~Mr. Cousin Loves Me~

Forced Marriage (1)

Mile was sweating and feeling extremely nervous as Mr. Gus helped him fix his bow tie. Today, he was getting married to his cousin, Apo, and the nerves were overwhelming. He had agreed to the marriage without even knowing who he was marrying, and now that it was confirmed they were being pushed into it, the fear was ten times worse than facing his fears of his grandfather, Chai. Feeling the dryness in his throat, Mile croaked out, 

"Can I get a glass of water?" Gus, understanding his distress, left the room to get him some water. As soon as Gus was gone, Mile hurried to the balcony. Looking down from the height, his fear of heights made him contemplate running away by jumping off the building to escape the forced marriage.

"Oh God, why did it have to be on the third floor?" I muttered to myself as I struggled to climb over the railing. My limbs were trembling with fear, and sweat trickled down my neck. My heart raced erratically as I gripped the railing tightly, trying to steady myself. I closed my eyes tightly, unable to bear the sight below that made my soul feel as if it was leaving my body.

"Oh God, please help me," I whispered, feeling my palms grow slippery with sweat, almost losing my grip on the railing. In the midst of my struggle, I heard a mocking sneer. Opening my eyes slightly, I saw Apo standing by the doorway, his back against the wall.

"God won't descend to assist you in jumping. If you truly wish to end this marriage, go speak to Grandpa directly." Apo remarked sarcastically, showing no sympathy for my predicament. It seemed that I was destined to be in this situation, with no escape in sight.

"I need your help, could you please assist me?" Mile pleaded with Apo, who observed Mile's distressed state. Rolling his eyes, Apo recalled that Mile had been attempting to flee just moments ago. It seemed foolish for Mile to have chosen such a course of action, especially considering his intense fear of heights. The situation grew precarious as Mile hung on to the railing in a desperate attempt to escape.

Approaching Mile by the railing, Apo took hold of Mile's hands, which were already slick with sweat. With trembling legs, Mile managed to hoist himself over the railing. However, a moment of panic caused him to glance downwards, leading to a loss of balance. With one foot suspended in the air and the other struggling to maintain stability, Mile teetered dangerously close to falling off the balcony. Just in time, Apo's firm grip prevented Mile from plummeting over the edge, and they both tumbled back onto the balcony, with Mile landing on top of Apo.

"I trust you two won't be starting a romance at this moment. There is still much to be done," Chai remarked, now standing in the same spot where Apo had been moments earlier. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he was dressed in a refined manner.

"Grandpa," Apo and I said simultaneously as we moved away from each other. Apo cleared his throat, and I nervously rubbed my neck. Mr. Gus stepped forward with a glass of water and handed it to me. I quickly downed the water, trying to calm my racing heart.

"I hope that helps, Mr. Phakphum," I returned the glass, still feeling anxious. Apo remained by my side as I glanced nervously around the room. Mr. Gus left my side to stand next to Grandpa.

"Apo, return to your room. Mile, stay here. I have something to discuss," Chai's tone softened momentarily before turning cold as he mentioned my name. Apo followed the instruction and left the room. Mr. Gus also departed.

I kept my head bowed, afraid to meet my grandpa's intense gaze. "I'm sorry," I whispered under my breath, holding my breath in anticipation of his anger. Surprisingly, he remained silent, not uttering a word.

"There's something you should know before making any rash decisions," Chai paused, casually pacing around the room and surveying everything with his keen detective eyes.