Chapter 267 - Ch. 267 Mr. Zouch's Threat
By the time Roxy and Declan returned to the dining room, they heard the voices of Anna and Britney, who were enthusiastic about preparing the prettiest wedding dress for Roxy.
"Roxy darling. I've prepared a special design for you, and I've wanted to make it real for a long time. Do you want to see it now? You can choose it." offered Anna in an enthusiastic tone that made Roxy feel bad.
She would surely disappoint the kind woman by saying she wanted to postpone her marriage to Declan. Above it all, her father would have a word with her.
Roxy looked at her lover, hoping the man would help her, and stated the decision instead of her. Alas, Declan just walked and sat back in his position and continued his dining that he had left behind.
"So, have you guys set a date yet?" asked Britney as she couldn't wait to see her daughter get married and wear a stunning wedding dress.
Roxy sat next to Declan and felt something in her throat constrict. Her former self would interrupt her family's discussion very easily and quickly. She was number one when it came to interrupting people's talking.
But now… for some reason, she had a hard time interrupting as if she didn't have the courage to voice out her opinion.
Could it be because she had gotten used to being silent all these years? Even though 'Kaylee' was gone, Kaylee's timid and quiet character was still etched in her mind and soul.
Roxy glanced at Declan with full of questions. Did Declan know it? Is that why that man purposely told her to tell her family with her own mouth?
Declan felt Roxy staring at him and glanced at her gently, making Roxy frown. How could the man still look at her tenderly after leaving her alone on the 'field of war.'
"I thought you're gonna say something to them," whispered Declan, and only Roxy could hear his voice.
"I can't. Why don't you tell them, please?" Roxy blinked her eyes and put on a puppy face to melt the man's heart, but that heartless man rejected her straight away.
"Why don't we just get married the next summer, then. I agree with all of them." was his reply with a trademark sly smirk.
"You…" Roxy was speechless, and this was the first time Declan 'betrayed' her.
"Roxy?" called Britney when she realized her daughter was putting on an edgy look. "Is there something wrong?"
Roxy bit her lip as if it was her first time facing the real world.
"It's your chance," Declan whispered again, and just like the others, the man waited for the restless girl to speak.
"I…" Roxy took a deep breath before finally speaking her mind in one breath. "I would like to postpone the marriage."
"Okay. For how long?" surprisingly, Britney agreed with her!
"For two years." and both of her parents' faces became dead stiff.
"Two years?" asked Britney and Bossley in disbelieve at their daughter's unreasonable answer.
Pierre scratched his neck awkwardly while Anna decided to lock her mouth. On the other hand, Robert held back his amused smile because he had not seen the rebellious side of his cousin in a long time.
"And you agreed to this?" demanded Bossley to Declan.
"I didn't, but she convinced me."
Mr. Zouch glared at his daughter with so unloving.
Did she make him angry?
"Come to my room, now." Bossley rose to his feet and summoned his daughter in an imposing tone.
"Does it have to be now?"
"Now."
"But, papa."
"Roxanne."
Roxy sealed her lips once she heard her full name come out from her father's lips. In the end, Roxy had no choice but to follow her father's orders.
As she followed her father into his room, Roxy racked her brains to think of an excusable explanation to convince her father, and she realized something.
This was the first time Declan didn't want to help her. She knew Declan couldn't possibly be afraid of her father. Is it possible that there is a hidden agreement between Declan and her father?
After all… the ones confirming Declan's conjecture that 'Kaylee' had another identity were her parents.
Her father, who was very overprotective of his children, could not possibly give up his daughter to another man carelessly, let alone telling the truth that 'Kaylee' has another personality.
Even though her father had wanted to marry her to Ezzo Raffetto, it did not mean that his father was willing to marry her off to just any man. Ezzo was her father's best disciple and one of his confidants who had sworn to protect Roxy with his own life.
Meanwhile, Declan… Declan was just an ordinary businessman and a foreigner in her father's eyes.
Even though Declan was the key to bringing her back, Roxy thought her father would at least be happy if their wedding were postponed instead of getting angry at her and seeming eager to marry her off to Declan.
As soon as the door to her father's study was closed, Roxy spoke first.
"Papa, is there an agreement I don't know about between you two?"
Bossley looked at his daughter in surprise. "What do you mean? What agreement?"
"How should I know? Declan will always do what I ask, but now he didn't."
"Are you a kid? Why do you need him to do whatever you ask?"
Roxy pouted, hearing his scolding. "So? No agreement between you two?"
"Instead of wondering about that, explain to me why you have to wait two years to get married?"
"That…" Roxy didn't expect her father would steer the conversation right away and that too, he dropped the bomb right at her face!
"I thought you'd be relieved to hear that." Roxy quickly thought of a satisfying answer before the ticking bomb exploded. "I don't want to leave you guys. Who will accompany you when I get married?" and it worked like magic!
Her father looked at her gently, and his facial muscles eased again, indicating he was no longer angry.
"But you need to marry him as soon as possible."
What? "But, papa... why?"
"I know he is the young man you were with at the hotel in Spain many years ago. And I also know you two have been living together for the past few weeks. If you don't marry and get pregnant out of wedlock, I will circumcise that young man."
"..." Wasn't her father already out of Hades? Why did her father return to being the merciless Hades??
And above all, why did her father threaten her? T.T