Turbulent Ties

12-The Date

He takes a deep breath, retrieves his cup, and takes another sip. "Please, have a seat," he says, pointing to the chair opposite him.

I offer him a glare but comply, sitting down. "What do you want?" I ask, a tinge of annoyance in my tone.

He exhales slowly and takes another sip of his coffee before responding.
"See, Tawan. Don't mess this up. I'm not going to clean up after you! You do know how important it is for you to marry that guy!"

"Surprise, Dad! Enlightenment me why it's important to marry him? Because I have no fucking idea!" I raised my voice.

He set his coffee down and looked at me seriously. "In order for you to secure the throne, you must be married."

"I am aware of the stipulation in the contract, Father. However, it does not specify who I must marry."

"Please do not test my patience so early in the morning, Tawan. And I would appreciate it if you could refrain from acting like a child. You are well aware of how these things work. You do as I say. Or else, Joss..."

"Stop, Dad. Do not give us more reasons to hate you. I have already made all the necessary arrangements for the date," I replied, taking a deep breath and rising from my seat.

"But there is one more thing you must do, Tawan," my father said, his voice lowering ominously.

I paused in my tracks, raising an eyebrow in anticipation. I waited for him to reveal what he had in mind.

"You must make him fall in love with you," Dad stated firmly.

I was startled when I choked on my saliva. "Excuse me, Dad?"

"You're excused."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

He stared at me with his cold eyes, unmoved by my reaction. "Before you can make him fall, you must first earn his trust. Make him develop feelings for you," he said calmly.

I shook my head in disbelief. This was beyond ridiculous. "What on earth are you talking about, Father?"

Love? How can I possibly make someone love me?

His intense gaze made me uncomfortable all of a sudden. He took a sip of his drink and asked, "Will you do as I say?"

Feeling exhausted and resigned, I sighed and nodded. "Yes, but how?"

"You will discover soon enough," Father responded simply before returning to his newspaper.

I swiftly left the room, instructing P'Som to bring my breakfast to my quarters. Communicating with people was the last thing I wanted to do right now. I felt utterly drained. What is happening to me? What is this Thitipoom doing to me?

Lying down and gazing up at the ceiling, my legs dangling over the edge of the bed, I contemplated how this year had taken an unexpected turn. Everything was now in disarray.

Clearly, Father had a hidden motive behind his words. Why is he forcing me to make someone fall in love with me? Why the fuck is he forcing me to marry Thitipoom? The memory of the dream I had in the morning resurfaced in my mind, along with vivid images of his captivating appearance. I sighed once more and turned around to survey my room.

To put it bluntly, my room is predominantly black. Various shades of black, gray, and white permeate the entirety of the space. Our entire house is immersed in darkness. The color scheme of the paint, the walls, and even the ceilings is predominantly black.

However, things used to be more vibrant before my mother disappeared. She made it a point to infuse our somber existence with color. But now, everything has regressed back to its monochromatic state of blackness.