Chapter 30 - Journey

Laura covered her face with her hands as tears fell from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Luke..." she said softly. She reached for the bag containing her toiletry.

She stood up and walked towards the door without giving the mirror another glance.​​

When she was already near the door, she didn't see the black smoke coming out of the mirror and flew away passing through the closed window.

Laura opened the door and exited her bedroom, heading towards the staircase.

When she landed on the ground floor, her parents and her sister were already waiting for her in the living room.

"Everyone - ready?" Simon asked the women.

The women nodded their heads.

Laura went to her mother and sister's side and gave them each a hug. "We will see each other again, soon! I will invite you to my wedding," she said, teary-eyed.

"Take care, daughter!" Rosa said, getting emotional.

"I'm going to miss you, sister!" Sofia said.

Simon walked towards the main door. "Let's go!" he said.

They exited the entrance of the house. Two carriages were already waiting outside. The women's luggage and belongings were already inside the carriage.

Rosa and Sofia entered the carriage going to the farm, while Simon and Laura entered the carriage going to South Pond.

The two carriages exited the gate.

A few minutes later, the carriages went their separate ways in the road junction.

Laura and Sofia were waving at each other through the window as the carriages were getting farther away from each other.

~

One hour later on the journey.

Laura wanted to ask her father about the nature of Cooper's business. "Father, what is the livelihood of my husband to be?" she inquired curiously.

Simon sighed. "My friend gave Cooper five businesses in the past to manage, unfortunately, he bankrupted all due to his addiction to vices and his womanizing ways. Right now, his father just gives him an allowance every month enough to sustain his addictions. My friend expected that once he will get married to a responsible woman and has a family to raise, he will become a responsible person. Once he can see Cooper's positive transformation taking place, he will give him another business to manage," he explained.

Laura's mouth erupted into an ugly grimace.

Simon sighed heavily after seeing the displeasure on his daughter's face. "I know you are disappointed with your future husband's behavior, but try to make the marriage work. Maybe you can change his bad habits, you can be a good influence on him. If you can do that... my friend would be very happy," he said.

It's now Laura's time to sigh. She was wondering what could be worst? His life with the vampire or her life with Cooper?

Changing a person's attitude is very hard unless that person in question is willing to change his bad habits.

Right now, she was already worrying about the quality of life she's going to experience as Cooper's wife. But she must not lose hope, once she will become his wife she will try to help him change his ways. She was just hoping that he is willing to change... if not...her life with him is heading for the gutter.

If she has a choice, she won't marry a guy like Cooper. He seemed to be the type of guy who wants a carefree kind of life. A guy of his type doesn't know the true meaning of responsibility.

Just thinking about Cooper, already gives her a headache the size of Mt. Olympus.

She wants to change the depressing topic. "Father, how about the elder brother? Has he married already?" she asked curiously.

Simon was silent for a moment. He knew a little bit of the other son. "Cooper's older brother is still single. That brother of his... was the one good in business. But he is a reclusive person, a silent type, a complete opposite of his brother, he doesn't mingle much with other people. My friend talked highly of his older son. Actually, that son is his adoptive son just like Sofia. His only biological son is Cooper..."

"Really-? Go on...please...tell me more about him," Laura said casually. She finds the older brother's personality much more interesting than Cooper's.

"My friend loves to travel, going to places, camping in mountains, exploring the forest and so on every time he had free time. During one of his trips, he found the boy abandoned inside a hut in the middle of the forest. He took pity on the boy who is eight years old during that time. He brought the boy with him to his residence and later on legally adoptive him. The boy grew smart and good in business management - helping him expanding his businesses to other areas. In contrast, his biological son grew up to be spoiled and happy go lucky. Cooper periodically gives him problems which annoys him so much," Simon elaborated further.

Laura looked at his father in the eyes. "Why the father wants me to marry me, Cooper? The elder son, although adopted, he is a better choice for me than his womanizing biological son. I'd rather marry that cold-natured older son than that womanizing easy go lucky spoiled brat Cooper!" she said defiantly.

Simon glared at his daughter. "Laura...you can't choose! My friend wants you to marry Cooper, no one else! End of discussion!"

Laura bit her lip and released a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Father. Don't worry, since you and your friend have already chosen Cooper for me, then I will honor it. Rest assured that I won't give you guys any problem. I will try my hardest to change Cooper's bad habits. So help me, God!" she said while making a sign of the cross.

Simon released a sigh of relief. "Thank you daughter for your understanding. I will rest my eyes for a few minutes," he said.

Laura reached for the book that she was reading and resumed reading on volume two, page fifty. The fantasy book is about the ill-fitted love between the king of the faraway kingdom and a common woman.

The book reminds her of her ill-fitted love with Luke. Just thinking about Luke makes her feel so sad and heartbroken. Right now, she wanted to cry. She missed him so much! If she can't be with him in this lifetime, she would rather marry him, only him in her next life.

'I love you so much, Luke. I miss you!' she said in her mind over and over again.