Mr. Adolpho shook his head and pinched between his brows. A deep breath fled from his nose and he raised his eyes to gaze at Shawn. "Listen, um, about Leia. She's fine, nothing is wrong with her."
"Then where is she? Why can't she be seen, and also, why are you both being awkward? I am finding it hard to believe that Leia is okay at this moment." Shawn's face altered in complete confusion, and he glanced at each of them.
"As I said, Leia is fine and you are unable to find her here because she doesn't live with us anymore." Mr. Adolpho's face became stern, and Shawn's eyes blinked in bewilderment. "Why? Did she find an apartment or something? "
"No."
"Then what? Why isn't she living with you guys anymore? Where is she no-"
"Shawn-" Mr. Adolpho cut him off and took a deep breath " -Leia isn't living with us anymore because she is... married."
The moment the sentence left Mr. Adolpho's mouth, everyone went completely silent. Shawn's eyes fluttered in utter disbelief, and he abruptly broke out into laughter. "Are you guys joking with me or something?" He laughed as he asked, but when he saw the seriousness on their faces, which meant they weren't joking, the laughter slowly dispelled and was replaced by a darkened expression. "This is a lie... right?" He implored, hoping they would say yes and tell him that they were just joking. However, none of that happened.
"Shawn, we are very sorry, but it is not our fault. She is very happy in her marriage and you can see for yourself." Amy browsed through some news on her iPad and handed it over to Shawn.
Shawn's hands trembled as he received the iPad, and the moment he glanced at the screen, his heart skipped a bit and stopped beating for a moment. On the screen were photos of Adrik Kneeling proposing to Leia, and many other images.
"Th-this is a lie!" His body began to tremble and he began to furiously shake his head in disagreement and disbelief. "This is a fucking lie!!!"
"We are sorry, Shawn. But we did our best. We tried to prevent her from doing so, but when she made her decision, there was nothing we could do to stop her. She said she loved him and that he was the one she wanted to marry. We even reminded her of you, but she threw you to the back of her mind and said you weren't her concern. That it was never written that you guys would end up... together." Amy bit her lower lip, and a pessimistic sigh left her mouth. "You're a good guy. I just don't understand why she would do that. We actually thought she loved you."
Mr. Adolpho's eyes squinted vigorously and he slowly turned his head to gaze at his daughter. Was this still Amy? He couldn't help but question himself.
Amy rolled her eyes at him and allowed the downcast expression to emerge on his face once again. "We are truly sorry." She stood up from the couch and walked over to Shawn, placing her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "We did try our best to stop her, but... we have no control over her life."
Shawn's body began to shiver uncontrollably, and the moment he lowered his eyes to glance at the photo again, deep fury and pain burned violently in his eyes. His mouth twitched in anger, and he furiously threw the iPad on the floor, breaking it. "This is a fucking lie!!!" He clutched onto his head and began to step out of the living room. "No, no! This is a lie! It's not true!"
He ran out of the mansion and hurriedly boarded his car, driving out of the compound and speeding down the road.
Amy, whose jaw was fallen, stared at her broken iPad and her hands balled into fists. "Did he seriously have to?" She glanced at the entrance and then at her father and folded her arms. "I'm ordering a new one and you're paying." With that being said, she turned around and started walking up the stairs to make heShawnee to her room.
"Hold it there, young lady." Mr. Adolpho halted her, and she turned around to stare at him. "What?"
"Why did you do that?" He raised his brow at her, and Amy darted her eyes around. "I don't know what you're talking about. Please be specific."
An annoyed groan erupted from Mr. Adolpho's throat, and he pinched between his brows. "Why did you lie to him?" He raised his gaze to stare at her, and she rolled her eyes in ignorance. "Trying to score me a fine man." She shrugged and, with one last glance at her father, she continued to walk up the stairs while humming.
Mr. Adolpho gazed at her disappearing back, and he couldn't help but pinch between his brows again. When did his daughter become this way? A deep breath escaped his nose and he stood up from the divan, then proceeded to walk to his room.
Jenny, who had been hiding behind the pillar near the living room, walked out, and her jaw couldn't help but fall in disbelief. "Wow!" Her eyes blinked in shock, and deep breaths escaped her nose. She was still finding it hard to believe what she had just heard. Why were they doing this? True, she doesn't like Leia that much, but this was wrong. They just...
She took another deep breath and pulled her phone out of the pocket of her purple shorts.
________
Shawn parked the car and stepped down, his eyes bloodshot from crying. He had been sobbing the whole time while driving.
His eyes gazed up at an abandoned building, and teardrops couldn't help but fall from them. This building was the place he always came with Leia to watch fireworks during festivals or just stay and talk about their problems. They would always laugh and joke about a lot of things.
His body trembled violently, and he walked towards the building. He pushed the dusty old wooden door open and stepped in, then began to climb up the stairs that led to the rooftop, where they always sat. No one knows who owns the building, but it has been there for years. It had no windows or doors, except the wooden one in the front. The funny thing about this is that the building is still as strong as ever. No one comes there, nor even talks about it.
With slow and steady steps, he got to the rooftop and glanced around. It was the same as ever. He walked to the edge and leaned down, taking his seat. His eyes gazed up at the dark sky, which had a half-moon and a few stars on it and his heart squeezed tightly within him as the image he saw on the iPad appeared in his mind. "How could you? How could you do this to me, Leia?" Tears streamed down his eyes, and he brought his legs to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and burying his face in his legs.
"I love you, Shawn."
"I love you too, Leia. Don't worry, once I return, I will marry you, and then we will be together forever. Okay." The young boy smiled lovingly at a young girl seated beside him and pulled her into a warm hug. "You just have to wait for me until I return, okay?"
"Okay, But promise me. Just telling me won't make me believe it unless you pinky promise."
The young boy chuckled at the young girl's words, and he poked out his pinky, then interlocked it with hers. "I promise that once I return, I will marry you, and then we will live happily ever after."
The young girl nodded, and a smile emerged on her face. "I promise to wait for you till you return." They nodded at each other and turned their heads to gaze at the fireworks shooting up into the sky and spreading their beauty.
....
"You promised..." Shawn's voice trembled, and drops of tears fell from his eyes. "You said you would wait for me. Why did you leave me?" His heart ached painfully within him, and he raised his teary eyes to stare at the sky. "She left me for another man after her promise..." He chuckled, as though mocking himself. What was he even thinking? Women will always be women.
She left him for that over-rich guy because of money. What does the guy have that he doesn't have? He has a good job and will never deny that he is rich, even without his mom's money. So why? Why did she leave him for a scarred dude who isn't even handsome but terrifying to the eye? I mean, no woman wants to be with him.
A deep breath escaped Shawn's mouth, and he slightly nodded his head. He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. He opened it, revealing a shiny diamond ring. "You hurt me, Leia! You hurt me way too much!" He stared intently at the ring, and the urge to throw it away overwhelmed him. He took low breaths and shut the box, then threw it back into his pocket. "You're only mine and no one else's." With that being said, he stood and turned around, making his way back.
He stepped down the last stairs and walked out of the building, then ambled towards his car.
He stepped in, started the car's engine, and drove off from that area.