CHAPTER 65: PATRICIA’S TWO OPTIONS

[The Park]

The sun had dipped low enough that the sky was painted in soft shades of apricot and rose. The lake near the park shimmered quietly, reflecting the fading light like scattered gold.

Evelyn stood near the railing with her arms wrapped around herself, pacing anxiously as she waited.

Her heart hammered when she finally saw him.

Alexander walked toward her in long, steady strides. His eyes softened the moment they met hers.

He had left a meeting midway the second he received her text saying ’We need to talk’.

He slowed in front of her. "Evelyn? What happened?"

She took a shaky breath. "My father gave me an ultimatum."

Alexander’s shoulders tensed immediately but his voice stayed gentle.

"What ultimatum?" he asked.

She swallowed and hesitated before answering. "He wants me to choose between marrying you or someone else."

Alexander didn’t move, he did not even blink.

She waited for shock, anger or maybe confusion but instead, he simply exhaled, slowly and deeply.

And then he said, with absolute clarity. "Okay."

Evelyn looked up sharply, confused. "Okay what?"

He stepped closer and with his eyes steady on hers, he said, "Okay, let’s do it."

She blinked. "Do what?"

He held her gaze and said, "Let’s get married."

Evelyn almost choked on air.

"W–What?" she whispered, staring at him as if he had grown a second head.

Alexander nodded calmly, as if this were the simplest and most natural thing in the world. "Let’s get married. You and me."

Her jaw dropped and then she frowned, "Alexander, this is not—this is not a small decision! You are acting like I asked you to pick a movie."

Getting married was a big decision for which Evelyn was not ready and she expected Alexander to match her feelings but his calmness scared her.

Alexander stepped closer. "I am not acting casually, Evelyn. I am giving you my honest answer." He then grabbed her hand. "I am sure about us, I have been sure for a long time."

Her heart thudded painfully. "Don’t say things like that so easily."

"I am not saying it easily," he said gently. "I am saying it because it’s the truth."

She shook her head, overwhelmed. "We have only just—Alexander—we just started figuring things out. We haven’t even—how can you think about marriage already?"

He reached out, slowly, carefully, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I know but if not getting married to you means losing you to a guy like Brian Wright, I will marry you right here, right now."

"You know about the meeting?" When he nodded, she sighed, "Look it’s not like I don’t ever want to get married but not like this, especially not by force. I can’t make a lifelong decision just because my father gave me a deadline."

A quiet pause followed and then Alexander said softly, "Evelyn, I am not asking you to marry me because of your father, I am asking because I choose you, with or without pressure."

Her breath caught but before she could say something, he continued.

"When I look at you, I don’t see uncertainty. I see the person I want to build a life with. I see someone I can protect, respect and love." His voice dropped. "I see my future."

Evelyn’s chest tightened and her eyes stung. But then her frustration surged through the cracks in her fear.

"Stop—stop talking like that," she yelled.

Alexander blinked, taken aback.

"You keep saying all these—these intense things so calmly." Her voice shook with a mix of anger and fear. "And you don’t even give me time to breathe, Alexander."

She pushed his hand off gently. "You think you are helping but you are just overwhelming me."

His expression softened with immediate remorse. "Evelyn, I didn’t mean to overwhelm you."

"No, listen to me." Her voice cracked. "You can’t just stand there and say ’Let’s get married’ like it’s the simplest thing in the world. I need time, I need space and I need you to take this seriously."

"But I am taking it seriously," he murmured.

"Well it doesn’t feel like it." she snapped as her tears gathered again. "It feels like you already decided for both of us."

A long, tense silence fell between them and then she stepped back, breathing unevenly.

"I can’t do this right now," she whispered, shaking her head. "I need to think. And you—" her voice wavered, "you are not helping."

"Evelyn—"

"No." She lifted a hand to stop him. "I am too angry and you are too calm to have this conversation and none of this makes sense."

Without another word, she turned and walked away.

And Alexander stood frozen, watching her leave.

.....

[Patricia’s Apartment]

Patricia opened the door with a toothbrush still in her mouth and messy hair tied in a pineapple bun.

"Girl, oh shit—" She spit the toothpaste into a mug. "You look like you look like you are about to burn the city down. Come in."

"Did you just wake up?" Evelyn stormed inside without waiting.

"Uh huh, I pulled an all-nighter watching a k-drama," she answered.

Evelyn didn’t say anything, she just dropped onto the couch and groaned into a cushion.

Patricia sat beside her, cross-legged. "Okay, now start spilling. Who do I need to stab?"

Evelyn looked up, face flushed with anger and something painfully close to embarrassment.

"Alexander," she muttered.

Patricia gasped dramatically. "The holy Greek statue? What did he do? Blink too beautifully? Breathe too sexily?"

"Patricia—" Evelyn snapped.

"Okay, okay, sorry. Continue."

"He—he said we should get married."

Patricia blinked and then blinked again.

Then she screamed into her pillow, muffled, "OF ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU COULD HAVE, THIS IS THE BEST ONE."

"It’s NOT," Evelyn shouted, standing up again.

Patricia held her hands up. "Alright, tell me exactly what happened and don’t skip the dramatic parts, I live for the drama."

Evelyn started pacing in the room. "My father gave me an ultimatum—marry someone he chooses or marry Alexander."

Patricia stared at her. "So your life partner is basically an OTT subscription now? Premium or trash?"

"Patricia!"

"Okay, okay. Continue."

Evelyn threw her hands. "And I told Alexander and he just said ’Let’s do it.’ Like it’s NOTHING. Like I asked him to pick a pizza topping."

Patricia covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing. "Oh my God, he is such a simp."

"This is not funny," Evelyn yelled, furious.

"It is a little funny."

When Evelyn glared at her, Patricia took her hands gently. "Okay, listen. You have two options."

She raised one finger dramatically.

"Option one, marry a stranger your father picks." She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe he is nice or maybe he is a serial killer. Maybe he has the personality of a boiled potato or maybe he has a small wiener and cries after two thrusts."

Evelyn stared at her, wondering where this conversation was headed and what the second option was.

Patricia then raised a second finger.

"And Option two is you marry Alexander freaking Reid." She gasped, dramatically. "Six-foot-two, sculpted like sin, rich as hell, loyal as a German Shepherd and obsessed with you like I am with a BTS."

.....