Chapter 43: Chapter 43

... I have a dream. You come in my dream. I have become yours and you have become mine in it and I wish that I will never wake up from it...

Evelyn POV:-

"Skyler!" I called out to my one-year-old daughter who has recently learned how to walk and grew 6 teeth. We all are amazed at the fact how she is growing that fast.

Since she is the only baby and the joy of the house she is near everyone's heart. I walked downstairs and saw Adrian and Lawrence playing tag with Skyler.

I sighed and bent and called her, "Skyler."

Upon hearing my voice she came running towards me and hugged me. I picked her up and tickled her. I kissed her forehead and took her with me to feed her. The hardest task ever.

"Skyler!" I called her name childishly so when she opened her mouth I could shove the spoon of vermicelli in her mouth and she did.

I fed her and after washing her face which was always decorated with the food she ate, We went down.

Adrian took Skyler from me and left me in the empty hall. I huffed and turned to see Aunt but Lawrence held me and pinned me to the nearest wall.

"Lawrence, what are you doing?" I whispered as he kissed my forehead. "You don't pay attention to me." He frowned.

I pinched his cheeks and said, "What a baby you are." He chuckled and leaned in to kiss. I also lean in and our lips are about touch but we heard a voice,

"I'm here! Brother, Evelyn." Danielle came out of nowhere. We pulled away awkwardly as I looked away.

Lawrence welcomed Danielle and excused himself and left as I went to greet her too and left to greet Aunt and Uncle too.

***

We all are gathered in the lounge. Father, Mother, Aunt Kyla and Camila and Uncle Shawn and Ray. And at the center of attention is our Skyler who was playing with Adrian and Danielle.

"Shut up Chicken!" Danielle scolds Adrian. "You too Flour!" They stopped bickering when Skyler put her hand over Adrian's mouth and scolded him, "Bad, Rian, no fight."

We all laughed. "You are on her side?" Adrian said, showing fake sadness.

She hugged him and said, "No fight." Adrian hugged her back and Uncle Shawn cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. We all looked at him as he said,

"Listen here, we all are here for a reason."

"Adrian you have turned 26 and Danielle is 23. You both are at the age of marriage." Uncle said again. By looking at Adrian's and Danielle's expressions I can tell they don't like where this is going.

"Ray, I ask for Danielle's hand in marriage for my son Adrian." Uncle Shawn firmly said and shocked everyone except the elders.

Adrian and Danielle looked at each other for a second. A silence fell upon the room. It's a call of a terrific storm because someone will burst.

First, Danielle stood up and left without saying a word. Adrian remained still as Uncle and Aunt went after Danielle. And Now, Lawrence stood up furious.

"Father, why are you doing this? One lesson is not enough for you?" Lawrence growled- referring to his marriage. "You are happy," Uncle said. "Yeah, but not with the person I was supposed to marry in the first place." He said in a low tone so Uncle Ray and Aunt Camila won't hear. I felt my heart ache at Lawrence's words. "This marriage will not happen if Adrian doesn't want to," Lawrence said firmly. We turned our attention to him. Skyler was clinging to him to take her out. He picked her up and said before leaving, "I can't marry Danielle."

"See. He doesn't want it."

"He can't see that he and Danielle are made for each other." Uncle tried to reason.

"And you can't see that he doesn't want it."

"So did you. But I'm happy." Uncle said. I bit my lips. Why is my accidental marriage coming in between?

"I wasn't supposed to marry Evelyn. So don't drag my marriage into this." Lawrence said.

I stood up and hugged Lawrence from behind. Lawrence stopped for a moment and turned to look at my lost self. He stared at me for a second and sighed.

"I'll never let Adrian marry someone without his consent. That goes for Danielle too." He said and we went to our room.

I don't know why but I am feeling so low like my energy is drained from me. Lawrence rubbed my back as we sat on the bed. I hugged him and snuggled with him. He ran his fingers through my hair and kissed my head.

"I am grateful to be married to you," I said.

"So am I," He said, holding my chin and lifting my head. He smiled and said,

"You entice me to immerse myself deeper in those pools of love that are made for me. And I love indulging myself in it." He said and I smiled. His one hand on my back and the other in my hair.

"The sweet addiction of mine that never ceases but increases every second, every moment." He said leaning. I closed my eyes as we kissed.

Our lips moved in sync as it gave me a divine feeling of salvation and gratification. We pulled away and looked at each other. "You are my blessing."

We both said simultaneously. We both laughed a little and he pulled me in his embrace. I closed my eyes and that feeling of serenity rushed in my every vein.

Our sweet moment ended when the door knocked. "Who is it?" Lawrence asked.

"Brother, Skyler is sleepy," Adrian said and I opened the door and took Skyler from Adrian. I closed the door and since I can't let her be alone in a room, I set her crib and all the stuff in our room.

I turned off the lights and wrapped my arms protectively around her and walked around the room. I began to hum while walking.

After a while, I can hear a snore. I gently placed her on the bed and laid with her. Lawrence grinned in glee and was about to touch Skyler but I held his hand,

"Don't you dare she has just slept," I growled. He chuckled and said, "Okay.." He smiled and held my hand and kissed it.

"I love you. Thank you for this benediction." I smiled and said, "I love you too and thanks for loving me so much."

As silence fell upon the room and I called Lawrence, "Lawrence, Are you awake?" He hummed in response and I spoke up,"Adrian and Danielle do seem like a couple."

"Yeah, just like we did." He said.

"But, unlike us, they usually fight." "I just hope that they don't get forced to marry," Lawrence said in worry.

"Yeah, Let's see what Danielle thinks about it... " I said.

"Yeah... Everything depends upon her answer." Lawrence said and Skyler moved a little and we both said, "Shh." We stopped talking and eventually fell asleep...

Danielle POV:-

I went to the garden when I heard that. I began to pant as my mind lost its senses. I will never marry Adrian. Never. Mother and father came and I glared at them, "What the hell was that? I will never marry him!" I said loudly.

"Danielle, lower your voice. Someone might listen." Father scolded me.

"Then let them listen! I. Won't. Marry. Him!" I shouted. "You will marry him. Or else forget that you have a father." Father said sternly. Mother held father's shoulder, "What are you saying, dear?" I know the father is short-tempered.

"Please don't do this father, I don't want to marry him," I begged. But father became oblivious to my cries as he said again, "Either you marry him or see my dead face."

My eyes widened in horror and my mother also began to cry.

"Don't talk like that.." I whispered. "Please, listen to your daughter." Mother also pleaded with father.

"I know what's best for her. And she will marry Adrian." Father said and left. Mother hugged me and I began to cry in her arms. She tried to soothe me but my tears didn't stop, even for a second.

And then, for a second, everything stopped as I lost my strength and my will. A strange numbness took over me, A feeling of being powerless and left with no choice but to obey filled me.

My hollow self pulled away from mother and left to my room without saying a word.Why me? Why do I have to marry the person I never want to?

I can never love him, he knows things about me that my future husband shouldn't know at all cost and the same goes for me as I know things about him that I wasn't supposed to know. I don't want to marry him.

Neither of us can do it... We can't.....