Chapter 8: Acceptance

Brianna's POV

I went back home at 5:30 in the afternoon. Everyone in the mansion was busy preparing foods on the long table. Well they should, because our guest are very important person not only in our family but also in this country.

I head straight to my room, I must look representable and respectable in front of them.

When the time is already seven in the evening, I went down the dinning hall and my parents was already there. The time I am going to seat on the chair, our guest arrived and they are in front of the front door. I saw the maids convey them through the dinning table where we are. Aldrich was looking great and awesome in his suit. It was only a dinner but we are all in our formal dresses.

"Have a seat Mr. and Mrs. Marcos and there you go Mr. Marcos," said the butler. Aldrich was sitting beside me and I know he's so happy about that.

Dinner with the person like them, I know there's something important that we're going to discuss. Oh, right! It's almost a week passed and next week was our engagement. Is that what we are here for? I think so.

After praying, we started to eat. Conversation between my father and the President comes first, they're very close with each other and so as with my mother and the First Lady. And there's Aldrich who serve food for me. It's sweet I know. But why I am not falling for him at all despite all the sweetness and kindness he was showing to me? I wish I could, but only the mind wants to cooperate and the heart doesn't care at all.

"All of us sitting here known what we are going to discuss except for Ms. Cruilein," said the President. What? I'm the only one who doesn't know? They should have told me! Am I not part of the family? And how come Aldrich didn't even told me about it? He's so selfish! "We didn't tell you yet because we know you will be shock," the President added. "This idea comes from Aldrich and both side agree to it. And we both agree that this is for the better. So Ms. Cruilein, we decided to move your engagement earlier and it was on the day after tomorrow." I stop chewing my food when I heard those words. My eyes wandering looking at them. I can't believe they are all discussing matters without me? Both agree, my foot! If the side both agree to do that, why I wasn't aware? And to think that it was Aldrich's idea makes me so pissed off. I need to talk to him later!

"What can you say my daughter?" my dad said.

"Well, it was a good idea!" I said smiling at them. "Thanks to Aldrich who was behind it. He was really good in thinking ideas and I'm so impressed!"

"Thank you, my dear!" Aldrich said. I look at him faking a smile with my fist clenching under the table.

"But I think it was too early. I don't have yet a gown and the preparations will going to be rush I guess." I don't think if that reason would be consider to let them move the engagement next week.

"That's why, you and Aldrich will go to the boutique tomorrow for you to choose a gown and suit," said the First Lady. "Preparations are easy to handle and you don't need to worry about that."

Why I even forgot that the preparations are indeed easy to handle for a filthy rich family like us? They are so prepared and there's no need for me to get shock about it.

"That would be perfect! I'm so relieve that you handle it so smooth," I said giving them an expression of being grateful.

"All you need is to be prepared my dear," my mom said. I feel so annoyed right now but I guess this doesn't help me. I guess it's time for me to just accept it. Aldrich wasn't bad at all. He's a perfect husband every girl wants and I should be one of that girls now.

"I know Mom and I'm excited because that's what I want!" I drink a glass of wine afterwards and continue eating the foods on my plate.

Hours passed and we finished eating. My dad and mom together with my future in-laws was having a great time with each company talking some stuffs in connection with business and investments. Their wealth will soon merge in just few days and I'm happy for them. I will be the daughter-in-law of the President and I should be happy and grateful about that. But why do I need to convince myself?

"I'm sorry for not informing you first the idea I have in mind," Aldrich said. We are in the garden having a bottle of wine. I don't want to argue with him now because what's done is done. My anger and decision doesn't matter at all. But atleast he said sorry and that I should appreciate.

"What's done is done and I know that you're just thinking for our sake," I said. I should be grateful towards him because I know he's behind why his cousin didn't continue to sue Christian. And now I realized that he come up with this decision because he wants me stop the kind of doing I have done. If I was married to him, I'm sure I can't go clubbing without disguising.

"I know you're against it, but I think it's for the best," he said drinking the glass of wine. Even if I want to convince myself a couple of times that I need to have a romantic feelings towards him, it doesn't occur to me at all. Am I that numb?

"Honestly, I'm against it, but you said it's for the best so who am I to reject it?" Drinking wine is good, not until I remember what it occurs to me whenever I drunk. Marco harassed me in club and Christian makes me horny and get laid. But now, drinking with Aldrich wasn't like that. He was just sitting beside me and holding my hand.

"I love you, Brianna." I look at him and he has a serious expression. I know he wasn't drunk because it was only a wine. He was saying this a lot of times, but I think it was special tonight. "I know you didn't love me and you're doing this just because you're obeying your parents, but I'm inlove with you and that's true!" And he also knows that I'm not inlove with him? Well, he's a good fortune teller. I don't know if I am going to be happy hearing those words or should I just stay doubtingly towards him?

"Thank you for loving me. Don't worry, hearts will learn if mind teaches it over and over again."

"What if you're not happy being my wife? Does it mean you're going to divorce me?" My expression turns to a serious one. His mind is in advance mode. We're not yet even married yet he was thinking about the divorce.

"Then you should make me happy at all cost. You should make use of your profession too, to stop me from divorcing you."

We almost run out of wine so I called the maids for them to get us another bottle. I drink the straight the wine in my glass and it feels so good running in my throat.

The breeze was now cold and I'm feeling it because I wear a sleeveless dress. I rubbed both my hands to feel warm. Suddenly, a coat was being place at my back. It was Aldrich who placed it there. How sweet and thoughtful of him?

"Do you want us to go inside?" he said. But I don't feel the cold when it's warmth so I wouldn't mind going inside.

"No, it's okay! Let us stay here!"

The glass of wine was now delivered at our place. I immediately pour one when Aldrich opened it. I drink again and came to realization. Actually, the relationship I had with Aldrich is a bit boring. Imagine we didn't kiss or have sex just once. And I think he was still a virgin until now. Oh come on! Why I was thinking this now? I wasn't drunk too much.

"I think you have drunk too much, you're the one who consume most of the wine," Aldrich said. Yeah, he's right I drunk too much but I'm not yet tipsy. I'm stronger than he knows I am.

"No, I'm not! Let's say that this wine taste delicious. Actually, I can finish this bottle on my own," I said smiling. Afterwards, an idea came in my mind. I reach for the glass he was holding and take it away from him.

I sit closer to him making our body touches each other. His expression seems uncomfortable to what I was doing. Doesn't he like the idea that I'm the one throwing myself unto him. I bring my face closer to him, tempting him to kiss me.

"What are you doing, now?" he said biting his lips. Didn't my moves seems not obvious?

"Can you guess what I will going to do?" I'm going to kiss him of course! Let's see if what reaction he has. Is he going to push me or slap me? Or is he going to accept it and response?

Suddenly, I just felt his lips touches mine. I was the one to kiss him first but he preceded me. I can say he's a good kisser, not bad at all. I am now curious, thinking if I am his first kiss. Amidst of thinking, I feel shock when I feel his tongue enters in my mouth and now reaching for my tongue. I raised my eyebrow thinking that he wasn't virgin at all. Why he knows this? He should be ignorant while kissing me! But damn! Why he was so good? My body even started to heat up especially when his hand was wandering closer to my chest. Thankfully, our parents was inside the mansion so they wouldn't see what we are doing here outside. I hate him, right? But why I'm letting him doing this to me? There's no turning back so I willingly response to his kisses, especially that I am the one who plan it. But why he kissed me all of a sudden? There is so much question running in my mind. But despite all of that I just place both my hand on his nape deepening the kiss we are sharing right now.

I felt his hand was now on top of my breast slowly mashing it. I don't wear bra, so his hand easily cup my breast. It was tickling but at the same time his hand touching my boobs feeling so good that I want it to last long.

He just continue slowly mashing my boobs when he suddenly stop kissing me. We look at each other but I can't help myself let out a small moan from my mouth because of what he was doing to me. He's playing with my nipple while staring at me. He's like tempting me to do more. The next thing happens, his lips was now on my neck kissing it, leaving marks on it. I tweak his hair while biting my lips to avoid the moan I was letting out from my mouth. Why he was like this to me now? I thought he wouldn't kiss me until our wedding day but he's now doing it and there's more than that. He continue kissing my neck and I'm enjoying it. Slowly, I felt his other hand on my thigh rubbing it. His hand was slowly moving between my thighs. I was wearing an underwear, but it's too thin, that he can barely touch some part of my pearl. His lips was slowly moving down to my breast, when he look at me and I saw Christian's face on him. I shook my head out of disbelief, but it's Christian's face I only see on his face. I break away from him and move a bit far. I was shock and so as his reaction. I look at him and saw his frustrated expression.