Chapter 4

Another golden comment popped up: [Calm down, Ivan. Jenna is going to marry you. Don't pass out from excitement first.]

I looked up at Ivan.

He was staring at me, completely frozen.

His face looked the same as usual. I couldn't tell if he was happy or angry.

So would he agree or not?

Isabel saw that Ivan was not reacting and snapped, "Enough. What do you two think the Pacheco family is? A place where you can marry whoever you want?

"What? Do you think our men are just up for grabs? Like you can take your pick?

"I said we should never have agreed to this engagement. We're getting hustled by these broke relatives. Look at Ivan. He's so pissed he can't even get a word out."

Juliet chimed in, "That's right. Your broken family was lucky enough to have Oscar. How dare you even think about my son?"

Isabel was left speechless.

"Juliet, what's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

Maurice whispered to her, "That's enough. The guests are all watching. Ivan and I will go greet them. You take Jenna and Keira back to their rooms first."

He pointed at Oscar. "And you, go to the attic and reflect on what you have done."

Oscar glanced at me one more time and walked towards the elevator.

As soon as he got on the elevator, I received a message from him. [You seriously think Ivan's going to marry you?

[Don't you know Ivan doesn't even like girls? You're humiliating yourself. If you don't want to leave the Pachecos' place, come beg me.]

I blocked him without a second thought.

Isabel took a deep breath and walked over to me. "You two, come with me."

Keira followed Isabel without a word, but I didn't dare move.

If Keira took the chance to call my parents in to make decisions for me, I would fall into their hands again.

It wasn't that I was afraid of them. It was that hurting or killing someone was illegal in this country. I couldn't risk ruining my beautiful life for them.

Since I couldn't count on Ivan, I quickly leaned in to Juliet's ear and said in a voice only she could hear.

"If you don't let me marry Ivan, I'll tell everyone about your secret online romance," I threatened.

Juliet's face went ashen, and she retorted in a low voice, "What nonsense are you spouting? Do you think I, the matriarch of the Pacheco family, would ever do something so improper?"

Honestly, I never expected Juliet to do anything so out of character either.

If I hadn't seen the reflection in her reading glasses and her shy smile when I was washing her feet in my previous life, I'd never have believed it.

I said slowly, "Rainbow Cotton and Green Apple."

Juliet gasped when she realized I knew more than one of her accounts. She coldly stopped Isabel from dragging me away. "Wait."

Ivan suddenly stepped forward, standing in front of me. "Isabel, I'll marry Jenna."

The guests were in utter shock. "He actually said yes? Seriously?"

"Wait, wasn't he supposed to not like women? What kind of magic does Jenna have to make him change his mind?" someone echoed.

"So he's gonna end up being his nephew's brother-in-law? What a messy family dynamic. Isn't this just total chaos?" another chimed in.

Isabel was just as stunned, her foundation almost cracking from the shock.

She blurted out, "What did you say? Didn't you say you weren't into wo—I mean, how can you marry her? What will people think of the Pacheco family?"

Ivan said, "If you cared what people thought, maybe you should get your own son in check first."

Ivan glared at Isabel with those icy hazel eyes. "He made a huge fool of himself on his wedding day.

"Not only did he disgrace the entire family, but he also wanted the bride to swallow her pride and endure it. If Oscar doesn't value this marriage, I will."

Golden comments: [The mature man are the best!]

[Ivan, you're amzing!]

[Say more. Jenna loves hearing it.]

A red comment popped up: [Ivan, seriously, how hard is it to just say 'I love you'? You're about to lose your girl.]

Juliet was devastated but quickly regained her composure. "Hey, what are you talking about? I won't allow you to marry this nobody."

Ivan leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Just nod your head, and I'll turn a blind eye to your online romances from now on."

Juliet's eyes went wide in shock.

In the end, she nodded with tears in her eyes, looking like a guilty schoolgirl caught sneaking around with her first crush.

I was standing right next to them, so I naturally heard what Ivan said.

I stared at Ivan, totally stunned. He also knew about Juliet's online romances?

And he threatened his own mother to marry me?

Sure enough, every guy put his wife first and his mom on the back burner once he had married.

Ivan looked down at me. His face was still cold as usual, but his eyes darted away awkwardly. He reached out, took my hand, and pulled me to his side.

"Everyone here, you're all witnesses. I, Ivan Pacheco, am marrying Jenna Pacheco. Once we've got the wedding plans sorted, we'll let you know the date," he declared.