Chapter 6 – The Call and The Pickup
1023 Words
The next morning, Arianne was busy in her room when her phone rang.
The number was private. At first, she ignored it, busy with her thoughts, after last night, she had no intention of entertaining mysterious strangers.
But curiosity gnawed at her, and eventually, she picked up.
“Hello?” she said cautiously.
A familiar voice, smooth and commanding, answered immediately.
“Did you sleep well?”
Arianne froze. That voice. It was him. Damien.
“Yes… and why are you calling me?
How did you get my number?” she asked, her tone sharp.
He didn’t answer her questions. Instead, he said simply,
“I want to see you.”
She frowned, incredulous. What is wrong with this guy?
“I can send the driver to pick you up in an hour,” he added after a pause.
“Or, if you prefer, I can come over myself. I don’t mind.”
Arianne’s eyebrows rose. “No… no, I’ll come.
You don’t need to send the driver. I’ll come by myself.”
His voice, calm and steady, came again:
“This is not working. You have to choose one option.”
She exhaled slowly, realizing she couldn’t argue with his domineering style. “Fine,” she said at last.
Quickly, she gave him a location in the neighborhood, careful to pick a spot far enough from her home to avoid alerting her family. They can never know, she reminded herself.
“Good. The driver will pick you up there,” he confirmed.
As she hung up, a shiver ran down her spine.
The man was bold. Insistent. Mysterious.
And Arianne, despite herself, couldn’t stop thinking about him.
Why does he keep appearing in my life? she wondered.
And why does it feel like he’s already in control?
It was Saturday morning. Arianne prepared herself carefully, her heart restless beneath her calm façade.
She told her parents she was going to visit a friend, her tone light and natural so they wouldn’t suspect anything.
With their casual nod of approval, she left the house and walked briskly toward the meeting point.
The sleek black car was already waiting.
Its polished frame gleamed under the morning sun, and the driver immediately stepped out when he spotted her.
With a polite bow, he greeted her and opened the back door.
“Good morning, Miss.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, slipping inside.
The soft leather seats embraced her, and for a moment she thought she was alone, until she turned her head.
Her breath caught.
There he was.
Damien. Sitting comfortably in the corner, one arm resting lazily against the seat, his piercing gaze fixed on her as though he had been waiting for this exact moment.
Shock ran through her body.
She instinctively pressed herself closer to the door, putting as much distance as possible between them.
Her hands fidgeted, betraying the nervous energy swirling inside her chest.
A faint smile tugged at Damien’s lips. “Relax,” he said smoothly, voice calm and deep. “I won’t eat you.”
Then, without breaking eye contact, he gave the driver a simple command. “Let’s go.”
The car glided forward.
Arianne’s pulse thundered.
She clenched her fingers tightly against her dress, grounding herself as her thoughts raced.
Where are we going? Why is he doing this?
“Where… where are we going?” she finally asked, her voice strained but steady.
“You’ll see,” he replied, his tone unreadable.
Her chest tightened with unease.
This man… what does he want from me? I’m already walking a fine line with my family.
The last thing I need is to get entangled with someone like him. God, please… help me.
While she fought to calm her racing heart, Damien turned his gaze toward the tinted window, catching her reflection in the glass.
The corner of his mouth curved slightly.
She’s even more beautiful up close, he thought. And cute when she’s nervous.
But beneath that quiet smile was a decision already made, carved into his mind like stone. Today wasn’t just another meeting.
Today, he promised himself, he would make her his.
And Damien always kept his promises.
The ride was silent for a long while, tension filling the car until Arianne finally gathered her courage.
“Damien…” she called softly. Her fingers twisted nervously in her lap.
“I have a fiancé already. I can’t marry you. My parents already decided.”
His gaze slid to her, calm, steady, and utterly unshaken.
“That’s not a problem at all,” he replied coolly. “I will go to your parents, then.”
Her eyes widened, panic rushing through her veins.
“No—don’t do that!” she said quickly, her voice trembling.
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look at him. “What do you want from me?”
His eyes darkened, intensity radiating from him as his voice dropped low. “I told you what I wanted, didn’t I?”
She couldn’t hold his stare, her gaze darting away to the window.
“Sorry… I can’t do that. I don’t plan to get married anytime soon.”
A small chuckle escaped him. “Didn’t you just say you have a fiancé?”
Her chest tightened. “Yes… but I’m not going to marry him.”
His lips curved into a knowing smile. “Of course. That’s because you can only marry me.”
Her breath caught at his boldness.
“For your information,” he continued, his tone sharp with certainty, “I don’t waste time.
I came to you directly because you’re the one I’m interested, not your family.”
Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he stretched out his hand toward her. “Your ID.”
She blinked, startled. “Why… why do you need my ID?”
He didn’t answer. He simply kept his hand out, expectant and unwavering.
Her throat went dry. Hesitation warred with fear, but at last, with trembling fingers, she reached into her bag, pulled it out, and placed it in his waiting hand.
- Writer
