The hot tears threaten to spill from my eyes as I keep my stare down on the hospital floor.
I hold on to my breath as if that's going to help the tears not fall faster. It's not until I make it to the office, and I burst through the door that the tears finally begin to fall.
Catalina looks up from the papers in front of her in concern and then immediately stands up walking right toward me. She immediately pulls me into her arms without questions and she gives me one of her usual comforting hugs as I helplessly cry on her shoulder.
"Lucia, what's wrong?" She asks in a very worried tone.
She pulls back after a while when I don't respond, wiping my tears for me. All it takes is one look at my face for her to know what is wrong.
"He's making me get married." I still tell her, and she pulls me into her arms again.
"I'm so sorry. You don't know how much I wish this stupid idea never occurred to our father." She soothingly rubs my back just as she would when we were little girls. It has always been so comforting to have her as my sister she is so strong, and just such an amazing person overall.
"It's so stupid." I sob and she hums.
"Come take a seat and let's relax, okay?" She pulls back with a warm smile and takes my hands in hers leading me to a chair that is across her desk.
She's still a medical resident but since our papa owns the hospital, he ordered that she has an office. I love my sister and she has taken care of me since the moment I was born. She's the most amazing person on this earth and an amazing mother too although she doesn't see it that way sometimes.
I take a seat and she sits in the chair beside me. She hands me the tissue box from her desk, and I quietly thank her before cleaning my nose and eyes.
"When did he tell you?" She asks giving me her full attention.
"This morning. I didn't even get to finish my breakfast before he just casually let me know." I lean back in the chair folding the tissue in my hand.
"And did he tell you who the man is?"
I nod in response and to be honest it makes it less horrible in a way...I think.
"Eric."
"Eric?"
"Eric Donnelley." I specify because we haven't seen the guy since I was like twelve and she was like fourteen.
"You're getting married to a Donnelley..." She bites her bottom lip in thought.
"It's not that bad..." I say out loud and she looks at me again with raised eyebrows.
"As kids that guy was obsessed with you. For all you know he is probably a creep now." She states and I feel a little panic.
"Or maybe he isn't, and he is actually a nice guy. It was probably just a phase." She immediately says with a small smile.
"I don't care to be honest as long as he respects me and treats me right." I say as she reaches over to give me a quick side hug.
"If he doesn't then you know that I will always be here for you to help you in whatever." Her words make me smile because they're true.
She's someone who has always been there for me, and I trust her the most in this world. I can count on my parents and grandma too but just not for everything. Cat is more trustworthy, open minded, and she isn't judgmental.
"I guess I'm just crying because I really wanted to meet a man who I would fall in love with, and I would have a beautiful fairytale like story with him. I don't know why I let myself create those delusions when I've always known that I didn't get to pick who I marry. I just hoped that somehow I would get a normal and very romantic love story." I tell her honestly.
"I'm sure you'll get through this." She assures. "Maybe you can one day get rid of him and live that fairytale love story you have always dreamed of." There is hope in her eyes and I'm going to take it.
"I feel like you would have murdered your husband a long time ago if you would have gotten an arranged marriage." I state as the thought suddenly comes to mind.
She gasps with a smile. "Lucia!" She exclaims in shock and then chuckles.
"I'm sorry but I know how much patience you have and it's close to none." I tell her seriously and she shakes her head with a slight laugh.
Cat didn't get an arranged marriage and actually got an option. That was only because she got pregnant at nineteen and our father wasn't a fan of the man she got pregnant by.
She is an amazing mother but there is a bit of a distance between her and Orion, her son. Our father unintentionally caused it, but I don't think he has even realized it yet. I've caught her a few times crying because she thinks she is horrible mother and that she is an absent one too. She is far from being any of that. I wish she wasn't so harsh on herself all the time about everything. She deserves the whole world.
I call her Cat because she's kind of like a cat. It is one of the reasons apart from it being short for her name. She's intelligent, calm, very independent, and elegant just like a cat. She also happens to be very serious with people who aren't me or Orion. She's like a black cat especially with that jet black hair of hers that she inherited from our father.
An alarm suddenly goes off and she reaches over to turn it off from her phone.
"I have an appointment with a patient who I have to give a diagnosis to. Do you want to wait here?" She stands up to gather her things.
"I'm feeling a little better now. I think I'm going to go get something to eat." I stand up from my seat.
I watch her put her stethoscope around her neck. It's the one I gifted her last year to celebrate this being her last year in residency. It makes me happy that she still has it and uses it.
"Okay, but if you need anything just call me or come to me." She steps toward me with a reassuring smile.
I nod in agreement and pull her into a hug again. Her hugs have always made me feel better.
When she pulls back, she gives me a kiss on the side of my head like she has always done, and it makes me smile. With that I open her office door and I walk out with her behind me.
It's then that a man suddenly steps in front of us. He offers me a big smile like always and I return it. It's Benjamin but I call him Ben for short. Him and Cat have been rivals since med school and she finds him insufferable. I feel like he likes her, but Cat would probably drown me if I told her that because she actually really doesn't like him at all. I've always noticed that men seem to be head over heels for her the moment they meet her. I don't know if she realizes it but if she does, she is very good at ignoring them.
"Lucia, good to see you." He only acknowledges me. With only a glance at Cat he leaves, and she rolls her eyes.
"I wish he would quit or die." She says under her breath, and I chuckle.
I can also tell that Ben does get annoyed with Cat sometimes because patients usually prefer her over him. Everyone favors her and apart from that she is kind of here because our father owns the place. I also understand the patients because they're all women and Cat is a woman. She is just very comforting as well. They will both soon become obstetrician-gynecologists. I'm sure it will be an interesting rivalry.
"Have a nice day. I'll see you soon." I tell her and she gives me one more smile and a small nod before I leave, and she goes on to take care of her patient.
__
"You look beautiful." Cat smiles at me through the mirror.
She's not wrong but I'm not happy and that is what hurts me. She steps closer to me, and I turn around because I need a hug from her again. Knowing that, she pulls me into her arms gently.
"I'm sorry. I wish I could do something to stop this from happening. I think it would be very wrong of me to tell you to go and get pregnant by some random guy." She tells me a little seriously.
"It's okay. I'll be fine." My words are to assure her and myself. I also chuckle a little at her last words. It sounds tempting but scary so I will keep it at the back of my mind.
"Try to be happy and stay positive. Remember that everything else is not against your will. I want you to be safe and okay." She pulls back looking at me. There is worry in her brown eyes.
"We don't know who Eric is now but if that little bitch tries anything I will end his life even if I have never killed anyone before. He can always be the first." She isn't joking at all, as crazy as her words are.
"Nothing will happen." I'm saying it out loud so that it manifests.
The door to my bedroom which will soon not be mine anymore is opened. Cat and I turn around to see mama in her gown for tonight. She is looking at me with guilt and pity but it's only annoying.
"Honey, the Donnelley's are here so please hurry downstairs and please be on your best behavior. Be nice, please." It's all she says before rushing out.
"She's obviously dying inside." Cat states before looking at me. "She's going to be crying later. I can already see it."
She then gives me a warm smile and one more hug. "Come on, let's get this over with."
I take hold of her hand from the nerves, and she squeezes my hand in reassurance as we head out. My head is clouded with my overthinking and my body is filled with nerves each step we take down the huge staircase. I begin to feel like the steps will never and I kind of hope for it until we reach the floor and there aren't any more left.
"There she is." Papa's voice causes me to look up from the ground.
Tatiana and Andrew Donnelley stand there with smiles on their faces as they inspect every inch of me. They've gotten a bit older. Andrew has changed the most and not in such a good way. There is man standing beside them and of course it is obviously Eric Donnelley, my fiancé and their son. He has a huge smile on his face as he unashamedly checks me out. It makes me uncomfortable.
"Lucia, dear, how grown and beautiful you have become." Tatiana is the first to speak and to walk toward me.
She pulls me into a big hug and it's then that realize how hard I am holding Catalina's hand. I let go because I don't want to hurt her. I look at her from beside me and she gives me a reassuring look.
I hug Tatiana back and then she pulls away from me after a few seconds. "I'm so happy that you will be a part of the family soon." I'm not.
I only give her a smile in response as Andrew Donnelley steps in front of me. He sticks a hand out and I shake it firmly as he offers me a small smile.
"Welcome to the family, Lucia." Is all he says before stepping away.
It doesn't take long before Eric is all over me and by that, I mean hugging me very tightly and so close to him. I hate it. I have a feeling his childhood crush and obsession with me wasn't just a phase he went through.
"You look beautiful, Lucia. I can't wait to have you as my wife."
I force myself to smile and nod. I want to get eaten by the earth.
They finally leave me alone when they give attention to Catalina and go to greet her. While that happens, I glance over at my parents and my grandmother. Orion isn't around and I'm guessing that is because he is in the kitchen eating some sort of sugary and colorful cereal since the adults are occupied.
I give a pleading look to my father who gives me a glare that tells me to not even start. I then look at my mother with a little bit of hope that she will try to do something about this, but she looks away from me. I don't even try with my grandmother because she will only pull me to the side and tell me to behave. She is my father's mother after all.
__
"Do you work, Lucia?" Andrew asks me and I shake my head.
"No, I do not." I was never allowed to, and my parents became stricter after Cat gave birth to Orion.
"And you still won't have to lift a finger with our son." Tatiana informs me. How fun.
"Unless she wants to work with me at the company then she is welcome to." Eric states looking at me from across the table. He gives me a smile and I return it to be polite.
"What was it that you studied during university?" Tatiana questions next. They haven't stopped asking questions since we sat down for dinner.
"Horticulture and architecture." It was the most interesting and I've always dreamed of making and designing gardens.
I've always dreamed of owning a huge field full of sunflowers. I also have always wanted a house of my own with the most beautiful landscapes and gardens.
"How interesting. We can always help you put those degrees to use if you wish to." She tells me and it actually doesn't sound like a bad idea.
"You can even help improve the look of our companies." Eric suggests and Andrew nods.
I don't say anything or get my hopes up in the slightest because they could just be lying to draw me in and make themselves look good in front of my family.
"What a handsome son you have, Catalina." Tatiana states looking at Orion who freezes and then looks at his mother who smiles.
"Thank you." She responds and Orion scrunches his nose at Eric. He doesn't like him at all. For what reason? I don't know. Earlier he was glaring at him before he even got to meet him.
"Does he look more like you or his father?" Eric asks her and she tenses as Orion puts his fork down and glares at him even harder.
"Where is his father?" Andrew questions and I can feel the heavy tension from my family but specifically from Catalina.
"We don't know or care." Orion beats her to responding and my parents are now glaring at Catalina.
She chuckles but covers it with a cough. "His father is not in our lives."
Orion goes back to eating his rice and ignores the looks from his grandparents. I cover my smile with my glass of water. They aren't going to leave her alone about this later.
"Sorry, we didn't know." Eric tells her and she slightly nods.
This is going to be the longest dinner of my life.
__
"We'll see you soon, dear, it was so good to see you again." Tatiana is the last to say goodbye to me.
I just smile because I would so much rather be dead right now.
She goes off to talk to my mother and grandmother as my father talks to Andrew. Cat and Orion are in the kitchen eating ice cream because Orion just doesn't like this family except for Tatiana.
Eric stands in front of me with a sweet smile. "I know you must be scared and nervous, but I promise that I will care for you and love you."
"I love you, Lucia. I always have and you don't know how lucky I feel to be able to have you. I know that you will love me someday too." He takes my hand and kisses the back of it.
I should have gotten pregnant by a random man.
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You will meet Marco/Ace in the next chapter, but Lucia won't just yet ;)
Also, I just had to name him Ace. I just had to have at least one MC with the name lol. It's a must.