Asia left Allan's in the evening to attend the Mara dinner. She hadn't bothered to turn on her phone till she needed to call David and confirm that the event was still on.
"You must love the hell out of me." David picked the call.
"You clearly have hospitality issues. But, please tell me the dinner is cancelled." Asia said.
"No. Tonight at 7:00. I can pick you up if you like." David was kind
"Why would you?" Asia asked, smiled.
"Because you have no car," David was serious.
"For your information, I have a car," Asia protested.
"You call that old piece of shit a car?" David laughed.
"Yes, David! What else would I call it?" Asia asked angrily, hang up.
David checked online. He would buy Asia a car once time was right. If he tried now, she would murder him. And if he survived, Violet would surely murder him. He had never bought her a car. She always used the Mara family chauffeur driven ones.
Asia was in a conservative maroon dress. She wouldn't be at the centre of whatever went down and if all went well, she would get married to Allan some day and abandon those dinners altogether.
The thought made Asia smile as her car pulled up on the enormous gate. Two guards came and asked why she was there. They checked her I.D and let her through. The valet was right outside that grandiose entrance.
Asia held her dress and went up the twenty steps. She walked fast as she felt she was among the last to arrive.
There was a massive argument. That was the strangest thing ever. David's family was sophisticated, well bred. They never shouted. Ever. They never had reason to.
Asia got there to Violet crying, Mrs Rivers shouting at her. David was arguing with his mother. He insisted, there would be no wedding. Then all turned to look at Asia.
David's father was there, quiet amid the turmoil, as was the aged grandfather. All were dressed elegantly, ready for the dinner. The men were in designer suits while the ladies wore exquisite dinner dresses.
"You are the reason David will not marry your sister. How could you bed your own sister's fiancé?" Mrs Rivers slapped Asia while David rushed to get between them.
"I told you, Asia has nothing to do with this!" David shouted.
"Son, your fiancé is pregnant. You set the date and do the right thing," the father said calmly.
"Violet, cancel the engagement with dignity. End this," David turned to Violet.
"So that you embarrass me by marrying my sister?" Violet asked amid the tears.
"I will never marry David. Ever. Please," Asia shouted at no one in particular.
"What matters is a Mara marries a Rivers. Are you marrying Asia?" Mrs Rivers asked David.
"My goodness! Is this thing not working?" Asia tapped on her lips as David stifled a laugh. "I am never marrying David!" Asia shouted.
"You can marry Asia. She is stubborn but will do," Mrs Mara moved closer to David.
"He is not. Can I not be involved? Please?" Asia said from behind David.
While everyone watched, David turned and dragged Asia out. Asia had questions. What did she miss? Why couldn't David just marry Violet, cover her shame and give everyone some rest? David was talking.
"Cover me, Asia. I beg you," David said.
"At what cost? They want us married!" Asia almost shouted.
"Cover me till I push Violet off my ass. I swear, I got your back. You know me, Asia," David held her shoulders and beseeched.
"What changed?" Asia asked.
"Have you not seen the news?" David got his phone and showed Asia. " We were spotted hanging out last night. Do not deny it. Just that. Please, do not mention Henry."
Asia nodded but kept checking the news. Even media stations, instead of focusing on important issues like the economy, were running with the news. 'David Mara cheats on pregnant fiancé with her sister'.
Asia sealed her mouth with her hand and screamed. There were photos from the previous night the two going to the club, coming out, Asia's arm round David, going to Allan's.
Allan had family and friends who knew Asia. They loved her. Now imagine what they could be saying. What about their colleagues? What about Violet? No wonder she was sure David would marry Asia.
David helped wipe Asia's tears and in they went. Everyone was seated at the dining room but no one was hungry.
David pulled a seat for Asia and proceeded to sit right next to her with Violet to his left. There was silence as they ate, the sound of cutlery clicking. Asia deeply regretted attending the dinner.
"Have you cancelled it?" David whispered to Violet. She shook her head.
"We need to calm down. We will talk in a week when all are calm," David's father said.
"Well, let it be known that Violet and I are no longer together. She ended the courtship and Asia had nothing to do with it. I will not make it public for the next one week but we are done," David said seriously.
"What about the baby? We have been waiting for years. I am going to be a grandmother," Mrs Mara said.
"No you are not. Violet and I have never been intimate." David said seriously.
Everyone spoke at the same time. Violet got up fast and left. Mrs Rivers went after her. It all made sense. Violet was beautiful but David was not wired that way. But what was wrong with both of them? Why did Violet get pregnant? Who was she seeing?
Why couldn't David just play along? His inheritance was largely pegged on him marrying a Rivers. He knew that. Why couldn't he just play along? I looked up.
"Are you marrying Asia?" Old Mr Mara asked David.
"Honestly, Grandpa, she would choose death over marrying me." David said seriously.
Asia left fast. She needed to be as far away from those people as possible. David ran after her. She couldn't walk fast enough in those shoes. He held her hand down the stairs as both their cars were brought to the front. He held her hand to her car. They would speak calmly later. Or fight. Asia would decide.