A Love Trap

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Harvey was the other son of Aaron and Rae, Lesley's younger brother.

Harvey walked over to Lesley and declared in a rude tone, "I can go anywhere I want in this house."

He then turned around and left, his voice was full of arrogance.

Although Harvey was Lesley's brother, the deep seeded resentment bordering on hate that she had for him was indescribable.

Ever since Lesley's parents gave birth to Harvey, he was always handled with kid gloves as if he were a porcelain doll that could break any time. They worshiped the ground he walked on like a national treasure. Harvey, up to now, didn't know how to do anything for himself because his parents' hired servants to take care of his every need including eating and dressing up.

He had no idea how to take care of himself. He couldn't even do simple tasks like tying his shoe laces, because he always had an entourage of servants at his beck and call, who did everything for him.

Now that he was going to kindergarten, he had no idea how to relate with other children his age. He therefore acted like a little lord, bullying, beating and harassing other kids every other day.

It was a regular occurrence for Harvey to beat other kids without any reason.

If anyone didn't obey his often absurd demands, he would fall into a sudden bout of anger and beat them in blind rage.

He thought that the world revolved around him and everything was always about what he wanted.

It was obvious that Aaron and Rae had spoiled him rotten with too much love and very little discipline.

Besides, whenever the other kids' parents came to complain about Harvey's behavior, they always took his side and indicated that there was nothing wrong with their son's actions.

They didn't even feel the need to apologize, as their son was their little angel.

What could other parents do?

As a domineering and powerful family, other parents had no means of recourse, but to tolerate their little devil of a son's behavior, because no one wanted to be on the receiving end of his parent's wrath.

When it got too serious, some parents opted to move their children to other schools in order to stay away from Harvey. Basically, running away with their tails between their legs was their best option.

Otherwise, no one wanted to find out what would happen to their kids if they spent more time under Harvey's oppressive thumb.

Harvey's arrogance and petulant behavior was not limited to school. He was just as bad at home.

"Harvey? Lesley, have you seen Harvey? Is he here?"

Aaron came in shortly

and as she walked towards her parents and said, "Yes he is here. But we must make sure that nothing goes wrong at the wedding today. If he dares to mess around at the wedding,

a disgruntled and accusatory expression and exclaimed, "How could you

also interposed, "Yeah. Lesley, don't you think that

way as your brother. So what makes you

and looked at her parents with incredulity written all over

she was young, their treatment of Harvey was at a different level of spoiling.

parents preferred boys over girls and would bend

my wedding is about to start. Everybody, look

snapping her fingers as she prepared

really made up your mind to marry that foreigner?

with indignation, "I don't love him anymore, and by the way, please don't call him 'foreigner', he has a name. His name is

and took short quick steps out of the room

of thought represented what most people would think at the wedding.

no secret that Lesley had deeply

how she had suddenly gotten over

the crowd move towards the center, Ashley put down the bags she was holding in

He didn't like such crowded spaces but there wasn't much he could do about it. Ashley had decided to go

hall, Lesley was standing at the pulpit facing a man who had

them say their vows stood between the couple.

Lesley as your legally wedded wife, for richer or

"Yes, I am."

groom responded in poor mandarin with

and made Lesley look like a timid little woman standing beside a

for the bride, Lesley, do you take Greg, standing beside you, for richer or for poorer,

raised her head and smiled as she

they were done with the vows, they exchanged their rings which sparkled

rings on, the priest concluded the ceremony, "Well, by the power vested in me, I declare you, husband and wife, now joined as one in

his eyes as he drew closer to her and slowly

cheered and hooted,

they had swallowed a rat. They felt as if that door had just been forever shut in their faces.

a foreigner would one

was one person in the crowd who was more surprised and confused

that things would turn out, the way they just

did she go wrong?