Chapter 778 - Wedding day (J&J) (7) (1/2)

~ Golden Ocean Resort ~

In the two bedroom suite on the third floor…

Harriet is sitting on the sofa chair and sipping coffee with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan.

”Your dress is impeccable, and it complements your figure well. I love your hair and makeup it's all very sophisticated. I'm sure you will leave a good impression.”, Mrs. Morgan said.

Harriet responded with a small forced smile.

Her father noticed that she is not very excited about this.

”What's with the attitude?”, Mr. Morgan grumbled. ”He is getting married, but he is not dead. He will see your qualities and the mistake he is making. From five years old you are taking etiquette lessons, riding lessons, ballet, signing, painting, piano, and everything else that is required from a proper young lady. There is no way that she is better than you.”

”How do you know that him marrying that woman is a mistake?”, Harriet asked her father.

”She probably does not have a good background. How else would you explain the fact that they are hiding her?” Mr. Morgan responded. ”It's just a fling, and she used some skills to get his parents to accept her. But it will not last long... You just make sure he notices you, but be discrete. Don't allow him to put you in the same category as all those other bed climbers. You don't want to be his mistress, you want to be his wife. Understood?”

”Yes, daddy.”, Harriet obediently responded.

”Good girl.”, Mr. Morgan patted her head. ”Keep in mind that you getting together with Jeffrey will benefit the whole family. You can't be selfish about it.”

”We should get ready and go out.”, Mrs. Morgan suggested. ”The groom will not show up before the ceremony, but we don't want to be seen as someone who came only because of him. We need to be there earlier and show our faces.”

”Yes.”, Mr. Morgan agreed and turned to Harriet. ”Everyone should see who the best candidate for Madam White is, regardless who that moron selected.”

Harriet frowned. ”Dad! Why are you calling him a moron if you want me to marry him?”

Mr. Morgan's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. ”Defending him? Good, good… you will be a good wife. Finish that coffee and start getting ready. You usually take the longest.”

Harriet kept her cup on the table and excused herself. She got inside her bedroom, closed the door and exhaled.

Her parents are brainwashing her with Jeffrey White for such a long time that she eventually started believing that he is the only man for her. But he is getting married, to another woman. Does she want to go and fight for a man who is already taken? There are so many other women who are more than willing to ignore the fact that he is going to be married by end of the day, and maybe if she is in love in that expressionless ice block of a man, she would fight for him as well. But Harriet does not have any feelings for him. Actually, few times Jeffrey White invoked some feelings in her, and it was fear. Yes, when he looked at her with his signature almost-frown, she was afraid. Why would she fight to be with him?

On the other hand, last night, she experienced that there is someone else who can give her pleasure in life. Harriet must acknowledge that she is intrigued. If she was indifferent toward this whole situation with Jeffrey, last night tipped the scales for her and now she has something else she craves for in life. Something that her parents are not pushing her towards.

Harriet sat on the bed and she is not sure how long she stared at her purse which is on her bedside table. After some internal conflict, she reached for the purse and took a business card out of it…

”Benjamin Casano, senior data analyst…”, she mumbled.

Harriet got her laptop and searched social media, she found his profile quickly… '46 years old… divorced… has a 11 year old daughter…' Based on the photo captions, she can see that he gave his daughter a nickname: cupcake. Harriet looked at his profile photo and smirked. She does not remember if she was ever this excited.

A knock on her door startled her.

”Harriet, sweetheart, are you ready?”, her mother called.

”Not yet, mom! I need more time! Can you go ahead without me? I will join you when I'm ready!”

After some silence, her mom spoke again from other side of the door. ”OK, sweetie. Just hurry up! We will see you down at the party!”