The Right Thing To Do

Meliza's POV

I always said I was not ready to have a boyfriend since I was young. I never expected I would get engaged at eighteen. I was lying in bed staring at my finger with a beautiful ring around it. I didn't own any jewelry since it would only end up at the pawnshop, and this was the first time I wore a ring.

I am not updated about gold and diamonds, but I am sure it doesn't have any diamonds on it since Ethan couldn't afford it, but I am still the happiest girl in town. I know they will call me crazy for accepting his proposal right away.

They may call us impulsive or out of our minds, but I don't care. I knew Ethan was the one for me, and I am excited about building our dreams together. He promised to support my sister. I don't know where he will get the money, but I am sure with Ethan's look and intelligence, he will have a decent, high-paying job.

Besides, my sister is hardworking, and I knew she would understand why I said yes to Ethan's proposal once she saw him.

I woke up with a beautiful smile on my face, and I couldn't believe that I was now engaged. I wore the same smile the entire day, and then I spent my time with Ethan, and it became a habit for us to have time for ourselves, kissing under the night sky.

It was one sunny afternoon when Ruby came to my office looking so pale.

"Hey, what is wrong? Are you okay?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"We have a problem," she replied, and I arched my eyebrows.

"Relax, Rubs, what is it? There is nothing we can't solve." I replied with confidence.

"Your mom is here," she said, and it felt like my entire world stopped spinning as I gripped my fingers on my chair.

"And based on her facial expression, she is not happy, and I guess your mother knew about your engagement because she was talking with Nina right now, and she was looking for you," Ruby added. I tried to look calm as I stood up from my seat, and I adjusted my blazer, feeling so confident I could handle my mother.

Before we could get outside, my mother barged inside the office with fury all over her face while Nina followed behind her.

"Meliza, what kind of bullshit you had been doing? Are you crazy and out of your mind?" She asked with voice trembling, and her face was so red with anger.

"Mom, what are you talking about?" I asked, and then she showed me her phone, and I could feel the blood in my veins drained as I looked at the pictures of Ethan and me kissing. And not only that, but she also had a picture of my finger with the engagement ring.

"Who told you to be engaged without telling me about it? How many times have I told you to use your brain? If it were Vince, I wouldn't bother coming here and will give you my full support." She declared as she continued browsing the pictures, and I wondered where she got those photos.

"But with this young man, you knew nothing about? As per my source, he was the son of the driver of Vince's family. How could you reject Vince and choose this young man with nothing to offer you?" She questioned while Ruby and Nina quietly left the room

"Mom, I love him," I softly answered.

"Sweetheart, you know nothing about love. That is not love, Iza. You are so young to be in love; it was only an infatuation. and you think what you feel right now is love?" She asked and half laughed.

"You will realize love is nothing when the time comes when you have nothing to eat and when your problems piled up. I told you for how many times that you have to choose wisely, Meliza." My mother added.

"Pack your things because we are leaving." She said, and my eyes turned so big.

"Mom, I can't leave. I signed a contract; I don't have money to pay for the breach of contract," I responded, but I was no longer thinking about work; I wanted to see Ethan.

"Fred's attorney was taking good care of everything," She responded, and I looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Who is Fred?" I asked.

"Frederick would be your new father, and we are going to his estate. We don't need to worry about money anymore. I hit the jackpot this time," she proudly replied.

"Mom, you can't trust that man; I am sure he is one of them," I answered.

"No, he is wealthy, Meliza. I would not come here right away if not because of your craziness. We are scheduled to get married today, but I was bothered by your stupidity." She stated.

"Mom, I need this job," I responded.

"I already told you you don't need to work anymore." She answered.

"Now, let us get your things. We must stay at one of the hotels in the capital tonight since our flight will be tomorrow afternoon." My mother added.

"Now, you must break up with that boy, or you will never see your sister again." She said.

"Mom, you can't do that," I replied.

"Yes, I can, and I will make sure to ruin that young man if you will not break up with him. Fred's men will take care of him and give him a lesson if you don't cooperate." My mother declared, and I was shocked.

"What? You can't hurt Ethan." I said.

"I told you, Fred is a powerful man, Iza. Now, if you want to save your boyfriend, look for him and do the right thing before it is too late." My mother ordered

I didn't move, and my mom had to drag me out of the office as my tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Don't cry because of that stupid boy; you are an obedient daughter, Iza. You know I will do everything I can to protect you. You don't need to worry about your college education anymore because Fred promised to finance your studies abroad." My mom said, and I could no longer think straight.

"If you want to have a college degree, you have to listen to me, Iza; I need you to trust me on this," my mom added.

"If you chose this boy, you will lose a family and your chance of going to college." She continued, and my eyes became blurry as we walked towards the farmhouse.

"Mom, please give me time to think," I begged.

"There is no time, Iza. We are going to Fred's estate; we are not going back to our rundown, noisy apartment anymore." She replied.

"Your sister is in the hotel waiting for you," my mom added, and I started to believe maybe this man she was talking about was really loaded with money since he could afford the plane ticket and hotel accommodation.

"If you need time, we will return tomorrow morning and fetch you. Actually, you don't need to bring your things since Fred bought new clothes and filled your wardrobe." My mom declared.

Mom introduced me to his newfound boyfriend, and he looked decent, and I wanted to believe he was real and different from those scumbags my mom dated before him.

They left, and I was left confused and hurt. I didn't want to lose my family and my chance of having a degree since that is my greatest dream, but I didn't want to break up with Ethan. But I have to do the right thing. Besides, if we are meant to be, I am sure we will see each other again in the future.

I felt so confident, but when he came to my room, my world crumbled down.

"Ruby said you were leaving; I am sorry if I was the reason you got scolded by your mom," Ethan said, and I weakly smiled at him.

"It wasn't your fault, Ethan. There is a problem in our family that we need to fix, and I need to come home." I responded, and his face fell.

"So, you are going to leave me?" He asked.

"Iza, stay with me; I promise you, I can give you a bright future, and you will live in luxury once you marry me." He added.

"How are you going to do that, Ethan? Do you have savings?" I asked, and he fell silent.

"I am sorry, but I don't know if I will ever return to this place. We need to break up, Ethan." I said, trying to be strong.

"No, you can't break up with me, Iza." He said with finality.

"Yes, I can. I told you I am not ready to be in a relationship." I responded.

"Please leave; I need to pack my things," I added as I turned around, but in an instant, he hugged me from behind, and I had to keep my tears from falling.

"No, you can't do this to me, Iza." He mumbled.

"It is over between us, Ethan," I firmly replied as I turned around and faced him.

"I am not letting you go," he said with tears in his eyes, and I could feel the deep pain that sliced my heart.

"Ethan, please don't make this harder for me," I replied.

"Don't you love me anymore?" He asked, and I kept my bearing as I stared at him with my head high.

"I don't love you that much; my mom was right; I was only infatuated with you, and what I felt wasn't love." I lied, and his face saddened as he took a back step before he turned his heels, walked out of my room, and closed the door with a loud bang.

My body shook as I slowly sat on the floor, crying my heart out. I didn't want to break up with Ethan, but it was the right thing to do, even if I felt like dying inside because of the pain of losing him. I have to protect him from my mother and her new husband-to-be.