A Surprise Proposal

Elena paced around her room, her heart racing as she hoped for the best. For him to have reached out again—did it mean he was still interested? The question lingered in her mind, unanswered, and she wrestled with her thoughts. After what felt like an eternity of waiting, her hope began to wane, and she reluctantly gave up.

Just as she was about to leave her room, her phone chimed with a notification, and simultaneously, a knock echoed on her door. "Oh no. Shit," she muttered under her breath, realizing she had forgotten her father was back.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Elena braced for whatever might come next. The door creaked open, and her father stepped inside.

"Elena, darling," he greeted her with a warm smile as he walked into the room.

Her nervousness instantly gave way to shock. Did he just call her 'darling'? Her mind raced with disbelief.

It was the first time in years she had seen him this happy. Without warning, he pulled her into a hug.

Elena froze, holding her breath as her mind tried to process the moment. First, the affectionate nickname, and now a hug? It felt surreal. The last time he had embraced her was four years ago—when her mother had passed away.

As he finally let her go, Elena exhaled slowly, her breathing unsteady. "We've been patiently waiting for your return," her father said, his smile stretching from ear to ear.

"We?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

"Oh yes! Your stepsister and your stepmother. We've missed you and have been eagerly waiting for you to come back."

Elena studied him closely, sensing something was off. Why is he being so nice to me? she wondered.

Her father, Mr. Johnson, worked hard to maintain his cheerful facade, masking his unease. He was determined to make her believe in this supposed happy reunion. What Elena didn't know was that the very people he claimed had missed her had slapped and insulted her just moments before.

She shook her head at his words but chose to remain silent, letting him continue. She listened, but her thoughts swirled in disbelief. It was painfully obvious to her that he was lying.

"Are you truly happy that I'm back?" Elena asked hesitantly, her voice trembling as her fingers gripped her gown tightly. Fear clung to her words because she knew how easily her father's temper could ignite.

She instinctively took a step back, wary that her question might have irritated him.

"Yes, darling, we are," he replied, smiling as he reached out and patted her shoulder before turning to leave.

Elena stood frozen, her mind racing. She couldn't shake the surprise at his choice of words. A man who had rarely even looked her way was now calling her darling. While a part of her wanted to feel happy about the sudden change, an unsettling feeling crept in. Something wasn't right.

But then, she realized—he lied.

"Why would he lie?" she whispered to herself, her thoughts swirling in confusion.

As she stood lost in thought, the sound of approaching footsteps jolted her back to the moment. Turning around, she saw her father returning.

"Oh, my dear Elena, I almost forgot to tell you," he began casually. "I hope you're ready for Friday?"

"Friday?" Elena echoed, her face contorted with confusion. "What's happening on Friday?"

"Did your stepmother not inform you? Anyway, get ready. We're going for a meet-and-greet at your in-laws' place," he announced, a fake cheerfulness laced in his tone. "Even your sister will be there. You know, the two of you are marrying into the same family, so a meeting has been arranged."

"A meet-and-greet? In-laws?" Elena's heart sank as the words registered. She couldn't hold back her questions any longer.

"What's going on? I thought I told you I already had someone I wanted to marry! You even assured me that if I brought him to you, you would reconsider," Elena said boldly, her frustration spilling out.

Mr. Johnson's expression stiffened, but he quickly masked it with a feigned look of ignorance.

"Hmm, Elena, I'm not sure I ever said that," he replied, his tone dripping with condescension. "Besides, let's be honest, you can't get yourself a good man. The last time you tried, it was a disaster."

His words cut deep, striking a nerve. He was mocking her, dragging up painful memories she had worked so hard to bury.

Elena's demeanor changed instantly. She wanted to respond, but the weight of his words left her momentarily speechless.

"But…" she began, only to be abruptly cut off.

"But what, Elena?" he snapped, his tone sharp and unforgiving.

"Don't stress me! I thought we'd moved past this. Prepare yourself for Friday," he said harshly, his earlier warmth now completely gone.

His sudden shift in demeanor didn't surprise Elena. She now understood his true intentions. This was his plan all along—sweet words to manipulate her into marrying a man who had originally been meant for her sister.

And worse still, they were both expected to marry into the same family.

Without sparing her a glance, Mr. Johnson walked out of the room.

"Do I even matter to you?" Elena called out, her voice breaking with emotion.

Mr. Johnson paused at the door, her question hanging in the air. After a brief second of hesitation, he stepped out without saying a word.

"I will never marry him! Never!" she screamed, slamming the door shut in frustration. Tears streamed down her face as she slumped against the door.

Between sobs, Elena muttered, "So all of this—his kindness, his sweet words—was just an act to get me to agree to this marriage?" Her heart ached as she wondered how she had become entangled in this mess.

Life had been hard, but manageable, when she lived abroad. That was until one fateful night when her father insisted she return home. It wasn't for her sake—it was to please her stepsister.

"Even if I were to give in to his wishes, why should it be the insignificant son? Don't I deserve better too?" she asked herself bitterly as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

Suddenly, an idea struck her—She knew it was a risky plan. A surprise proposal. A grin spread across her tear-streaked face, quickly turning into laughter. The absurdity of the idea made her laugh until her stomach hurt.

"Let's see who gets the last laugh," she muttered to herself. But she knew she needed to plan carefully.

Rushing to pick up her phone, she dialed a number.

"So, are you ready to be my wife?" the voice on the other end asked, responding with his usual brusqueness.

This time, Elena didn't care. Rude or strange, it didn't matter anymore. As long as he could help her, she was willing to take the risk.

"Yes, I am," she replied without hesitation.

Smiling, she leaned back on her bed, her heart beating with a mix of fear and excitement.

——

"You're fired! Get out!" Ford bellowed, his voice laced with anger.

"Please, sir! Have mercy on me!" the secretary begged, tears streaming down her face.

Ford didn't even spare her a glance. Finally, he raised his head and coldly instructed, "Take her out."

The security personnel wasted no time dragging the sobbing woman out of the office.

Kelvin, Ford's best friend, couldn't contain his laughter.

"You're heartless, you know that, right?" Kelvin teased. "You told her to come with security, and now you've used the same security to kick her out. Classic Ford."

"You don't cease to amaze me. This is what—the fifth secretary this year?" Kelvin added between fits of laughter.

Ford smirked. "You're right. They don't follow the rules, and I refuse to waste my money on incompetence."

He was about to continue his tirade when a notification pinged on his phone. Checking it quickly, a grin spread across his face. It was the response he had been waiting for.

"My man, get ready for a mini wedding," Ford said, laughing as he typed a reply to Elena.

"So you're really going through with this?" Kelvin asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, no matter what, I've got your back."

Kelvin's amused expression turned curious as he watched Ford.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Ford's sister, Lily, walked in cheerfully.

"Hello, brother!" she chirped, her face glowing with excitement.

Her enthusiasm faltered the moment she noticed Kelvin. Her bubbly demeanor shifted, and her voice softened.

"Hi, Lily," Kelvin greeted, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hi," she replied quietly, her tone subdued.

"I brought food," she said, trying to act normal despite her sudden change in mood.

"I'm not hungry," Ford replied curtly, his eyes still glued to his phone.

"You haven't even looked at it or tried it," Lily protested, her frustration mounting.

Ford didn't respond, nor did he glance up.

In anger, Lily picked up the food she had painstakingly prepared and prepared to leave.

Before she could step away, someone snatched the container from her hands. Turning around, she saw Kelvin smiling at her.

"I'm hungry. Why don't I dig in?" he said happily, staring at her.

Ford's head shot up, his voice sharp with irritation. "What's going on here?" he demanded While gazing at the two whose eyes were on eachother.