Emily’s eyes sparkled and she quickly nodded, "Yes, Mom. She said that. Everyone heard. If you don’t believe me, you can ask anyone here."
She then looked around at the people, hoping for them to speak for her. And some truly did.
They did hear Arwen throw that challenge openly.
Catrin turned to look at her daughter. Her eyes were sharp, holding hints of victory. "Aren’t you too audaciously confident of that?" She then paused and only moved her hand to press over Emily’s as if supporting her. "What made you think that things would go as per your wish?"
Emily felt overjoyed. She knew it. Catrin was serious about anything. Even if Arwen wanted to return now, she couldn’t.
Arwen didn’t respond. She just stood and stared at the duo, her expression unreadable.
And like always, Catrin mistook that expression. She thought Arwen was finally coming to her senses, as she had expected her to come.
"Why aren’t you answering me, Arwen?" Catrin asked sharply. Although she was waiting for Arwen to come back, she wasn’t going to make it easy for her. She would make sure to let her know what she actually did wrong. "I told you, you would regret your decision. But at that time, you were so confident that you wouldn’t. What happened now? It’s just been a few months and you are regretting?"
"Regretting?" Arwen finally spoke, her voice not loud, but very clear for everyone. "Mrs. Quinn, how do you know I am regretting?"
Catrin frowned at her words. "You aren’t regretting?" She said that with a scoff. "Really? Then if you aren’t regretting, then why are you weaving such stories?"
Arwen smiled. Her eyes flicked to look at Emily once before returning to Catrin again. "Whether I am weaving stories or not —you would know better if you ask Emily in detail."
Emily faltered, and the colour of her face drained when Catrin turned to look at her with a questioning gaze. "I ... I am not lying. She —" She then turned to Arwen and said, "Arwen, why are you ruining my important day? Why can’t you just leave?"
Arwen wanted to chuckle. But she held it in. "I was about to leave, Emily. It was you who held me back," she said, pretty casually, not at all looking bothered. "You started it all, and now, very conveniently, you are making it look like I caused it. Do you think I will just let you dictate it all?"
Emily felt the situation slipping out of her control. "Fine, I accept. I wronged you. Is that fine now? Can you leave?" She didn’t know why, but she felt that the longer Arwen would stay, the more difficult it would become for her.
So, at this moment, she just wanted Arwen to leave.
However, she was oblivious to Catrin’s plans.
Catrin didn’t want Arwen to leave. Not so soon ... not tonight, not ever.
She turned to look at Arwen and asked, "Are you not regretting it at all?"
Arwen looked at her evenly and smiled. "Mrs. Quinn, I came here to attend your banquet ... to be part of your celebration. If I were regretting, why would I be here?"
Her words made sense, but Catrin refused to believe it.
She couldn’t believe that Arwen wasn’t scared of losing her position in the family.
She couldn’t believe that Arwen wasn’t scared of losing the parents she had always loved dearly.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Breaking Free, Loving Again -The Flash Marriage with Mr. CEO