The Chrysalis Project - Chapter 28
If there’s one thing I can describe Geneva Hamilton with, then it is brutal honesty.
She’s probably the most direct and honest person I know, which can really be a blessing or a curse, depending on how you really want to look at certain situations. So much to my imagination, heading Geneva speak about the realities of being elite, and being in an elite school has really opened my eyes. I was also surprised that Margaret of all people had spoken up about it, but I empathized with her because I knew that she loved both of us too much to see us suffer.
I knew that whether I liked it or not, Scarlet was going to have to require a tutor at some point in her life. And I genuinely was willing to make the sacrifices, but on my own terms and not through Hayden Whitehall. However, Geneva’s reality check has made me realize that I had to ask Hayden because I knew that he would say yes, and I knew that I didn’t have any other way to acquire the finances to afford it, even with all the part-time jobs in the world.
I just didn’t like that in the span of less than a week, I unknowingly went from someone who has always worked to get results to someone who has literally had everything handed to them, and everything else they wanted if they just asked. I should be the strong woman that I appear to be, but with everything that’s happened, I turned into some kind of princess waiting to be pampered.
I hated the feeling, but at the same time, it reminded me of what Hayden has said to me just yesterday night. Maybe I really lost my own identity by working so hard to get where I am, that I can’t even tell the difference or fun and work anymore. Maybe for once in my life, I should let Hayden and my friends pamper me with the all the fun I left behind years ago.
In any case, I still don’t understand why Geneva was so insistent on the marriage stance, it was too crazy of a topic for me to crack for sure.
“Girl,” Geneva complained, “just hear me out will ya? And I think Margaret should know too because I think other than yourself, nobody else is on the same page as you.”
“Don’t have much of a choice,” I eyed while I ate my lasagna, waiting for her to rant.
“So Hayden Whitehall can have all the women in the world to be around but he chooses Sienna Hayes of all people. Why do you think that is? Out of convenience?”
“No, he’s made it very clear that he likes me,” I shamefully admitted.
“Oh, so you do know!” Geneva declared mockingly as Margaret slightly chuckled.
“And what did he do just this morning, asides from the existing charity case contract a couple of days ago?”
“He officially sponsored me as a Chrysalis thing…” I muttered.
“And the responsible yet suspicious you did what afterward?”
“Asked him why he did it,” I glared at Geneva, who was now more than amused.
“And what did Hayden say about it?” She asked rhetorically.
“He said he had to do it so I had a better status at school and it made it easier for us to hang out together,” I rolled my eyes, “where are you going with this?”
“So if he’s made it clear that he likes you, and that he’s putting you under a program that helps you get a better status overall so people wouldn’t look down on you, and he’s also made it very obvious that he wants to spend more time with you. Why wouldn’t you think he is taking this as seriously as it gets?” Geneva asked again, completely dumbfounded that I am still having a hard time grasping the same idea.
“I don’t know, okay?” I defended and sipped my lemonade nervously.
“You don’t know, or you’re not willing to admit this is what’s happening?”
“Ms. Hamilton is right, Sienna,” Margaret interrupted, “Mr. Whitehall was at the apartment this morning long before you woke up. He was playing with Scarlet the entire time, isn’t that right dear?”
“Yeah, Hayden is cool!” Scarlet said with joy as she played with the spaghetti on her fork.
“You let him play with Scarlet?!” I asked frantically.
“I didn’t let him, it was more like Scarlet ran to him when I welcomed him inside the house. He’s good with children, and I was watching over them the entire time,” Margaret reassured, “Scarlet kept asking him all sorts of questions.”
“What kind of questions did you ask him, Scar?” I said suspiciously, still concerned that Hayden didn’t even bother to ask me before approaching Scarlet.
“I hope you asked some great questions!” Geneva said excitedly, causing Scarlet to grin.
“I ask him if he likes you and he says yes!” She responded energetically.
“Anything else, Scarlet?” Geneva encouraged.
“I also ask him if he’s going to like you for happy ever after, and he said yes!” Scarlet said with joy, accidentally throwing her fork on the table.
“What does that even mean…” I muttered to myself, trying to come up with some sort of instant children language translator in my head.
“You’re not that bright are you,” Geneva snorted jokingly, “weren’t you like the top of your class?”
“Not in broken kid talk I’m not,” I sighed, “what does that mean? Happy ever after? Like in fairy tales?”
“I think she meant like how princesses and princes get married and they have a happily ever after?” Geneva explained.
“Yeah! Mayweed!” Scarlet screamed out, causing me to spill out my lemonade mid-sip.
“Dear, don’t get too excited,” Margaret said as she had cleaned up the mess that I made, making me glare at her in disbelief.
“Margs! Jesus, I can take care of myself!”
She eyed me back, “I don’t think so with that attitude.”
“This is amazing, literally everyone thinks so except for you. Margaret, Scarlet, and me, you’re the only one that’s in denial,” Geneva laughed loudly as she covered her stomach, which appeared to be in pain from all the continuous laughter earlier.
“You are all terrible,” I rolled my eyes, “why would I marry him?”
“Who in the right mind wouldn’t marry a Whitehall, Jesus Christ,” Geneva gasped in between laughs.
“But honestly, why would I? I’ll consider it if there’s a good reason but if you’re just going to laugh at how slow I am, then I’m not going to listen to you,” I complained.
“Okay,” Geneva finally stopped laughing, “Hayden Whitehall is attractive, charming, fun to be around. He also has a super-rich, powerful family, and did I mention he actually likes you? Because you’re the one who told me all of the things I just listed, but you’re still in some kind of denial, how blind are you?”
“Okay, but what if I don’t like him back as much? Why would I marry someone I don’t even like that much?” I justified as I crossed my arms together.
“If I were you, I’d put a ring on that immediately,” she admitted.
“Then why don’t you do it yourself then,” I scoffed jokingly.
“Because I don’t need him to prove a point, and he’s of no interest to me, certainly I am not an interest of his either. It’s literally that simple.”
“What point am I trying to prove though?”
“That you literally came from nothing, and you fought your way to the very top and were able to wrap Hayden effing Whitehall around your fingers, that’s literally the most impressive thing I’ve heard,” Geneva continued as she ate the last piece of her pasta dish.
“But that’s so shallow,” I pouted lightly, “I don’t want people to think I’m after money, I know money is a big thing for me but it’s not a dealbreaker.”
“Even if you’re only after money, the Whitehalls would see straight through you, they’re fearsome folks I’ll tell you that,” she commented, “it’s not shallow if you actually like him, and if he’s in agreement with it I honestly don’t see anything that should stop you from just putting a ring on it.”
“I’m literally twenty-one years old.”
“Some people get married at eighteen, even sixteen with parental consent in extreme circumstances, so you’re not that early,” Geneva suggested.
“That’s your advice? Marry Hayden at the first chance I get?” I said disappointedly.
“I’m your friend right? I want everything good for you, and I’m saying don’t think about it and just go for it, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. People would literally kill to be in your position, especially the students at Valentino.”
“You know this is all based on the premise that he actually one day decides to offer marriage right? We might not even go that far, you know,” I added, discouraging Geneva.
“Oh, I know,” Geneva smirked confidently, “and I’m betting on it.”
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