SWNOVELS Chapter 255
Yasmine wiped away her tears, gazing enviously at the scene before her.
Back when she had followed Zachary, nobody had ever stood up for her like that.
She had given birth to Preston before she got married. In the eyes of others, she was a rebel.
While she wasn't one for grand ceremonies and didn't need an elaborate wedding, she craved the feeling of being cherished by a man.
Marrying the right person meant being treasured, feeling secure and never feeling slighted. Even if there were issues, they would seem trivial compared with the love they shared.
Zachary had respected her and given her promises, once treating her like Melvin now treated Jocelyn.
But over time, perhaps out of boredom, she had become less important to Zachary.
He no longer considered her feelings.
Yasmine sincerely hoped that Melvin would always remember how he felt today, proposing to Jocelyn with so much love and care.
They had both said their piece and offered their sincerity.
Yasmine presented a set of golden jewelry, a tradition in her family.
She also handed over a cheque for $88,000 as a compensation to the wedding they wouldn't have.
Then, Yasmine presented Jocelyn with another cheque, "This is for your new household, a support for the many expenses to come."
Jocelyn hadn't expected such generosity.
When she looked at the cheque, she was stunned.
Daisy was equally speechless.
"That's too much," Jocelyn tried to return it, "We can't accept this."
"Indeed, it's too much." Daisy said, eyeing the cheque on the table. "The two of you just need to live well together. We won't take the money."
"Daisy, this is our way of showing sincerity," Yasmine insisted, "You have to take it."
"No, it's excessive," Daisy shook her head, adamant in her refusal.
Yasmine looked at them earnestly, "I've been there myself, starting out with nothing. Though my marriage turned out happy, the beginning was tough. I never want to relive that hardship in Jocelyn's case. I don't want to shortchange Jocelyn. This money is for her confidence. No matter how their future unfolds, it's hers. If Melvin ever wrongs her, consider it compensation. Of course, we hope for their lifelong happiness. So there's no question of not accepting this-it's all staying in the family."
Moved by Yasmine's determination, Daisy glanced at Jocelyn and sighed, "You've got a great sister-in-law."
Overwhelmed by the cheque, Jocelyn struggled to express her feelings.
"Wait, there's something from me," Melvin said, pulling out an envelope and extracting its contents.
He laid a property deed on the table, "This is our home, in your name, Jocelyn. It's a gift from me to you."
Next, he presented a vehicle title, "The car's yours too, Jocelyn."
Lastly, he handed over a debit card, "This is my savings account, and I've set the password to your birthday."
After setting everything out, Melvin stood respectfully before them, "These represent my commitment."
Jocelyn had not anticipated these extra gestures. The modest table was now laden with valuables, leaving her choked up and at a loss for words.
Calvin and Daisy were just as surprised by the extent of their preparations.
Calvin was speechless.
Daisy, having little to add, was now thoroughly convinced of their good intentions.
Although they didn't care about the money, the gesture had left her gratified.
Since it was offered, there was no question of refusal. It was, after all, a safeguard for Jocelyn.
The house, the car, and the savings-Jocelyn would never have to bend over backward for anyone.
Daisy returned from the bedroom holding Jocelyn's birth certificate shortly, "I hope this is the last time I give this to you, and that you two will be registered as a happy couple together forever." "We will," Melvin affirmed confidently.
Daisy pulled a savings card from the certificate, "We can't match what you're offering, but this is a gift we've saved for Jocelyn. It's not much, just to ensure she can always live a good life."
"We don't need it," Yasmine said.
Daisy shook her head, "We don't need what you've given either, but this is for my daughter. Our family may not be wealthy, but she's never suffered or struggled. Married or not, I want her to always have that confidence."
Yasmine said no more.
As they spoke, Jocelyn cried tears of realization.
If money could measure importance, she knew now that she mattered, both to Melvin and her own parents.
"Mom, Dad..." she couldn't hold back, rushing into Daisy's embrace.
Calvin sighed and joined the hug, patting them gently, "Why cry? Today's a good day. You're getting married. You'll be the lady of your own house, ready to shoulder your responsibilities. No more tears, you're not a kid anymore."
Daisy's eyes welled up too.
The thought of marrying off her daughter had crossed Daisy's mind numerous times before. But now that the moment had actually come, it was the sense of letting go that overwhelmed her the most. Even though Jocelyn could still visit often and make it seem as though nothing had changed, everything felt different somehow.
Jocelyn was sobbing so hard that her breaths were choppy, her sadness palpable to everyone around her.
Melvin watched her, his heart aching to go over and wrap her in his arms, but he knew that he couldn't-not now.
"Our new home is just around the corner, you can come back anytime. Your life isn't going to change much from before. Only thing is, there will be one more mouth to feed at dinner because I'll be joining you," Melvin said, trying to soothe her.
"Yeah, it's not far at all. You can come back whenever you feel like it," Yasmine chimed in, trying to comfort Jocelyn. "Or you could have your parents over to your place for a while. The more people in the household, the merrier it becomes, right?"
While everyone was trying to console Jocelyn, Daisy wiped away her own tears and gently pushed Jocelyn back to take a good look at her. "Look at you. You're a mess now, like a weepy little kitten," she said, dabbing around Jocelyn's eyes with a tissue and sniffling. "Are you still planning on going to get your marriage registered today? You don't want your photo looking like this." Jocelyn shook her head through her tears, "Not today."
"Come on, that's enough crying. You don't want to be the butt of the joke," Daisy said, even though her own tears were betraying her stern words.
"Mom, I just want to hug you," Jocelyn said as she embraced Daisy, burying her face in her mother's shoulder just like she used to do when she was a child.