"No. I'm simply saying what you should know and not do in case... "
She glared at him trying to snatch the key from him. "I need the key-"
"No, Angeline," he spoke in a stern voice. "You're not going anywhere. We will go inside, and you will face your guests... "
She was dumbfounded. The refusal was on the tip of her tongue while her eyes painted the formality on the man's clothes. She didn't mind a while ago, but now she was looking at him thoroughly from the shape of his face to the cream color of long sleeves combined with the black trousers. She was eyeing him entirely now. Then her palm touched her forehead in dismay. She felt her throat shrink as their eyes collided. She did not want to acknowledge the thought running through her mind. She was not expecting the man to see in their garden. He was never in their yard when it was past six in the evening. But why this time? And why do the formal get up as if?
"Wait, you are confusing me..." she started. "Are you one of grandma's visitors?" Her eyes widened in disbelief when he nodded slowly. "B-but...No..." Her heartbeat accelerated as she watched him walk closer, but she pulled back.
"I'm the man... The guy," he declared, observing her.
The expression on her face was utterly shocked, paled. And Speechless.
"If that's what you're trying to figure out... Or already figured out but not accepting the fact."
"The guy...?" She repeatedly said, appearing to suffocate in her throat. "You...You?"
"Precisely, Angeline..."
"N-no. You're just making a prank." Shaking her head. "Can't be. Tell me; it's not true."
"Look, I have no spare time to waste on such nonsense. And I'm not starting it with you."
"Then you're the only grandson of my grandmother's best friend?"
"Yes. Come..." He held out his hand to her. "We can talk about them later. They're all awaiting us. Shall we? "
"My sisters are in there. You have to choose between them. Count me out... "
"Let me be the judge of that. It's not wise to stay late at night just because you're avoiding a visitor. Come on, be nice to your guests."
Angeline hesitated for a moment. Instead of accepting his outstretched hand, she walked ahead of him to open the door to their home.
Angeline knew it was pointless to insist. But she was even more shocked when his hand glided towards her waist. Her head immediately tilted up to look at the face of the man walking beside her.
"Jacob..." She said in dismay while she stopped walking.
"Hmm?" He turned his head to look at her.
"Your hand..."
"My hand is okay where it is right now," he replied with a broad smile and pulled Angeline closer to his side. "Aren't we friends?"
"B-but of course..."
"And friends help each other, right?"
She smiled and nodded.
"Good," he said. "Now, let's join them. And let them know who would be my bride... "
A happy subtle smile played on her lips. She was sure that she had nothing to hide from Jacob's presence in their home. He will not choose her as his wife in achieving what their grandmothers wanted.
ANGELINE sipped the contents of the chalice she was holding. Her eyes wandered to where her oldest sister was from time to time. Alissa has been talking to Jacob since he left her side.
A sweet smile appeared on her lips as she saw Ashley approaching her.
"Do you think it's the two of them already?"
"There's no doubt that they will get married soon, Ash..." she replied with a broad smile to her elder sister, who was two years older than her. " It's not surprising because there has always been something going on between those two."
Ashley raised an eyebrow slightly at her statement. "Not too sure about that, Angeline. As far as I know, everything is one-sided..."
"What do you mean one-sided?"
"I'm pretty sure that only Alissa is ecstatic when she finds out who the man is. Did you notice earlier that Jacob greeted her casually? I see no sign that he likes our sister romantically."
"Maybe he's just a reserved type?" She suggested. "Michelle told that he's not a romantic guy."
"Alas, I have to defend myself even more if that man chose me," Ashley said with difficulty. "I don't want to marry a man like that. Not romantic would be a boring marriage."
Angeline wanted to laugh at her sister's reaction.
"Wait a minute, didn't your former best friend mention that Jacob had a girlfriend who traded him for someone else?"
"My, that's been a long-time issue. Jacob and Michelle didn't become sweethearts, did they? I mean, is it true that Michelle ditched him?"
"Sometimes, you get caught up in the news. I recently saw Jacob and that woman together in a hotel. "
"If they are together with that woman now, why is he here? Agreeing with what her grandmother wants to happen? "
"That was what I'm trying to figure out. Maybe like us, Jacob follows his Nana to marry one of us. Will you agree if he chose to marry you? "
Her eyes widened at the same time as the intense shake. "No way. No, no... "
"No way? You knew that grandma would not accept that reaction? We shouldn't refuse, should we? Even when mom and dad were still alive, granny gave her wishes."
"Will you?" She countered.
"That never crossed my mind," Ashley's smiles were mystical. "I feel that it's only between you and Alissa. I seem to have an idea of who between you two. "
Angeline smirked, her eyes wondering at the whereabouts of Alissa and Jacob. She was even more shocked and wanted to regain sight when she realized that the man they were talking about was looking at them.
"You know, don't be angry. But I prefer to think that you are the one Jacob wants to marry, "Ashley continued.
"Me?" Her eyes widened.