"Mom, Dad, are you kidding me? Are you seriously telling me to marry an old man?" Caitronia Raynott's face was full of shock.
Ambrose Raynott glared at Caitronia and said grumpily, "How can a marriage be a joke?"
"If you're being serious, I'd like to ask, do you seriously expect me to marry an elderly man who has a child?" Caitronia's face contorted into a frown as she fixed her gaze upon her parents.
Larisa Camdell smiled, "Cait, Rocco Hatman is not old. He's only 27 years old though."
"Mom, I'm 18, and Rocco is 27. We have a nine-year age difference, which means there will inevitably be a significant generation gap between us. If we go ahead with this marriage, how can you expect me to be happy? And on top of that, I'll become a stepmother immediately after getting married. How on earth am I supposed to raise a child and establish a good relationship with him?" anxiously seriously pleaded with her parents.
Caitronia was only 18 years old. She was in her senior year, the prime of her life. She hadn't even had her first love yet. She wasn't about to commit to building a family and it was a big no for her at this period.
Marriage was the tomb of love! Furthermore, there wasn't any romance between Caitronia and Rocco.
"Cait, men like Rocco are a catch in Riverdale. Tons of women are after him. You're lucky to marry Rocco," Larisa gently persuaded.
Caitronia's face contorted with disdain. "Let me be perfectly clear. He can marry whoever he pleases, and I don't care. But I refuse to do it. Love cannot be quantified by wealth. What's the use of being handsome? True happiness lies in being treated well," she asserted.
Despite never having met Rocco in person, Caitronia had seen him countless times on TV, always sporting a stoic expression and exuding an icy demeanor. How could a man like him possibly show any affection towards her?
So what if he was rich and powerful?
Rumors circulated that Rocco's ex-wife had been the one to initiate their divorce, likely unable to tolerate his emotional detachment any longer and opting to put an end to their marriage.
That must be it!
"Nonsense," Ambrose had no patience to continue listening to Caitronia. He firmly said. "Anyway, you don't have a choice."
Ambrose was the head of the family. He was very prestige and wouldn't allow anyone to defy him.
"Mom... say something..." Caitronia looked as if she had been wronged, but all Larisa did was stare at her and let out a helpless sigh.
If they had a choice, they wouldn't force Caitronia to marry either. But now, there was no other option.
Caitronia had to marry Rocco no matter what!
......
For days, Caitronia relentlessly protested against her parents. She employed every tactic she could think of, even resorting to threats, but her usually loving parents remained resolute. They were steadfast in their decision to have her marry Rocco, unwavering despite Caitronia's heartfelt pleas.
Caitronia must marry Rocco!
Only then did Caitronia understand that her parents were determined about this, and despite her attempts to resist, it appeared that she had no choice but to make an effort to convince Rocco.
She had to solve the root of the problem!
Clad in her school uniform and shouldering a backpack, Caitronia stood before a towering skyscraper, her eyes fixed on its imposing height. In that moment, she couldn't shake the overwhelming sensation of her own smallness and insignificance.
She did her research and found out that the building belonged to Evercore Industries and that Rocco's office was on the 58th floor.
Caitronia took a deep breath and braced herself to walk into Evercore Industries.
The lobby of Evercore Industries was crowded, so no one noticed Caitronia. She successfully slipped into the elevator and got off on the 58th floor. She cheered herself on, saying, "You can do this, Caitronia! You can do it! Yes!"