Jacqueline's POV
" Jacqueline Valentina Knight!!!!" I swear I never knew my name could sound so terrifying. It echoed throughout the house as soon as I set my foot on the threshold of my home. My hands instinctively shot up to my ears to prevent the unwelcomed noise. " Yes, dad...." I stretched the word dad, intentionally making him annoyed and irritated. " What did you say to Benjamin!?" he gritted out. " Who's that?" I asked getting genuinely confused. My father took a deep breath in to cool down his nerves, I am guessing. After, managing to calm himself down he motioned me to come near him.
" Darling, please just tell me what happened," he asked in a soft voice. " Was he rude to you? Is that why you rejected him?" he asked placing his hands on my shoulders.
Oh, so Mr grumpy pants has already contacted my father. That's fast.
A slowly lifted my head to look at the man who I aspire to become. My heart swelled looking at the concern and love he had for me in his blue orbs. I smiled at him before cupping his face. " Dad, he merely talked anything and I swear if anything, I must have been the rude one not him and you know why I act like that," I said giving him a knowing look. He scowled and turned away from me.
" If that's the case. Then, it has to change" he said with a determined face. Well, I never go down without a fight. So, here you go dad. " And why is that?" I smirked at him. " Jacqueline....this is not a joke...I am being serious here. I thought we already discussed it" he said looking straight at the wall ahead of him. " Yes, dad I agree we discussed but you took the decision. I never agreed with this" I deadpanned making him grunt in return.
" Jacqueline....please try to understand darling. I am worried for your future. The only person you have right now is me. What will happen to you when I am no more?" he said pulling my hands into his hand. I don't want to think about the day I would lose my father. I am still not over losing my mother. Now, I can't afford to lose my father. However, I didn't let his words affect me. " Who said you're the only one I have dad? " I quirked an eyebrow at her and he shot me a confused look in returnn. " I have Murphy with me. Right Murphy?" I asked looking at our golden retriever and my boy barked in return while I winked at him. " Quit joking Jacqueline!" he said in a desperate voice. Okay, let's get things straight.
" Dad, if that day that you mentioned ever comes then I would find peace within myself and move on with my life" I said giving him a broken smile.
" NO! You can't talk like that. You need to have a family. Who, would be there for you. Support you. Care for you. Hold you before you fall and stay by your side no matter what happens" he said trying to put some sense into me. However, it was a futile effort. I had my goals and priorities in check. Getting married and having a family was never one of them and it's high time my father gets it.
" Dad, I understand what you're trying to say. I completely get it but I don't want any of those. I want to support myself. I want to carry my own burden. I want to live independently. Isn't that how you brought me up, dad? Strong. Independent. Bold. Brave" I said giving him my award-winning smile. He shook his head and massaged his temples. " Add another word in that list of yours," he said still rubbing his temples. " And that is?" I said quirking one of my brows. " STUBBORN," he said and left to his study.
I signed deeply. What can I say? I inherited that trait from him. I know he's upset with me for now but it won't take him long to check on me again to see whether I took my dinner or not. He is a loving and caring father and sometimes I take advantage of it. What? Hello...he is my father. So, I have all the rights to take advantage of him. However, even though I know he won't stay mad at me for long, I still felt like I owe him an apology.
I am sure he will understand me and stop talking about marriage for some time until I find a better reason to avoid marriage talk forever. God, please shower my head with good ideas for future reference.
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John Crawford Knight ( Jacqueline's father)
" What am I going to do with her Madeline?" he mumbled to his wife's picture resting on his study table. He sighed and his eyes caught the sight of the envelope resting on his table. He grabbed the envelope and looked at it with a solemn expression. " Jacqueline, why don't you get it? I am doing all this only for your betterment my child. I know you can't take it if I tell you the actual truth behind me forcing you into this marriage but I have no choice dear. I can't see you suffering in future when I am not there by your side" he said looking at the papers in his hands with a heavy heart.
" I will only be in peace after I know you have been happily married," he said closed his eyes tightly but I single tear rolled down his eyes even without him noticing it. " Looks like Romeo is missing his Julient " he was suddenly pulled out from his moment of reverie when he heard his daughter's sweet voice. However, he remained unfazed about it. If she was stubborn then let him remind her who's the boss in this game.
" Come on dad. Please don't give me that long face. You look ugly with that face" she said and pitched both his cheeks. He swatted her hand and turned away from her with a grumpy expression but she decided to annoy him more by tickling him. That made him give up on his failing act and he laughed out loud throwing his head back. " Okay! Okay! I give up. Now, stop tickling me" he said wiping off the tears formed at the corner of his eyes due to laughing. " Now, that's my boy" she smiled patting his back.
Third Person's POV
He looked at his daughter with adoration. She was the only remembrance of his deceased wife. The way how his daughter's amber eyes twinkled whenever she saw him was proof of the gift she received from his lovely wife. His heart sank thinking about his wife not being fortunate enough to look at their princess growing up. He gently smoothed his daughter's wild locks and caressed her head tenderly as she laid her head on her father's lap with her eyes closed.
For others this might have looked weird because it's something a mother would normally do for her kids but in her case it was her father whoo was always by her side, listening to the story and complaints she had up her sleeves. He had always tried his level best to care for his sweet daughterr in the absence of his wife and she was more than grateful to the Angels above her for gifting her such an amazing father.
" Jackie...." he whispered at his daughter who was slowly slipping into the world of nothing with warmth coming from her father. " Hmmm" she mumbled with her eyes still closed. " I understand that you want to live independently without anyone's help and I am proud of the way how you think but life isn't about always caring your own burden, darling. It's about sharing it with someone whom you think will make your life blissful. I don't want you to survive Jacqueline. I want you to live your life" he said caressing her head.
Even with the strong urge to embrace the darkness, she still pushed her self to listen to whatever her father had to say. " Just please for this once think about it, darling. Benjamin is an amazing guy and I can assure you that you will have a wonderful life with him. Please sweetheart, just listen to me for this once and trust me you wouldn't regret it" he almost begged her and let go of the breath that he was holding on from just now.
She was too tired to say anything at the moment. Her mind started clogging with sleep and her vision slowly started to become blurry. " Ok, dad. Whatever you say" she sighed. Well, it's not like he is gonna get me married the next day itself after I agree right? Also, as far as I knew marriage needs consent from both the parties. Even if I do agree, what are the chances of Mr Grumpy pants agreeing to this marriage? 0℅? Who cares anyways and with the way he acted today, I have full hopes that he would definitely fight tooth and nail to stop this ridiculous thing which they call as marriage. He would, wouldn't he?
That was the last time on her mind before she finally lose the battle with the darkness that was slowly approaching her.