Last Tulip

Chapter 2: Let's Talk

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Talia
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"What did you say?" Julian asked for the sixth time now.

"I said, I'm getting married." I answered, for the sixth time, loudly and clearly.

"WHAT!" ouch, my ears hurt.

"Julian, don't shout, you're on speaker phone."

"Yeah, right. Like I didn't know your room is soundproof." that's my best friend, no secrets that he didn't know. Well, except this secret. "Anyway, how did this happen again?" I sighed.

It was already 10:00 PM, and I am in my bedroom talking to my best friend, Julian, on the phone. I barely see him these days. He's always with his father, training with him, and I am always with mine. It was two days after the dinner and I needed someone to talk to so I called him.

"I kept on repeating this to you in the past hour and a half now." I pointed out. "Uncle Frederick and Dad wanted to merge their hotels and wanted me and that mαn-wh0re Marcus to run it in the future." I explained, again.

"I know Uncle Dominique is strict but, an arranged marriage? Seriously?" he questioned

"Why don't you ask dad about it, maybe he'll answer you." I said sarcastically.

"No thanks, I don't want to get killed yet." he surrendered

"Where are you right now? I want to talk."

"We are talking, Lia" he said

"No! I mean face to face. You know I don't want to get married to a total stranger." he sighed

"Lia, I can't see you right now, I am not in the States. I am training here in Italy."

"Why the heck are you training there?"

"Wines, Lia. Best wines are in Italy. Dad wanted me to learn them and try mixing some new combinations." he explains.

"Oh." I am disappointed. I need him right now. "So you won't be here for my wedding, then?"

"Like you are excited for it." I know he's smirking. "When is it going to be held anyway?"

"A week from now. In The Garden's grand ballroom."

"Oh, Jenny's? She knows about this?"

The Garden is owned by my good friend, Jennifer Hale. She inherited it from her grandmother, her mother does not do weddings and decides to be a model so Jenny runs it now. She loves weddings and also love planning them.

When my mother said it will be held there, I thought Jenny knows and didn't tell me. But mom clarified it that Jenny was informed a day after I knew about the agreement.

"No, Jenny knew a day after I've known. Turns out, they have been planning this wedding for 3 months now, and didn't even bother to tell me."

"Oh, how did she take it?" he asks

"She called me right away. Then she dug a hole in my eardrums." I said and he laughed. We both knew Jenny will be furious once secrets are kept from her.

"That's Jenny alright. So, you're still going through this wedding?"

"Like I have a choice." then silence.

"Julian, I better get some sleep. We've been talking for 2 hours now and I have work tomorrow."

"Yeah, head to bed now, Lia. Maybe you can ask your girls, to hangout tomorrow night. You know, have a talk with them, and ask some advice for that new life ahead of you."