Chapter 3 Nervous
“DEAL?” BK asked her seriously after laying out some papers that included all the conditions and the reasons why they would marry if his mother requested it.
“Deal!”
BK smiled sweetly at her when he heard her answer. “From now on, practice calling me by whatever endearment you like, so it seems more believable. Okay?”
She thought for a moment. “What's a good one?” she wondered to herself. She looked at him then. “I'll think about it. I'll just send you my choice once I decide.”
He nodded at her. “So, should I take you home? We’re only going to my parents’ house on Sunday, after all. We still have time to practice.”
She couldn't help but smile at the word “practice,” as if it were a play.
“Sure,” she agreed. It was a good thing, too, because she had plenty of laundry to do.
“Let's go,” he said next.
He would take her home so he’d know where to pick her up on Sunday.
BK walked ahead of her but stopped in front of the guy he approached earlier. BK had mentioned that this guy was his friend and was actually the cafe owner.
He helped her into his car, and she felt a little shy because it was so fancy—it was her first time riding in a car like this. The nicest ride she’d ever taken was a taxi. Cars weren’t common in her neighbourhood. Her compound was in a narrow alley where tricycles were the only vehicles parked outside. Their homes were packed closely together, making fires dangerous.
She glanced at the screen when BK typed in the address she gave him. His car was so fancy—her soon-to-be husband really was rich. Her mom was sure to be shocked.
She couldn’t help but smile. She’d be wealthy too if this worked out. She was lucky to be marrying someone good-looking and wealthy—a complete package.
Only music filled the car as they drove in silence. BK didn’t say anything more. Well, they had already talked about everything earlier.
It took them over an hour to get home because of the heavy traffic. That’s the problem with her area—it’s always so crowded.
“Just here,” she said to BK, looking outside. She could see the narrow alley leading to her friend’s house.
“What? Is your house down there? That looks like a factory,” he said, frowning as he looked at where they stopped.
“See that alley? Just go through there. Everyone knows me, so they’ll find me if needed.”
He rubbed his forehead. “Alright. Let’s just update each other later.”
She nodded in agreement. “If you need to talk to me, just text first so I can turn on my data. We don’t have Wi-Fi.”
“Sure,” he said, and she got out. He didn’t even open the door for her.
He gave a short honk before backing up. Once he drove off, she walked into the alley.
She looked at her phone and smiled, remembering they had taken a photo together. They had a few cute ones. BK even said he’d show them to his mom. She’d also asked for a copy and showed it to her friend, Amelie.
“O.M.G!” her friend exclaimed when she saw the photo of them at the cafe. "Don't let him go! It’s like winning the lottery; he’s rich and yummy! Just don’t forget about me, huh?"
She smiled back. "Of course not. You’re my friend," she replied and went straight to her room.
THURSDAY arrived, and BK called her. He wanted her to come to his condo because they needed to discuss things and rehearse. It would be tough to convince his mom, he said. So she went right away.
After all, she still didn’t know him that well. Even though he had shared his likes, it was different to meet in person.
She left early that day and stopped by the market to buy some fruit.
They were going to bond all day. He thought a day would be enough to get to know each other better, just for his parents.
She had some trouble finding his condo. BGC was so big! She finally relaxed when she saw the building.
“Did you bring it?” he asked her when he opened the door. He’d asked her to bring Longan, which was his favorite. She had a hard time finding it earlier—he was more demanding than a pregnant woman!
“Here,” she said, showing him the bag.
He smiled as he took it and led her inside his condo. He went to the kitchen, probably to get a dish for the fruit.
She couldn’t help but admire the condo’s interior. BK had good taste—or maybe he had a designer?
He returned to the living room with a tray of longan and was already eating some. He offered her some but said she could only take five, which made her wince. Why offer if the amount is limited? She decided not to ask for more.
Nothing really happened that day—they eventually did their own thing. She stayed in the living room, and BK went to his room. So much for bonding. She didn’t know what he was doing inside his room, and she didn’t want to interfere.
Around five o’clock, she said goodbye. She knocked a few times before he finally opened the door. When she peeked in, he was busy playing a game. He didn’t go to the office that day so they could spend time together—but he ended up just gaming instead.
It looks like she would have to get used to him if his behavior continued. He wasn’t exactly a gentleman. He didn’t even see her out. Oh well, they had a deal, after all.
The days flew by, and Sunday came. As planned, she and BK were going to his family’s home.
She felt a mix of nerves and excitement. Even though she looked lovely in her outfit, she was still nervous. She had a foreign heritage, so anything looked appealing on her. She didn’t look poor.
BK had chosen her outfit, simple but elegant. His mother wouldn’t mind her style, he said. Occasionally, she even preferred simple looks.
Her phone lit up with a message from BK saying he was nearby. She didn’t have to wait long before he arrived; she was already outside.
“Sorry for the wait, Daph. Traffic’s awful here,” he said, breathing deeply.
“It’s okay,” she replied.
He glanced at her. “You look good.”
“Thanks. You have excellent taste.”
“Actually, someone else picked it. I just showed them your picture, and voilà!” He smiled and started the car.
Their trip took over an hour from her place.
She held her chest when they entered a fancy subdivision.
