20
Sophia’s POV
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I had a lot of dreams that I would do this when I will get married, I will do that, but everything that happened was just opposite to what I had thought or wished, but at the same time, it was marriage because of our parent’s deal thing. Brandon was forced, and I… well, I didn’t have any other option. I wanted to marry the love of my life, if not grand, then at least in a way where I would feel like I was getting married, like inviting some relatives and decorating everything for the wedding, walking down the aisle but nope, nothing! We just signed a paper in the marriage registrar’s office and tada.
My title transferred to Mrs from Ms.
“I know this is not your dream wedding. But someday, maybe that dream of yours will get fulfilled when you will marry the person who loves you for real.” Oliver tried to cheer my mood.
“Hmm. That reminds me, if you get any news of Mason, just let me know.”
“Seriously, Sophia? The person who left you when you needed him the most, you want me to look for me.”
“Maybe he would have a perfect reason to do so!! And who knows, after listening to his side of the story, I might think of giving him a second chance? I believe in giving a second chance if the person deserves it or has learned from his mistake rather than breaking the relationship forever. And those people who things a second chance is given to make things right then, they are wrong about it. It simply means that a second chance is given to prove that they can be better even after they fall.
“You’re a hopeless romantic, do you know that?”
“I know.”, I grinned. “Moreover, it’s not that I’m going to stay married to Brandon all my life.”, I said, making sure that no one would have heard me because, as per the deal, we wouldn’t discuss it with anyone.
“What? What did you say?” Oliver asked, widening his eyes.
“Actually, _____,” I narrated everything to him.
“I don’t know what to say in this situation, but I really liked Brandon. I mean, I didn’t get a chance to know much about him, but I found him a sensible person.”
“Oli, will you answer me something if I will ask something from you?”
“Well, that depends on your question.”
“Are Levi’s death and the favor that dad is going to do on Brandon’s father and my marriage related to one another?” I couldn’t help but ask because which family would get her daughter married just a few days later after the death of their eldest son?
“No.”, He lied confidently, and I trusted him as a fool.
“Thank god. I was thinking …. Just forget it. I’m glad that there is no such reason.”, I sighed.
****
It was time to finally leave with Brandon when I hugged mom and started crying at the thought of leaving her for the first time in my life. I was someone who had never stayed away from my parents until now. In fact, I never went on trips with my friends because dad was kind of strict about it. So, in short, till this age, my whole life surrounded my school, college, and home. Not that anyone tortured me something by doing this, it was just everyone overpampered me because I was the only girl in the family.
I think that was the reason I fell in love with Mason because he showed me the outside world a little; he showed me what I was missing under dad’s strict rules and regulations.
But that freedom cost me early and unplanned pregnancy.
“Sophia, stop crying, Princess! You’re not going afar; we will still be in the same city.”, Mom cooed to me.
“Mom, she is not crying because she is going away from you; she is crying because she will miss me, and she can’t say that on my face.”, Asher joked, on which I rolled my eyes, wiping my tears.
“Maybe she is crying that she can’t meet us more often now. But don’t worry, dear! I will keep visiting you.”, Theo said with a wink.
“You guys … should .. stop giving … so much importance to yourself.”, I said, glaring at them. One by one, I hugged all my stupid and idiot brothers, but I busted into tears when I saw the wax statue of Levi, which looked almost real. I wish even he would have been here too. And at last, I hugged dad.
“Hey, guys, what do you say? A family hug?” I asked, on which the smile on the faces of two of my brother faded; Oscar and Owen were not fond of dad or staying anywhere close to him.
But they pressed their lips and forced a smile on their face just to fulfill my wish.
After that, we hardly took a couple of pictures with both my old family and the new one. I couldn’t understand why Uncle Logan and Brandon were not happy when I suggested them to get some pictures clicked with my family.
Observing Uncle Logan and Dad, I could tell that they were not best friends, just as everyone had said. And there was something that everyone was trying to hide from me.
I wondered why?
****
I kept crying throughout the cry. Brandon didn’t say anything to stop me from crying but did offer me his hanky to wipe my eyes.
Though Mom had said that we would be in the same city, but she didn’t tell me that I would be staying at the end of the city.
When after half an hour, I stopped crying; I heard him speaking, “You had no idea that we were getting married at the marriage registrar, had you?”
“No.”
“Your family member didn’t even think it important to share this with you.”
“Maybe they do this because they have lost their eldest son.”, I reasoned out.
“You’re so naive and innocent, Sophia.”, he muttered, shaking his head.
“Oliver says the same. But there is nothing wrong with being innocent. We are not fool or stupid. It’s just we think everyone has a good heart.”, I replied. “By the way, is something wrong with you and dad? I mean, you were not behaving in this way with them, friendly type, etc.”
“I will tell you about that part some other day.” he pushed that topic away, and I didn’t nag after that. At least, he told me that he would share about it later instead of completely denying or lying.
“Oh, okay! By the way, I forgot to ask you what you do as a profession?”
“I’m a game programmer.”
“That’s so cool.”
“Yeah! I kind of enjoy my work. Do you play video games?”
“Nah! I’m not good at it.”
“But these generation kids are pro in all types of video games.”
“I second that. And I promise to get a lot of games for your baby when he or she attends the age of play games.”
I didn’t realize it when I reached his apartment by continuously talking with him. He unlocked the door and walked inside; it was completely dark inside.
“I thought Uncle Logan would be here because he left for there before us.”, I said, trying to see anything, but I failed. All of a sudden, the light of the apartment was lit up, along with a loud noise. I grabbed Brandon’s arm out of fear and felt a lot of flower petals falling on both of us. I looked up and realized the balloon hanging over our head had busted.
I looked around and found the whole apartment decorated with flowers and balloons, and a big banner was tagged on the top.
‘Welcome home, Sophia’
And after a while, two staff and dad came into the picture, holding a camera in his hand.
“You can’t take her inside without carrying her in your arms.”, Uncle Logan said strictly, and I could see love in his words.
“Dadddd,” Brandon whined.
“It’s not that every day my son gets married. So, please do it for me.”, Uncle Logan said, pouting and showing his puppy eyes. He was behaving totally differently from the person around my dad. Brandon sighed before looking at me.
“May I?”, He asked like a gentleman, and when I nodded my head, he picked me in his arms.
“Perfect, now give some natural pose so that you two will always have amazing memories of your wedding.”, Uncle Logan said and made us pose in different styles and around the place of the apartment from a different angle. I could feel that Brandon was getting irritated because of it, but he didn’t dare to open his mouth to go against his father’s wish.
“Now that you’re retired. You’re leaving no chance to irritate me, aren’t you?” Brandon hissed in anger, and in the next moment, he faked his smile to get pictures.
“What? I’m enjoying my passions.” Uncle Logan smiled innocently.
****
After half an hour!!
“Sophia, my room is the last room in the row. You can go and change. Your luggage had been kept by Liam in my room. I have to talk with dad about something very important. ALONE.”, Brandon said, and I realized that he had to talk about my pregnancy with his dad.
“Sophia,” Uncle Logan stopped me.
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Uncle? Is that what you will call your husband’s dad?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.
“I … I…
“Call me, Dad.”, He said in a strict tone. It took a while that he was joking when he smiled at me and gave me a side hug.
“Dad, you… you scared me.”, I complained. Well, he asked me to call Dad then I could complain, right?
“Did I?” he asked, acting clueless, and I broke the hug before replying.
“Yes!”
“I’m sorry but get habitual to my little pranks.”, he said playfully, on which I giggled. To be honest, he was more amazing than Brandon and more open than my own father. He never behaved like this with me. Now, I realized why Brandon had told me last night that his father is COOL. “By the way, I’m sure my idiot son wouldn’t have told you yet.”,
“Tell me what?”
“That you’re looking beautiful.”, he said, pinching my chubby cheek.
“Thank you, dad.” I smiled and was going to say other things, too, when I heard Brandon clearing his throat. “I will talk to you later, dad. As for now, I have to change my clothes.”
“Sure!”
****
Brandon’s POV
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Once Sophia locked the room, we both looked at each other. “Now, what do you want to talk about?” he asked.
“Can we talk about it in a room?”
“Hmm”
After a few minutes, when we reached his room, I told him about Sophia’s pregnancy, but before he could have said anything, his phone rang. He looked at the phone for a while; I peeked and saw Ethan’s name on display.
I took his phone and received the call, “Yes, Ethan.”
“My second son, Asher, is no more.”
It looked like his enemy was after his family badly, and he wouldn’t take a rest until he killed everyone.
“Just keep Sophia safe and don’t tell her anything about it.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Now it’s our time to attack those bastards.”, he hissed before disconnecting the call. I forwarded his phone to him.
“What was he saying?”
“One more wicket down.”
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