Chapter 12 All According To Plan

• “It had nothing to do with Lucille, Dad,” Zack said.
• Unable to stop Lucille's departure, the only thing he could do was cast his fear aside and appeal to his father.
• Although he had resented Lucille for putting him in such a compromising situation, witnessing Lucille's desperate attempt to defend him ultimately inspired his masculine instincts to protect her.
• “Shut your mouth and remain on your knees!”
• Zack relented under his father's furious gaze by doing as he was told without further protests.
• The going awry of the impending wedding made Jacob anxious and the Xander family embarrassed. Only Hannah and Michaela remained so impassive that their emotions were indiscernible.
• As humiliating as the predicament was to Yvonne, it was her son's actions that had led up to that. Despite her embarrassment, Yvonne walked up to Michaela and her mother. “It was all Zack's fault, Hannah,” she said with some hesitance. “You have no idea how sorry the Xanders are for Mich. Look, I—”
• “Cancel the wedding!”
• Hannah's voice was full of certainty, and her determined expression made her declaration impossible to repudiate
• After all, everybody was aware that it was Zack's fault. Despite the impossibility of going through with the wedding in the face of such a scandal, Jacob was not ready to concede defeat.
• As such, Hannah's proclamation made him anxious. He hurriedly approached Michaela and said cautiously, “All men are like that, Mich. Infidelity is in our nature. It's your wedding tomorrow, can't you—”
• “He was so charged by his nature that he was forced to get in bed with my sister? I didn't know you were so unprincipled, Dad.” Michaela's eyes were cold and distant.
• Though embarrassed by his daughter's public reprimand, Jacob did his best to remain patient. “I want you to think carefully, Mich. Marriage is a serious commitment. Zack has already admitted to his mistake, hasn't he? Why are you being so unforgiving?”
• “I can forgive anything except a violation of principles,” Michaela said flatly. The resolve in her tone was evident.
• I can tolerate my marriage being nothing more than a business deal of my father's, but I cannot accept Zack's infidelity. It's sad enough that I can't live the way I want. But if he couldn't even stay loyal to me before our wedding, there would be no need for us to go through with it.
• Michaela pretended not to notice Jacob's expression darkening after her repeated rejections as she turned around to address Yvonne. “My mother and I feel the same way, Mrs. Xander,” she said with polite indifference. “I will return the dowry tomorrow.”
• Michaela was about to turn around and leave when Quentin's apologetic voice rang out behind her. “Wait a minute, Mich!”
• Instantly, Michaela paused in her tracks. Quentin spoke again while she was hesitating, but it sounded harsher this time. “Do you have anything to say to Mich?”
• Being a proud person since he was a boy, Zack could not find it in him to utter the words he owed his fiancée despite being fully aware that he was in the wrong.
• However, Zack quailed under the pressure of his father's glare. As he was about to speak, he was interrupted by a cold voice. “Apology not required. I'm not going to forgive him anyway. It makes no difference whether he says it or not. Just stay out of my sight for as long as I live.”
• Meanwhile, Jonathan's heart skipped a beat as he watched the departing silhouette of Michaela's upright and haughty figure. There seemed to be a glint of tenderness and affection in his eyes.