C2 Chapter

WHEN Geneva first saw Aiden, the lady already knew it would be the boy they had longed for years. She raised and shaped Aiden in the way she shaped Samantha. Well-behaved, composed, and respectable. But they did not legally adopt the young boy. Being a guardian was their only role in Aiden. The Anderson couple did not want to adopt Aiden because if that happens, Samantha and Aiden would be siblings forever.

And Geneva has never been so sure in her life. She is sure that she wanted Aiden and Samantha to get married someday. There are many reasons. First, to stay intact their heritage and they still own the power and authority of their company. Second, she has no other trusted man beside Aiden. She did not want her only daughter to be with anyone else. She did not want her daughter to have the same faith as hers during her youth days. She wants when she dies, she is sure of Samantha's safety and future. Of course, the same goes for Aiden who she and Arthur considered as their son too.

Geneva does not want Aiden to be with opportunistic girls who can use Aiden to gain control of their company. On the other hand, she is confident that the two will agree with her because she has not yet given an order that they did not obey. They know that every word that comes out of her mouth is a law.

Geneva wants to make sure that the future of her two children will be secured even if she disappears from this world. And she raised them in accordance with her footsteps. The two also graduated with flying colors from College. She asked Aiden to take Business Management and Samantha to take an education course.

The two did not complain and both graduated with high recognition. The two are both summa cum laude and a board passer. Geneva feels very proud and she sees that everything agrees with her plan for the two.

And now Geneva's 60th birthday is approaching. Unbeknownst to the two, the old woman was planning a surprise, not for her own birthday. She will only use her birthday for her surprise preparation for Aiden and Samantha.

~

IT'S GENEVA'S BIRTHDAY. And just as before no one else was invited, just them and the housemates. There are lots of delicious foods prepared. It doesn't seem like a celebration is being held because they are just eating quietly and no one dares to open a topic.

After eating, Geneva wiped her mouth with a table napkin and looked at them. "Go to the study room," they knew that when there was a serious talk, it was held in the study room that is located on the second floor of their house.

And of course, she's sure that the whole conversation, it is Geneva who is allowed to speak and it seems that every word that comes out of her mouth is a law that cannot be broken. And Samantha and Aiden can do nothing but let the current flow. Upon entering the room, they did not immediately sit in the chair, unless Geneva told them to. Geneva sat in a large chair that seemed to create for a queen. The old woman asked them to sit down on the two available chairs in front of the long table.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush. I called you two here because I have something important to say." Aiden and Samantha were just listening. The old woman continued. "You are both at the right age and have proven something in life. You did not disappoint me. You, Aiden, graduated with a Business Management degree. You, Samantha, have completed your education and a board passer. After you two graduated back then, I let you do what you want to do. But for now, I think this is the right time," she said.

Aiden and Samantha's expressions were just blank. There is no excitement, neither anger. They already mastered how to poker-face. Because they also know that whatever Geneva will say, they will not like it, but they can do nothing but to obey. That is how a person is when they are used to being a robot and being submissive. They just let Geneva know what she intends to do with their lives, whether they want to or not, they can do nothing but to accept it. Even if they show emotion, nothing will happen. According to Geneva, having emotion brings trouble to a person.

Geneva looked at Samantha. "Samantha, after all, you are already a teacher and you have been working there for years without hearing anything from me, I want you to stop from your work, send a resignation paper. If your body is not used to doing anything, I will let you be a private tutor so that you can still use your college background. But I will carefully examine your future student. " Geneva seems like a CEO commanding her staff, and not her own daughter.

Samantha didn't object to what her mother said. "Alright, mommy."

Geneva turned her attention to Aiden. "You Aiden, you already finished your studies for a long time. You have a Ph.D. degree. I believe you are too ripe. In two weeks, you will replace me as the Chairman of the company, I want to step down and relax, "

"Mom, can I do that? Being a Chairman shoulders a big responsibility," Aiden said.

Geneva made an annoyed expression. "What do you think of me, a fool? That I will put you in that position and I know you're a beginner? It has been a long time since you graduated and I already taught you everything you need."

Aiden bowed. "I understand, mom," he said in a low voice.

Geneva continued speaking. "I repeat, Samantha, you should submit your resignation letter and stay at home. You can be a private tutor, I'm going to assess your future student. You, Aiden will replace me in the company. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes," they both answer in unison.

Geneva nodded. "But that is not all, it doesn't end there. I want to make sure of something before we leave this room and before this world takes me. We do not know how long I will last, so before I regret it, everything must be put in order. You two need to get married as soon as possible," she said as if she was just negotiating a client deal.

For the first time in their history, Aiden and Samantha reacted. Their eyes were startled and grew widened. They were scared and shocked. But no words came out of their mouths.

Geneva's eyebrows raise a few inches. "Is there anything surprising about what I said? Are you not aware that your destiny will be like this when you grow up? I was open to you when you were both young. You two know that you will be married in due course. Do you have anything you want to do that is not in our agreement?"

There was a long silence in the room. The two do not know what to answer. "N-Not like that, mommy..." Samantha is trying to say something.

The old woman turned to Aiden. "I-I have no complaints, mom," Aiden said.

Geneva was not convinced by the tone and the way they responded. She started to preach. "Do not forget that it is difficult to live in this era. And you two are very lucky after all. Your life is comfortable and you do not have to scrap the bottom of the barrel just to put food in your stomach. In addition, you two are the heirs to all of Anderson's wealth. But since nothing is easy in this world, being Anderson's heir is not just that easy. It is an obligation and a responsibility. You two have to accept it wholeheartedly."

Those lines are not new to Aiden and Samantha. They could not count how many thousand times that their mother had told them those words. That is what she always plants in their minds.

That is why they do not bother to complain anymore.

"I understand," they both said again in unison.

She waved her hand in the air, a sign that she was dismissing them. "All right, you two get some rest. On Friday, we will go to Judge Santillan. He will marry the two of you,"

They were about to stand up but they were surprised at what Geneva said. "Marry? This coming Friday?" Samantha asked, there's a rise in her tone.

"No, maybe next year. I said, this coming Friday, right? Are you deaf now, Samantha? " Geneva said in a pedantic way.

Samantha couldn't find her tongue nor could not speak. "W-What should we do, mom? What will we bring and prepare? " Aiden asked.

The old woman seemed to be so pissed at their nonsensical questions. "Maybe you will go to the couturier to get your wedding dress and get the wedding invitations for the guest from the coordinator. What kind of question is that, Aiden? Do you still want a Prince William and Kate Middleton type of wedding? " Geneva said sarcastically to them.

The two were embarrassed and did not try to speak anymore.

ON THE OTHER hand, Samantha was upset as she lay on her bed. She is known as a relaxed and calm person. Her emotions about something never prevailed. But this time is different.

Geneva will marry them forcibly! And she could not help but be afraid. Even when they were young, they knew that their mother planned to marry them when the right time came. But she did not worry about it because she thought that her mother's decision might change, besides that. they are still young. They're not yet even in the prime of their life!