9 WE ARE MARRIED

"Yes, boyfriend." Olivia said, holding hands with Jason, tightly.

The cutleries in Evelyn's hands dropped to the plate when Olivia repeated it

"What is the meaning of this, Olivia? When we said to bring a man, we didn't mean just anyone." Evelyn stood up and yelled at her.

"Mom, he is not just anyone. He is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with." Olivia said as the tone of her voice raised a little.

"What nonsense are you saying?.. . Henry, say something, how can you be quiet?" Evelyn screamed at both father and daughter.

Henry's eyes were fixed on Jason's face ever since he walked in, he was trying to remember where he had seen this face before. He snapped out of it when he heard Evelyn's loud voice screaming in his ears.

"Calm down, Evelyn. This is not a proper way of approaching the matter." Henry said as he tried to ease the tension between mother and daughter.

"How can you tell me to calm down when our daughter brought a good-for-nothing, classless and unknown man to the house as a future husband." She was smoking with anger and frustration as she spoke ill about Jason.

"Evelyn…. Mom." Olivia and Henry yelled at the same time.

Jason remained calm even if he didn't like what she said about him, over the years, he had learned to be in control of his emotions. Evelyn left the dining area and walked towards Olivia and Jason.

"My love, I know you are probably angry with us because we have been pressuring you to get married and that's why you are doing all this." Evelyn said with a soft voice as she held Olivia's face.

"Mom, I am not angry, this is what I really want. I love him." Olivia said as her eyes began to tear up.

"No, Olivia. I don't believe what you're saying to me." She withdrew her hand from her face as she shook her head lightly, looking surprised at her own daughters' words.

"You… gold digger, what have you done to my daughter?" Evelyn accused him without knowing fully what transpired between him and her daughter.

"Look, ma'am. I have a lot of respect for you and your husband. That's why I remained quiet. But I won't accept you calling me a gold digger especially . . ." Jason couldn't finish what he was about to say because he felt Olivia's hand squeeze him tightly.

"Especially what, continue…" Evelyn confronted him

"Evelyn, that's enough." Henry finally had enough of the shouting and arguments.

"Ahh…. You know what, Olivia. I don't believe you; I don't believe any of this." She said as she went back to the table, trying to calm herself down.

"Do you want proof, Mom? I will show you." She let go of Jason's hand and then walked towards Evelyn.

"See, Mom. See how in love we are with each other. What else do you want?" Olivia said as she showed Evelyn the pictures on her phone.

"You really think this is proof? This is nothing." Evelyn said as she stood up to leave.

Evelyn walked past Olivia and went straight to the stairs, moving as fast as she could.

"Well, Mom. There is nothing that can be done about it because we are married." Olivia finally dropped the bomb.

"Enough, Olivia. What is the meaning of this? What do you mean you two are married?" Henry yelled at his daughter furiously.

Evelyn's eyes widened at what she heard, she paused in her steps and clogged her chest tightly. She held onto the handrail as she felt a sudden, sharp pain in her chest, her eyes started to close up slowly and she began to lose her balance.

Jason was quick to notice what was happening to Evelyn, he immediately ran up the stairs. Olivia and Henry followed swiftly, obviously shocked and taken aback by the sudden turn out of events.

Jason caught her right in time before she falls.

"Mom… Evelyn." Henry and Olivia screamed as they approached them.

"Dad, what's going on?" Olivia asked as she held Evelyn nervously.

"Leo, get the car ready." He yelled as they tried to carry her down the stairs.

Jason and Henry moved her out of the house with Olivia running by their side. They finally got her inside the car, Jason sat in the passenger seat by the side of the driver while Olivia and Henry sat behind with Evelyn's body on their laps.

Leo drove to the hospital at full speed, he could see the urgency in the eyes of everyone in the car, including Jason. After some minutes, they got to the hospital and rushed Evelyn in.

"We need a doctor, quickly," Henry shouted as they rushed through the entrance door.

"Good evening, Mr. Smith. Can you please tell me what happened?" The doctor asked as he gestured with his fingers for a nurse to bring a stretcher.

"I don't know, she just fainted or something," Henry answered.

"Please, the rest of you can wait outside. Mr. Smith, you can come with us." The doctor said as he and the nurse took her to a room.

"I will deal with this later," Henry said to Olivia and Jason before accompanying the doctor into the room.

Olivia blamed herself for what just happened, she had no idea that things were going to turn out this bad. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she realized that all this was a result of her stupid plan.

"What have I done?" She asked herself as more tears rolled down from her eyes, moving back slowly, she placed her hands against her mouth as she buried herself in guilt.

"Mom, I'm sorry." She cried out silently.

She had never looked this vulnerable before, even Leo – the driver had never experienced seeing her look so broken. Olivia immediately ran to the restroom to avoid more prying eyes on her.

"Miss…" Leo was about to go after her but Jason stopped him.

"Leave her alone for a while, she will be fine," Jason assured the driver.

"Sure." The driver said, looking a bit saddened by the whole situation.