Chapter 66
Felicia was surprised by the answer. She chuckled. "I can't disagree with that." With that, she headed toward the pond where she spotted Matthew feeding fish.
Without turning, Matthew smiled. "You're finally here, my dearest granddaughter-in-law."
Felicia resisted the urge to push him into the pond, reminding herself to respect her elders. Taking a deep breath, she said calmly, "Mr. Lawson Senior, you should know why I'm here. I don't agree to this marriage, and I ask that you not force me, considering I saved your life." Arnold tossed more fish feed, sending the fish into a frenzy. The water's surface rippled and splashed violently.
"Marriage is a matter of parental agreement. Your parents have agreed, and the decision is made. Rest assured, I'll give you a grand wedding. Tell me what you want, and I'll make it happen."
Felicia felt she was speaking to a brick wall. She believed Matthew understood her and was merely pretending otherwise.
"Fine then. Do what you like, but I won't play along. This is the age of freedom; you can't force me into this marriage?" She let out a cold laugh.
To her surprise, Matthew sighed. "If it comes down to that, we might just have to."
How shameless! Felicia clenched her fist in frustration. The power disparity between herself and the Lawsons was now starkly evident. As the leading family among Khogend's four prestigious families, the Lawsons held undeniable status and influence. They possessed the means and the confidence to do as they pleased. Since they wanted her, she wouldn't be allowed to refuse.
Felicia laughed sarcastically, her rage boiling. "I regret saving someone like you, someone so unreasonable." Then, she turned and left without looking back, despite Matthew calling after her.
Dexter and Myra waited in the car outside the Lawson residence. They had left the villa shortly after Felicia arrived but took a different route and missed her.
Myra sighed, resentment lacing her tone. "Couldn't she have picked a better time? Couldn't she have saved us the trouble?" Since Dexter had revealed the catastrophic failure of his bridge construction project, Myra had been on edge. She even entertained the fleeting thought that Felicia's adoption was some kind of karmic retribution, a cosmic misalignment. Everything had gone downhill since Felicia's return. She rubbed her temples, visibly irritated, while Dexter remained silent, his hair seeming to have grayed with worry.
Kayla bit her lip and spoke hesitantly. "Mom, Dad, I don't know if I should say this, but I saw Felicia get out of a stranger's car earlier. That man gave her a large check—a million dollars." Seeing their interest piqued, she continued, "I'm just worried about who she's associating with. If this continues, won't she disgrace herself?"
Already overwhelmed with worry, the couple's anger flared. "What? Something like that happened?"
"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes," Kayla replied, glancing out the window as Felicia emerged from the villa. "If you don't believe me, ask her when she gets in the car." As Felicia approached, the Fuller family car honked.
She frowned, reluctant to get in, but with no other transportation options in the mountains, she begrudgingly climbed inside. Before she could settle, a harsh slap landed on her face.