CHAPTER 5

Olivia's POV

Getting married? Marriage? 

"This must be a joke!" I exclaimed to my mother. There's no way I'm marrying someone I don't know when I'm not ready. Without waiting for a response, I dashed to my room. Relieved, they didn't follow.

Before anyone could say Jack Robinson, I left the house the following day, heading to David's place. I hoped that by the time I returned, they would have moved past last night, and it would all feel like a terrible nightmare.

"Olivia!! Oh my God," David screamed as he ran to embrace me

"Chill Tiger, you might end up choking me" I said laughing

"When did you arrive in New York? you should have told me you were coming. I would have left whatever I was doing to come pick you up at the airport."

David continued talking and asking questions nonstop

"Calm down David, I'm great, I'm fine. What's up with you? Let's go in and catch up." I stretched my hand to him, he grabbed it, and we walked into the house.

"David! It's so good to see you again." I said immediately we both slumped on the couch.

" Liv, you have no idea how thrilled I am that you're back in town. What's the occasion?" He took my hands in his

"Nothing much, I miss home."l said

He laughed out loudly

"You Liv, miss home? Who changed you?"I joined him laughing

"For real though,I missed home and you too." I said resting my head on his shoulder

I contemplated telling him about the bombshell my parents dropped last night, 

"David, I need to tell you something."

" I can tell that's not good. Want to spill the beans?" He sat up, looking at me.

" They want me to get married, David. Can you believe it? I barely even know the guy they've picked for me."

"Liv, that's a lot! Are you okay with it?"

"Not at all! I love my parents, but I can't just marry a stranger. I had to escape to your place to clear my head."

"You should not be getting married to someone you don't love, you should be with someone you love, not a random match." I could see concern written all over his face.

 "I knew you'd understand. You've always been my voice of reason." 

My phone made a notification sound as David stood up to put on the TV we had a game to catch, it was a message from my mom

"We are sorry we dropped a bomb on you last night. I have been calling you, and you are not picking up. I'm getting worried. We will have some important guests over later today to celebrate your graduation, so you need to be around, again, I'm sorry."

"David, did my mom invite you and your peeps for a celebratory dinner at my place?"

David, who was so focused on the game showing on the TV screen. He didn't give me a reply at first

"Did you hear what I said?" I threw a pillow at him.

"Yes, yes, celebratory dinner, she invited us. You don't want to go to your party?"

I shrugged. At least with David and his family coming, it's not a dinner to discuss any marriage shenanigan.

I left David's place 3 hours before the guests started arriving to give me sufficient time to prepare. The party commenced around 7 p.m. In my room upstairs, I could hear the music resounding everywhere.

"Knock, knock, can I come in?"

"Yes Daddy, please." 

"Wow! See how beautiful you look, My dad said with a smile so big his face might split,

" I know we don't say this enough, but your mom and I are very proud of you." He said, now holding my hands.

"Thank you, Daddy" I replied, trying to bring out a smile that matched his

"Let's go, everybody is waiting."

Our garden was filled with men in suits and women in beautiful flowing gowns. They looked overdressed to me. It is supposed to be a simple celebratory party, it's looking like an engagement party.

An engagement party?

Shoot! Is this what I think it is?

The soft glow of fairy lights hung overhead, giving the atmosphere a heavenly aura. Conversation and laughter filled the air, blending with the melody of the live jazz band. Servers walked around with trays filled with delicious scenting delicacies and wine glasses.

Everyone looked alike with the way they were dressed, or so I thought until he caught my eyes. He got on a black suit, with black shoes, his hair wasn't barbed a low cut, it wasn't a dread either, it was a mixture of both, the first two buttons of the inner black long sleeve were undone, exposing a peak of what looked like a tattooed torso. 

He wore earrings, two tiny golden loops, I always fancied guys who wore earrings, he was tall, his hands were long and slender and the glass of wine he was holding rested perfectly between his fingers, only God knows where those fingers have been, thinking about this sent a tingling sensation between my legs.

 Because of the dark shades he wore, I couldn't tell if he was looking directly at me the same way I was looking at him, he was a man who knew his stuff, and I didn't want to be caught staring, so I looked away and paid attention to the other guests.

Who is he though? Who invited him? He didn't give off the pompous air of most of the children of my dad's business associate, so where did he come from? As I stood with my dad before everybody while he said only God knows what, I tried to scan the crowd for him, but he was gone. 

Where could he have gone?

 Was he even present, to begin with, or have I successfully brought my dream man out of my delusions?

I suddenly felt a sense of loss. This stranger had stirred something inside of me. I was determined to find out who he was.