TRIPPED ON YOU

Chapter 26: Tripped on pasts

A few hours later

Thernicy's pov

"But why do you think I don't?" I asked her teasingly but kept my face straight in hopes that she's going to buy my act.

"Well because you're not like that. I know you're going to h-" she defended hopelessly than I cut her off mid sentence.

"Well I will. I just wanted to test the waters away from the whole family business and extravaganza.
I would eventually own SoftEch and Gye-sueticals as well as whatever my father left for me.
I thought you wanted to honor his wishes?" I looked at aunt Jackie who sat across from me as we ate our dinner.
We were at dad's.
I would have guessed that by now she moved to a new house or at least rented an apartment away from under her brother's shadow but no.

She had been trying to pry about whether or not I was planning on claiming any of my shares in my father's fortune now instead of waiting through the remaining two years as a stipulated in his Will.

"No we wouldn't want that, would we?" She practically forced the gentleness out of her.
I wonder how long it had been since she became so vile.
Had she always held her cutlery so tight or was this particular moment a little off key for her too.

I would have loved to drag our discussion further but fate always had other plans.
Her Personal assistant came right in at the moment to announce a guest.

"Are you sure? Okay let them in and show them to the lounge." she ordered after Clarice announced that a representative from the real estate agency they've been trying to work with finally came as scheduled.

"I'll be right back in a few minutes okay dear?" She rose leaving no room for response thinking I'd be waiting on her return.
I of course had my own plans of attending this particular arrangement.

"...thank you very much.
You don't look so bad yourself Astrid." Aunt Jackie returned her pleasantries to a slender Asian woman.
Probably in her late forties with an all grey work suit with a plain white silk blouse.
Leading her to a two sitter sofa on the left wall.
I remembered her as being a very close friend of Mr. Du our former manager at gye-sueticals.

They'd invited me to lunch twice in my first year hoping I'd convince my father into investing with gye-sueticals.
By then we all had no idea the old man was already targeting them.
In short they were good folk just had a poor negotiating technique.

"Chiu, Astrid Chiu?" I called from the entrance and she reacted just as I anticipated her to.

"Wait! Ms Thernicee with an H! Wow what a lovely surprise.
Oh wait, this is where you live. My bad!" She faced palmed herself with a beaming expression fixed on her former professional look.

Walking forward she embraced me in a bone crushing hug. For someone as tiny as she was, she sure did give the toughest hugs.

"It's been so long we should definitely catch-up. So what business have you and my aunt here been cooking up so secretly she forgot to mention that one of my favorite people were involved?" I mused and she blushed profusely.

"Well I'm sure you must be aware I was fished over to Mr. Trent's company last year.
So you already Know exactly what I'm here for, don't act so innocent! After your fiancè came over, your soon to be father-in-law made a request for our companies to merge at the Emma foundation's 15th year celebration tomorrow in Manhattan.
So I personally came to Invite your company's current CEO Jackie here. But with you here I guess I've already been beat!" She loudly exclaimed with a pout after her last statement.

Jackie gaped and Clarice was in shock. But I, I fell into the most hilarious laughter.
Cause this news was just as surprising to my ears.

★★★

"No! I am not doing anything. I don't want to...!" I yelled. Glad the study was absolutely sound proof.

"It's the only way. And I don't see what's wrong with getting over with the inevitable.!" He looks at me expectantly.

"Inevitable? Inevitable! Wow.
So you expect me to take vows with you in the next six days because it's inevitable!
To be your wife after only a few days of being an official couple because it is inevitable!
To fake it all on my wedding day, plan, plot and act it out in six days because it's inevitable? Are you being serious right now?
Jaden, am not going to marry you!" I yelled.
The statement piercing through my heart as I realized what just left my lips but I keep it together and wait for his reaction.

But of course my need to clarify just had to beat my pride, "At least not because it's inevitable.
I love you but that stunt my brother and you pulled is way beyond me.
Look, I don't want our new start to.be built on deception and revenge." I tried to reason but the hurt that overtook his expression was still far from fading.

"Why wouldn't you want to marry me now?
What if I honestly really, really wanted you to be mine, legally At Least that is. Would you still think it's too early?" He asked moving away slowly.

It broke me to think of a moment without him.
So Short a time to be so attached to you!

"No. I'd do it in a heartbeat. But this is different." I took a step closer but he moved again.

"Why are yo-" i questioned when he responded. 

"I'm not.
You are.
I don't care if this marriage takes place or not. I'm not even sure I like wearing a tux.
But knowing that I'll be making those vows to you. To help you. To protect you. To be the one for you. That's the only reason I'd do it right now even if we had all the Time in the world.
Am tired of waiting for you. I need you.
I WANT YOU to sleep in MY bed, to wake up by MY side, TO carry OUR children and MY name alongside yours.
I can't keep being afraid of losing you just because of a problem we can solve just by being mine.

But you keep trying to run to get away. I don't understand." He confessed now only inches away from my face. His breath hit my cheeks and I couldn't help the light butterflies that built in my tummy.

I could bet a billion that my cheeks were absolutely red right now.

"I'm not running away. I'm just scared of the fact that I'm utterly and completely In Love with you and marriage is the least of my worries." I finally gave in.

I understood where he was coming from and he was right. Circumstances are just a way paver.
The opportunities they bring are what's important.

This was our chance, I don't see why not.

"So are you going to get down on one knee or both?" I teased.

★
Thanks for getting this far
This took me a while month to plot.
😊 Been lazy lately but I'm finishing up this story , not sure I wan it to end...😂😌
Happy reading.

Like vote and comment