"Did you know about this?" I whisper to my mother while Mr. Holland and my father talk on the other side of the room, celebrating.
"He had been saying that Mr. Holland was courting you, but I thought it was just so people wouldn't talk" she says. "Then he started talking about how much money he has, about him being a catch, that any woman would love to be his wife, and..."
"Is he marrying me off for money?" That came out louder than I expected, both my father and Mr. Holland hearing me.
"I'm doing just what any caring father would do for his daughter. Finding her a good husband who can take care of her in every sense" my father says.
"If you were that caring father you say you are, you would have asked me first about this union" I spat.
"Daughter, do not talk to your father like that" my mother says.
"But it is the truth!" I say. "I have nothing against you, Mr. Holland, I truly don't. But we both know that this marriage is all about money, not love".
"Sometimes we must make sacrifices for the greater good" my father says.
"What does that even mean?" I ask, starting to get very angry.
"It means that we have no money left, daughter. If you marry Mr. Holland, he has agreed to pay all our debts. He'll become the lord of the house, and everyone will be able to keep their jobs. Your mother and I will also be able to stay here if that's what we want, or move somewhere else once you start a family. He has promised to find us a nice house and take care of everything."
We have... no money. I knew things were bad, but not this bad.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" I ask, tears coming to my eyes.
"We didn't want to worry you" my mother says.
"And you have agreed to all this?" I ask Mr. Holland. "Why? What do you get out of all of this?"
"I stop being my family's disappointment" he says.
"I can't believe what I'm hearing" I say, my head spinning "There... there must be another way to fix all this. Right, mother? Have you asked my brother for help?"
"I'm sorry sweetheart, but we've tried it all" my father says. "This is our last chance, our only hope."
"I... I think I need some fresh air. I need to be alone to process all this" I say, leaving the room.
━━━━━━❃━━━━━━
I'm so lost in my thoughts that I don't realize that my feet are taking me to Declan's cottage. Declan. He's waiting for me there, and once I tell him what just happened, what is going to happen... I know I'm going to break his heart. And that will break mine too.
When I make it to the door, I'm already sobbing. The moment he opens it, I throw myself into his arms and start crying like I've never done before, my whole body shaking. He leads me inside, hugging me tight, telling me that everything is going to be alright. But it won't.
"What happened?" he asks once I've calmed down a bit, still not letting me go.
"I'm sorry" I say.
"Sorry for what? For crying? I've seen you cry many times before, little poppy. Not like this, but it isn't something to be ashamed of" he says with a smile, trying to cheer me up. That only makes this more painful, and I can feel the tears coming back. "What happened? You know you can tell me everything" he says, his forehead resting on mine. After a few seconds of silence, I finally find the courage to say it.
"I'm getting married."
"You... what?" he asks, confused.
"I'm getting married, Declan."
"To whom? To that little man?" I just nod, not able to talk. "Why? Why would you marry him? Have you fallen in love with him?"
"No! Never!" I say. "It isn't like that, Declan."
"Then how is it, uh? Explain it to me." I can already feel the hurt in his voice, and it is killing me.
"We don't have money. Nothing. Just debts. And if my father doesn't pay soon, they'll kick us from our house and everyone will lose their jobs" I say, not being able to look him in the eyes.
"And that's why you are marrying him?"
"Yes. He and my father agreed that once we are married, Mr. Holland would pay all our debts and take care of everyone."
"And why would he agree to do something like that?" he asks, starting to sound angry.
"Because if he doesn't marry, he'll be a disgrace to his family" I say, my voice lower and lower.
"A disgrace to his family... As if basically buying himself a wife was any better" he scoffs. "And you are fine with all that?"
"I have no other choice."
"Of course you have!" he says, putting a hand under my chin, making me look him in the eyes. "Marry me. Marry me and I'll pay all your debts. What is mine will be yours."
"You know we can't. That's not possible" I say.
"Why? Because I'm a Rice? Because your father despises my family?" he asks, his eyes burning on mine. Again, I just nod. "I love you. I've always had" he says as he leans forward to kiss me. "Who cares about what your father says. About our families' history. This about you and I. About us. Please say yes. Please" he whispers before kissing me. It's a soft kiss. A true love kiss. I let him go for way too long, probably giving him hope. But I know this will be the last one, and I want to remember everything about it. Every tiny detail. "Please say yes" he says again.
"I can't Declan, I'm sorry" I say as I break apart from him and move to the door, the tears back in my eyes.
"So this is it, then?" he asks. I can hear the way his heart is breaking, making mine break too. "You are giving up on us and choosing to live a miserable life with a man you don't love."
"Yes, I am. You knew there never was a future for us, Declan. You say you love me, but this was just a summer fling. Passion, desire. Not love" I know that all that is a lie, but I had to say it. It is the best for both of us.
"You are a coward, little poppy."
"I am" I say as I walk out of the door. Once I'm outside I start running. I run, and I cry, and I scream until my throat hurts. Anything to stop me from feeling the pain in my heart.
YOU ARE READING
Little Poppy
Romance♚ Period drama ♚ Summary: "My family and the Rice's have been enemies since forever, and it all started because a Rice ancestor married the woman my ancestor was supposed to marry. The thing is though, that over the years, some members of both fami...
