I will do it

Jace POV:

"Will you marry her?" Mom asked me this time.

The room felt suffocating, filled with the weight of a decision that seemed to hang in the air, waiting for someone to take a stand. I couldn't believe what I was hearing from my mother, the woman who had always been a pillar of love and kindness. Yet here she was, asking me to sacrifice my happiness for the sake of some twisted sense of justice.

"What? Fuck no! How can you change your mind this easily, Mom?" I blurted out, my disbelief turning into frustration. I sank into the couch next to Dad, who sat there with a heavy silence, his eyes reflecting the turmoil within.

"Jace, marry her," Mom repeated, her voice trembling, not just with sorrow but with a determination that sent shivers down my spine. "Your dad is right. If you will marry her, and I will see her in front of my eyes, it will be better."

I shot her a disbelieving look. "Mom, how can you think about it this way? Marrying someone just to make them suffer, especially when it's not their fault, is not the answer. It's not fair to her, and most of all, this is unfair to me. You are sacrificing my happiness as well. Can't you see that?"

She sighed, and her shoulders slumped as we talked. "Jace, you have to understand. I can't bear the thought of them continuing with their lives while we suffer. Marrying you to their daughter is the only way they'll understand our pain."

"But Mom, this is not justice. This is revenge. Making an innocent person suffer won't bring Asher back," I argued, my frustration bubbling to the surface.

She looked at me, her eyes pleading for understanding. "Can't you do this for the sake of your parents?"

The air hung heavy with an unspoken ultimatum. It was as if my parents were holding my happiness hostage, demanding a sacrifice for a sense of closure that might never come.

"You do not need to have her as your wife for your entire life. Marry her now, and divorce her when the news dies down. If you do this for us now, we will not ask you for anything else. In fact, we will let you marry whoever you want later. Without a word," Dad added, his tone a mix of desperation and determination.

My mind was full of conflicting emotions. The thought of marrying someone I didn't know, just to satisfy my parents' need for revenge, felt like a betrayal of everything I believed in. It wasn't just about me; it was about Sereia, an innocent person caught in the crossfire of our grief.

"This is wrong," I muttered, the weight of the decision settling on my chest. I couldn't shake the image of Sereia's face, so fragile and lost, and the thought of subjecting her to a marriage built on vengeance made my stomach churn.

"She will be your wife only on paper. You will not even have to look at her face. I will make sure of it," Mom said, her eyes now sparkling with a glimmer of satisfaction that hadn't been there since Asher's death. It was like she was already picturing Sereia's misery.

"But there has to be another way, Mom. This is too extreme," I pleaded, my heart aching at the thought of willingly causing pain to someone who didn't deserve it.

She lowered her eyes, her hands twisting in her lap. "I never thought we would face something like this. Losing Asher has shattered us."

I sat down beside her, my mind racing with conflicting emotions. "I understand your pain, Mom, but involving an innocent person in our grief won't bring us peace. It'll only perpetuate the cycle of suffering."

She looked at me, her eyes tired and haunted. "Can't you do this for the sake of the happiness and peace of your parents?"

Okay, this was a lethal, emotional blackmailing move.

The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of the decision settling over us like a heavy fog. I could feel the eyes of my parents on me, awaiting a response that felt impossible to give. It wasn't just about saying yes or no; it was about sacrificing my beliefs for the sake of appeasing their grief-stricken hearts.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I sighed, a heavy resignation washing over me. "Okay, Mom. I'll do it."

The relief in her eyes was palpable, and for a moment, it seemed like the storm within our family might finally subside. Little did they know that the decision I made came with a price.

After I forcefully stuffed myself with the food, I returned to my room and laid on the bed before lighting up a cigarette. It was a sleepless night and a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

That night, as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, I couldn't escape the weight of what I had agreed to. The thought of entering into a fake marriage, even with the promise of a future divorce, left a bitter taste in my mouth. I kept tossing and turning, haunted by the image of Sereia's face, a face I had seen only briefly but one that would now be forever intertwined with my life.

The moon cast a pale glow through the window. The minutes ticked away, each second echoing the heavy burden of a decision made in the heat of emotional turmoil.

Questions swirled in my mind. How could I go through with this? What would she think when she found out the truth? Will she agree on this marriage? Would I be able to live with the guilt of being a pawn in my parents' revenge plan?

The night dragged on, and as the first light of dawn broke through the darkness, I knew that the path I had chosen was going to be extremely painful. But for now, I was trapped in a decision that felt like a noose tightening around my neck, choking out the air that I once thought was mine.

---

Soon, the morning sun was peeking through the window of my room. Entire night all that I did, it was smoking and now I had to drag myself out of bed. I changed into a tailored suit. I hate suits. I hate looking so formal. That's why I became a doctor. I wanted to live a free life that had some purpose, rather than staying behind the desk and manipulating others for my own sake like my father is currently doing to me.

As I fastened the tie around my neck, a knot formed in my stomach. I glanced at the mirror, a reflection of a man I no longer recognized. Everything about me felt foreign at this point.

After I was done with my little preparation for the day, I descended the staircase, I found Dad in the living room.

"Morning, son," Dad greeted, cheerfully. Maybe marrying that girl isn't a bad choice. It looks like Dad is returning to life and Mom will be fine as well. If they will be okay and happy then isn't it everything for me?

"Morning, Dad," I responded.

He looked up from his work, his gaze lingering on the suit I wore. "You look sharp. Remember, this shareholder meeting is nothing. You are a Knight and no one can challenge you."

"I just really want to be really good at this. As you said, I am a Knight so I need to be perfect and there is nothing that I know about business. This scares me." I shuddered.

Dad chuckled, "Don't worry, this old man will teach you everything and you are a genius. You will learn it quickly. This is just a formality."

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "Right, just a formality," I echoed, the word heavy with the weight of its implications.

"Would the two of you like to have breakfast?" Mom walked out of her room and she asked but I stood up and fastened the button of my coat before walking towards her, giving her a hug and kissing her cheek, "No, I am not hungry."

She looked fine this morning and I am not sure whether I should be happy about this or concerned.

"But you have a long day ahead. You should have something..."

"I will eat it at the office." I assured her.

Mom glanced at Dad, like she is asking for him to put some sense in my head but he just shrugged his shoulders leaving her utterly disappointed. I could not help but smile witnessing that.

To be honest, after 40 years of marriage, my parents are still love birds and this is what I have always wished for myself. That's why I am not married yet because I was not able to find someone with whom I can grow old with or someone whom I can love like my parents.

Dad pecked her lips as he bid her farewell and while I turned around with the heavy steps.

At this point, everything in my life is unpredictable. My profession, my personal life... everything. It is like I am learning to walk again.

I never realized that Asher had so much impact on my life until he is no more.

'Man, I miss you.' I whispered in my head as I settled in the backseat of the car.

He was the one who wanted to manage Dad's business and I remember when I made a decision to pursue medicine, my parents were against it but he convinced them, saying that he will take care of it even in my stead and he was just 12 at that time.

My vision got blurry at those thoughts. I shut my eyes and leaned back in the backseat of the car while the driver drove me to the office.