Chapter 2:The Decision II
1129 Words
Isabella stared at her bedroom ceiling in the dim glow of the chandelier, trying to make sense of the whirlwind her life had become. Her room was lavish, filled with the finest things money could buy felt like a prison cell. She had never imagined her love life would come down to a business transaction, a marriage arranged because her dad said she owed it to the family.
She rolled onto her side, clutching her pillow. Her phone buzzed again.
Tony (5 Missed Calls) 1 New Message: "I don’t know what’s going on, but I still love you. Call me."
Her chest tightened. She had promised herself not to cry again. Not over Tony. Not over her father. Not over this madness. But her heart felt a heavy split between duty and desire.
When she had gone to Tony’s place to end things, it was supposed to be clean, final. But seeing him his soft eyes, his worn leather couch where they'd shared lazy Sundays everything came rushing back. And then, it happened: one final night, one final goodbye.
Now, that decision clung to her like a secret she could never tell.
Her door creaked open. Her father stepped in, no knock, no apology.
"I hope you're ready for tomorrow," he said briskly.
"I’m not doing this because I want to," she said, voice quiet.
"I never said you had to want it. I said you had to do it."
"Why are you so sure this is right for me?"
Coker adjusted his cloth, sighing. "Because life doesn’t wait for you to be ready. You make decisions based on what is best for the family, not what makes your heart flutter. Harold King saved my business. I owe him, and you’re my only child. You will not disgrace this house."
Isabella clenched her fists beneath the sheets. "And what if I end up miserable? What if he cheats, what if we hate each other, what if—"
"Enough," he cut in. "Bryan is not some thug off the street. He’s brilliant. Rich. Powerful. If you learn to love him, good. If not, endure."
With that, he turned and left, leaving behind only silence and suffocation.
Across the city, Bryan was in his private gym, punching into a heavy bag as his personal trainer counted reps. But his mind wasn't in the workout.
The dinner with Isabella had surprised him. She was nothing like the usual women who orbited his wealth. She was calm, sharp-tongued, and guarded. Beautiful, but not delicate. And though the idea of marrying her still felt absurd, part of him respected her resilience.
His phone lit up. Lydia again.
1 New Message: "You didn’t even say goodbye. I thought we had something. Maybe I was wrong."
He tossed the phone onto the bench, frustrated. The timing of it all felt like a cosmic joke. He had just started something with someone who might have been real then boom, marriage.
He took a long drink of water and walked to his office upstairs, where his assistant, Clara, was waiting with a sleek silver laptop.
"The prenup," she said, sliding it toward him.
"Already?"
"Your father doesn’t waste time. You’ll need to review and sign before the engagement party next week."
Bryan flipped through the pages.
No spousal claims on Kings Group assets.
No joint accounts unless agreed in writing.
Clause 13: marriage duration must exceed two years or all marital privileges are revoked.
He scoffed.
"This is a business contract, not a marriage."
Clara gave a small smile. "That’s the idea."
Bryan stared at the document, tapping his fingers on the table. Two years. Just two years, and he could walk away with the company.
But something about Isabella lingered in his mind. That fire in her eyes. That final sentence she whispered before leaving the restaurant: "We burn together."
He signed the papers.
The next day, Isabella stepped into a luxury boutique downtown with her best friend, Mariam, who had driven two hours just to be with her.
"You’re really doing this?" Mariam asked, holding up a designer dress. "Marrying Mr. CEO?"
"I don’t have a choice," Isabella muttered.
Mariam narrowed her eyes. "There’s always a choice."
Isabella sighed. "You don’t know my dad. He acts like I’m property. This marriage isn’t just about business. It’s about loyalty, legacy, pride."
"And what about Tony? Does he know?"
Isabella looked away. "He found out through a blog post. Called me six times last night. I couldn’t bring myself to answer."
Isabella flinched. "It might not even happen."
"But if it does?"
She didn’t reply. Just stared at the red satin dress the boutique assistant was holding. The same color she wore the night she broke up with Tony.
Mariam sighed. "You better look hot at this wedding. At least make the headlines worth it."
They both laughed, but it didn’t reach Isabella’s eyes.
That night, Bryan and Isabella met again this time at Harold King’s estate for a formal engagement dinner. The media was buzzing outside the gates, cameras flashing as the pair arrived separately.
Inside, the decor was luxurious: gold-trimmed everything, crystal chandeliers, a string quartet playing near the staircase.
Bryan approached Isabella near the bar. She looked flawless in a wine-colored dress, her hair in soft waves. She didn’t smile when she saw him.
"We’re already trending," he said, nodding toward the wall-mounted screen displaying live tweets.
Isabella sipped her champagne. "Let them talk."
"You look... good."
"You look guilty," she shot back.
He laughed. "I didn’t realize we were starting with honesty tonight."
"I prefer honesty."
"Alright then," he said, leaning closer. "I don’t know how we’re going to survive this. But if you make it easy, I’ll make it easy."
"I wasn’t planning to make it easy."
He raised his glass. "Of course not."
As the evening wore on, they mingled, smiled for the press, and pretended to be a couple madly in love. But every moment felt rehearsed. Hollow.
Harold stood near the end of the night, tapping his glass.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us to celebrate the engagement of my son, Bryan, and the beautiful Isabella. The wedding will take place in three weeks. Until then, let love lead!"
Applause erupted. Cameras clicked. Isabella and Bryan were nudged into a photo-op, arms around each other, smiles fixed.
Under the flashes, Isabella leaned in and whispered through clenched teeth. "This is your kingdom. Don’t forget who you’re dragging in with you."
Before he could reply, Bryan spotted someone near the exit.
Lydia.
She stood just long enough to meet his eyes.
Then turned and walked out of the hall.
His heart skipped. He didn’t tell her about tonight. About the wedding date.
And now, it was too late.
- Writer
