Arranged marriage : I hate you

Chapter 4

Jennie hadn't slept a wink by the time a low knock was sounded on her bedroom door. She kept silent, her eyes glued to the white ceiling. She turned her head to the nightstand to see that the clock read 07:25. She sighed deeply before sitting up on her bed and grabbing the framed picture just beside her bed.

It was a photo of her and Jude, her mother. They both looked so happy, so carefree. Jennie was wrapped inside her mother's arms. Even after so long, she often felt like the warmth of her mother's body against hers was still sinking into her skin.

Blinking her tears away, she got out of bed and headed to her en suit bathroom to shower.

After an hour, she walked downstairs to meet her parents. Her whole family was gathered in the living room. Peterson and his guards had already arrived. He looked to the girl when Jennie walked in, a small smile immediately creeping up his lips.

Jennie was beyond nervous. She couldn't even pack at night and was hoping to get time to pack this morning before her father in-law arrived, but she'd have to make them wait a little longer since they are already here. She had no intentions of fighting this man, nor did she have the energy to try and get herself out of this. As much as she wouldn't admit it, she feared that rebelling might put the life of her youngest brother in danger, and she didn't want that.

"Good morning," Jennie greeted quietly, tension weighing heavy in the room. Murrieta gave her a small sad smile. Her brothers hadn't noticed her but when she greeted, they both turned to look at her. Paul shooting her a thumbs up while Patrick jumped up from his seat and rushed to her, tightly wrapping his small arms around her legs.

Like Jennie, the boy got his father's shot height. Jennie froze, she never really knew how to react to Patrick's acts of affection. Usually, she'd gently push him away then ignore him for days. But today was different. Today she didn't push him away, but she didn't embrace him either. She just froze, a lump suddenly forming in her throat.

She gulped subtly before turning to Peterson who was carefully watching her every movement.

"I haven't packed yet," she admitted, her voice coming out lower than she intended it to. Peterson stood then, his height like that of a giant tree to the 17year old.

"Don't worry about that. Everything you need will be bought for you today. If there's anything that's missing, I'll make sure that you get it as soon as possible," Peterson assured her. As much as he wasn't giving her any choice, he didn't want her to be too frightened of him.

Jennie nodded then, her voice suddenly untrustworthy to her. She looked down at her youngest brother, he had his eyes closed as he clung onto her as if his whole life depended on her. He didn't exactly know what was going on, he was too young to understand anyways. But he could sense that something was off, and that whatever it was that wasn't quite right, it had to do with his beloved sister.

Jennie sighed painfully, her emotions suddenly rising. She was hurting. She tried to hide it, but Peterson was quick to see it. He saw a bit of his own child in the little girl, which is why he wanted her as his daughter-in-law. Although Joshua didn't know, Peterson already knew Jennie. He had done a background check on Joshua and his family way before he pretended to run into him. He knew that the man needed help, and he needed someone who would be able to understand his child, so he did what he does best, which is to manipulate every situation to make it work in his favor.

"Please get him off," Jennie told Murrieta, turning to look at her step mother before looking back down at her brother who had now tightened his grip around her legs. Murrieta heard the sadness in her stepdaughter's voice. It was very unnoticeable, but she caught it.

She stood up and walked to the girl, bending down to talk to Patrick better.

"Darling, let your sister go, she has to leave now," Murrieta said, her voice low and calm as she gently placed her hand on her son's back. Patrick shook his head no, his eyes still closed. Murrieta sighed. She never understood how her son could be so attached to Jennie when the girl kept pushing him away.

"Darling come on, don't be difficult now," Murrieta pleaded. She was getting frustrated.

Patrick opened his eyes then. He tilted his head back and looked up at Jennie before letting her go, only to open his small arms, showing her that he wanted her to pick him up. Jennie looked at everyone in the room, the boy's actions making her a bit emotional. He was making the whole thing harder than it already was for her.

Nonetheless, she bent down and picked him up, holding him close so that he wouldn't fall. The young boy gave her a quick hug before pecking her cheek and gesturing for her to put him down. Jennie was touched, and so was everyone else in the room.

As the boy ran out of the room, probably heading to his room to play, Jennie cleared her throat and decided that it was time to go.

"Can I get a few things? They're very important to me," she explained, hoping that the man would be generous enough to allow her to get back to her room. Peterson nodded gently, a small smile on his face.

Jennie turned and left the room. She felt like crying, but she quickly blinked any tear away. In getting to her room, she got a small bag. She tossed her accessories and her mother's photos in. She also grabbed her school stuff and school uniform, forgetting her school bag, before grabbing her phone and leaving the room. She was in her final year of high school, but wasn't sure she wanted to study further.

Her love and passion rested within the pages of her books. She loved reading but had a greater love for writing poems. Although this wasn't a bad thing, she couldn't help but feel as though her choice would disappoint her mother.

As Jennie sat alone in a car, with only the driver there, she kept her eyes out of the window and allowed herself to dream. There was a car full of guards following hers, and another at the front. That was where Peterson was.

As Jennie looked at the clear blue sky, she tried to keep her mind calm and settled by telling herself that she'd figure it all out, she always did.