Gabriella stared at the sumptuous, creamy chocolate cake in front of her, trying to organize the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in her mind like a blender gone haywire. After her meandering stroll along the snow-filled garden with Asher, she had been ushered to her own room within the castle. Thank the enchanted stars for that small mercy. At least she could finally have the time to think about her circumstances.
But amidst the luxurious trappings of her new surroundings, Gabriella couldn't shake the memory of her last earthly moment—the epic showdown with her mom.
"Go to this restaurant and meet my friend's son. He's a catch, with a stable income and an eagerness to start a family," her mom had declared with all the subtlety of a charging rhinoceros.
"Wait, what?" Gabriella's disbelief was palpable, her brow furrowing in confusion. She had only dropped by her parents' place as usual, expecting nothing more than a leisurely brunch. But a blind date ambush? Now that was a curveball worthy of a medieval romance plot twist.
Gabriella wasn't opposed to dating per se, but at this particular moment in her life, her focus was squarely on her career. She had been diligently climbing the corporate ladder, pouring her heart and soul into her work at the company. Recently, her proposal for a groundbreaking project had been approved, marking a significant milestone in her professional journey.
With the prospect of a promotion on the horizon, Gabriella was determined to prove herself and secure the next rung on the career ladder. Every spare moment was dedicated to refining her strategies, attending meetings, and liaising with clients. The thought of adding romance into the mix seemed like a distraction she couldn't afford.
Her aspirations for success were not merely self-serving; Gabriella had a vision of making meaningful contributions to the company and leaving a lasting impact on her industry. Dating would have to take a back seat for now, as she pursued her ambitions with unwavering determination.
Thus, when her mother insisted on arranging blind dates and pressuring her to settle down, Gabriella couldn't help but feel frustrated. It wasn't that she didn't value companionship or family; rather, she was simply prioritizing her career at this pivotal moment in her life.
"Mom, have you forgotten the disaster of my last blind date?"
"And whose fault was it that you showed up looking like a biker from a bad '80s movie?" her mother retorted, a flicker of annoyance dancing in her eyes.
Gabriella cringed at the memory, recalling her friends' ill-conceived attempt to turn the evening into a wild escapade. "But hey, turns out he was a total fraud, Mom! Dodged a cannonball, if you ask me!"
"That's why I've done my research this time and just asked my friends for any suitable bachelor they personally know. Mrs. Razon's son is a respectable match, and I won't hear any objections," her mother declared, her tone final.
"But I don't want to–"
"You're not getting any younger, Gabriella. It's time you started thinking about your future," her mother interrupted, her patience wearing thin. "Your father and I are not getting any younger, and we want to see our grandchildren before we're too old to enjoy them."
Gabriella's frustration boiled over, her voice rising in defiance. "Mom, I will not marry just to fulfill some outdated notion of duty!"
"Disrespectful child!" her mother exclaimed, her tone laced with disappointment. "I've already made arrangements. You will be at the restaurant tonight at 7, and that's final."
Gabriella's frustration boiled over, her words sharp and cutting. "If you're so desperate for grandchildren, why not ask my brother?" she shot back, her temper flaring like a wildfire in the dry season. "He's in a relationship and—"
"Your brother has his own responsibilities. You are my daughter, and it is your duty to carry on what a woman should be," her mother insisted, her voice trembling with emotion as though caught in the storm of Gabriella's defiance. "This is why I shouldn't have let you go to college!"
Gabriella recoiled at her mother's words, her heart sinking like a stone in a pond. "So, what? You regret giving me an education? You regret letting me pursue my dreams?"
Her mother's eyes welled with tears, the weight of her disappointment heavy in the air. "I regret letting you believe that you could defy our family tradition, that you could choose your own path," she admitted, her voice cracking like fragile porcelain under the weight of her sorrow. "I raised you to be a good daughter, a dutiful wife, a loving mother. And now look at you, rejecting everything I've taught you."
Gabriella's chest tightened with guilt, her anger tempered by a pang of remorse. "Mom, I'm not rejecting you or what you've taught me," she protested, her voice softening as she reached out to touch her mother's trembling hand. "I just want to live my life on my own terms, to make my own choices."
Her mother gazed at a distance as though lost in the depths of her own memories. "I know, dear. But sometimes, our choices have consequences. And I fear that you'll come to regret yours. I just want what's best for you."
"I don't want to regret anything, Mom," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I can't let anyone dictate my life either."
And with that, Gabriella turned and walked away, leaving her mother standing alone in the wreckage of their shattered expectations.
As she stormed out of her mother's house, the weight of their argument heavy on her shoulders, she found herself wandering aimlessly through the bustling streets of the city. The neon lights blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors as she sought solace in the anonymity of the crowd, drowning her frustrations in the bottom of a glass.
With each sip of cheap alcohol, the world around her seemed to fade into a haze of blurry faces and distant voices, the chaos of the city melting away into a soothing symphony of sound and sensation. But even in the midst of her tipsy reverie, Gabriella couldn't shake the nagging feeling of unease that lingered at the edges of her consciousness, like a shadow lurking in the corners of her mind.
And then, just as the hour of her blind date approached, her phone buzzed with an incoming call from her mother. With a heavy sigh, Gabriella answered, bracing herself for another round of nagging and admonishments.
"Gabriella, where are you? You can't just disappear like this!" her mother's voice crackled with urgency and frustration, the familiar tone grating on Gabriella's already frayed nerves.
"I'm fine, Mom," Gabriella replied, her words slurring slightly as she struggled to maintain her composure. "Just needed some air, that's all."
"Well, you better get in the restaurant right this instant! Your date is waiting, and you can't keep him waiting forever," her mother scolded, her tone bordering on hysteria.
Gabriella rolled her eyes, her patience wearing thin. "I'll be there when I'm ready, Mom. You don't have to micromanage my life."
Her mother's response was predictably dramatic. "Micromanaging? I'm just doing this because you kept doing the things you shouldn't do! Honestly, Gabriella, sometimes I wonder where I went wrong with you."
Gabriella resisted the urge to sigh, her irritation simmering just beneath the surface. "Save the guilt trip for later, Mom. Right now, I've got bigger things to worry about—like dodging cars on the sidewalk," she quipped, her voice laced with dark humor.
But before her mother could respond, a sudden screech of tires filled the air, followed by the sickening crunch of metal on the pavement. Gabriella's eyes widened in horror as a car careened out of control, hurtling toward her with terrifying speed.
And then, in the blink of an eye, everything went dark.
As she took a spoonful of cake, Gabriella couldn't help but sigh, her thoughts drifting back from the argument with her mother and the events that led to her untimely demise, to her present situation.
"So, car-kun decided to get me, huh? Talk about cliché," Gabriella muttered to herself with a wry grin as she took another bite of cake, relishing the absurdity of the situation. "I was just kidding and the gods actually turned my joke on me." Note to self: Try not to make dark jokes when drunk. "Well, at least it's a memorable exit, I suppose."
With a mixture of resignation and amusement, Gabriella chewed thoughtfully, savoring the bittersweet taste of fate as she contemplated the whimsical twists of life and literature. However, amidst her musings, a wave of sorrow crashed over her, drowning out the humor in her situation. She couldn't shake the thought of her mother, undoubtedly distraught after losing her daughter, while still talking on the phone.
"I'm sorry, Mom," Gabriella whispered, her voice cracking with emotion as tears welled up in her eyes. Despite their differences and frequent arguments over societal expectations and 'womanly duties' Gabriella knew that her parents loved her deeply, and she reciprocated that love wholeheartedly.
As the weight of her situation fully sank in, Gabriella couldn't suppress the overwhelming sadness that washed over her. The realization that she might never return to her own world, where her family and beloved friends awaited her, filled her with a profound sense of loss and longing. She yearned for their comforting presence, their unwavering support, and the familiar warmth of home.