Chapter 1 TALIA

“What excuse do you have this time, Talia?”

I clenched my jaw and walked straight past my mother, who was standing in front of the main door. I had just gotten home from work, but my mother didn’t bother delaying her anger until I changed and washed my face.

“Your mother was talking, and you just ignored her. That was so rude.”

I growled in annoyance and stopped near the stairs.

“What do you expect, Mom? I can’t give you anything you want, no matter how much you yell at me. Besides, I’m twenty-seven. You shouldn’t be yelling at me like I’m a five-year-old girl.”

“You’re twenty-seven, so you shouldn’t be acting like a five-year-old girl. Why don’t you come to the Country Club for lunch with Caleb? He’s been waiting for you for two hours.”

My mother crossed her arms over her chest, her nostrils flaring in anger.

"Have you ever considered how your childish behavior could harm others? Caleb isn't unemployed. He's a busy man, and he wasted two hours just waiting for you."

I snorted in exasperation.

I had my own reasons for not coming to lunch with him.

“I’m very busy at the hotel today. Lots of guests checking in.”

“Bullshit. I know you have an hour for lunch.”

“I skipped lunch because the hotel was that busy. There were only three receptionists on duty, and the three of us were overwhelmed with guests.”

“Mike would understand if you asked to go to the country club to see Caleb. Besides, you could switch shifts with one of your friends. What other excuses are you going to throw at me, huh?”

I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

“I’m there to work, not to play. I don’t want to abuse Uncle Mike’s trust. He’s been so kind to me by giving me a job at his hotel. Many of my friends are jobless after graduating from college, and I got one right away.”

“Mike should have given you a manager job, not a receptionist,” my mother grumbled.

"I love my job as a receptionist. I interact with guests and help them find suitable accommodations. It's much more enjoyable than just sitting in an office with a pile of paperwork on my desk. It's boring," I sighed.

“But your dad used to be an operations manager at his hotel chain. Mike should have given you a better job than a receptionist. That would at least show his respect for your late father’s dedication.”

I ignored my mother’s ranting and climbed the stairs to my bedroom.

My mom had said that a thousand times since I started working at the Grand Hudson Hotel five years ago. She always thought my late father’s dedication to the hotel deserved more than what Uncle Mike had given us thus far. She forgot that Uncle Mike paid for my entire college education and gave us a monthly allowance. Uncle Mike didn’t even deduct that from my father’s pension. The money went entirely into my account as a trust fund my father left me.

“Talia, I’m not done with you yet.”

“I have a plan tonight. I need to shower and get ready.”

“Caleb agreed to meet you the day after tomorrow. Don’t embarrass me again.”

“I don’t want to be set up with him, Mom,” I groaned in frustration.

I was about to tear my hair out and explode in front of my mother.

“He's not my type at all. He's childish and perverted.”

“So what’s your type, huh? You’ve already rejected ten men I’ve matched you with. You’ll be turning twenty-eight in three days. You need to at least have a boyfriend, or I’ll cancel your trust fund. The money will go to a charity.”

“What? You can’t do that!” I exclaimed, panicked. “That’s my money. I already have plans for it.”

“Then find a boyfriend and get married.”

“Mom, why are you so obsessed with marriage?” I groaned in frustration.

“It’s not just an obsession. If it were up to me, you should have gotten married after you graduated from college. There’s no telling what the future holds. Your father died too soon before we could spend more time together. If you’d gotten married earlier, you would have had more time to enjoy yourself with your husband. At least, you wouldn’t have lived like me.”

I sighed softly.

I couldn't be mad at her anymore if she started showing her sad face. My mother never recovered from her grief over my father's death. I could understand why she was so eager for me to get married, but I always believed that our destinies were different. What happened to my mother wouldn't necessarily happen to me. I'd tried to tell her a hundred times, but she wouldn't listen. I'd even considered moving into an apartment to escape my mother's nagging, but I always ended up backing out because I couldn't bear to see her alone at home.

"I meant what I said earlier. I'll cancel your trust fund—"

"Fine," I interrupted before my mother could threaten me further.

"Give me time. I'll find my own husband."

"No, I don't believe you. You said that two years ago, but you haven't brought a man home yet."

That was because I was never serious about finding a husband. I wanted to focus on developing my career. I lied to my mom when I said I preferred being a receptionist to a manager. I really wanted to be a manager someday. If I became a manager, it wouldn't be because of Uncle Mike, but because of my own skills. If I couldn't become a manager at the Grand Hudson Hotel, I might try somewhere else. But right now, the Grand Hudson Hotel was still the best for me, and I didn't want to move anywhere else.

"All the men I've matched you with are good men with brilliant careers. Their family backgrounds are also perfect. Why did you turn them down, Talia?"

"Because I didn't feel right for them."

"You were going to tell me if they weren't your type, huh?"

“They weren’t my type. The first man you brought me was a childish nag. The second was a perverted old man. The third was extremely possessive, and he gave me an ultimatum to quit my job before I became his wife. The fourth was a coward,” I sneered, disgusted, remembering Arthur.

“He’s big, but he’s afraid of a cute cockroach. He nearly destroyed an entire restaurant because of his phobia of cockroaches. The fifth man—”

“Enough. I don’t want to hear any more of your excuses. The point is, they don’t meet your overly perfect criteria. You have to remember, there’s no perfect man in this world. Everyone has flaws.”

“I know that very well, and I’m aware of that. I’m not a perfect woman either. I have many flaws. It’s unfair to demand that my future husband be perfect. But I’ll find the closest one.”

“So, how are you going to do it? How are you going to find that man?”

My mother stared at me intently, her arms folded across her chest.

I bit my lip nervously. I didn’t know how I was going to find such a man. I didn’t even know if such a man existed. I just had a belief in my heart that I would find one someday. But there was still a chance that my beliefs were wrong.

“Talia?”

“I will definitely find that man,” I stammered.

“I-I...”

“Your trust fund will go straight to charity if you don’t bring a husband to me on your birthday.”

“I’m going to the charity event tonight and find that man.”

“Are you sure you can do it?”

“It’s not just any charity event. All the wealthy, generous people are gathering in the atrium tonight. They’re donating their money to good causes. I’ll find a husband among those wonderful, generous people. I promise.”

What the hell?!

Why did I make a promise I couldn’t keep?

I felt like slapping my lips and going back on my word.

“You’re going to the charity event?”

“Umm… Liliane asked me to cover for her. She has a date with Joseph tonight and can’t make it.”

My mother sighed softly.

“I wish you could be like Liliane. She has a great career and her fiancé is the CEO of a retail chain.”

I tried to ignore it, though deep down I was annoyed that my mother compared me to Liliane. She and I had different paths in life. Liliane held the position of vice president because she was Uncle Mike's only daughter. She and Joseph were matched about three years ago. And Liliane was lucky, because all of her father's business colleagues were great people. Liliane had no reason to reject Joseph because he was that perfect.

“I have to get ready to go to the atrium. I’ve already wasted fifteen minutes just listening to your lecture, Mom.”

“Okay. Don’t forget your promise. You have to bring a husband home before your birthday in three days.”

To hell with husbands!

I was sick of my mother’s old-fashioned thinking.

I stomped into my room and slammed the door shut.

I hoped Lady Luck was on my side tonight, or I’d lose my entire trust fund and say goodbye to my future plans.