Episode 18

NARRATED BY MATTEO: Hello, my name is Matteo Spencer, the youngest son of Leonardo Spencer and Gabriela Kling. My father has always made it his duty to make me feel unworthy of being his son simply because I don't comply with his demands. To him, things must be as he commands, and on many occasions, he has pressured me to do things I found objectionable... For him, happiness equates to money. I have an older brother who does everything my father says because otherwise, he would be treated like he treats me. My brother is currently married to a young woman chosen by my father merely because she is the daughter of one of his business partners. Their marriage sealed a deal that would bring in a substantial sum of money and prestige.

My father owns several TV agencies and is renowned for the quality of his shows, which are viewed in almost every country. Well, he had a partner who had a daughter younger than myself. This partner wanted me to marry her to create a union between the two companies, and my father, always doing as he pleases, AGREED without consulting me. He just accepted the proposal outright, which of course left me in shock because he just came up to me and said,

LEONARDO (father): “Son, get ready, you have a 7 PM appointment with your fiancee," my father announced, beaming with joy, as if he had said I was going on a leisurely excursion.

MATTEO: “How?" I inquired, still trying to grasp what he was telling me. "Father, I think there’s a misunderstanding. I don’t have a girlfriend, let alone a fiancee," I replied with a smile, thinking it was a joke, but the serious look on his face told me it was no joke.

LEONARDO (father): “Of course, you do, since yesterday. I just wanted to surprise you in this way," he said calmly. "So get ready for your date."

MATTEO: “I’m not going to any date, Father, and I don't have a fiancee," I retorted, growing irritated by his plans.

LEONARDO: “I will not repeat myself, Matteo. You will go to that appointment and act in a manner befitting my son. Do something right for once in your life," my father said, growing angry.

MATTEO: “I won't go. I have no interest in meeting anyone, especially not a 'fiancee' I didn’t choose," I raised my voice in response. "So don’t insist, Father."

LEONARDO: “Fine. If you don’t go, then I want you to take your things and leave my house right now," my father declared in an arrogant tone, thinking it would make me relent and attend the unwanted dinner engagement.

MATTEO: “Are you kicking me out just because I won’t accept an arrangement I didn’t choose?" I replied, surprising even myself. "Alright, Father, I’ll leave. I have no intention of marrying someone I do not want."

LEONARDO: “Matteo, think carefully about what you’re doing. If you leave this house, you will be giving up my money and everything to do with our family, do you understand?"

MATTEO: “Don’t worry about that, Father. I don’t need your money. If you’ve forgotten, I’ve worked with you at the company and have some savings which should last me a while until I find a good job. But what I won't do is marry someone I don’t love."

And so I left my home. Those first days were incredibly tough. I rented a room and every day I went out job hunting until I encountered an old friend who was a teacher at a high school. He serendipitously taught computer science there for free, as the school offered scholarships to students who couldn't afford the course. He mentioned that one of his students had developed an app and had been receiving numerous purchase offers, but she was reluctant to sell it. That gave me an idea. I reached out to her directly. Initially, she rejected my proposal, but after much persistence, she agreed to meet with me. On the day of our meeting, I couldn’t believe my eyes; she was just a child of 15 or 14 years old. I had expected to meet someone older, a teen of at least 18 or 17. I was taken aback. Nonetheless, I focused on the opportunity to build a business with the app she created. I had some money saved from working at my father's companies, enough to start a small company at first.

After a long discussion and careful consideration, we decided to partner up, and it has been three years since I met her. Kiara is an incredibly intelligent person and her family fails to recognize it. When she told me she was going to get married, I was initially overjoyed believing she was in love, though I found it odd as she hadn't mentioned dating anyone. My joy turned to shock when she revealed her family was forcing her into marriage. I was furious to the point of wanting to confront her father and protest against such an injustice to his daughter. However, she persuaded me not to intervene, seeing it as an opportunity for more freedom.

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