Cherish Love

ANNE ALEXANDRIA CHLOE's POV

"So what's this all about, dad? Did something happen at the company?" I heard my brother asked seriously while sitting on the couch beside his wife, sister Lily. I just took a deep breath as I calm myself because I feel like this meeting has something to do with me. How did I know? Well, I just felt it because I've been feeling anxious since I wake up this morning and until now. My attention was diverted when I look at my mom once again who has been looking at me with so much worry in her eyes ever since we came back home from school a while ago and that's also the other reason why I felt that something will definitely happened tonight. Anyways, I'm Anne Alexandria Chloe Ramirez, the only daughter of the famous business tycoon, Kean Alexis Ramirez and my beautiful and loving mom, Christine Anne Santillan-Ramirez.

"Everything's fine. Actually, I have some good news for everyone." My dad said while smiling. Wait, we rarely see dad's smile because he is the type of person who's very strict, stern and serious wherever he is… That's why I am so shocked to see him smiling right now. I took a deep breath once again. I guess, this has nothing to do with me after all. I was just overthinking. Yeah, that's definitely the reason why I feel so anxious today.

"Really, father? What kind of news was it to make father so happy right now?" Sister Lily asked politely while smiling at dad. She is my ever supportive sister-in-law, Emelie "Lily" Richmond-Ramirez. She and my brother have been married for two years already. Time flies so fast, isn't it?

"Well, the Martinez Empire has finally agreed in a merger with us." My dad said excitedly. Merger? With the Martinez?

"Company Merger? Is that for real, dad? The Martinez Empire was ranked as one of the top 10 most well known businesses in the world." I heard my brother asked in disbelief while looking at dad. That's right. You can also consider them as one of the ric.h.e.s.t families in the world just like our company, the Ramilan Empire.

"Yes, you're right. That's why I'm so glad to also announce that this coming Sunday, we will be having a family dinner with the Martinez Family." Dad said excitedly that made me confused. Huh? Family...dinner? With us?

"A family dinner? Wait, dad… What do you mean by that?" Brother Charles asked that made my mom turned to look at dad. Wait, why does mom looks like she is worried about something? Is she not happy about the company merger? But still… What does dad mean about the family dinner?

"Well, the son of Paolo Martinez wants to finally meet his fiance." My dad said while still smiling before he turns to look at me that made me shivered. Eh!? Wait a minute… What did my dad just said?

"It's also a good opportunity to talk about our company merger while discussing about their engagement, right?" My dad said. Engagement...to Paolo Martinez's son?

"W-wait, dad…" I said as I tried to compose myself. I saw dad turned to look at me once again but this time with a more serious and stern look.

"What is it, Chloe?" Dad asked seriously that made my heart skip a beat. Oh no… So my intuition was right...

"Dad… About Paolo Martinez's son… W-what do you mean by that?" I asked as I tried not to startled but I still did. I saw my dad took a deep breath as he leaned on the couch.

"You're getting married, Chloe." He simply said but with a serious and stern voice that made me stopped. W-what!?

"Wait, dad! What are you saying?" I heard my brother asked as he started to panic. No way… This is not happening. It can't be true...

"Didn't you hear what I just said, Charles? Chloe's getting married to Paolo Martinez's son." Dad said sternly. No way! I don't want to get married to someone else! I only want to marry him!

"But dad… You can't do this. Chloe is just 17 years old." My brother said while I still stayed silent and listen to them because I'm afraid that if I turn to look at them… My tears will start to fall down on my cheeks.

"I know but she will turn 18 this coming November so what's your problem with that, Charles?" I heard my dad said in a very serious tone. Oh no… Dad is serious… This can't be happening...

"But dad---" I heard my brother said but was interrupted when I started to speak.

"Dad, I don't want..." I said in a very low voice that only the five of us can hear without even looking at them but still… I can feel their gaze towards me.

"What did you say, Chloe?" I heard my dad said that gives chills on my body. Dad… D-dad is angry at me!

"I don't want to marry that whoever that guy is… I don't even know him in the first place, so why should I marry him?" I said while still avoiding their gaze and keep on looking at the floor.

"You asked, why? Then let me tell you two reasons, Chloe…" I heard my dad said that made me returned my attention to him and saw him seriously looking at me.

"First is for the company merger and second is for the sake of our family's tradition." Dad said simply that made me silent. T-that's right… Our family have this weird tradition where you have to marry at the age of 18 or else, your family will face misfortune and that's also the reason why my brother married sister Lily two years ago...

"But can't we just find another way for them to have a company merger with us, dad?" I heard my brother asked while I still stayed silent. How can I even forget that? That's also the reason why I've been asking him to go back here almost every time that we have a chance to talk to each other. I just took a deep breath as I compose myself. My fear of marrying someone that I don't love has finally come...

"No and like I said, this marriage is also for the sake of our family's tradition. It's like hitting two birds with one stone, Charles." Dad said full of authority. No… I don't want this… Please...

"But dad… I already married Lily two years ago so why does Chloe still needs to suffer from that crazy family tradition we have?" Brother Charles said that made me turn to look at them. Brother...

"Are you saying that you sacrifice yourself to save your sister, Charles? Do you think your wife is happy to hear that coming from you?" Dad said that made sister Lily slowly bowed her head.

"T-that's not what I mean, dad…" Brother Charles said as he startled. Brother Charles...

"Whether it is your intention or not, we're not talking about sacrifices here, Charles. Chloe is born in this family so whether she likes it or not, she needs to follow our tradition." Dad said sternly before he looks at me that gives chills on my body. Dad...is really serious.

"But I really don't want, dad…" I said, still in a polite way that made dad frowned.

"Really? Then shall I disown you instead?" Dad said that made all of us shocked. What?

"Dad!" "Father…" "D-dad…" Brother Charles, sister Lily and I said in unison while I saw my mom started to panic.

"Alexis!" Mom said while looking dad.

"Why, Christine? Did I do something wrong? We also did the same thing before, right? You were engaged to me that's why we're now married." Dad said seriously as he crossed his arms on his c.h.e.s.t while looking at mom.

"I know but that doesn't mean you have to disown her, Alexis. She's still a Ramirez for goodness sake!" I heard my mom said that made me teary eyed. Mom… Thank you so much for defending me… I immediately wiped my tears on my cheeks as soon as it fell down on my eyes because mom rarely disagrees with dad and mom rarely defend us when dad finally made a decision about our future that's why… I suddenly became emotional.

"I know that she is a Ramirez, Christine. You don't have to remind me about that." My dad said before he glared at me that made my heart skip a beat and turn to look at brother. W-what was that scary look mean?

"And besides, what's wrong with marrying someone that you don't even have feelings for? You will definitely learn to love each other sooner or later." Dad said as he fixed his necktie. No, dad… I can't love anyone aside from him. He is the only one for me, dad… If...I can only say that to dad right now… If only I had the courage to that but...I can't.

"Alexis! Please stop…" I heard my mom said that made dad look at her again.

"What? I'm just stating the fact, Christine and have you already forgotten?" My dad said as he gets closer to mom. W-what does dad mean?

"This is your family's tradition and not mine. I'm just following what the elders had told us so don't blame me for what I'm doing right now. Blame your family instead, Christine." Dad said that made my mom stopped.

"Alexis…" Mom said while still looking at dad in awe. We saw dad shrugged his shoulders as he returns his attention to us, especially to me.

"All of you must clear all your schedule that day because the Martinez family will be here to have dinner with us. Are we clear now?" Dad said sternly that made them just nod while I'm still looking at him. Dad, no… Please don't do this to me...

"Okay, it's settled. The three of you may go now." Dad said before he stood up and started to walk towards the entrance door.

"Alexis, wait!" Mom said as she follows dad but was suddenly stop as she turns to look at us again.

"Charles, please take care of your sister, okay? I'll just talk to your dad about this." Mom said that made my brother just nod.

"Yes, mom. I will." My brother said politely before mom follows dad and left the three of us here at the living room together. I closed my eyes and took a deep sigh as I tried to stop my tears from falling. No, you should not cry, Chloe. You should never show them your weakness. Inhale exhale… Inhale exhale… As soon as I calm myself down for a bit. I opened my eyes, stood up and started to walk towards the staircase. I want to be alone… I want to think this through because no matter what happens, I will only marry Christian. Only Christian can be my groom and husband.

As I finally reached my room, I immediately opened it and went towards the balcony to breathe some fresh air. Come to think, if I jump from here... I will definitely die immediately and I will no longer need to marry that person but if I did that then, I will never be able to see Christian again. I just shook my head. My goodness, what am I thinking anyway? I just took a deep breath while still looking at the sky and stars when the door of my room suddenly burst open.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I suddenly heard my brother's voice as he approaches me and grabbed my arm. What is wrong with him!?

"What's wrong with you? Let me go!" I said but brother Charles didn't let me go and held my arm even more tighter.

"Charles, let her go. You're hurting your sister." Sister Lily said as she tries to loosen up my brother's grip on my arm but he still never let me go. Oh no… I might have a bruised.

"No way! Can't you see? She's planning to jump over here!" My brother said as he glares at sister Lily. What?

"What? Who will jump? Me?" I asked and saw him return his attention to me.

"Why? Are you not?" He asked that made me punch him lightly on his arm.

"Of course, I will not! Are you crazy?" I said as I shove his hands and walk back inside my room. My goodness… Yes, I thought about that but that doesn't mean I will do it! I'm definitely not crazy to do that!

"But just now...you look like you really want to jump..." Brother Charles said that made me just sighed.

"You know what, brother… I have lots of reasons to live than to die." I said before I get my sling bag and walked towards the door.

"Then, where are you going? It's already late at night." My brother asked. My goodness. He's overreacting. I turned to look at him once again and saw him looking at me with so much worry. Brother...

"It's only 8pm, brother. I just want to walk and think about a lot of things." I said honestly.

"Then, I'll accompany you." My brother said that made me just shook my head.

"No. It's alright, brother. I just want to be alone right now." I simply said.

"But---" My brother said but was interrupted when sister Lily suddenly speaks.

"Charles… Chloe is not a kid anymore. She already knows what she's doing and right now, we all need to calm down ourselves first for us to have a proper conversation about this." Sister Lily said that made me realize how lucky my brother is to have such a kind, supportive and loving wife just like sister Lily.

"But Lily…" Brother Charles said in hesitant.

"You have to trust your sister, Charles. Nobody will try to harm her because she is the daughter of the Ramirez Family. They will never have the courage to that if they still want to continue living in this world." Sister Lily said as she tries to convince my brother and finally, I saw my brother took a deep breath before he looks at me again.

"You have to come back home early. Do you understand, Chloe?" Brother Charles said sternly that made me smile. I just nod at him.

"Yes, brother. I will." I said as I turned my back to them and started to walk but before I forgot...

"By the way…" I said as I turned around to look at them and walked towards my brother's direction and hugs him.

"Thank you for defending me, brother." I said while hugging him. I moved away and saw him looking at me. He looks surprised on what I did. Hahaha! Anyways, he should be because we rarely hug each other. I bid farewell once again before I started to walk and leave them in my room.