Chapter 1

• Amber Chaim’s POV
• I just got off the phone with Roy Holden, the only man I have loved since the beginning of high school. He loves me very much too and had proposed to me and I said yes. He had called to tell me that he was going to tell his parents about our engagement and that it was time I told my parents about him too, that way we can seek their blessing and plan a wedding.
• Roy's family is very wealthy and owns a lot of estates, while I could say, my family is just doing fine surviving daily.
• I quickly shoved my cell phone into my pants pocket eager to leave my small bedroom to speak to my parents who are both seated in our small living room about me and Roy’s engagement. I am feeling super excited that I will finally be living with Roy Holding as I have imagined so many times.
• “Hello Mum, Dad,” I said, taking a seat beside my parents who seemed to be engrossed in their conversation when I walked into the living room.
• “Amber,” Mum called, peering at me in the same way she does when she knows I want something.
• “Hey darling,” Dad said, adjusting on the sofa so that I could fit in. “Is everything alright, where is Dave?” Dad asked, peering at me too.
• “Dave is taking a nap in his room, I think,” I replied Dad. Dave is my kid brother who just got into high school.
• “Okay, say it, what do you want?” Mum asked almost immediately, her gaze still on me. She is usually a fast shooter and I think she is so impatient. Dad also knew I wanted something but he would always wait and allow me to speak.
• “Okay Mum,” I muttered, nodding a little too. “Mum, Dad, I want to talk to you two about something, I started off, gazing from Mum to Dad, whose gaze was on me now. I know they must be wondering what I want to say.
• “Go on, Amber, make it quick, your Dad and I are discussing something very important.” Mum said, urging me to speak up.
• I nodded, deciding to go straight to the point. “Dad, Mum, I am engaged,” I said, sounding very excited as Roy’s proposal replayed in my head.
• “Excuse me?” Dad said, glancing at Mum, who also turned her gaze on him briefly. I know they would be surprised by the news especially since they never knew that I was seeing someone.
• “What are you saying Amber?” Mum asked in a deep tone.
• “I am getting married, Mum,” I said excitedly again, giggling a little on the sofa next to my Dad.
• “Getting married to who?” Dad asked, peering into my eyes and looking confused.
• “Okay, I know this is surprising to the both of you but don’t be, I did not expect it to happen this way too but guess what, I love Roy so much and he loves me too,” I said, feeling and sounding so happy.
• “Are you out of your mind?” Mum snapped, causing the smile on my face to disappear immediately.
• “No Mum, Roy proposed to me yesterday and I accepted his proposal, we are getting married.” I said, gazing from Mum to Dad, expecting them to be happy for me. They knew who Roy Holden was and they knew he was my friend but they didn’t know we were dating.
• “You cannot marry him, Amber,” Mum said to me in a harsh tone, standing up from the sofa where she was seated next to Dad and causing my heart to suddenly swell in anger.
• “I can Mum and I will marry him, Roy is the only one for me Mum, please let me marry him,” I said sharply, standing on my feet too, hating her decision and how she was suddenly angered by my news.
• “Dad please, I love Roy and I want to be with him,” I said pleadingly, turning my teary gaze from Mum to Dad whose gaze was now lowered to the floor.
• Dad lifted his gaze to me, his brows furrowed too as if I had committed a grave crime. I should have told them about my relationship with Roy Holden sooner but I never expected them to be against my marriage with him.
• “I asked you about him before, Amber, and you told me he was just a friend,” Dad started in a neer deep tone peering hard at me.
• I bit down my lower lip, knowing that he was right. He had asked about Roy when he would bring me home from school in his car but I told him he was just a friend. I didn’t know that Roy would keep to his word and come back for me and I never knew Mum and Dad would make a big deal out of it.
• “I told you when you transferred to that rich school that you were only going there to study and that you should keep away from the rich kids,” Dad said and paused his lips as if he was holding himself from saying more.
• “Nothing good can come out of your marriage with Roy, Amber, he is among the high society and we are barely managing, me and your dad only earn enough to put food on our table and help your younger brother finish high school,” Mum said sharply again.
• “Tell her Dennis, make her understand that rich folks like the Holdens wouldn’t treat her well,” Mum said angrily again, turning to my Dad.
• “We should never have allowed her to go to that school Catherine,” Dad said sadly, turning his gaze to my Mum and this infuriated me. What must have happened to them to make them hate rich folks? I asked inwardly, peering tearfully from my Dad to my Mum. I recalled how they debated whether or not I should accept the scholarship after I passed the exam. Then I thought it was because they cannot further my education after graduation but now I see that there was more to it.
• “Why can’t I marry Roy, Dad, I love him and he loves me too?” I said again tearfully, gazing from one parent to the other.
• “Have you met his family and have they accepted you to be their daughter-in-law?” Mum asked gently, her arms wrapped under her breasts.
• “I have not met his family yet Mum, but Roy promised to speak to them about it, I will meet them after that,” I said, trying to convince them. Mum and Dad gazed at each other before turning their gaze on me again causing my pupils to enlarge, feeling anxious about what their gaze meant.
• “You may love him now darling but we love you more, we know you can never fit into their home as their daughter inlaw so it’s best you forget about that boy and look for someone in your class.” Dad said gently, taking my hand in his.
• “I do not want someone in my class Dad, I want Roy Holden,” I snapped, pulling my hand away from him and getting angrier.
• “You are only twenty Amber and know nothing about these sorts of things,” Mum snapped at me too, “you are not going to marry Roy and our decision is final,” Mum added angrily.
• “Dad, please,” I said, turning to my Dad, tears falling from my eyes now as I hope to make him give in. He gives in to my demands faster than Mum.
• Dad shook his head slightly, taking my hand in his again, I guess his heart is melting because of my tears. “Look at our apartment, Amber, it is nothing compared to the Holden’s, how will they treat you after they come to see where you live in,” Dad said gently but in a deep tone.
• “Roy is different, Dad, and I am sure his family is nice,” I told dad, wiping the tears that blur my vision with the back of my palm.
• “Stop this madness Amber, we cannot let you marry Roy,” Mum said authoritatively, getting me furious.
• “I am pregnant for him, Mum,” I said furiously, deciding to tell them about my pregnancy. I and Roy didn’t want to break the news to our parents until after the wedding but I had no choice, especially when my parents were not listening.
• “You are what?” Dad snapped, getting up on his feet and causing my heart to sink into my belly. He looked so furious and I do not think that I have seen him like this before.
• “You must be joking Amber, you cannot possibly be pregnant.” Mum said, shaking her head slightly, her jaw muscles tightening too as she peered hard at me.
• “I am sorry Mum, Dad,” I said, taking a few steps backwards towards the front door, knowing that now is not the time to stay under the same roof with them.
• “Where are you going, Amber?” Mum asked, taking a few steps towards me. I guess she could sense my decision to leave the house.
• “I love Roy, Mum, Dad,” I said, turning the door handle to leave our apartment.
• “Amber,” I heard Dad yell my name, causing me to pause my feet and turn to face my Dad. “It is either Roy Holden or your family, you take a pick,” Dad said in a deep scary tone causing my heart to sink further deep into my belly as I have never seen, or heard him sound like this before.