Jay Mariano sat on the edge of her bed, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the floor. The message from her father had just arrived: a proposal for a meeting with someone her family considered "suitable."
She shook her head. "No. I'm not going. I don't want to. I don't need this."
Her phone buzzed again. Papa's voice came through the call, calm but firm. "Jay, darling, I know you don't want to hear this, but this isn't just about your convenience. It's about your future."
"I said no!" Jay snapped, frustration spilling over. "I've spent my life making my own decisions. I don't owe anyone explanations, and I don't owe anyone this—especially not some… proposal meeting."
Papa's tone softened, but there was an edge of emotion that tugged at her. "Jay… I raised you, watched you grow, and I know your brilliance. You are talented, kind, and strong—but you're also so young. Opportunities like this… they won't wait forever."
Jay exhaled sharply, leaning back against the headboard. "I'm not saying no because I'm selfish. I'm saying no because I don't want someone forcing themselves into my life. I don't need someone deciding for me, Papa."
"I'm not forcing you," Papa said, voice trembling slightly. "I'm only asking because I care. Because I know you deserve someone who sees you for what you are. Someone worthy. You think I don't know your heart? I do, Jay. But life… life can be so fleeting, and I can't watch you ignore every opportunity that might be good for you."
Jay stayed silent, the words settling around her. She felt the weight of her father's voice—the care, the worry, the almost desperate insistence.
"Please," Papa said softly. "Just go. Just meet him. If nothing else, you'll have tried. You'll know, and then it's your choice. But don't shut this door without even looking."
Jay's fingers tightened around her phone. She wanted to refuse, wanted to stay in control, wanted to remain untouchable in her own little world.
And yet… she knew Papa was right. She wasn't obligated to say yes forever, but ignoring it completely would feel… careless, almost selfish.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, Jay spoke quietly. "Fine… I'll go. But this is just a meeting. Nothing more. I won't—"
"You won't?" Papa interrupted gently.
"I won't make promises. I won't lead anyone on. I won't…" Jay paused, exhaling. "…I'll go. That's all."
There was a pause on the other end. Then Papa's voice softened with relief. "Thank you, Jay. That's all I'm asking. Just… go with an open mind."
Jay hung up and stared at the ceiling. She still wasn't happy about it, and she still felt the tension in her chest—but somewhere deep down, a flicker of curiosity stirred. Who was this man her family considered so "worthy"? And why did the idea of meeting him feel… unexpectedly unnerving?
She shook her head, standing up. "Just a meeting. That's all," she muttered to herself.
And with that, Jay Mariano prepared herself to step into a world she had avoided for so long—a world where fate had already begun to move.