

"You're right grandfather,but what can we do."

"Children,grandchildren,family,these are the only joys of life.Everything has its time."Amelie again didn't say anything,but just nodded.But her grandfather continued.

"A girl is like a rose bud.When it has just bloomed and the morning dew glistens on its petals,its fresh and lovely so you joyfully touch it,smell it and admire its beauty.But with each passing day it blooms more and more and more.Its not as beautiful anymore and the rose will then be ignored until all its petals fall on the ground."

Amelie's smile became even more stiff.She had heard these words before by her grandfather.Once he had said them to her sister even though back then she was younger than herself and probably had said to her cousins.That was the fate of the women in her society.They were deemed useless and uncapable if they didn't marry quick.As if they couldn't get themselves a man.She hated how her value would either immediately skyrocket if she was taken or immediately go down if not.

Her sister was a successful surgeon,but she wasn't impressive until she married?She had just opened her own company,but she wasn't capable because she couldn't land herself a man?

Amelie's mother could sense how something was wrong with her and immediately shifted the topic.She also secretly took her hand and squeezed it in support.She knew how her father and mother could be,she had experienced it first hand.

Amelie didn't participate in the conversation anymore and just scrolled on her phone for a bit.She didn't mind these words much,after all as long as she knew her own worth,others opinion didn't matter.

***

Amelie opened her eyes and noticed that it was still dark.Seeing this she was relieved.That meant she had a few more hours to sleep until work. Involuntarily her grandfather's words returned to her,making her mood unpleasant.

What century do they think they are?A girl is like a flower?If she withers,she doesn't matter anymore?

She hated it when people talked like that and she had met her fair share of people who thought that way.As a woman who always tried to climb the career ladder,she would be seen as someone naive,whose biological clock hadn't kicked yet.So what if she also wanted to be a mother.Would her abilities and IQ reduce immediately after marrying and having children?Who said she couldn't do both,if she wanted too?

This stupid male oriented world.

Amelie had been an overachiver and well-rounded person since her childhood.She had seen herself how during her early years she would be encouraged and admired,but just as she grew she would be treated as some idiot who knew nothing about "the real life".That was the fate of all girls.They would be encouraged to be ambitious and get a good education,but after finishing it,they would try to block her ambition because then "she wouldn't have time for a family".Then what's the point?Plus if two people have a child then the responsibility belongs to both of them and they could definitely find time if the couple worked together.But no,a man should be resting comfortably after a hard day of work and she the woman,should be cooking him a nice dinner,do the laundry,wash the dishes,clean the house and also take care of the child,because that's what a good woman does.

Now people looked at her as the idiot,when she just called out the unfairness of the world.They looked at her as the weirdo,because she wwnt against what other people wanted.

Then the older women would comfort her saying "women are the ones who actually make the law in the house.If you know how to act a bit spoiled and coquettishly then he would do whatever you wanted." making her not wanna be in a relationship even more.

Why do women have to act like some concubine getting the favour of the king or manipulate just to get her rights she has a normal human being?Why do they have to play games to satisfy a man so he could do what he actually had to do?

Might as well never get someone at all,if you have to constantly hide yourself and walk on eggshells.

Amelie's mood went even more down when a guy that she rejected once came to mind.

"Who do you think you are?With that mighter than thou attitude!You think there aren't any others out there?!You think you're better than everyone?!"the rest were vulgar words that she would rather not remember.

That reaction,just because she had told him no?That reaction because she had refused to have another date with him?His mother had spoiled him rotten.

Amelie had just sneered and looked at him mockingly which made him even more angry.But God knew how close she was to becoming a murderer that day.She had never been spoken that language before imagine being offended with it.

But she knew that screaming and crying wouldn't solve things,in fact she would prefer if he had hit her that day so she could sue him for life.

Amelie hugged her teddy bear and tried falling asleep murmuring 'happy thoughts,happy thoughts,happy thoughts'.