Filled with mixed emotions, she looked at the man standing beside him. she simply can"t believe what had happened and what was happening around her. earlier, she"s been sobbing silently due to the fact that she was about to be tied down to a stranger for the rest of her life. And she had never thought that such a turn of event could happen.Did she just marry the man that she truly loves? But what happen? How did this come to pa.s.s? Then she looked at Jane who was standing in a corner, observing everyone in front. She was smiling at her. But halt! Is that Sahaya beside Jane? She was in deep thought.
"Mom, I have yield on you and father"s wishes. But I"m sorry that I couldn"t do this." the supposed groom uttered.
"Anton! You had just brought such a huge shame on our family! How could you do this to us?!" the mother was hysterically yelling.
"Is that more important to you? is your status more vital than your son"s life?" he was disappointed.
"The tradition was created to protect you. this is for your own good, Anton, Lisa." Sonia interrupted. "We can still fix this…"
"No!" Anton yelped. "Do you really think that this d.a.m.n tradition is protecting us?" his voice was sarcastic. "Then let me be a living proof that this tradition sucks and is working the other way around!"
"Anton!" his mom tried to stop him. "Enough of this nonsense! Stop embarra.s.sing yourself and your family! Let"s head home and talk about this."
"You have to hear the truth before you continue destroying your children"s lives!" he shouted then everyone went silent even the people who were murmuring.
"I almost killed myself because of you meddling with my life. if Caleb and Jane came a minute late, then you should have attended a funeral and not a wedding today." Anton stared at Caleb who was standing silently beside Lisa, who seemed to be lost on her own world. He smiled and nodded as a sign of his grat.i.tude.
"What?" every person in the church held their breaths. They couldn"t believe what they have heard.
"I was so devastated and more than depressed. I had no one to talk to, no one wants to hear my thoughts, no one honors my own decision. My family was happy that they have found a good match for me but no one cared if I am happy. I had never wanted to marry a person whom I do not love because I"ll be more than happy if I will be with the woman I love. I couldn"t accept my fate and I hate my parents more than their tradition that"s why I wanted to commit suicide, hoping that my heart, my agony and my message will reach you. but I am thankful that Caleb and jane came into my rescue."
Then he looked at them both and kowtowed. "Thank you." he whispered.
"Aunt Sonia, Uncle Terry, Mom, Dad, please stop this craziness. Let your son and your daughter choose their own paths even in marriage. It"s not you will live a loveless marriage, it won"t be you who will suffer, it"s us because this is our life." he continued.
"I have also endured for 10 years, 10 d.a.m.n wasted years in my relations.h.i.+p." Jane added. She decided to share her own experience. "Mom, dad, do you know that I had been living as a battered wife for 10 whole years?" she started to sob. "And I couldn"t leave him even if I wanted to because I was thinking about your dignity! do you know how thick my make-up is right now just to hide all my scars from you?"
Then Jane started to wipe her facial make-up using her handkerchief. After a few seconds, the people in front grasped in surprise. The beautiful lady earlier was nowhere to be found. Black eye, old scars and bruises were all over her face and neck.
"If I take my clothes off, you"ll probably think as to why I am still alive up to this day." she continued. Lisa, who saw how her sister looks like right now, fell on her knees and cried. Was she suffering alone all this time? Caleb averted his eyes too. he couldn"t bear to see her current condition. If Jane"s husband is here with them right now, then probably he will kill him too.
Jane looked at her mom and dad who was staring at her unbelievingly. they couldn"t believe their eyes. the woman who was standing in front of them was far from the beautiful Jane that they have raised. Then her mom started to shed some tears.
"Now, tell me, would you like Lisa to have the same fate as me? a man who loves a woman couldn"t do this to his own wife. dad, have you ever hurt mom since you married her?" she asked.
Her dad shook his head. "No, because I love her." he guiltily replied.
"Do you know how I got these things? because my husband has been going out with his friends and was still dating her ex-girlfriend. do you know how insulting that was?" she was breaking.
"I-I"m sorry…" her mom Sonia cried out in despair. "I"m sorry. I didn"t know you"ve been suffering this much!" then she broke down.
"Is anyone of you here had the same experience under arrange marriage?" Caleb suddenly voiced. It was loud enough so the people at the back would hear it. and to everyone"s surprise, almost every woman who was present stood up.
"Don"t you think it"s time to abolish such tradition before it totally destroys your next generations?" Caleb suggested. "Give a careful thought about it before everything is too late. as for me, I know what I did isn"t good in your eyes but I won"t give up on her." then he looked at Lisa lovingly. "Whether you like it or not, I am your daughter"s husband from now on----unless Lisa declines."
Suddenly, everyone"s attention settled on Lisa. Eh? She was caught off guard.
Her eyes landed upon her mom who"s on her knees. She can see how desolate the woman is right now. then she stared at her dad who was tending her mom on her side. Grief and disappointment was painted all over his face. she doesn"t want to see more so she s.h.i.+fted her attention towards Jane who was looking at her as well. the pain and sorrow from her eyes are very evident but somehow, hope sparks a minute their eyes meet each other.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.
"Lisa…" Caleb stroke her sides and so she looked at him a bit confused.
"C-Caleb… Uhm…" she was breaking and seems to be gathering her thoughts. Unconsciously, she was able to get a glimpse of Sahaya, who was walking towards them. but she suddenly sat down at the long wooden chair. her face was plain emotionless; of course she should be since she shouldn"t understand what was happening around her. it"s pure adult stuffs! But she should not be hearing such things.
"Lisa, I may be okay with you marrying the man whom you love. but being a stepmom? That"s too much!" her mom shrieked when she noticed that Lisa made her resolved.
"What"s wrong with being a stepmom, mother?" Lisa finally uttered while her mom was surprising stun, even the people present was.
"But Lisa! Do you really think that his child will accept you as her mom? You should know and understand that mothers are irreplaceable!" Sonia continued.
"I won"t mind calling her mom… I like her." a tiny she voice suddenly interrupted. Then everyone glanced at Sahaya who stood up and was now walking towards Sonia and her husband.
"Grandma, grandpa… I like aunt Lisa and my deceased mom likes her a lot too. Same with my daddy, he loves her very much and I won"t mind calling her momma. I don"t want to see my dad crying anymore that"s why I wanna ask your permission to let mommy Lisa marry my dad." Sahaya pleaded like a matured adult possessed by a young lad"s voice.
And with a puppy-teary eye, she looked at their eyes once again. "I promise not to be naughty and I will be good to her. I will listen to all that she says. Can I have her as my mom?"
Caleb suddenly chuckled lightly. Ah, her daughter does know how to act. If she wants to be an actress in the future, then he will definitely support her. ah! The atmosphere, Caleb can sense victory all of a sudden!