True Love
(Book 3) – Chapter 108

In the evening, the brunette and her friend were looking for something suitable for that night’s performance. Zoé had been frozen when Jean arrived home telling her to change her clothes because she was going to meet her father.

As much as the girl insisted that she cancel because she didn’t feel ready, she assured her that it would only be for a while and that she didn’t have to pretend for so many hours. In the end, the argument with Jean had lost her.

And there she was, desperately looking for a suitable outfit to make a good impression.

-Damn it Zoé, wear anything. Everything she’s bought is ideal.

-No! I’m not going in anything I’m not comfortable in.

-Comfortable? I shout at her from the other side of the door. -I spent a bloody fortune on all those clothes, and nothing looks comfortable on you.

Then she opens the door abruptly, meeting Jean Pierre’s fierce gaze.

-If it bothers you so much how much you spent on those clothes, then give them back. Or better yet, replace yourself a f*****g wealthy woman you don’t have to buy a goddamn sarcillo from. She shouts angrily at him.

-Don’t make me lose my patience Zoé, I’m not playing games with you!

-Neither am I, Jean Pierre Dubois.

-Just put something on and that’s it.

He turns around and goes back to the living room to wait for her… she always had something to say to him, she never kept quiet. He just hoped that wouldn’t be a problem in the long run.

After a few minutes, the couple left the flat. Antonie’s place wasn’t that far away so they would get there very quickly and be done with it, Jean thought.

The Frenchman parked the car in front of his father’s imposing mansion, then glanced at Zoé… she was so nervous. You could see it in the way she clenched her hands.

He took one of them and squeezed it gently… he needed her to calm down or her father would discover the whole theatre.

-You must be calm, don’t be nervous. I will be with you at all times.

-From what you’re saying about your father, it sounds like he’s very bad.

-A little bit. But you’ll be fine, you’ll do fine.

-I’m getting to think this isn’t a good idea, Jean. -I’m getting to think this isn’t a good idea, Jean.

-I need you to be in this with me Zoé.

She turned her face to look at him… it seemed she didn’t want to marry this woman her father was imposing on her, and she didn’t want to lose everything she had because of the old man’s command. Well, it wasn’t so bad either, at least she was wearing very nice clothes. And not half naked showing her a*s to thousands of men.

That was better than nothing…

-All right, let’s go in.

-That’s my girl.

Those words made Zoé’s heart thud, did she not realise the things he sometimes said to her?

When she got out of the car, Jean took her hand and the contact was electrifying, at least for her it was. And she didn’t even want to look him in the face, for heaven’s sake! What was happening to her.

Inside the house they were greeted by a young girl, and behind her came a man of rather poor stature. He carried a cane in his hand, wore a white moustache and those powerful blue eyes. They were just like Jean’s.

-But they have already arrived. He says with a smile.

-Father, this is Zoé Bonnes.

-How do you do, Mr. Dubois? The brunette holds out her hand, she receives a k**s on it in return.

-Pleased to meet you, Mademoiselle! You are very beautiful Zoé.

-Thank you very much, sir.

-Let’s have some tea. The older man says to them.

Zoé was shaking like jelly, and apparently Jean had noticed because he wrapped his arm around her waist. He let her because they were outside the house, and that was the deal. They followed the old man into a room where the young woman was already waiting for them, serving tea.

-Tell me Zoé, where are you from? What do you do for a living?

-Father! Don’t start.

-Shut up! -What are you afraid of?

-I’m Texas Mr. Dubois… Jean looks at her, keeping a smile on his face.

To tell the truth, he didn’t know anything about her either, and knowing that she was from the United States was gratifying. Because little by little he would get to know the past of his future wife.

-What are you doing?

-I… well, I’m going to study, I want to be a lawyer.

-That’s interesting! -And your parents? I also want to meet them.

-My father died. Jean turns to look at her, he didn’t know that fact either. -And my mother, well, I don’t see her as much as I’d like to.

-Why? The old man asks, Jean doesn’t intercede as he also wants to know.

-We live far away.

-I see. -Do you love my son?

-Father! exclaims his son in annoyance.

-Yes. -Answer quickly.

-You are a straightforward girl, maybe you are good for my son.

Zoé couldn’t stand sitting there any longer, her legs were shaking… when the girl came in for the trays she decided to go to the toilet. So she stood up, but when she did, the girl from the toilet turned around with the trays in her hands and everything ended up on the floor.

The floor was a mess, and it was all her fault and her nerves. The young cleaning lady quickly bent down to pick everything up. Zoé, seeing the girl’s pallor, bent down to help her.

-I’m so sorry, please let me help you.

-Miss, no. She whispered taking the girl’s hands. -No. The young woman looked sideways at the old man.

Antonie was stunned by what had happened… the fiancée of a Dubois helping the servants… that had never happened in his family before. It was humiliating to see that girl on the floor helping the girl who was cleaning.

Antonie’s stern gaze shifted from Zoé to her son, who was looking at his bride with a frown and a clenched jaw.

The brunette kind of felt both glares behind her back, feeling a cold sweat run down her back… she stood up, embarrassedly ending up asking.

-I need to go to the bathroom.

-Susanna. Take the young lady. Sentence the old man seriously.

The girls leave and Antonie fixes his eyes on his son… who seemed annoyed by the situation…

-What was that all about?

-Don’t bother. He stands up to pour himself a drink, he was very upset about what Zoé had done in front of his father. She was ruining everything.

-You saw what your fiancée just did. How could you even think about marrying her?

-I’ll do it whether you like it or not. You said I can choose my bride. And that’s her.

-How do you know her? -How long have you known her?

-For a long time. Take comfort in that. He takes the drink in one gulp.

-I don’t like her, she’s pretty, but I don’t like her.

-The one who has to like her is my father.

The old man’s eyes narrow, suspecting that his son is up to something. And that girl was just his accomplice. If that was the case, he would have to put them to the test.

As soon as Zoé returned to the living room she found Jean drinking and with that scary look on his face… the father was no slouch either. Shit! She’d screwed up beyond belief.

-Zoé, we’re leaving.

-YES. She nods nervously.

-Just a moment, both of you. The old man says to them. -Before you go, there’s one condition I’m going to make for you to accept this union.

-No. I’m not a child anymore, you won’t make any conditions.

-If you want me to approve of your marriage, you’ll accept it.

-What condition? -What condition?

-You’ll both live here, for a while. -I want to be sure that everything between you… I want to make sure that everything between the two of you goes well.

-I won’t do a thing like that, father. -I won’t do a thing like that.

-Then it won’t do any good if you marry her. -Why won’t you get anything from her? Why you won’t get anything from me. Threat.

-We need privacy.

-You’ll get it, my house is huge. -It’s impossible.

-It’s impossible, Zoé lives with a friend. -He won’t leave her alone. He won’t leave her alone.

-She can stay too. I don’t have a problem. I’ll have two rooms prepared, tomorrow I want you all here. Proclaims the old man.

-Father! Jean says to him, on the verge of losing his mind.

-It will be very nice to have guests in my house, it hasn’t happened for a long time.

The old man pushes his son aside to take Zoé by the hand… He looks at her with that old fox look. As if probing her soul.

If you’re going to be my daughter-in-law, I want to get to know you well. And what’s better than having you here at home?

-Yes. She answers in a whisper.

-And my dear, don’t help the maid again. She pats the young woman’s hand. – A future Dubois doesn’t have to do household things, that’s what the service is for. Do you understand?

Zoé had gone into a kind of trance, what kind of men were these Dubois… they were snobs. What a mess she was getting into now that she would be living in the old man’s house.

-It won’t happen again. She says with a faint smile, as she doesn’t approve of such racist and macho behaviour.

-That’s right! If you want to be my son’s wife and mother of my grandchildren, you’ll do it that way. And that’s the way you’re going to instil it in my grandchildren.

Oh, shit! That was even worse, children? She wasn’t planning to have children with Jean… the lie was going too far.

-We must go now. Jean pulls her arm and she lets him do it.

Zoé Bonnes looked like a rag doll among the French…