LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT - CHAPTER 18
Then, he looked at Keira and waited for what his daughter wanted to say. All he remembered was that Keira mumbled that she won’t let all of them hijack the conversations.
Kiera smiled at Old Madam Liu as she slightly bowed to thank Old Lady for letting her speak.
She hoped it turned out well and they could accept her simple explanation.
“First of all, our family would like to thank the Lius for inviting us to your home and for the warm welcome and dinner,” Keira said as an introduction.
“My parents had great respect for the Liu Family and have mentioned to me how the family stands tall under Old Madam Liu’s heading and I’m really impressed. Whoever it is that joins your family, I believe it will be such a great honor for that person. However, I have to be direct as the main person involved, I do not agree on this arranged marriage.” Keira paused and looked at Madam Liu closely whose smile suddenly disappeared and was replaced by an arched eyebrow.
“Did I hear it right? Are you turning down our family’s good offer?” Old Madam Liu asked, her voice became slightly sharp but she remained calm and controlled herself.
Jeru who was silent all the time murmured, “But why?”
Keira did not want to be rude. As much as possible she wanted the evening to end up with pleasant talks but she was going to do the whole talking on behalf of her parents because she was the one involved.
She sighed and looked directly at Jeru with a blank expression, “I am sorry, Jeru, but I don’t like the arranged marriage set-up. I will only marry for love and not because my family wants it or arranged it for me. It is I who will get married not them. It is my life and I want to decide on things on my own.”
Old Madam Liu was beginning to redden. ‘How dare this brat reject us like this.’
With her calm voice, Old Madam Liu said, “Child, you can learn to love my grandson with time. Love can be developed. This is how our society runs. Families agree for marriages for their own protection and safety and to maintain the balance of the family name and reputation.”
Old Madam Liu reasoned out, obviously, she was not going to let Keira subdue her.
Keira’s eyebrows arched as she replied, “What if I don’t fall in love during that period? I don’t take risks like that Madam and my parents are well aware of that. If it ends up not falling in love with him, both parties will suffer. The worst ending will be separation, which I believe will not be a good scenario for both families’ reputation. Besides, I’m too young for these matters. I’m only nineteen, so please don’t expect me to be in a relationship at this age. I’ve got a lot of plans in my life and I want to enjoy my youth being single.”
Old Madam Liu’s face muscles were starting to twitch because of her suppressed annoyance.
Keira, on the other hand, was not letting her guard down.
“I get your point, child, we don’t need to rush everything about the marriage. You and Jeru can get along and get to know each other well during the engagement period. I believe all your worries can be worked out for both sides’ efforts. You can marry once you turn twenty-three. I believe by that time, you would have already enjoyed that youth of yours and achieved everything you want.” Old Madam Liu replied.
Keira deliberately shook her head as she sighed. Good reasoning would not make the famous Old Madam Hitler budge and she had already expected that much. However, she would make sure she had the last say at this meeting.
She had considered mentioning that she had her eyes on another man but refrained herself as she weighed everything out and reviewed the profile of Old Madam Liu.
She would not risk Zach’s life by being bullied by this Female Hitler.
She h@??d being wordy and the sight of not being charismatic in other people’s opinion but this was her last resort.
Keira, after letting out a heavily long and deep sigh looked closely at Old Madam Liu, her eyes never blinked and met the piercing gaze of Old Madam, then she spoke, “If you push this talk about marriage any further, then I will have to take precautionary measures.
“I h@?? to do this to my parents, but if they agree with you for the sake of having a good relationship with the Lius, then they will have to consider me as dead and disown me. I will leave them and will no longer consider myself as a Chan, I will start living on my own, and no doubt, I will run away from this engagement and arranged marriage.”
* * * * * * * * * *
*The next day*
As expected Keira and her friends passed the complete medical exams.
And they were scheduled for the final round of the Physical Fitness Assessment: the “Survival of the Fittest”, where candidates were required to stay inside the Military Academy for three days, billeting during the assessment and challenges.
At this round, everyone was back to the beginning and those who passed the final rounds would be the only ones who would be admitted to the Military Academy.
Keira was panting hard after doing the shuttle run.
“You are doing great, Keira. All of you guys!” Said the coach with thumbs up.
“Oh crap! I’m so hungry.” May exclaimed loudly as she followed Keira who laid her body on the grass.
The training for Keira’s group was continuous and the coaches put up a harder and stricter training as per Keira’s instruction.
“Sis, what happened at the in-laws meeting?” Lana asked stuttering as she caught her breath. Keira was silent the whole time and the three of them were already dying of curiosity about how things went at the meeting with the Liu Family.
Keira smiled, it was her normal mischievous smile, indicating that everything ended up well much to her liking.
“Hmmm… It went well for now…” Keira answered simply.
Drey’s face twitched and he complained, “Can we at least get the details? How well? You mean there’s no more arranged marriage or you just delayed it with excuses?”
“Hmm…” Keira mumbled as she recalled how embarrassed Old Madam Liu’s, as well as Jeru’s, faces were. It was so funny that she couldn’t help but burst out in laughter.
“Keira Chan!” Lana exclaimed impatiently.
“Alright, you gossip mongers!” Keira said laughing.
“I simply told them ‘NO’ and that it’s my right to reject them. I said I’m too young for that kind of thing and I wanted to experience a lot of things during my youth.” Said Keira.
“Only that and Old Madam Hitler agreed? She just let you slip away that easily?” Lana burst out in disbelief.
“Of course not. They said they can wait and that we don’t have to marry immediately and will be engaged in the process until I reach the age of twenty-three.” Keira answered.
All eyes were on her, including the coaches, waiting for her to continue.
“I said that I will only marry for love and nothing will change that! Guess what she said?”
“You can fall in love after you marry him… Love comes after, with time!” Said Keira as she tried to copy Old Madam Liu’s demanding voice.
“Ohhh…” her friends gasped, and Keira rolled her eyes and revealed everything in detail to her friends.
“Ohh, that’s nice… That way, Old Madam Liu can’t blame your parents. They are off the hook, they might even pity your parents for having the most stubborn daughter…” Lana nodded in agreement.
“Hmmm, what if there is some kind of aftermath? What did Jeru Liu say?” Drey asked next.
Keira shrugged her shoulders because Jeru was too quiet the whole time. She never heard him say a thing.
At first, she thought to say that she would agree only if she fell in love at first, but then it would have only made things worse. Just the thought of Jeru bugging her while she was trying to bug Zach made her head spin and ache.
The Lius, in the end, did not pursue the matter and it ended up with Old Madam Liu understanding the situation because she knew well that Keira was Field Marshal Chan’s only daughter and he treasured her the most.
But there’s one thing that bothered Keira…
“Actually, I think Old Madam Liu really didn’t accept defeat as they said,” Keira mumbled suddenly.
Lana’s brow arched and she asked, “Why? What do you mean?”
“She kissed me on the cheek before we leave their mansion and she whispered something in my ear…” Keira said and sighed.
“What?” The trio asked in chorus…
“SECRET!!!” Keira exclaimed, which made May pounce on her, including Lana as they poked Keira’s sides.
“You won’t tell? For real? We will torture you till the end!” May exclaimed.
“Drey, grab her feet! Let’s ki|| her for giving us a cliffhanger statement!” Shouted Lana.
Drey scratched his head and followed while he began to scratch Keira’s feet who was bursting, being put in so much laughter…
The coaches just watched the four having fun.
“What do you think Old Madam Liu whispered?” One of the coaches, who knew Old Madam, murmured.
“She’s that female Hitler, right? Maybe, she whispered, ‘This is a war of extermination’, Adolf Hitler, To his general, 30 March 1942 OR ‘Now terror will be answered with terror.’, Adolf Hitler, In response to the news that Lubeck had been obliterated by the RAF, 28 March 1942?’ Said the other one in a jest.
“‘Whenever I think of that attack, my stomach turns over.’ Adolf Hitler, To Heinz Guderian, in reference to the Kursk offensive, 14 May 1943” said the coach and both burst out in laughter.
“OKAY, STOP!!!!” Keira shouted, stammering while her stomach already ached because of too much laughing.
“Old Madam Liu whispered to me, -We will definitely meet each other again-”
Drey: “Maybe, at a party or event?”
May: “Hmm. Maybe, it’s a goodbye luck farewell only. You know… NO meaning at all but just a good gesture.
Lana: “It’s definitely a warning…”
Keira agreed with Lana because that’s what she felt at that moment. She’s been warned.
‘Bring it on!’ That was Keira’s inward answer and she clearly relayed it to Old Madam Liu by her devious smile after Old Madam whispered her words to her ear that night.
_____
“What is your plan now?” Old Madam Liu barged into her son’s office.
Senior Liu’s forehead creased and he replied, “I thought the matter is already finalized? You agreed to cancel the arranged marriage last night, Ma, right?”
Old Madam Liu smirked and sat on the sofa.
“Agreed? I never said that word last night, did I?” Old Madam Liu hissed.
She was never been subdued in her whole life. Last night’s dinner was the worst meeting that she had ever had.
Field Marshal Chan’s daughter was a real pain in the @zz. How dare that girl turn down their family like that.
The demure act of that spoiled brat was getting on her nerves, it kept her awake almost the whole night.
“How dare she thr_@ten her parents in front of elders,” Old Madam Liu massaged her nape as she felt her blood pressure was about getting high at any moment as she recalled Keira’s crafty reasonings from last night.
Senior Liu, who was watching the annoyed expression on his mother’s face, was trying to suppress his laughter. He honestly liked how bold and straightforward Keira Chan was, and to be honest, he enjoyed the show last night.
How he wanted to turn back the time and do what Keira did; to stand his ground and fight for what he wanted for his life. Though Keira’s method was a bit blunt.
Senior Liu fizzled when he remembered Keira’s last words which pointed out her strong personality that left him astonished. She was direct to the point.
He couldn’t help but burst in a suppressed chuckle because her words almost made his mother faint… He would absolutely not forget that scene…
Old Madam Liu threw daggers at her son with her accusing gaze when she saw Senior Liu giggling.
“Are you enjoying this, Leo? Instead of giggling on your own, find a way to corner the Chan Family! I will teach that brat a good lesson, and she will end up begging us for that marriage in the end!” Old Madam Liu jeered.
“What? You do know very well how strong the Chan Family is, Ma?! Corner them? Are you sure?” Senior Liu exclaimed in disbelief but somehow he knew it could be possible to shake the Chans’ with her mother’s connections worldwide. She could scratch at most, but to corner them, it was an impossible thing to do.
Unless his mother accepted a big blow at the end just to make it happen, then it’s plausible.
Senior Liu sighed and added, “Why don’t we let the kids sort it out? Let Jeru handle everything. Keira said she wants to marry for LOVE, right? It’s so simple. Jeru must make her fall in love with him”
‘Let them be since it’s their own life. Stop meddling because you will only ruin everything.’ He wanted to voice out but chose not to because he knew that he would only be wasting words.
He knew his mother well. She was very narrow-minded and only followed her own rules.
Old Madam Liu’s lips twitched. “Never mind, just focus on the company! I will take care of it.”
‘We’re not finished yet, Keira Chan. I hope you are well prepared for what’s coming next?!’ Old Madam Liu mused as she went out.
She had her ways with everything, especially when it involved the reputation of her family. She was not being called as the legendary female version of Hitler for nothing.
Senior Liu shook his head as he anxiously watched his mother leave.
“She probably met her match now,” he mumbled because he could sense that Keira Chan was someone who couldn’t be subjugated too easily.
Practically, a war was going to burst between the two women. His mother loved to take her time before attacking.