CHAPTER 2: The Party and The Aftermath
SEVEN years later
In Florida...
Nichole, a young penniless writer was looking for a publishing company to publish her first novel. But everyone turned her down.
That afternoon, she sat on her desk looking at her bills.
Two more months, then I have to live on the street, she sighed.
She was desperate, her money situation was too dire. Above all, she's disappointed. She always dreamed of being a writer, but it seemed like a dead dream, thus far.
To forget the pain, she took her notebook and pens then went outside to write some more. Writing helped to forget real life problems. The imagination world gave hope and happiness which didn't exist in real life. She went to her favorite spot on the beach, facing the ocean... She rarely spent time writing at home to save the utility cost. Only when outside became dark did she go to a library to write some more.
Disappointed but not broken, she kept writing and trying to have her first book published to pursue her ambition to be a renowned writer.
In Lakewood...
Neal was spending the afternoon thinking a letter to write for Candy. After Candy saved him from bad guys(1), he found himself hopelessly in love with her.
"Dear Candy,
Ever since you saved me
... "
No! This is too cheesy. He crossed it and rewrote:
"My love Candy,
I think about you day and night,
..."
But he crossed it, too. This is not good either! How to capture what I feel for her? he thought.
He rewrote and rewrote for hours and came with a sketch of poem:
.
My Dearest Love,
Beautiful butterfly comes, but soon it flies away
Bee stung hurt, but the pain is gone eventually
.
Shy moon glimmers softly, but disappears when the sun comes
Mighty sun shines brightly, but that too at night disappears
.
Nothing lasts forever nothing stays the same
Except my love to you which will never change
.
Your Forever Love,
Neal
.
Not too bad, Neal thought satisfied to himself.
Neal read and re-read the poem, made some more modification until he satisfied and wrote it down neatly in his notebook. He then opened his drawer to store the notebook and took out a drawing book with gown sketches he designed for Candy...
The dress has to be special and capture who she is. She's independent, kind, strong, brave, and yet the most beautiful woman alive, thought Neal excitedly. There's simply no other woman like her.
He worked on his dress sketches until he heard someone knocking at the door. Hurriedly he hid the sketch book under his desk.
"Come in," Neal said.
Elisa entered.
"You look happy, Neal," said Elisa.
"Hi sis, I will be engaged to Candy," said Neal blooming.
"What? Why?" asked Elisa, stunt. "You too fell under her spell?"
"Elisa... Let me explain."
"Why didn't you consult me first before you make your decision? How dare you get engaged to her," shouted Eliza. "What did mom say? Dad? Aunt Elroy?"
"E-Everyone has agreed," stammered Neal.
"I thought we agreed that we'll work together to topple the Ardlays," said Elisa menacingly.
"We will! We will beat the Ardlays."
"I don't want to work with whoever Candy marries to," she slammed the door and left.
"Elisa...!" called Neal. He ran to the door, kept calling her. But she didn't come back.
Sorry, sis, thought Neal. But, I love her. Sadly he saw his beloved sister disappear in the hallway. This was the first time he had a disagreement with her and chose to disobey her.
That day, Neal ordered the gown he designed to be made for Candy. He also ordered a special bouquet of rare flowers for her. Some of the flowers he picked were green to match the sparkling color of her beautiful eyes. No other women were like her, so the bouquet had to be special too.
ooOoo
Finally the day to summon Candy to tell her about the engagement order came.
At 9 o'clock in the morning the bouquet of rare flowers arrived. With blooming heart Neal stuck the card with his poem into it. He had spent quite an effort to meticulously select the card that matched the content of his poem. Excited and nervous at the same time, he went out to meet Candy.
Candy had just met Aunt Elroy and Neal's mother who coldly told her that she's to be engaged to Neal. In shocked, she left the room, closed the door behind her. Engaged to Neal? What other trick does he have for me?, she thought. I hate you, Neal! Until when do you have to ruin my life? she thought in anger.
Then she sighed desperately lamenting if earth was just another name for hell. There's seemingly nothing but tears here. Terry who left for Susanna, Albert who left abruptly, and now this trouble with Neal. Piles of heartbreaking problem, one after another.
Then she thought of her biggest lost of all, her eternal beloved Anthony... She have been happily married to him otherwise.
Her heart felt painful and she was about to cry in exasperation and desperation, but then she saw Neal. As soon as she saw his face, she lifted her head up. She would not cry at his presence!
That orphan must be grateful that I want to marry her, Neal thought over confidently.
As he got closer, however, he saw her face was full of anger and hatred. Nervousness soon rushed in. She certainly didn't look as happy as he thought she should be. Maybe she thought I'm joking, he thought. Time to explain everything to her.
"Candy, could we talk?" asked Neal. He nervously extended his hand to give her the bouquet.
Ignoring the flowers Candy jumped to grip his collars looked at him with so much anger.
"You are one sick man!" said Candy full of hatred.
Her response was unexpected to him. That started it before it had even begun. He had feared that she'd mock and humiliate him as a revenge because he fell in love with her. He didn't want to be humiliated. He's a Leagan, he shouldn't be below anyone, including the love of his love. Instantly, he changed his mind. He decided not to talk nicely and sweetly to her anymore.
"You'll be mine soon, lucky woman. Show more respect" he said haughtily. "Here a bouquet of flowers, my engagement gift. Take it, you don't need to thank me."
She seized the bouquet and picked up the card. The bouquet she threw hard on the floor, crushed it with her foot and deliberately stepped on it. The card with poem she tore into pieces and threw them in his face.
This was another shock to him.
"I want to take you as my wife and this how you thank me?" he squawked. He's hurt and mad at the same time but above all, he's not sure how to deal with her and explain all things that he wanted to explain.
"I will not marry you, do you hear me? Never!" she shouted and ran away.
"You can't escape from me, Candy!" shouted Neal in rage.
He never thought someone could reject him like she did.
He watched the scattered ruined flowers and scattered pieces of paper on the floor, not sure if he's more sad or angry. For sure, things didn't go as well as he thought.
She'll be mine!, he thought determinedly.
He just felt that she's the one. The only woman who, by just thinking about her, made his heart throb as if he just finished running a marathon and made him sweat even if he stood in the middle of blizzard at subzero temperature. The only woman who dared shout at him, trash him but still made him want her.
She would know after a while that his love was real and the past was just... the past. She just had to learn to love him.
ooOOoo
Soon Archie knew too about the engagement arrangement. On the engagement day, he came early to Candy's apartment.
"Candy, run! I bring all money I have, you hide somewhere," said Archie. If I can't get her, he shouldn't get her either, he thought bitterly.
To his surprise, Candy remained calm.
"Don't worry," said Candy. "Uncle William will help me."
At her request, Archie then drover her to the mansion. She went to the waiting room and met Neal there. She rolled her eyes in hatred.
Unlike her though, as soon as he saw her wearing the dress which he designed for her, his heart jumped.
Beautiful! The gown suites her well, thought Neal emotionally. My beloved Candy, you'll be my fiance soon. This is the happiest day in my life.
These past few days he had been thinking what made her not like him. It must be about his past history. He had decided to end the hostility and misunderstanding between them. He'd drop on his knees to apologize for all evil doings that he had made her suffer. He would implore forgiveness and kiss her feet if she refused then explain everything. That girl had a golden heart, he's sure that she'd forgive him.
"Candy," Neal called her softly, ready to apologize.
She lifted up her head, their eyes met and instantly he felt like being electrocuted. Her eyes lit up in full hatred and disgust. From how she looked, it didn't seem that she'd accept his apology no matter how low he knelt down in front of her. Unlike what he had been thinking of doing, he now chose to do otherwise. He shouldn't forsake his pride and made her think that she's winning. If she had the heart to humiliate him and crush his flowers then he could too!
Neal then said coldly, "I'm thirsty. Serve me a cup of tea."
"I don't want to," sniffed Candy.
"You'd better get used to it! You'll be my wife!" shouted Neal.
She turned away to avoid looking at him. No one had ever done that to him. The more he thought that he shouldn't apologize to make her less arrogant.
"Are you deaf? Serve me tea."
"You are that bad, aren't you," yelled Candy. "Fine, here's your tea."
Candy filled a cup with tea and smashed it hard to the floor in front of him.
He grabbed her elbow, ready to slam her. But as soon as he saw her green eyes and his hand felt her soft skin, his heart melted. He felt weak, mesmerized by how he felt towards her.
"Candy," Neal whispered. Oh no, what should I do? Should I dump my pride and tell her about my true feeling?
Sweat beaded on his face as his heart was caught in chaotic turmoil wondering whether he should show her love or trash her. Undecided, he just stared at her, frozen.
While he paused, Candy used the opportunity to free her arm. She pushed and slapped him. She was about to beat him up when the door opened.
"Master Neal, everyone is waiting for you," said one servant.
"You can't escape from me this time!" he said in anger, then added menacingly, "The first thing I want you to improve is your manner!"
They went to the reception hall...
And then, to Archie's relief, Sir William saved the day, Candy's engagement was canceled...
.
Half an hour later...
Neal was crying in his room. Elisa was accompanying him to comfort him.
"Don't cry Neal. We work to beat uncle William. I hate the Ardlays. They think they can bully us just because they're richer than us," said Elisa.
"I'll kill him. I'll kill him," sobbed Neal.
"We will kill him," said Elisa coldly.
She hated the disgrace Albert caused to the family but most of all, she hated anyone who took side with Candy.
ooOOoo
The Leagan family received a huge setback because of the humiliation. Many took the opportunity to badmouth them to send away their business clients and partners and woo them to be their own. Mr. Leagan grappled to find more business outside the usual Ardlay associates.
But the real heartache was on Neal. He felt guilty for the damage he caused to the family business. Above all, he missed Candy so much and felt dying that he could not be with her. His pride suffered heavily from the bitter humiliation everyone openly gave him. Everyday he had a nightmare and couldn't sleep at night. After a while he refused to go out to meet people altogether. He spent all day in his room melancholically.
His father started to rebuke him to bring him back in feet.
"You are good for nothing!"
"You are a Leagan!"
"Neal, she's not the only woman in the world, is she?"
But all were useless. Gradually he became unresponsive. His face became blank, without expression, without nothing. He got paler everyday and suffered massive weight loss. Numbers didn't lie. Finally they believed that the heartbreak was real, all left in him was a severe depression.
His mother was terrified and so did his father considering his son was the designated heir of the massive family fortune.
"Dear son, please forget her, find someone else...", his father begged.
After consultation with doctors, psychiatrist, and other specialists, they decided to send him to far away place, alone, far from everyone he knew to start life all over again. His parents decided to send him far to the south,... to Florida.
The plan was set, he'd continue his study in a university in Florida.
ooOoo
Meanwhile, Albert also suffered a set back from that cursed party. People started to question his motive. Was it really for the best interest of his daughter, Candy, or was it because he secretly was in love with her. The rumor got stronger each day and stubbornly refused to die down.
Aunt Elroy was really mad at him. The last thing she wanted in the family was a scandal, especially a love triangle within the family.
"You could have done it discreetly, in private. You don't need to make a scene out of it in front of everyone," shouted aunt Elroy.
Neal! What a trouble maker, thought Albert in rage while listening to her lecture.
"You turned what supposed to be the most important announcement of your life, to date, into a laughable soap opera," slammed aunt Elroy.
Albert started to feel uncomfortable whenever he met Candy. Soon, he met Beatrice, and surprisingly things moved extra smoothly with her. Soon Beatrice and Albert were married.
Candy faced it all bravely. In fact, she was the one who helped Beatrice's first pregnancy. The baby came so sudden, in the middle of the night. It happened really quickly even before they could go to the hospital. Luckily Candy happened to be in the Lakewood. She helped Beatrice.
Aunt Elroy could not be more grateful to Candy. Albert loved her even more, although it's not that kind of love, and Candy's relationship with Beatrice couldn't be stronger.
-TO BE CONTINUED-
Thanks for reading.
oOo
1: Candy saved Neal. Comic book 8