Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Third Person POV.

Martha stared at Richard, her eyes widening in surprise. Her son had always made it clear that

marriage was not in his plans. So when he suddenly announced that he was getting married in a week,

it came as a shock. She couldn’t help but question if she had heard him correctly.

“What are you talking about, Richard?” Martha asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. “Getting married?

Since when? You’ve always been against the idea, desperate the many times that I tried to convince

you otherwise. So, what’s this about getting married out of nowhere?”

Richard maintained his composure, meeting his mother’s gaze with a calm resolve. “I understand this might have come as a surprise, Mom. But yes, I am getting married in a week. I just thought you and

Dad should know.”

Raymond, Richard’s father, struggled to process the news. His son, who had been adamant about his disinterest in marriage, was suddenly changing course. The air was thick with confusion as he voiced his skepticism. “Richard, why the sudden change of heart? And why does the marriage have to happen in

such haste?”

Richard knew he had anticipated such questions. He had prepared himself for the disbelief and doubt

that would inevitably follow his announcement. He mentally prepared himself for the lies he would respond with, knowing very well that he could not afford any sl*p–ups that would make his father

suspicious.

“We’re in love, Dad,” Richard stated. “And sometimes, when you find the right person, you don’t see any reason to delay the inevitable. We’ve thought about it, and we’re ready to take this step.”

Martha and Raymond exchanged a glance, their uncertainty and concern evident. It was difficult for

them to believe the sudden change in their son’s perspective on marriage. But as unsure as they were, they had no choice but to accept his decision.

Martha reached out, her hand trembling slightly as she touched Richard’s arm. “Oh, Richard, you know very well that we just want you to be happy. If this is what you truly want, then we’ll support you. You already know how much I’ve wished that you would find someone you love and settle down with

her.”

Raymond, still trying to wrap his head around the situation, sighed deeply. “I may not understand why you’ve decided to get married now, but I trust that you’ve thought it through. I’d like to believe

17:11 Fri, 23 Feb

Chapter Twenty

Up to 30% off

that you’re not the type to make impulsive decisions, and I do hope that I’m right.”

Richard nodded, grateful for his parents‘ willingness to accept his choice, even though it was

obvious that they were struggling to believe him. “You know me very well, so you should know that I

would never marry anyone on impulse. We’ve talked about it extensively, and this is a decision we’re

making with our hearts and minds aligned.”

Martha watched Richard carefully, her curiosity piqued by the mention of a mysterious fiancée. She

still didn’t know how to react to the sudden news, but she decided to calm herself anyway.

She pushed aside her initial shock and calmly asked the questions burning in her mind. “What’s her name, son? Where is she from? And how long have you two been together? You’ve always been good denying being in any relationship, so I’m a little curious to know how long you’ve been dating this

girl.”

Richard, always quick on his feet when it came to weaving false stories, plastered a smile on his face and answered smoothly. “Her name is Amber Grey. And this might surprise you, again, but we’ve actually only been seeing each other for a few weeks. I can assure you though that it was love at first sight for both of us, and Amber is really the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

Raymond furrowed his brows, the name Amber Grey ringing a bell in his mind. He could have sworn that he had heard that name before, but he couldn’t remember exactly where.

He voiced his thoughts, wondering aloud where he had come across that name in the past. “Amber Grey… It sounds familiar. Have I heard that name somewhere? Also, how did someone like you who didn’t even believe in love, fall in love with a woman in such a short time? I’m just trying to wrap my head around the fact that you and I are having this sort of conversation.”

Richard shrugged nonchalantly, hiding the panic that simmered beneath his calm exterior. “Perhaps, Dad As for my sudden feelings, Love can happen at any time, in unexpected ways. And I’ve been fortunate enough to meet Amber, who has completely changed my perspectives on things, and has made me rea what it means to want to spend your life with someone.”

Richard mentally shuddered in disgust, hating the number of cheesy and disgusting words he was starting to use just because

he wanted to convince his parents that he was truly in love. He knew that it would take a lot to get his parent’s approval, which is why he wanted to sound as happy as he possibly could.

Raymond’s confusion only grew, his suspicions beginning to take hold. “I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve heard that name in connection to something or someone important. Are you sure she’s not some sort of celebrity?”

JVIL VI CLILUTINY –

Richard dismissed his father’s question with a wave of his hand. “No, nothing like that. She’s just a

regular person, Dad. I think you might have just heard her name in passing or something.”

Raymond stared at Richard, searching his son’s face for any sign of deception. But Richard remained

composed, his mask firmly in place. Raymond couldn’t deny that something felt off, but he couldn’t

quite put his finger on it either.

With a hint of unease in his voice, Raymond probed further. “Alright, Richard. Tell us a bit more about Amber. Who is she? What’s her background?”

Richard sighed inwardly, mentally preparing himself for the storm that was about to hit. He knew tha revealing the truth would only intensify his parents‘ reaction, but he couldn’t hide it any longer.

“Well, to be honest, Amber does have a past that needed to be shared,” Richard started. “The truth

s, she used to be married to someone else, and she recently went through a public divorce, which I

sure you might have heard about.”

Martha and Raymond’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, their eyes fixed on Richard. Martha’s voice

rembled slightly as she asked. “Who was she married to, Richard?”

ichard took a deep breath, his mind racing with the consequences of his revelation. There was no

urning back now. “Amber, my fiancée, was married to Kayden Black. She was once a part of the Bla

amily.”