After saying those words, Bara immediately walked toward the hall, searching for his uncle and aunt. Still shaken and devastated, he looked around the crowded room until he finally spotted Burhan and Nay sitting in the front row. Bara quickly approached them.
"Come, sit here. The event will start soon," Aunt Nay said, pulling him closer.
Bara sat down without saying a word, which made his aunt suspicious.
"What's wrong, Bara? Are you feeling unwell?" she asked, placing her hand on his forehead.
"No, Aunt," Bara replied flatly, without even a hint of a smile.
Burhan's phone vibrated in his pocket, and he quickly took it out before stepping outside to answer the call.
"What?" Burhan asked coldly.
"What?! Are you insane?! I've paid you so much already, and at the final stage you dare ruin my plan on purpose?! Listen carefully-I won't pay the rest!" he hissed, eyes blazing.
Still fuming, Burhan immediately racked his brain, searching for another way to secure every bit of Bara's parents' inheritance.
Suddenly, an idea came to him. He quickly dialed a number and spoke for quite a while. When the call ended, Burhan smirked with satisfaction before returning to his seat as though nothing had happened.
The graduation Bara had imagined turned out to be far from what he expected. After witnessing his girlfriend making out with another man, Bara realized that life was not as beautiful as he once believed. One thing became painfully clear-most women only cared about money and status.
In college, every woman had chased after him the moment they learned he was the son of a billionaire who would inherit his fortune at the age of twenty. Only one woman didn't pursue him like the others-Claudia. Yet she turned out to be even worse than all of them.
After the photo session and gathering ended, Bara left the hall with his uncle and aunt, suppressing his deep disappointment.
"Bara, this is the son of a well-known contractor in our country," Burhan said, introducing him to a woman.
Bara, lost in thought, simply stared at her hand when she offered it to him. He didn't shake it.
"Bara, be polite! This woman will be your soulmate for the rest of your life," Burhan snapped angrily.
Bara froze at his uncle's words. Aunt Nay, too, frowned in disbelief.
"Who is this woman? Bara's girlfriend?" she asked.
"No. She's not his girlfriend. She's the daughter of my best friend, and I've agreed to match the two of them," Burhan replied sternly, though it sounded forced.
"What?! Bara just graduated-he's still so young. Let him choose his own partner someday! There's no need to rush," Aunt Nay argued, sounding upset. She clearly objected to her husband's decision, especially since he hadn't discussed it with her at all.
"Everything will go according to my decision!" Burhan insisted.
"No! Y-" Aunt Nay tried to protest, but Bara cut in.
"It's okay, Aunt. Just let it be. It's all up to Uncle. I'm going home first," Bara said, unable to handle the argument any longer. He knew that whenever Uncle Burhan didn't get his way, he would endlessly scold his aunt. Bara was tired of seeing her mistreated, but he felt powerless.
Bara walked out of the hotel and immediately took a taxi home. When he arrived, he locked himself in his room for the rest of the day.
When evening came, Aunt Nay knocked on his door.
"Bara, open the door, son," she called softly.
Click! Bara opened it.
"Come downstairs for dinner," she said gently.
"Okay. I'll be down in a minute. You go ahead first," Bara replied with a small smile.
He hated his uncle's behavior-the constant selfishness and pressure. But he couldn't oppose him openly, because his aunt would be the one to suffer.
Bara came downstairs and sat at the dining table without greeting his uncle or aunt. He quickly served himself food, wanting to finish early and escape the tense atmosphere.
But just as he stood up after eating, Burhan stopped him.
"Bara, sit down. I need to talk."
Bara froze, then reluctantly sat back down.
"Your wedding will be held tomorrow. Everything is already arranged," Burhan said casually.
"Burhan, have you lost your mind?! What are you doing? No! I don't agree!" Aunt Nay shouted, unable to tolerate her husband's outrageous behavior.
"This is all for the good of our company. You don't understand-our company is currently going through difficult times. Morissa's father has been helping us all this time," Burhan said seriously.
In reality, the wealth left by Mr. Delano wouldn't run out even after seven generations.
"You think Bara is a girl? What about his dignity? You're treating him like you're selling him!" Aunt Nay growled, shocked by her husband's heartlessness.
"That's enough. It's up to Uncle. I'm going to my room. Good night," Bara said quietly. His disappointment was obvious, but he hid his feelings as always.
He climbed the stairs and went into his room.
For a long time, Bara sat on his sofa, deep in thought, breathing heavily.
"If this is truly my destiny... then I'll accept it sincerely," he whispered before getting up and lying on his bed.
Exhausted, he eventually fell asleep.
---
The next morning, everything was ready. A white tuxedo complete with a tie had been placed at Bara's door.
Bara, who had been awake since early morning, sat on his bed wondering if it was really true-that he would be married at such a young age, without even inviting any of his friends.
Knock... knock... knock!
Click. Aunt Nay slowly opened the door.
"Son... are you really going to follow your uncle's one-sided decision? Auntie won't be angry if you reject this. Auntie will always support whatever you choose, Bara. So please... say no," she pleaded, standing at the doorway with a devastated expression.
...
