At that moment, Adam looked up, and not only observed his father, that ungrateful brat, and her trashy friend standing behind the Adam and Sebastian, but more importantly Sara.
Before he could react, Sara said, "Are you serious about that Sebastian?"
Sebastian turned around, spotted Sara standing behind him and quickly moved over gently kissing her on the cheek before saying "Absolutely. My parents wanted one of their sons to marry the daughter of the Meng family. And how long has we been girlfriend and boyfriend at school?"
Quietly Sara responded "Years."
"And you doubt how I feel about you?"
Shaking her head Sara answered "No."
At that moment, Chelsea having spotted Abigail standing with Cole, moved over, and spat out "Get in there you…"
"Chelsea!" came the reprimand from Cole.
"Father, as we told you this is Sara's party. Do not forget that this was planned before she came back…"
Abigail looked at Rebecca before saying "We will head in."
Cole, looked directly at Daniel, and in that moment, Daniel could see the unspoken question in Cole's eyes as to what he was going to do.
Daniel then turned and looked carefully at Sebastian, before realising that he was not going to be able to pull that stupid boy away from Sara, and said "Aunty, Uncle, how about I escort Abigail and Rebecca inside…"
"No!" came Chelsea's shocked response. "You and Sebastian need to accompany us in. She can go in on her own."
Daniel took a pace towards Abigail, and as he did so saw the momentary flash of hatred pass across Abigail's eyes as she looked directly at Chelsea. Interestingly as he turned and looked at Chelsea, she had not observed the look passing across Abigail's face. In that moment, Daniel found it interesting. Daniel slightly smiled at Abigail, hoping that it would reassure her, and as they eyes connected again, he noticed a small smile with the slightest of nods of her head.
Daniel calmly said "Aunty Chelsea, I will not do that. I have been very clear to you in my view, I will not stand in Sebastian and Sara's way, if being together it what they want…"
"That will be the case."
"If that is what is to be, but I am not going to give into the pressure to announce something that I believe is not in both their interests, while they still have to finish high school and make life choices."
"Your mother was my friend and she wanted…"
Firmly, Daniel responded "Indeed it is correct that my mother was your friend Aunty Chelsea, but before you go on about what Sebastian and my parents wanted…" With that Daniel paused and took two paces towards Chelsea before continuing "Both Sebastian and I, to achieve our potential with our studies and most importantly find the person we love."
"What does love have to do with anything?"
"Everything Aunty Chelsea, everything. Love, in a relationship provides the steady foundation for it throughout its life. And before you say anything, do not forget, while my parent's relationship was an arranged marriage to secure the business interests of both their families, they started out with respect, tolerance, and a true desire to help each other and see what happened. I have read my mother's diaries, and as she said they soon realised that what they felt was more than those words mean, they loved each other to the moment that they died."
Sebastian said "What?"
Turning and looking at him, Daniel slightly shook his head and Sebastian shrank back slightly as Daniel said, "We will talk about it at home, and I will show you the diaries."
With that Daniel turned back to Chelsea and said "Aunty Chelsea, what my mother regularly wrote in her diary that about having hopes about who we might marry, but she did not want us to feel forced into something because of those hopes. She wanted us to pursue our education, and most importantly in a relationship she wanted us to find love in a relationship like she had with father."
Seeing the stunned looks, Daniel took the opportunity to add "Now, when Sebastian turns eighteen, what happens will be his choice, and as he knows I will support him in whatever he chooses including becoming engaged to Sara. My only hope is that both he and Sara, if that is the choice they make, decide that they want to marry for the right reason, not because of expectation or the desire to fulfill what the believe is and arrangement for the two of them to marry."
Daniel, quickly moved and offered Abigail and Rebecca his arms, before saying "But I will let you make this day about Sara, because I know that is what you want to do, and will escort these two lovely ladies inside, while Sebastian can escort his girlfriend inside."
Taking the hint, before anyone could respond, Daniel, Abigail and Rebecca moved into the ballroom, and as they entered Rebecca after she had scanned the room quietly said, "I see someone I need to speak to," leaving Daniel and Abigail.