"d.a.m.n your information system," came Yao Tan, trying not to laugh at the same time .
"Well Anna is a good source of information, so I am guessing she is listening . Hi Alecia," came Amanda in a bubbly voice over the phone .
"Hi Amanda . "
"Now what is the problem, Tan?"
"Do you know that your friend's brother was proposed to by my daughter, and she is threatening unless I agree immediately she will refuse to have a relations.h.i.+p with me . "
"Tan, of your three children, she is the one most like you . When she makes a decision, she will follow it with her heart . You have done the same for eight years . You refused to marry me because of the children, regardless of how you and I felt about each other . It was less than two weeks ago that you finally changed your mind . "
"How many years of happiness have we missed out on, and how has that impacted your children . Yes, they know that you love them above everything, but at the same time they have seen you sacrificed your own happiness . Alecia, and I am guessing James you are also there …"
"I am," responded James
"Alecia, if I asked you to wait until James finished his degree, would you be willing to?"
"Amanda, no . This is something I will not wait on, and as I told Dad, I will simply leave and have no relations.h.i.+p with him, and if I have to I will wait 12 months before I marry James, but marry him I will . "
"Tan, you have your answer . While I would prefer you wait until James finishes his degree, Alecia I can tell you will not, and James I guess if you had the choice you would not …"
"I would . "
"Tan, agree . The last thing I want to do is loose Alecia from our lives . But there are some conditions, and you two must agree . You will marry as soon as possible, and we will get you to the capital to get the paperwork for your marriage, Tan you will agree, you will live where we tell you in Australia with security guards, and when James finishes his degree you both will come back here . "
After a brief pause Amanda continued "Alecia, your choices will be you either go and work for your father, or your G.o.dfather . You must, on your return go to university and study while you work . Finally, I want both you Alecia and James to promise that you will not consider having children for at least two years . Your relations.h.i.+p needs to survive the strains of everyday life, and the last think I want to see is a child brought into that and you two fighting . "
James, immediately responded "If that is what it takes . " With that he lifted Alecia's hand up and gave her a kiss on her hand and looked at Alecia . All Alecia could do was look into his eyes and she simply wanted to ignore anything else .
Alecia after staring at James for a few seconds she broke away because she did not want such a restriction on their ability to have children . She took a deep breath and spoke quietly but with a determined tone underneath it . "Amanda while I do not want children so young, as I remember things about Dad's struggles with us at such a young age . However, if I fall pregnant it is meant to be, and I will not be aborting the child simply to meet a promise to you . "
"Seems reasonable but promise that you will try to prevent pregnancy . Tan, agree, or we will lose her, I believe their promises . " With that Amanda hang up the phone .
"Well Alecia, you have my promise, but there are a couple of things . The company jet is not being used tomorrow, so it will take both of you to the capital to obtain the paperwork to marry, and you will immediately return here . While you are gone, I will contact the Civil Administration Bureau to arrange a ceremony as late as possible tomorrow . "
"Alecia, I want you to obtain your marriage certificate in front of me, Amanda, Anna and Hou Yi, plus other family members . I will arrange for some income from your Trust to come to you, but you otherwise will not touch the money your grandparents have given you . Most importantly, James you will sign a pre-nuptial agreement, as nothing else will happen unless that is signed . Can you both agree?"
Before either looked at the each other them immediately responded "Yes . "
Thursday continued … . d.a.m.n your information system, came Yao Tan, trying not to laugh at the same time . Well Anna is a good source of information, so I am guessing she is listening . Hi Alecia, came Amanda in a bubbly voice over the phone . Hi Amanda . Now what is the problem, Tan? Do you know that your friends brother was proposed to by my daughter, and she is threatening unless I agree immediately she will refuse to have a relations.h.i.+p with me . Tan, of your three children, she is the one most like you . When she makes a decision, she will follow it with her heart . You have done the same for eight years . You refused to marry me because of the children, regardless of how you and I felt about each other . It was less than two weeks ago that you finally changed your mind . How many years of happiness have we missed out on, and how has that impacted your children . Yes, they know that you love them above everything, but at the same time they have seen you sacrificed your own happiness . Alecia, and I am guessing James you are also there … I am, responded James Alecia, if I asked you to wait until James finished his degree, would you be willing to? Amanda, no . This is something I will not wait on, and as I told Dad, I will simply leave and have no relations.h.i.+p with him, and if I have to I will wait 12 months before I marry James, but marry him I will . Tan, you have your answer . While I would prefer you wait until James finishes his degree, Alecia I can tell you will not, and James I guess if you had the choice you would not … I would . Tan, agree . The last thing I want to do is loose Alecia from our lives . But there are some conditions, and you two must agree . You will marry as soon as possible, and we will get you to the capital to get the paperwork for your marriage, Tan you will agree, you will live where we tell you in Australia with security guards, and when James finishes his degree you both will come back here . After a brief pause Amanda continued Alecia, your choices will be you either go and work for your father, or your G.o.dfather . You must, on your return go to university and study while you work . Finally, I want both you Alecia and James to promise that you will not consider having children for at least two years . Your relations.h.i.+p needs to survive the strains of everyday life, and the last think I want to see is a child brought into that and you two fighting . James, immediately responded If that is what it takes . With that he lifted Alecias hand up and gave her a kiss on her hand and looked at Alecia . All Alecia could do was look into his eyes and she simply wanted to ignore anything else . Alecia after staring at James for a few seconds she broke away because she did not want such a restriction on their ability to have children . She took a deep breath and spoke quietly but with a determined tone underneath it . Amanda while I do not want children so young, as I remember things about Dads struggles with us at such a young age . However, if I fall pregnant it is meant to be, and I will not be aborting the child simply to meet a promise to you . . Seems reasonable but promise that you will try to prevent pregnancy . Tan, agree, or we will lose her, I believe their promises . With that Amanda hang up the phone . Well Alecia, you have my promise, but there are a couple of things . The company jet is not being used tomorrow, so it will take both of you to the capital to obtain the paperwork to marry, and you will immediately return here . While you are gone, I will contact the Civil Administration Bureau to arrange a ceremony as late as possible tomorrow . Alecia, I want you to obtain your marriage certificate in front of me, Amanda, Anna and Hou Yi, plus other family members . I will arrange for some income from your Trust to come to you, but you otherwise will not touch the money your grandparents have given you . Most importantly, James you will sign a pre-nuptial agreement, as nothing else will happen unless that is signed . Can you both agree? Before either looked at the each other them immediately responded Yes .