CHAPTER 2
1327 Words
Arielle stepped out of the cab, her shaken expression almost giving everything away.
She pushed the door open and walked into the room, then collapsed flat on the bed.
“How’d it go?” Lila asked, her voice soft but curious.
Arielle only stared at her with a blank, distant look.
Even though they were roommates, there were limits to what Arielle ever disclosed. She could already hear her grandmother’s voice ringing in her head
“Be careful, Arielle.” Remember not to disclose any information.
So to Lila, the story remained simple, an old friend of her late mother had invited her over.
Not knowing it was a top-ranking citizen in the entire country.
Who would even believe her if she said she had seen Kieran?
Lila would probably think she was hallucinating.
So Arielle kept everything to herself.
Lila, growing obviously worried, folded her arms and gave her that spill-it-out look.
“She’s fine… she just suffered an attack,” Arielle said, her voice almost betraying her.
Lila’s gaze stayed on her, searching her face as if trying to decide whether she was lying.
“Thank God she’s okay,” Lila murmured, looking away briefly, though she didn’t sound fully convinced.
The last thing Arielle wanted was to slip and reveal anything.
For now… let sleeping dogs lie.
Arielle's eyes drifted to the stack of papers on the desk, things she still needed to sort out for tomorrow.
But her mind kept drifting back to the hospital.
The image of Mrs. Holt lying there came rushing back.
Arielle had always adored that woman.
No one knew this, but Arielle had always wanted to become an actress — a dream she guarded carefully, praying it would unfold someday.
Mrs. Holt always said Arielle’s mother saved her life, and she could never repay the kindness. She felt indebted to Arielle, and every effort she made to introduce her to the outside world failed… because Arielle was used to hiding.
Not her fault, that was how her grandmother trained her.
These thoughts swirled and echoed through her mind as Arielle whispered a silent prayer for Mrs. Holt.
******
Arielle stepped toward her office, mentally arranging her schedule for the day.
Another morning of being blamed for mistakes she didn’t make, dealing with her perpetually grumpy boss, and visiting Mrs. Holt. It had become her routine though exhausting.
As Arielle approached the entrance, she caught sight of a cluster of paparazzi lingering near the building.
Arielle's eyes narrowed.
What do they even want?
One of them aimed a camera her way, and she shot him a glare sharp enough to slice metal.
“Ms. Brooks, meet me in my office.”
Mr. Zipper’s voice boomed through the hallway, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.
Arielle resisted the urge to groan.
What does he want now? Always irritated, always dramatic.
She pushed the door open to find him standing there arms crossed, expression stiff like a bomb waiting to explode.
“Where’s what I asked you to work on?” he demanded.
She handed the documents over silently.
He scanned through them quickly, his expression unreadable… but she caught the subtle tightening around his eyes, the micro-nod.
Mr. Zipper was impressed.
Not that he’d ever admit it.
Mr Zipper's compliments always came wrapped in insults, and even his praise felt like a slap, but Arielle had learned to read him well enough to know when she had done a good job.
“You can resume your duties,” he finally said. “And inform management to gather in the boardroom.”
Arielle let out a quiet sigh of relief and exited before he could change his mind.
He seems unusually calm today… hope he stays like that.
The boardroom was filled with executives and department heads by the time she arrived. Arielle took her place by the wall, unnoticed yet observant.
Then her phone buzzed. Mrs. Holt calling.
The name flashing across her screen drew the attention of several board members. Their eyes flicked toward her in curiosity as though she’d suddenly shifted from invisible to suspicious.
The call repeated.
Arielle’s heartbeat quickened.
“Mrs. Holt? Why is she calling?”
This was the thought running through Arielle's mind.
Arielle excused herself quickly and nearly sprinted out of the boardroom.
Answering the call, Arielle held her breath without meaning to.
“Arielle…”
Mrs. Holt’s voice sounded fragile, unlike her usual steady tone.
“Come over. I need to see you. Right now.”
Arielle froze.
Between Mr. Zipper’s orders and Mrs. Holt’s urgent request, she felt torn but the tremor in Mrs. Holt’s voice made the decision for her.
With one last conflicted breath, Arielle darted out of the building.
People looked in her direction, but Arielle didn’t care.
Her only concern was getting to the hospital as fast as her trembling legs allowed.
A sleek, unfamiliar car sat in the private hospital lot. Arielle barely registered it, her mind was far too tangled to think straight. With one last burst of strength, she scanned her pass and made her way to Mrs. Holt’s private room.
Arielle paused at the door, steadying herself. Then she pushed it open.
Arielle steps froze instantly.
It felt like she had walked straight into a family meeting.
And worse….Kieran Holt was there.
He stood beside Mrs. Holt, brushing her hand gently, the gesture soft… intimate… protective. The aura around him screamed power and money, even the way he stood looked expensive.
The only warm faces in the room belonged to Mrs. Holt and the elderly woman seated nearby Arielle recognized her from the family dinner months back.
The others—the Holt siblings merely observed her with unreadable expressions.
Arielle exhaled slowly. At least they stopped staring.
Arielle walked toward Mrs. Holt, who looked fragile, pale.
“Did you receive my flowers?” Arielle asked softly, brushing her fingers over Mrs. Holt’s hand.
Mrs. Holt gave a faint, grateful smile. Arielle followed her gaze to where the bouquet sat beside the sunlight lamp, giving the room a warm glow. Relief washed over her.
Arielle squeezed Mrs. Holt’s hand gently. The older woman reached up as though understanding everything Arielle couldn’t say aloud.
All the while, Arielle could feel Kieran’s cold gaze on her sharp, intense, full of something she couldn’t name.
Even in silence, his authority pressed like a weight against the air.
The last thing Arielle intended to do was meet his eyes, that would just make everything painfully awkward.
“Kieran,” Mrs. Holt called weakly.
He shifted, adjusting the pillow beneath her head with practiced care.
Anyone watching could see he adored her deeply, unconditionally.
Silence fell across the room
Something was coming… Arielle felt it.
Mrs. Holt rubbed her hand again, soothing her tension.
Then came the bombshell.
“I want you to marry her,” Mrs. Holt said, her voice fragile but firm.
Arielle’s breath stalled in her throat.
As if to seal her words, Mrs. Holt tried to place Arielle’s hand into Kieran’s.
He flinched when their hands brushed just slightly but quickly masked it out of respect for his mother.
“She’ll make a good wife,” Mrs. Holt murmured.
“Make her your wife, Kieran. Start the necessary preparations. Knowing you two are together will give me peace.”
Arielle stared in shock, unable to speak.
The old woman gave her a faint, encouraging nod.
Kieran’s siblings watched her with blank, unreadable expressions but obviously hiding their irritation towards her.
Mrs. Holt’s eyes held Arielle’s as if her entire strength hung on Arielle’s answer.
Kieran leaned down and kissed his mother’s forehead, squeezing her hand in reassurance.
“I’ll marry her,” he said.
The words struck Arielle like ice.
How could she be pulled into the Holt family overnight?
Yes, Kieran was every girl’s dream bachelor.
Yes, she felt a strange, electric pull towards him every time he was near.
“But Kieran??”
- Writer
