When love finds you

Chapter 7 (Kylan)

The moment I stepped into the living room of my father’s house, silence greeted me. No laughter, no chatter—just the faint scent of vanilla lingering in the air. "Granny? Lia? I’m home!" I called out, my voice echoing through the empty space.

No response. Frowning, I dropped my keys on the marble counter and headed toward the kitchen, where the warm aroma of freshly baked cupcakes hit me. My favorite. Granny stood by the oven, humming softly as she pulled out a tray of golden-brown cupcakes. "Is that you, Kylan?" she asked without turning around. "Yeah, it’s me," I said, leaning against the doorway. "Where’s Lia?" Granny finally turned, her smile widening as she wiped her flour-dusted hands on her apron.

"Welcome home, Buggy." I groaned.

"Granny, I’m twenty-eight. You can’t still call me that." She chuckled, pulling me into a tight hug. "You’ll always be my Buggy. And Lia just left with Bella—they went shopping for some new clothes." I stiffened. "Who the hell is Bella?" Granny’s grin turned sly. "Dianna Campbell. Your future wife." "My what?!" I nearly choked on my own breath. "Keep your voice down," she chided, shaking her head.

"She’s a lovely girl. Just got here two days ago, and already, it feels like she’s always been part of the family." I clenched my jaw. This can’t be happening. I thought pretending to be gay would stop them from shoving women at me.

"Granny, I never brought any girl home. I don’t even know a Dianna Campbell." She sighed, handing a plate of cupcakes to one of the housekeepers before turning back to me. "Your father brought her here. Poor thing’s been through hell—her stepmother sold her to him." "Dad bought a woman?!" My blood boiled. "Where is he?" "In his office," she said, waving me off. "But don’t go making a scene, Buggy." Too late. I snatched a cupcake and stormed upstairs, my mind racing.

Dad’s Office

I didn’t bother knocking properly—just a sharp rap before barging in. Dad barely glanced up from his paperwork. "Kylan. What brings you here?" "When were you planning to tell me about this arrangement?" I crossed my arms, glaring. He finally looked up, unfazed. "When Bella made her decision." "What decision?" "I gave her two options," he said calmly. "Work as a stripper at my club… or marry you." My fist slammed onto his desk before I could stop myself. "Since when do you traffic women?!" Dad shot up, his chair screeching. "ENOUGH!" His voice boomed, but I was beyond reasoning. Frustration surged through me, and before I knew it, my fist connected with the wall. Pain shot through my knuckles, but it was nothing compared to the fury burning inside me. "I did this for you," he hissed. "You’re turning thirty soon. When are you going to settle down? Did you really think pretending to be gay would fool me? I’ve seen the way you look at women during business meetings." Damn it. Busted. "So what?" I shot back. "That doesn’t mean I want an arranged marriage!" "Do you have a girlfriend?" he challenged. "Yes." "Do you love her?" Silence. Cassandra was… convenient. But love? No. Dad’s expression softened slightly. "That’s why you need this, Kylan. The investors won’t let you take over the company unless you’re married. And Bella… she needs us." "I don’t even know her!" "Feelings grow," he said dismissively. "Spend time with her. Lia already adores her." I rolled my eyes. "Let her make her choice. Maybe she’ll pick stripping over marrying me." Turning on my heel, I stormed out before he could respond.

The Guest Room

As I passed the guest room, the door was slightly ajar. Curiosity got the better of me. The room was immaculate—neatly made bed, a single book on the nightstand, and a faint scent of lavender and roses. Weird. Before I could stop myself, I picked up the pillow and inhaled. The fragrance was intoxicating—soft, feminine, and strangely comforting. What the hell am I doing? I was about to leave when something glinted on the bedside table—a delicate gold bracelet. If Dad bought her, why does she have expensive jewelry? A thief? A runaway? I turned it over in my hands before setting