Julian and Gary were shocked by what they heard. Fiancée? Even Joan froze when Santiago said to their fathers that they were engaged. That wasn’t their agreement, and she wondered why he had to say that.
“Fiancée? Since when and why are we just meeting the woman that you want to marry?” his dad asked.
“I wanted it to be a surprise. I was going to introduce her to you and mum after I go see her parents to ask for their blessing but I guess we’ll have to surprise our mums now” he chuckled then looked down at her face that held a glare only he could notice before a full smile came on when she faced their fathers.
“Joan dear” Gary moved closer to her then held her hands “I thought you were dating Henry? How long have you known each other? And why so soon to get married?” he whispered the first question.
Joan could feel her palm getting moist due to how nervous she was, she didn’t know how to look her dad in the eyes and lie to him even though it was for their good, and she just couldn’t.
“Err… let’s talk about that later Dad,” she whispered to him then smiled and held onto Santiago “We’ve known each other for a few months now,” she answered the question with a smile and avoided eye contact with her dad.
“Why the sudden move to marry?” Julian asked.
“We are so in love, Dad and we want to be together, isn’t that right babe?” he kissed her forehead and then grinned.
Julian looked at them with furrowed brows before his face relaxed and he smiled as he came to hug both of them.
“I am so glad that you are taking a wife,” he beamed. “This will add up to how responsible you are” he lightly patted his son’s arm and Santiago resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Julian looked at Joan and brought her in for another hug “Welcome to the family dear, I really hope he isn't too much to handle?” he asked while chuckling.
Joan side-glanced at Santiago then returned her gaze to Julian with a shake of her head.
“He’s just perfect,” she said and they all laughed.
“Well then, let’s leave the young couples alone and talk further in my office” Julian led Gary to his room that was at the end of a hallway they entered but Joan didn’t miss the worried look her father threw her way.
She managed a smile that said he shouldn’t be worried but he looked far from relaxed.
When both fathers had left the living room, Santiago moved away from Joan and then threw her a glare as he paced back and forth with his palm over his mouth and rubbed his face when he glared-glance at her.
Joan frowned at the sudden change of his behavior and why he was looking at her like she did something really bad to him. She sat on the couch and then watched him pace around, glaring at her.
“It would be nice to say why you keep looking at me like an angry chicken,” she said and that stopped him from pacing then he walked up to her and pointed.
“I am no chicken,” he said sounding in a mix of annoyed and worried.
“At least you stopped pacing” she shrugged.
He let out a huff of air and then continued pacing around.
“Why are you restless? If it's because you’re shocked to see me then I am as sh-”
“I never knew you were that desperate” he shook his head then let out a laugh.
Joan looked at him with furrowed brows, trying to understand what he was saying.
“What do you mean by th-”
“Don’t play dumb with me” he raised his voice a little then calmed down so that their dad wouldn’t think something else. “I promised, we signed a contract… what else do you want?” he asked “Do you need more money?” he brought out his wallet then brought out the money in his pockets and threw it at her.
“I’ll give you, do you need more money? I’ll give you, you don’t have to go ah-” Her palms connected with his cheeks and he stopped talking.
While he talked he hadn’t realized how the hurt played on her face when he started talking about money and going to the extent of throwing money at her.
He didn’t see how her face went red in both embarrassment and anger as he spoke like she was cheap. He hadn’t seen how unshed tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall.
“How dare you?” she half-yelled, the tears that welled up in her eyes now fell, drop by drop “How dare you talk to me like I am some sleazy call girl” she dag her finger on his chest as she fumed. “How dare you?” she asked yet again.
The tears fell down her cheeks and her eyes were red not just from the crying but from how angry she was, it felt like steam came out of her ears and she was breathing fire in and out. She was mad angry that he would tell her that, all because she needed the money to save her dad’s company.
“I-I-I don’t… I’m sorry” he stuttered as he looked into her hurt-filled eyes.
“You’re not and yes, yes I need the money to get back my dad’s company but here is something” she cried “My pride, I have my pride and I will not let a spoiled rich boy like you taint my pride” she sniffled “I am in desperate need to have my dad’s company bought back from the Reliso’s but if I have to put up with a stuck-up fool like you just one more day” she shook her head.
He just watched her with wide-opened eyes and his heart slamming so hard against his chest at what she would say next.
“I will not put up with that,” she said then turned around to pick up her bag and head for the door.
He stood still for a second as he watched her leave but before she could get outside, he ran towards her and held her arm to stop and just then both fathers came, laughing and talking about sport and the win their favorite team had the previous day.
They noticed the tension hanging in the air and saw how Santiago was trying to prevent Joan from leaving.
“What’s going on here?” Julian asked then walked up to the duo, assessing them for any wrong that might be present.
“I, we, I want to go home Dad,” Joan looked at her dad when she had no words to say.
“Something happened between you too?” Gary walked up to Joan and held her in his arms “You’re crying dear, what happened?” he asked.
Santiago stood, staring at a vulnerable-looking Joan who was trying to hold up the tears threatening to fall again. He looked at his dad who glared at him as he awaited an answer.
“We… we had a little disagreement” was all he could say, he wanted Joan to support him on that but she was too sad to say anything because if she spoke, she might cry.
“Julian, I’ll talk to you later, I need to get my daughter home” he took Joan by the wrist and led her outside without waiting for his friend’s response.
“We’ll see later,” Julian said from behind them.
Gary and Joan walked outside the compound and then hailed a taxi to go back home all the way, Garry had been trying to get Joan to talk to him about what happened but she just shook her head and said she was fine but just tired. He knew there was more to that and it worried him what Santiago did to make her so upset.
After some minutes of silent crying, she turned to her dad and held his hand.
“I don’t want to marry him, Dad,” she sobbed and he brought her into his embrace.
“Then so be it,” he said then held her closely in the back seat of the taxi as she sobbed really hard on his shoulders.