LOVE YOU, UNCLE

Ghea Mariana seemed to lazily descend the stairs to make her way to the dining room. Before heading to college, her parents had always insisted that she have breakfast together with the rest of the family.

Actually, today Ghea was feeling quite uneasy. A few days ago, her relationship had just ended after her boyfriend was caught with another woman. Ironically, it was the guy who decided to break up as if he were innocent.

“Papa, I heard you just broke up with Rio?”

Ghea immediately frowned. Just as she sat down, instead of a morning greeting, her father was to the point, asking about her recent breakup. Moreover, how did he even know about this?

“Why is Papa suddenly talking about the breakup? It’s still early, Pa. You’re killing Ghea’s mood right away.”

Maxwell Denovan, a Chinese descent man who was Ghea’s father, chuckled. Perhaps he found it amusing to see his youngest daughter’s openly expressed annoyance.

“Papa just wanted to make sure before telling you something important.”

“Ghea just broke up, Pa. That Rio guy got caught cheating with a woman who’s still a friend of Ghea’s. And then, he arrogantly broke up with Ghea as if he did nothing wrong!”

Mario, Ghea’s older brother, answered casually while taking a bite of her food. He knew about her sister’s recent breakup and confirmed their father’s question.

“Oh, it’s not entirely Rio’s fault. Ghea is the one who was too obsessed with chasing after a popular guy. She should’ve known it was out of her league. Still couldn’t resist.”

Giselle, Ghea’s second sister, chimed in. Compared to the caring Mario, her stepsister had a more straightforward manner. When she spoke, she sounded like a nosy neighbor commenting on someone else’s life.

Ghea Mariana herself was the result of a past secret relationship between Maxwell Denovan and his secretary, Amanda Chloe. After giving birth to Ghea, her mother passed away. Ghea was briefly placed in an orphanage, but Maxwell, who discovered her existence, immediately took her home to be raised together with his wife and their two other children.

Although there was strong initial resistance, Clara Moses, Maxwell’s legal wife, eventually gave in. She accepted Ghea’s presence in their small family.

“Can Mario and Giselle please be quiet?”

“No, we can’t,” Mario shook his head. “We can’t stay quiet when we see our little sister being played by a jerk like Rio. You should’ve let me handle him.”

“Mario, Ghea, that’s enough!” Clara reprimanded her child when she noticed them starting to argue. “Can you save your fight for later? Your father has something important to say, so please listen first.”

Both immediately nodded. Ending their dispute, they both refocused on listening to their father speak.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“Actually, this morning, I have something very important to convey, and it’s specifically for you, Ghea.”

Ghea’s eyebrows furrowed. Suddenly, she felt uneasy.

“What important thing, Papa? Please don’t beat around the bush like that. Ghea is getting worried.”

Maxwell smiled. He then picked up a white envelope that he had placed next to the glass of water. Without hesitation, he handed it directly to his daughter to open and see its contents.

“Here, you open it first and see what’s inside.”

Ghea accepted the envelope and impatiently opened it, revealing its contents.

“A photo? Whose photo is this, Pa?” She asked, puzzled. From the picture, she could see a man in a white casual suit, riding a horse while holding a bow and arrow.

“That’s Randy Walters,” Maxwell replied. “The heir to the Akasia Corp business, a subsidiary of the Walters Group. Randy’s parents and I were friends back in school and college.”

“Okay, Then? What does it have to do with Ghea? Why is Papa showing this photo?”

Beside Ghea, Mario, who had been eating, now had a mischievous smile. She thought, “Why doesn’t the little sister understand the clear purpose and direction of their father’s words?”

“Can’t you see what Papa means?”

“Not at all,” Ghea replied, shaking her head. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed and didn’t want to think too deeply at the moment.

“Papa wants to set you up with Randy, Ghe,” Mario continued. “That’s why you were called here and asked to see a photo of your potential husband.”

“Huh? An arranged marriage?”

“Yes, Ghea, my dear. You’re being set up,” Giselle added with a wide grin on her face.

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not funny,” Ghea protested.

“I’m serious. Just ask Papa,” Mario insisted.

In that instant, Ghea was taken aback. Why had her father, who had always been modern in his thinking, suddenly become so traditional and wanted to arrange a marriage for her with a stranger?

As far as Ghea remembered, her father had always allowed his children to choose their own partners. After all, Mario could date multiple people until she found the right person without any protests. Giselle could choose her partner according to her heart’s desire.

Was it because she was the result of a secret relationship that she was given restrictions on choosing a partner? Because honestly, from childhood to her current age of 23, everything had always been arranged by her father or stepmother.

“Papa is joking, right?” Ghea asked with a serious expression. “We’re not in a Snow white Story. Arranged marriages are no longer relevant in modern times. Even Cinderella doesn’t bother with glass slippers anymore. Do you really think I should be forced into an arranged marriage? Besides, I haven’t finished my college yet.”

“I know,” Maxwell replied. “But, this time, Ghea, I’m not joking. I want you to meet and get to know Randy in person this weekend. I’m sure you’ll be interested in him.”

“But why, Pa? Why go for an arranged marriage?”

Ghea shook her head, genuinely puzzled by her father’s current mindset. Furthermore, it was as if her father had suddenly decided to arrange a marriage out of the blue, without any reason or warning.

Moreover, Ghea had plans to finish her college and pursue her postgraduate studies in the UK. Getting married would likely derail those plans.

“So that you won’t make the wrong choice again.”

It was Mario who kept responding to Ghea’s questions instead of their father. It wasn’t surprising, as her older sister loved dominating and provoking every conversation. In the end, Ghea would be the one caught in the crossfire.

“If it’s arranged like this, you can see right from the beginning what he’s all about. You won’t end up with a jerk like Rio again. Besides, the Walters family is well-known, Ghe. If you become their daughter-in-law, our family business shares will surely increase automatically.”

Ghea sighed repeatedly. She couldn’t help but feel like her life was turning into a TV drama. Out of nowhere, she was being arranged to marry a wealthy man for business expansion.

“Why not have Mario or Giselle marry into the Walters family for business purposes?” Ghea retorted. “I’m still in college, and as you and Mario know, I want to continue my postgraduate studies in the UK.”

“The problem is, your brother and sister already have their own partners. As for your studies, you can still continue them after getting married. So, for this arranged marriage matter, let’s make you the sacrifice,” Mario teased while laughing.

“Enough… enough…” Maxwell interjected. He called his children to stop the debate. Then, he looked straight at Ghea and continued speaking.

“Please, Ghea, follow my request this time and meet Randy this weekend. I’ve already made a promise to Aunt Verona, Randy’s mother. Besides, it’s just a meeting to get to know each other.”

“Does that mean I’m not obligated to marry this man?” Ghea asked for clarification. To avoid any misunderstandings, she wanted to know from the start.

“Well, if you can, you should catch his attention, Ghe.”

Mario interrupted once again. For some reason, his only brother was being particularly annoying today. Well, no, Mario was always annoying at all times. The guy loved to push around her favorite sibling.

“Listen, Ghea. Randy is choosy, and he’s also known to be a playboy.”

Ghea was shocked at that moment. Did her sister really want to ruin her or something?

“Isn’t it weird, Mario? You said you didn’t want me to end up with a jerk, and now you’re agreeing to set me up with a playboy?”

“Because Randy is a playboy, which means he likes to change partners frequently. He’s not a womanizer or a cheater like your ex. Plus, Randy is wealthy, Ghe. So, his playboy status is forgivable.”

“Totally Crazy!”

“Enough,” Maxwell said once more. “In any case, this weekend, you must meet Randy. Don’t refuse, and especially, don’t embarrass me.”

Reluctantly, Ghea agreed. When given such an order, she had no choice but to comply.