The arrangement

Chapter two

The lawyer didn’t answer immediately.

And Aurora didn’t like that.

“What kind of arrangements?”

“Miss Rux—”

“Just tell me.”

The lawyer sighed.

Then looked at her.

“Are you Aurora Rux, the biological daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rux?”

Aurora stared at him.

What kind of question was that?

“Yes.”

He let out a sigh of relief.

“Well… there are some things you need to know.”

“Go on,” Aurora said.

He opened the file.

“Before your grandparents passed away, they signed a contract with the Luther family stating that the daughter of the Rux family would be given to the Luther family as a wife.”

Aurora stared at him.

Silence.

“What?!”

The lawyer flinched slightly.

Aurora looked at him like he had just told her the world was ending.

“What did you just say?”

“Miss Rux, please calm down—”

“Calm down?”

Aurora almost laughed.

“Did you just tell me that my grandparents signed a contract to give me away as someone’s wife?”

“It is more complicated than that.”

“How?”

She stared at the documents.

“Was this the eighteenth century?”

“Miss Rux—”

“Are you serious?”

The lawyer rubbed his forehead.

“I understand this is difficult to accept.”

“Difficult?”

Aurora pointed at herself.

“I have spent my entire life being controlled by people. My parents controlled everything I did. They beat me. They treated me like I was nothing.”

Her voice started shaking.

“My grandparents finally took me away from them, and now you’re telling me that those same grandparents made arrangements to give me to another family?”

“Your grandparents loved you.”

“Then why?”

The lawyer stayed quiet.

Aurora felt tears gathering in her eyes.

“Why would they do that?”

The lawyer slowly pushed another document towards her.

“Your grandparents did not make this arrangement recently.”

Aurora frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“The contract has existed for years.”

“How many years?”

The lawyer looked down.

“Before you were born.”

Aurora froze.

Before she was born?

“What?”

“The Rux family and the Luther family have known each other for generations.”

Aurora stared at him.

“This is some kind of joke.”

“It isn’t.”

“My grandparents signed a contract before I was born saying I would marry someone from another family?”

“Yes.”

Aurora leaned back.

She felt sick.

She had just lost everything.

Her grandparents.

Her boyfriend.

Her best friend.

And now she was being told that apparently her entire future had already been planned before she even took her first breath.

“Who?” she asked quietly.

The lawyer looked confused.

“Who am I supposed to marry?”

The lawyer went quiet again.

Aurora immediately became annoyed.

“Please don’t tell me he’s eighty.”

The lawyer almost smiled.

“No.”

“Then who is he?”

“His name is Alexander Luther.”

Aurora repeated the name in her head.

Alexander Luther.

It didn’t sound familiar.

“I don’t know him.”

“You aren’t expected to.”

“Does he know me?”

“Yes.”

Aurora frowned.

“What?”

“He knows about the contract.”

Aurora felt uncomfortable.

“And?”

“He has agreed to it.”

Aurora laughed.

She actually laughed.

Of course, he had agreed.

“Of course, he did.”

“Miss Rux—”

“So everyone agreed to this except the person who was actually getting married?”

The lawyer didn’t answer.

Aurora turned away.

The rain outside had stopped.

The sky was grey.

Just like everything in her life.

“What happens if I say no?”

The lawyer’s face changed.

Aurora immediately noticed.

“What?”

“It’s complicated.”

Aurora laughed bitterly.

“Everything is complicated with you.”

“Miss Rux, the contract is legally binding.”

Aurora stared at him.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

She shook her head.

“I am not doing this.”

“Your grandparents specifically wanted—”

“Don’t.”

The lawyer stopped talking.

Aurora looked at him.

“Don’t use my grandparents to convince me.”

Her voice cracked.

“They are gone.”

Silence filled the room.

Aurora looked down at her hands.

“I don’t have anyone anymore.”

The lawyer looked at her sadly.

“And you’re telling me that the only thing waiting for me outside this hospital is another family trying to tell me what to do.”

The lawyer didn’t respond.

Aurora looked away.

“I want to sleep.”

“Miss Rux—”

“I said I want to sleep.”

The lawyer slowly stood up.

“I will leave the documents here.”

Aurora didn’t look at him.

“I’ll return tomorrow.”

Still, she didn’t respond.

The door finally closed.

Aurora was alone again.

##############################

She didn’t sleep.

Not really.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw something different.

Her grandparents.

Eric.

Her best friend.

The car coming towards her.

Then Alexander Luther.

A man she had never met.

A man she was apparently supposed to marry.

Aurora turned to the side.

She couldn’t do it.

She wouldn’t.

But then…

Where would she go?

The thought came into her head.

And she hated it.

Because Eric was right.

No.

Her best friend was right.

She didn’t have anywhere to go.

Her grandparents’ house was empty.

Her parents didn’t want her.

Her boyfriend had cheated on her.

Her best friend had betrayed her.

She had no job.

No family.

Nothing.

Aurora closed her eyes tightly.

Maybe that was the point.

Maybe her grandparents knew she would eventually be alone.

Maybe that was why they made the arrangement.

But they should have told her.

They should have given her a choice.

A knock came on the door.

Aurora didn’t answer.

Another knock.

“Come in,” she finally said.

The door opened.

Aurora immediately expected to see the doctor.

But it wasn’t him.

A man walked in.

Tall.

Broad.

Wearing an expensive black suit.

Aurora’s brows furrowed.

He had dark hair.

Sharp features.

And an expression that gave absolutely nothing away.

He closed the door behind him.

Aurora immediately sat up straighter.

“Who are you?”

The man looked at her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then he said…

“Alexander Luther.”

Aurora’s eyes widened.

Of course.

Of course he would show up.

She looked at him from head to toe.

He looked exactly like the type of man who would agree to a marriage contract without asking the woman involved.

“I don’t want to marry you,” Aurora said immediately.

Alexander raised one brow.

“I just walked in.”

“And I just made things easier for you.”

He stared at her.

Aurora stared back.

“I don’t want to marry you,” she repeated.

Alexander walked closer to her bed.

“I know.”

Aurora frowned.

What?

“You know?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are you here?”

“To meet you.”

Aurora crossed her arms.

“You’ve met me.”

She looked away.

“You can leave now.”

But Alexander didn’t move.

Aurora looked back at him.

“Are you deaf?”

A small smile almost appeared on his face.

Almost.

“You have a lot to say for someone who was unconscious for two days.”

Aurora glared at him.

“And you have a lot of confidence for someone I just met.”

“I’ve been told that before.”

Aurora rolled her eyes.

Of course he had.

He looked around the room.

Then back at her.

“You’re hurt.”

“Obviously.”

“I meant emotionally.”

Aurora’s face changed.

The room became quiet.

“I don’t know you,” she said.

“You don’t.”

“Then don’t act like you know anything about me.”

Alexander nodded slowly.

“Fair enough.”

Aurora stared at him.

She expected him to argue.

To force her.

To mention the contract.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he pulled a chair closer and sat down.

“What are you doing?”

“Talking.”

“I don’t want to talk.”

“I know.”

Aurora stared at him.

“You’re very annoying.”

“So I’ve heard.”

She hated the fact that she almost smiled.

Almost.

“What do you want, Alexander?”

His expression became serious.

“The truth?”

“Yes.”

He leaned back in his chair.

“I don’t want to marry a woman who doesn’t want to marry me.”

Aurora blinked.

“Then we agree.”

“But…”

Aurora groaned.

Of course.

There was always a but.

“The contract isn’t as simple as your lawyer explained.”

“Then explain it.”

Alexander stared at her for a moment.

“Not today.”

Aurora looked at him in disbelief.

“Are you serious?”

“You’ve been through enough today.”

“Oh, so now you care?”

Alexander’s expression didn’t change.

“No.”

Aurora’s mouth fell open slightly.

He was unbelievable.

“But I know what it feels like when people force things on you.”

Aurora went quiet.

Something in his voice changed when he said that.

Like he understood more than he was saying.

“Why did you agree to the contract?” she asked.

Alexander looked towards the window.

“That is a story for another day.”

Aurora sighed.

“Everything is a story for another day.”

He looked back at her.

“You’re free to refuse me.”

Aurora frowned.

“What?”

“You’re free to refuse the marriage.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

“But?”

She already knew there was going to be one.

Alexander looked at her.

“But before you make that decision, you should know the full truth about your family.”

Aurora stared at him.

“What truth?”

Alexander stood up.

“I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Aurora grabbed the pillow beside her.

“If you walk out of that door without explaining what you’re talking about, I swear—”

Alexander looked at the pillow.

Then back at her.

“What?”

“I’ll throw this at you.”

For the first time…

Alexander smiled.

A real smile.

And Aurora hated the fact that it made him look even more attractive.

She immediately looked away.

“Leave.”

“Goodnight, Aurora.”

“Goodnight, annoying contract husband.”

Alexander paused.

Aurora could feel him looking at her.

Then he laughed quietly before walking out of the room.

Aurora stared at the door after he left.

What had just happened?

##############################

That night, Aurora couldn’t stop thinking.

About Alexander.

About the contract.

About her grandparents.

About the truth he said she didn’t know.

She looked at the documents sitting on the table beside her bed.

She slowly reached for them.

Her hands shook as she opened the file.

There were papers.

Signatures.

Dates.

Names.

Rux.

Luther.

Aurora’s eyes stopped on one particular page.

Her breath caught.

There was a handwritten note.

Her grandmother’s handwriting.

Aurora recognised it immediately.

My darling Aurora,

Her eyes immediately filled with tears.

If you are reading this, then I am no longer there to explain everything to you myself.

Aurora’s breathing became shaky.

Please know that everything your grandfather and I did was to protect you.

Protect her?

There are things about your family that we kept from you.

Aurora’s eyes moved quickly over the words.

And there are people who will stop at nothing to find you.

Her heart started beating faster.

The Luther family is not your enemy.

Aurora’s hands shook.

I know you will feel betrayed by us, and you have every right to. But please, before you make any decisions, listen to Alexander.

Aurora pressed the letter against her chest.

“Grandma,” she whispered.

Tears fell down her face.

She didn’t understand anything.

What people were looking for her?

What secret?

What danger?

And why Alexander?

Aurora looked towards the dark window.

For the first time since her grandparents died…

She felt something other than grief.

Fear.

Real fear.

And curiosity.

She wiped her tears.

Then looked back down at the letter.

One sentence stood out to her.

The Luther family is not your enemy.

Aurora thought about Alexander.

The annoying man.

The arrogant man.

The stranger she was apparently supposed to marry.

She sighed.

Maybe she wouldn’t make a decision yet.

Maybe she would listen.

But that didn’t mean she was marrying him.

Absolutely not.

She was done letting people control her life.

Aurora closed the file and placed it beside her.

Then she laid back down.

For the first time in a long time, she didn’t welcome the darkness because she wanted everything to end.

This time…

She welcomed sleep because tomorrow, she wanted answers.

And whether Alexander Luther liked it or not…

She was going to get them.