𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒

Chapter 2

"Both of you are going to get married."

Silence is filled in the entire corner. None of the two certain persons are able to comprehend the words that the man just stated awhile ago. They just both look at Mr. Watsons with a confusion and shocked reaction.

All of the series of events are just too fast to comprehend in just one sitting and seconds. None of them couldn't catch up about the unexpected announcement. Within just a span of seconds, two lives changed forever.

"I beg your pardon?" Seraphina asked again, wishing that she just misheard her father's words. She took a deep breath and released a shaky sigh.

"I said the two of you are going to get married." Warnold stated casually without any problem. Not even hesitating to give her daughter to a stranger to her daughter's life. "Please, tell me that I am not hearing things." Seraphina pleaded, the desperation in her voice was audible. Ashford just looked at her with a guilty face. "You are not." Warnold coldly uttered.

"Zachariah, do you have any words that you wanna express right now?" Yohan Ashford asked genuinely, the father of Zachariah. "I'm sorry for being silent. I got carried away by the message. I clearly didn't expect this." Zachariah softly said, he stared at Seraphina with a worry in his eyes.

"We are deeply sorry for arranging the two of you to this. But, we have a reasonㅡ" Stephanie's words got quickly cuts off by Seraphina. "And what reason could that be that you're willing to force your own daughter to marry a man who is just a stranger to me, without my knowledge?" Seraphina furiously said, her calm aura was now replaced by wrath. Her face is now red because of how mad she was. She felt hurt and betrayed.

"As you already know that our company is on the verge of falling. So, we think that this is the best solution to bring our company from its original place. By merging the two companies into an insperable brigade. And you're close to being thirty, I think the two deserve each otherㅡ" Warnold gotd cuts off by the sarcastic laughed of Seraphina. He has never seen this side of her daughter. Seraphina was that kind of woman that is well-educated and professional. She is a reseverd person, modest, demure, and self-contained.

"That's why I'm working my heart and mind out to fix that problem! But none of you even cared, none of you didn't thought of me. None of you cares, but I didn't cared. Now, you're marrying me with that man Zachary?ㅡ" The gentle voice corrected in a  sudden. "It's Zachariahㅡ" "Shut the hell up!" Seraphina yelled, and with that Zachariah immediately shut his mouth.

"The decision has already done. The two of you are getting married. That's final. I understand that you literally poured yourself to your work, but this is the easiest and fastest way to solve this. I hope you'll understand, Seraphina." Warnold stated in a monotone voice, not looking at her daughter with a fuming face.

"What about Zachariah? He still didn't give any words about this, maybe he wanted to refuse this too?" Seraphina immediately spoke, hoping that the certain man will decline this offer too, just like her.

After a long silence, Zachariah finally has spoken. "I... I will do what's good for us. But, Seraphina's decision is the important for me too. I don't have a problem in anything. I think that this will lead us to a view of different perspectives of a change of our lives." Zachariah genuinely spoke, making Seraphina scoff in annoyance. 'Why can't he just straightly say that he doesn't want this. Does he wants me to suffer more?' Seraphina thought angrily.

"Marriage is sacred and holy. And I have a good feeling for the both of you." Ashtonette warmly said while smiling to assure the two certain persons, but Seraphina was not in the mood for that kind of thing. That is bullsh*t. A waste of space and time.

"The two of you are going to get married in two weeks. I suggest that both of you must get to know more about each other, because you both will be spending with your better half after marriage." Yohan spoke breaking the tension and the heavy atmosphere.

"The two of you will spend some time for each other to strengthen your bond. I, your father will be doing your work for the mean time for your bond and 'getting to know' stages." Warnold mischievously spoke, without forgetting to give a smirk to her daughter who just rolled her eyes in frustration.

The two families shared a look from each other because of worry. They didn't intend to meddle with their children's life, but things didn't are way too hard right now. They must do an important decisions, to end the conflicts of their company.

The problem of the company are very hectic and chaotic. They know that Seraphina couldn't be able to handle this all by her own. Seraphina is the type of woman who wouldn't open to others, even how big the storm inside of hers, she wouldn't still seek for help. Instead, she will solve this by her own.

Their parents knew the behavior of their daughter. So, this is the reason why they're marrying her daughter off, so that she'll have a solace in someone. They know how workaholic their daughter is, and more over, Seraphina never wanted some relationship. It was not in her necessities.

"Zachariah and Seraphina, you can go outside or everywhere to have some private conversations." Ashtonette softly said while looking at Zachariah, only to receive a soft nod and 'yes' from Zachariah.  Now, Seraphina knew where Zachariah got his gentle and soft voice.

Zachariah went to Seraphina and asked carefully, "Do you want to go somewhere private?" Zachariah uttered with a gentle voice. Seraphina just looked at boredom before shooting a glare.

"I don't want you on my sight." Seraphina coldly said. Instead of being angry, Zachariah just smiled a little. Instead of finding her intimidating, he finds her... special.

Before Zachariah could comprehend, Seraphina already left to go outside leaving him completely alone. The parents of Seraphina apologized on behalf of their daughter for being so rude of the Ashford's only son.

Zachariah followed her immediately after bidding goodbyes to his parents as well as Seraphina's parents.