A Secret Love

Chapter Thirteen

As I neared the last step, I couldn't help but to ease drop just a slight bit. What I heard, surprised me.

"Father, are you sure you want Zaylin married off so quickly? She should at least get another year to choose whom to marry." I heard my brother respond.

"She has supposedly chosen already, but maybe if I give her another year, I can make her choose Gareth." my father answered.

"No, you can't make Zaylin marry Gareth! He's perverted and rude." Caiden said forcefully.

I was shocked by his tone of voice because it sounded rather dark. It scared me a little bit, but I continued to listen to the conversation.

"I don't think he is rude at all. In fact, he was rather polite when he talked to me about marrying her."

"That was an act Father, I promise. He is trying to get Zaylin to marry him so that he can do whatever he wants to her. I think he could possible kill her if he wanted to."

"I think you are lying!" our father growled. I knew that I had to quickly stop the argument.

I walked into the room and said, "Caiden, how about you and Claire go into your room while Father goes to relax?" I suggested.

They all turned to look at me, pure shock on their faces. I waited to see if they would do as I suggested and for a minute it seemed they weren't. Then, my father walked off and went into his home office. I sighed in relief.

"Zaylin, would you please show Claire and me our room?" Caiden asked tightly, and I guessed he was still angry at Father for trying to make me marry Gareth.

"Of course, follow me." I told them as I got off the stairs and walked down the hallway and led them to Caiden's old bedroom.

"Zaylin, why is Father insisting that you marry Gareth?" Caiden asked me when we stopped outside his bedroom door.

"Gareth has a lot of money and will make Father have more status by being his father-in-law." I answered, sighing.

"I never thought Father would be so selfish as to give you to a self centered, rude, arrogant person for money and status!" Caiden practically yelled, furious.

"Caiden, I promise I am not marrying Gareth." I took a deep breath, thinking about what I was about to tell him. "Caiden, what would you do if I said I loved a Turner?"

Caiden looked at me for a moment as different emotions danced across his eyes. He looked confused, shocked, angry, and then calm in a matter of seconds. "Do you like a Turner?" he questioned so calmly, I almost wished he was shouting at me.

"Why don't we talk about this after the ball?" I suggested, regretting bringing it up.

"I want to talk about it now." Caiden argued.

"I want to move in with you and I may want to bring a friend..."

"What friend?" he asked sternly.

"Xavier Turner, my fiancé," I whispered so quietly I don't think he heard me.

"What?! You can't marry him, it's not right!"

"Caiden, I love him and I want to! I can't stay here any longer and you don't truly care about the fact he is a Turner."

"You can't get married so young!"

"You did, and you and Claire seem really happy together. Besides, if I stay Father will continue to do this to me!" I shouted as I pushed my hair away from my face, showing off my bruised cheek.

Caiden and Claire take in a huge breath at seeing my cheek.

"You can come live with us after the ball, but not Xavier."

"I am not going then. You have to let Xavier come too, or I stay here."

"You can't be serious," Caiden argued, sounding shocked.

"I am. He has to come with us. I love him Caiden and I need him."

"Caiden, I think it's a good idea. I mean, they are already engaged and they really seem like they love each other." Claire put in.

Caiden was silent for a little while. He eventually took a deep breath and said, "I guess Xavier can come as well."

"Thank you, Caiden!" I said, jumping into his arms and hugging him