It was already late in the evening when the banquet is over.
Natalie has already changed her dress into pajamas. She was just about to close her eyes to sleep but she remembers that she had not thanked yet her parents for tonight's party.
Natalie raised her body and jump out of the bed. She opened her bedroom door and headed to the master's bedroom. She was about to knock on the door but she realized it was slightly opened.
Natalie lightly pushed the door but she froze when her mom suddenly speaks with her voice raised.
Are they fighting? Natalie asked her self.
"You're going to do this?!" Natalie's mom, Mrs. Claire Zhuang asked.
"She is already in her legal age and Natalie has matured already! I know she will understand me." Mr. Tony Zhuang replied.
"My God Tony! You want our daughter to marry a man whom she doesn't love?!" Mrs. Zhuang asked with an unbelievable expression.
"This is for her good! She is our only child and the only heiress of our Zhuang family! She needs someone who knows about the business'." Chairman Zhuang explained.
"For her good?! Really?!" Mrs. Zhuang asked sarcastically.
"Do you know what I am thinking? You're selling your daughter through arrange marriage!" Mrs. Zhuang yelled.
Natalie automatically staggered back with her startled expression.
My dad is planning for an arrange marriage?
Natalie shook her head a few times when the word 'arrange marriage' registered to her mind.
No! It can't be!
I... I won't marry a man whom I don't love! Never!
Natalie runs back to her bedroom and locked her self.
She slowly sits on her bed while she is in a daze.
Am I just a part of the business?
Does my Dad treat me as just part of the business?
He wants me to get married for the business' sake?
How about me?
How about my feelings?
Can't I decide for my self?
Can't I choose the man I want to marry?
Can't I have the freedom to choose someone I love?
Natalie took a deep breath.
No!
I can't let this happen!
I won't let anyone manipulate my life!
Not even my father!
Natalie did not sleep for the whole night.
Her thoughts are filled with the conversation of her parents after the banquet.
She also thinks of a way to escape from the arranged marriage that her father is planning.
----
At nine the next morning, Natalie has a self-defense class.
She was almost kidnapped when she was young, so aside from her four bodyguards, her parents let her learn self-defense to defend her self from the people with ill intentions.
But this morning, she just wanted to release all her frustration.
The conversation between her mother and father flashed in Natalie's mind.
She did not sleep all night, she's thinking of a way out!
A way out from her father's manipulation!
She will never marry a man whom she doesn't love!
She doesn't even know the identity of the man that her father wanted her to marry!
Just thinking of the scene sleeping with a stranger is giving her goosebumps!
"Ha!" Natalie kicked the breaking board and vent her frustration on it.
"Ha! (Kick!)"
"Ha! (Kick!)"
"Ha! (Kick!)
Natalie continued kicking another breaking board one after the other.
She did not stop until she vents all her frustrations away.
After the breaking board, Natalie moved to a punching bag.
Punch!
Punch!
Punch!
She continued to punch, she did not stop even though she's already sweating!
She only stopped what she's doing when she feels her chest lighten up a little bit. But it doesn't change her decision to escape.
She wiped her sweat with a towel and opened bottled water and drank it.
She picks up her phone and dialed Henry's phone number.
She already has a plan of how to escape from the engagement.
But, she needs Henry's help. At times like this, Henry is the only one who can help her.
Natalie waited for the other line to ring.
After a while, Henry picks up her call.
"You missed me already?" Henry teased her from the other line.
Natalie twitched her mouth. " Eh! Look who is talking?! If I know, you were waiting for my call since you woke up! Hahaha!" Natalie replied with a short laugh.
Henry did not reply, he just smiled and touched the photo of a young girl in the picture frame.
"Eh!, Henry, can we meet this morning?" Natalie asked.
"Why? Are you not satisfied with my voice?" Henry teased her again.
Natalie rolled her eyes.
Aish!
This guy doesn't know anything but to tease me whenever we talk!
Natalie secretly said to her self.
This is the kind of relationship that she and Henry had.
They love to bully and tease each other. And every time he teased her she would never back off!
"Hey, Henry!" Natalie called Henry with her sweet voice. "You are right! I missed you and I want to see you my Gēgē! (She mean like a blood related older brother.)"
Henry's shoulder automatically dropped! And his heart sank!
'Gēgē!'
He hates this word whenever Natalie says it!
Does she have to call me Gēgē [older brother] !?
When will she realize that I am her ideal man?
Should I knock her head to make her realize that?
Henry sigh, he felt helpless.
He has been trying to show his feelings for her a few times, but she is too dumb to realize it.
"Alright, alright! You can meet me at my place, just stop calling me Gēgē! It's making my ears bleed!" Henry complained.
Natalie revealed a wide smile. I know how to beat him! Natalie thought.
"Alright! I'm currently at my self-defense class, but I'm done. I'll just go home for a while and change my clothes. Wait for me there! I'll go to your place." Natalie said and then she ended the call without giving Henry a chance to the response.