Campus Royalties (Kingdom University, #1) | Published under Psicom Publishing

Chapter 22

I wasn't sure what shocked me more: the sudden engagement appointment, or the fact that Mom went home just to deliver that news to us.

"But Mom—!"

"No buts, Steff. You know our deal."

Maybe one of the reasons why I had no interest in romantic relationships or love was because of her. When I was in high school, she would always ask me if I was already crushing on someone. It was no secret that wealthy families would rather marry off their children to another wealthy one, or the children of their business partners. They could preserve their riches and reputation, and even expand it through their children's marriage. Thinking about that made me detest being in a relationship since it wasn't even about me. It was always about them and their egos.

I kept on insisting that I was still too young to think about it, which was true, and I was too busy studying to maintain my grades. They were the ones who told me that I should study hard so I could achieve my dreams, but now, she was telling me that I should socialize instead. It was normal for people around my age to have romantic feelings and pursue relationships, but that was too burdensome for me.

She said I should have at least someone I like when I stepped into the university, or else she would set me up with someone she knew. I thought she was just kidding and using that as a threat for me to expand my circle, but look at where my assumption had led me.

I didn't want to yield to her easily, but I had already ran out of words to assert my own choice. Feeling defeated, I turned to Dad.

He approached Mom and they hugged. "Alice, come on. Steff just barely entered college."

Mom goes by Nicole Soriano-Damian as her preferred name, but only Dad calls him by her first name. Alice and her also share the same name, so they were kinda awkward with each other. Her expression suddenly softened, something I could only see when she's with Dad.

"I know, Steven, but I'm getting pressured, too."

"The board?"

She nodded. "They want to make sure that the company will be in the right hands."

I still don't know a lot about how a company like that works, but I sure know how they have prejudice against women directors. Dad and Mom were one of the rare couples who didn't have to go through several marriage interviews since they were together since high school. They got married with their parents' approval and everything was going smoothly, but Mom was ambitious. She didn't want to just be a wife supporting his husband, but someone who could lead their company, too. It took her years before her own parents and the board of directors of their company could trust her as the managing director, and it wasn't because she wasn't skillful, but because she was a woman.

It must be suffocating to run a company when everyone was waiting for you to mess up, and would probably blame it with your gender. It was also probably the reason why she always looked tired whenever she goes home. Still, why do I have to go through that kind of ordeal just because I'm also a woman?

I wanted to assert my resolve about this matter, but Mom had already rested his case for today. Umakyat sina Mom at Dad sa kuwarto nila habang naiwan kami ni Ven sa sala.

"Omg ate, what will you do?"

She gave me a worried look, knowing that she would experience this, too, in a few more years. Napabuntonghininga ako at napaupo sa couch. There was no telling how this topic would proceed tomorrow, but I needed a way out. I didn't want to meet someone for their sake. And I definitely didn't want to be engaged or married to someone they just picked for me.