Page 56 of The Champion
CHAPTER 14
Facing the Family
Victor
When Freya told her family that she was staying for an extra week, they weren’t happy.
The Polo family, Freya, and I strategized all the way across the Atlantic as we flew to Thor and Linea’s wedding.
“Timing is everything. We have to bring up Wisdomia at the most opportune time,” Shelly said.
“It can’t be before the wedding because I don’t want my brother’s big day to be soured if my dad overreacts.”
Marco nodded. “We should wait until tomorrow, but not too early in the day. Your dad will probably get drunk tonight at the party. If he has a hangover, it’s best if we give him until the early afternoon before we sit down and discuss things with him.”
Shelly had her hand on Marco’s thigh. “Maybe we should prepare Councilman Jonah first. He’s great at calming the Aurelius family down if needed. And, Freya, when it comes to telling your family, I still think the strategy that I used with my mother when I told her I was marrying Marco is the best one. You throw something extreme on the table that freaks them out and then you give them a win and compromise on what you wanted in the first place. My mom was always focused on my career, so I told her I had decided to stop working and that I would dedicate myself to Marco and our child. My mom felt grateful that she talked me out of quitting my career and she forgave me for doing something as crazy as marrying a Northlander.”
“Yeah, but what is more extreme than moving to the wilderness of Old Europe with a man they all think is an arrogant bastard?” Freya looked to me. “Their words, not mine.”
“Tell them that you’re pregnant and that he won’t marry you,” Shelly suggested. “That would be a worst-case scenario in their eyes, wouldn’t it?”
Marco frowned. “No, don’t say that. You will put Victor in physical danger if you do.”
I looked down, feeling the knot in my stomach that had been growing these past weeks. “It’s definitely the most extreme scenario that I can think of, but my problem is that it’s not an exaggeration. The truth is that I might be pregnant, and Victor won’t marry me.”
Marco narrowed his eyes and zoomed in on Victor. “That’s not true, is it?”
“I don’t support the institution of marriage. It feels like a slave contract to me.”
“Ha! You thought you could have sex with Freya, potentially get her pregnant, and ask her to come and live with youwithoutmarrying her?”
“Yes.”
Marco groaned and shook his head as if he couldn’t comprehend the level of stupidity in front of him. “This is one of those examples where a person can be a genius and still be clueless. I can’t believe how naïve you are. I fucking gave Khan my word that I would protect his daughter and clearly, I failed. When you two told me you were in love, you made me believe that you were serious about Freya.”
“I am!”
“Then you’ll bloody well marry her! If you and I want any chance of walking out of Khan’s mansion alive, you’d better beg him to marry his daughter.”
“What do you mean that you might be pregnant?” Shelly asked Freya.
“It’s just that we ran out of protection weeks ago.”
“Fucking hell.” Marco threw his hands around, showing how disturbed he was. Turning to Shelly, he muttered, “Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re dropping them off at the mansion and giving an excuse that one of the kids has a nasty case of food poisoning and then we get out of there before they find out how miserably I failed Khan’s orders.”
“Stop being so dramatic. Freya is a grown woman. She doesn’t have to ask anyone’s permission to do what she pleases. If she chooses to start a family in a new country without a marriage contract, then good for her. I fully support her right to do things as they fit her needs.”
“That’s fine, Shelly, but trust me; your support isn’t going to matter much when Khan hears about this.”
“I support you as well, Freya.” Ada touched Freya’s knee. “It sounds like your family are dinosaurs who need to get with the program… like my dad.”
“We’re not dinosaurs. We’re Nmen.”
“Who think you can control women. That shit has to stop, Dad.”
Marco wiggled a finger in his daughter’s direction. “Don’t talk to me that way. Your mom might say that you’re a teenager in a natural phase of rebellion, but I won’t have you using that tone with me.”
They both sunk lower in their chairs with their mouths turned downward and their arms crossed.
