Chapter 4. First Impressions

Cassian

I woke up at my usual time of 6:00 a.m. and went to the gym in the mansion. After my workout, I went back to my room to freshen up. While I was taking a shower, the events of yesterday came to mind. I have to meet that girl today. Maybe she won't be perfect, and I can politely decline the marriage proposal from her and my parents.

The name Seraphina suddenly came to mind, and I thought about it absentmindedly throughout my shower.

After getting ready in my usual attire of black sweatpants and a white t-shirt, I called in sick to work and went down for breakfast. My mom was in the kitchen, and my dad was in the living room reading the newspaper. I greeted my dad and wished him good morning before going to my mom. I gave her a hug, kissed her on the cheek, and wished her a good morning. She hugged me back, patted my face, and kissed my forehead.

"It seems like my son is having a good day. He can't wait to meet his future daughter-in-law," my mom said.

"Mama, you're making things up. It's enough that your cooking tastes good to me," I replied.

"Emma, I don't know why you're bothering your son, but please feed your poor husband," my dad interjected.

"Oh, Gabriel, you always have to come and disturb my fun," my mom said, trying to sound upset but ending up laughing.

We all laughed together and then sat down to eat.

"Are you ready to finally meet her?" my dad asked.

I nodded and tried to focus on my meal instead of the conversation about that girl.

"You have to admit, she's a lovely girl with a pure heart. She's going to make you and the whole family so happy, I just know it," my mom said, seemingly lost in her thoughts about her.

It only took five minutes of meeting and talking to this girl for me to realize how happy my parents are now. Whatever spell that girl cast on them, it worked.

"Did you tell Noah that you were going to meet a girl for your marriage?" my mom asked.

Oh no, I can't believe I forgot to tell him. Even if he could help me, he probably wouldn't because he doesn't want me to marry Ayesha. "Oh shoot, I forgot. I'll tell him after breakfast," I said.

During our lively discussion about work, life, and the people in it, my mom inevitably brought up her favorite dramatic TV shows.

As soon as I finished eating, I went to my room to call Noah. I have to inform him, otherwise, he'll start causing drama, and we won't be able to communicate. Not that I plan on complaining. On the third try, Noah answered my call.

Annoyingly, he said, "Looks like you finally found time to talk to your brother from another mother.

"And hello to you too. Look, I have to tell you something, man, and it's important," I said.

To which he replied, "Okay, go ahead. You know I'm always here to help you.

"You know, Mom called me yesterday and told me to come here. She said she had something very important to tell me.

"Yeah..."

"She called me, and when I went to talk to her, they told me that they found a girl for me to marry. Her father is Dad's business partner.

"Dude, I think you should listen to Dad because they probably think she's good for you. And besides, she'll definitely be better than Ayesha and won't ruin your life.

I knew it! He was planning to help my parents and go after Ayesha.

"Man, what's wrong with Ayesha? She's perfect for me, and we've been together for three years!" I explained.

"She's just like any other pretty face, and you don't even like her, dude.

"Well, I don't love this girl either. Mom and Dad chose her, and it's better to marry someone you've known for years than a complete stranger.

"What if you end up loving this girl? Give her a chance and decide for yourself if Ayesha or this girl is better. But I bet on this one.

"First of all, I bet I won't end up loving this girl, but I have to meet her because my parents are forcing me to.

"Okay, when are you meeting her? What's her name, and have you seen her picture?" he asked.

"Relax with the questions. We're meeting her today at 1 p.m. and I haven't seen her picture yet. Her name is Seraphina, Seraphina Mayaree Carter.

"Does Benjamin Carter, the head of Carter Companies, really have a daughter named Seraphina?" I was asked.

"I think so," I replied.

"Oh, I didn't know he had a daughter," the person said.

"Me neither, but oh well, I'm going to go now and get some work done before we leave," I responded.

"Goodbye, and good luck. I hope you agree to marry her, and if you do, let me know how she looks. Don't become one of those overly enthusiastic fans after meeting her. Bye!" the person said.

"You jerk-" He's really annoying me.

He ended the call before I could respond because he knew what I was going to say. Since it was already 9:35, I quickly put the phone down and opened my laptop to start working.

At 11:25 a.m. my mom stormed into the room and closed my laptop. She had a confused look on her face as she asked, "Cassian, do you want to be late to meet your future wife and make a bad impression? If not, get ready because we have to leave soon to arrive on time and avoid traffic. Then she left the room.

I wasn't concerned about being on time and looking presentable, but I had to do it for my mother and my reputation.

I set aside my laptop and put on some professional clothes, including a black button-down shirt and gray business trousers. I sprayed some perfume and combed my hair. I checked myself in the mirror by putting on a watch from my collection at home. Something felt off, and I tried to figure out what it was.

Then I remembered - it was my shoes. I had been walking around barefoot in my mind.

Once I laced up my shoes and took another look in the mirror, I was satisfied with how I looked. It was 11:50 a...when I checked the time, so I headed downstairs.

Both of my parents were waiting for me at the entrance, looking great and excited to see me. My mother noticed me and placed a black dot behind my ear, saying, "No one will see it.

I chuckled, recognizing the reference to her antics from a TV show. Even though I didn't believe in it, I gave her permission to do it.

"Okay, mother-son duo, are you ready to go to my future daughter-in-law's house or not?" my dad asked.

"Yes, we're ready. I'm excited to meet my future daughter-in-law too. I need someone to watch these shows with me since neither of you is interested," my mother said.

I laughed at both of them and asked, "Do you want to keep arguing or do you want to leave?"

"My son can't wait to meet his future wife, oh my!" my mom exclaimed.

"Moooommmmm...I said. After a while, we all started laughing, and then we headed towards the house.

...

Carter's Mansion

We arrived at Carter Mansion at 12:50 p.m. which had a nameplate displaying its name. Our chauffeur dropped us off, and we entered the house. As soon as we walked in, an older couple, likely Mr. and Mrs. Carter, both in their 50s, came over to shake our hands.

They warmly greeted us, saying, "Welcome, Gabriel, Emma, and Cassian.

I accepted their greetings, and we were invited inside. The interior of the house was pleasant. When we entered the living room, I noticed a young man, possibly Seraphina's brother, waiting there. He appeared to be between 18 and 20 years old.

Auntie introduced him, saying, "Meet my son.

"My name is Lucas," he said, extending his hand. I shook his hand and replied, "I'm Cassian.

After welcoming my parents, we all sat down on the sofas.

Seraphina's parents asked me questions that I had no interest in answering, but I felt obligated to do so.

After waiting for a while, my mother said, "Could you please call your daughter now? We've been waiting to meet her.

"Of course. Seraphina!"

Although my emotions urged me to do so, I couldn't bring myself to meet her gaze. A few seconds later, I heard the sound of anklets approaching. For a moment, my breath caught as I looked at the most stunning woman I had ever seen, second only to my own mother. She had a slim yet curvy figure, porcelain skin, and long, straight, black hair that reached her waist. In fact, I have to rank it as the second most stunning. Her large, chocolate-brown eyes were my favorite feature. The purity in her eyes was palpable. Her lips, a beautiful shade of pink, were full and plump.

Wait, what am I thinking?

Get a grip, Cassian. Surprisingly, she wasn't wearing a lot of makeup like most girls I've met. She had naturally beautiful cheeks and lovely eyelashes. Simply put, she was stunning in her natural appearance.

She walked towards us, looking down at the tray she was carrying, which probably had tea. She was wearing a lovely dress suit. I was charmed by her sweetness and innocence, but I knew it was all an act.

Finally, she looked up, not at me, but at my parents. Her eyes widened a bit as she recognized them from the day before. Her tense gaze eventually relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. Seeing her happy expression made me unconsciously smile as well.

As she placed the tray on the table, my father stopped her from touching his feet and said, "In our family, our daughters don't touch elders' feet.

She smiled at my dad and then went to my mom. Mom stood up and hugged her, and she hugged back. She took the tray without even glancing at me.

Oh God, please make her look at me.

She poured a drink for my parents and then came over to me. She reached for the mug and handed it to me. I was so captivated by her beauty that I completely missed the cup she was offering. She looked up at me, confused as to why I wasn't accepting it. We locked eyes, oblivious to our parents' presence. She seemed so innocent, and for a moment, I felt responsible for protecting her from the outside world.

Moments later, my mom coughed and whispered, "Thank you, dear, the tea is amazing.

I was embarrassed, and I think she was too judging by her flushed face. Her blush made her even more endearing.

Please, Cassian, God! She pushed the cups closer to me, and I reached out to take one. Our hands briefly brushed against each other before she turned away.

My parents made her sit in the middle. Why didn't you make her sit between us, Mom? Wait, why am I acting like a love-struck puppy, like Noah said? I don't love her, and I should be with Ayesha.

"We liked your daughter the first time we met her," my mom said. Her parents looked puzzled.

"Yesterday, when we were going to the temple, Gabriel almost fell down the stairs, but Seraphina caught him just in time. We had a pleasant conversation, and after we parted ways, you promptly emailed us the photo. When we saw the photo, we knew it was the same girl who saved Gabriel. Since then, we've liked her and wanted her as our daughter-in-law," my mom explained.

I could tell Seraphina was uncomfortable and fidgeting while her parents stared at her in disbelief, but they managed to keep smiling. "Yes, our daughter has always been kind and helpful," her father replied.

The tea she offered me was the most flavorful I've ever had.

"Seraphina brewed the tea and cooked the meal," her mom proudly mentioned.

And she can cook too? That's impressive. I haven't met a modern-day woman who can make a decent meal. It seems like everyone has a personal chef these days.

Both sets of parents were talking, with her parents asking me questions and me answering. She didn't say a word, just nodded in response. I was eagerly listening to her voice, but she remained silent. Strangely, I felt the urge to approach her as well.

It was like my father read my mind when he said, "I think we should let the children talk to each other, right Cassian?"

After staring at him for a moment, I nodded slowly. "Okay, Seraphina, take Cassian to the backyard," her mom said, and she nodded and stood up.

"Go, Cassian," my mom said. I stood up too, and she glanced at me before heading out the back door.