The Wife He Never Wanted

Chapter 2: My Brother Is A Good Man

A black luxury SUV was parked in front of their house with Tyler's eyes widened.

"Wow." Tyler exclaimed, eyes wide open.

"Behave yourself," their mother warned.

"I am behaving myself."

"No, you're not." Tyler laughed and climbed into the vehicle. Arabella quietly followed behind. The ride was long. Too long. Nobody spoke much. Tyler was busy staring out the window. Her mother occasionally fixed invisible wrinkles in her dress. Arabella watched the city lights blur past. The engagement ring on her finger caught the light. She stared at it. A stranger's ring. A stranger's name. A stranger's future.Her throat tightened. She quickly looked away as tears were about dripping from her swollen eyes. All she ever imagined in here life was getting married to a man who loved her, and not some invisible stranger who was not going to care a thing or two about her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time they arrived at the gala, the hotel entrance was glowing with lights. Guests moved in and out of the grand doors. Expensive gowns swept across marble floors. Businessmen laughed over glasses of champagne. Everything looked..... perfect.....Beautiful.....Intimidating. Arabella felt completely out of place.

Just then, Richard Hayes greeted them near the entrance.

"Mr. Vance. Mrs. Vance."

He shook their hands before turning toward Arabella. "You look lovely tonight."

"Thank you, sir," Arabella replied politely. Richard only nodded.

"You'll be seeing quite a lot of this family soon." The words made her stomach twist. A few moments later, introductions began. More relatives kept trooping in, More smiling, More pretending, Arabella did her best to keep up. But every minute made the pressure inside her chest worse. The room suddenly felt too warm it felt too crowded, too loud that she couldn't bear to stay a second longer in it. Suddenly, she found herself speak.

"Excuse me." Everyone turned toward her.

"Are you alright?" Richard asked. Arabella forced a smile. I mean, what else could she have done?

"I just need a moment." She said, coming out almost like a whisper. Her voice nearly cracked. Richard immediately gestured toward a nearby maid. "Please escort Miss Vance to the ladies' room."

"Of course, sir." The maid replied softly.

Arabella thanked him and quickly walked away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moment the restroom door closed behind her, she let out a shaky breath. Finally she was alone. She gripped the edge of the sink. The woman staring back from the mirror looked nothing like herself. Her makeup was perfect. Her dress was elegant. But, her eyes looked..... miserable. Too miserable. A lump began to form in her throat.

"I can do this," she whispered. The words sounded weak. She couldn't do this. Not really. Tears came before she could stop them. One escaped. Then another. Then another. Arabella quickly covered her mouth. She hated crying. Hated feeling weak. But everything was becoming too much. The thought of getting married to a man she didn't know, someone who still longs for the love of his life that left him. The pressure. The knowledge that Alexander already loved somebody else. A sob escaped her. She looked down at the sink and cried silently.

But just then , the restroom door opened. Arabella instantly tried to compose herself wiping off the tears with her pale hands. Thinking it was another guest. But instead, a woman entered wearing an elegant silver gown. It was.... Alexander's mother. With the shock, Arabella straightened immediately.

"Mrs. Hayes." She called, faking another smile.

Victoria Hayes looked at her reflection in the mirror. For a moment she said nothing. Then she spoke.

"I suppose this was... inevitable."

Arabella frowned. "I beg your pardon What do you mean?" Victoria adjusted an earring.

"You crying."

The words stung.

Arabella swallowed.

"I'm sorry."

Victoria looked at her through the mirror with cold eyes. If only looks could kill, Arabella might have been a dead figure on the ground by now. She had sharp eyes. The kind that found flaws without effort.

"Don't apologize to me." Mrs Hayes said. With that, the room suddenly felt colder causing Arabella to look away. Victoria folded her arms.

"Let's not pretend."

Arabella's stomach dropped.

"Mrs. Hayes—"

"I allowed this marriage." She cut her off, not letting her say another word. The words were calm. Almost casual.

"And that doesn't mean... I.. approve of it."

Arabella froze. Victoria stepped closer.

"You're not what I imagined for my son."

Each sentence landed harder.

"I mean, I don't know what my husband sees in this.... arrangement." She was right. She was nothing, she came from nothing. She had nothing except for her greedy family who only cared about enriching themselves with her sorrow. Still no one understood that she didn't want to get married to the devil. Arabella lowered her gaze.

"I understand."

"No," Victoria replied. "I don't think you do."

Her voice sharpened.

"You may be marrying into this family, but don't mistake that for belonging here." Arabella felt her throat burn. Victoria continued. "I tolerated the decision. I didn’t accept you."

Tolerated. Of course you didn't accept me. I'm nothing and will always be. So... why did you still choose me." Arabella thought. If only she could find the courage to spill those words out.The distinction hurt.

"Know your place, Arabella." The words were barely above a whisper. Yet they felt loud enough to shatter something inside her. Victoria turned toward the door, stopped, and spoke. "Try not to embarrass the family tonight." Then she walked out.

Leaving Arabella standing alone....

The second the door closed, her legs gave out. She sank onto the floor. A sob escaped her lips. Then another. The tears wouldn't stop. No matter how hard she tried. She wrapped her arms around herself.Suddenly feeling smaller than she ever had before.Maybe Victoria was right. Maybe she didn't belong. Maybe everyone in that ballroom knew it. Maybe Alexander knew it too.

Breaking her thoughts, the door opened again. Arabella quickly wiped her face. A woman walked inside. Tall. Dark-haired. She was the definition of Elegant. But younger. Kinder. The woman immediately noticed her.

"Oh no." She hurried over. "What happened?"

Arabella looked away. "I'm fine."

"You're crying on the bathroom floor."

"Good observation."

The woman smiled slightly. Despite everything, it was warm. Genuine. She crouched beside Arabella.

"I know how this feels." The lady spoke.

Arabella laughed bitterly. What could she have known? It's not like she was forced into an unknown marriage or whatever. "You don't even know what's happening."

"I probably know more than you think." The lady replied, sliding a strand of her hair to the back of her ears.

Arabella shook her head.

"You're not even married yet, are you?" Of course she wasn't. She didn't have any selfish family that pushed her into the devil's hell for their own benefit did she? And besides she looked too luxurious to be in such a situation. The woman blinked. Then laughed softly.

"Actually, I am."

Arabella looked up. Wait! What? She couldn't be. Did she just say she's married? Who exactly is this woman? Arabella thought.

The woman extended her hand. "I'm Charlotte Hayes."

Arabella frowned. The surname registered instantly. Causing Charlotte to a smile.

"Alexander's older sister." "I probably should've introduced myself sooner."

It was too good to be true. She never expected to see someone this friendly introduced as a Hayes. Not like the witch who just left here, Victoria Hayes. Arabella accepted the offered hand and stood.

"You'll be seeing me from time to time."

"How does that... solve anything?" Arabella asked quietly. Immediately Charlotte's smile faded slightly.

"I was forced into a marriage too."

Arabella stared at her. Charlotte leaned against the counter.

"Our family had their reasons." Her laugh was soft. "I hated every second of it."

Arabella blinked. "Really?"

"Really." Charlotte folded her arms.

"I spent months convinced my life was over."

"So, What happened?" Arabella asked, curiosity etched on her face.

A fond look appeared in Charlotte's eyes. "My husband happened." Arabella remained silent.

"He turned out to be kind."

What was she saying. Did he have to beat her up a million time before he repented? Or what was it? Arabella thought.

The warmth in Charlotte's voice was unmistakable.

"He listened." A small smile appeared, then she continued. "He stayed."

Of course he did. Your family is wealthy. Anyone would kill to stay. She thought. Arabella looked down. "Not everyone gets that lucky."

"Maybe." Charlotte gently touched her shoulder. "But you're judging the story before you've read it."

Arabella laughed softly through her tears.

"That's easy for you to say."

Charlotte tilted her head.

"Maybe."

Then she smiled. "And my brother is a good man." Arabella immediately thought of Diane. The woman he was waiting for. The woman he loved. Charlotte seemed to read something in her expression.

"He's stubborn," Charlotte admitted. "Very stubborn."

Arabella almost smiled. "That part I've heard." Charlotte laughed.

"But he's loyal."

The smile slowly faded.

"And sometimes loyalty can make people do foolish things." Arabella looked at her. Charlotte's eyes softened.

"Just don't decide who Alexander is before getting to know him." Then she walked out. For the first time that evening, Arabella felt something other than fear. And somehow that felt a little less lonely. She finally had someone she could share her pain with. Someone who understood what she was going through. And that person happened to be a sister to the devil she was getting married to.

Arabella remained in the restroom for another minute after Charlotte left.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Her eyes were red. Her makeup had survived, somehow. But the girl staring back at her looked tired. Tired of pretending. Tired of smiling. Tired of carrying everyone else's expectations on her shoulders.Slowly, she took a deep breath. Then another.

"You can do this," she whispered again.

This time, she almost believed it.

Almost. After dabbing the corners of her eyes with a tissue, she straightened her shoulders and left the restroom. The hallway outside was quiet compared to the noise of the ballroom. Arabella lowered her head as she walked, replaying Charlotte's words in her mind..

"My brother is a good man."

Good man. The words felt strange.

How could someone be good and still marry a woman while being in love with someone else? Perhaps Charlotte was biased. She was his sister, after all. Lost in thought, Arabella turned a corner. And walked directly into someone. The impact startled her. A gasp escaped her lips. Her heels slipped against the polished floor. For one terrifying second, she felt her body tipping backward. But before she could hit the ground, a strong arm wrapped around her waist. The fall never came. Arabella's breath caught. Slowly, she looked up.

And forgot how to speak. The man holding her was tall. Very tall. Broad shoulders stretched beneath a perfectly tailored black suit. Dark hair. Sharp jawline. The kind of face that belonged on magazine covers. The kind women stopped to stare at. But it wasn't his appearance that held her attention. It was his eyes. God.......His eyes. They were...dark...Deep.....Cold. As though he had built walls around himself years ago and never allowed anyone inside.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Arabella felt her heartbeat stumble.

Then race. Something about the way he looked at her made her stomach flutter.

A ridiculous thought crossed her mind.

If only this were the man I was marrying.

The thought was so sudden it embarrassed her. Of course, a man like this would never look twice at her. He screamed wealth, Power, and....Confidence. Every inch of him looked expensive. He was the kind of man women dreamed about. The kind who appeared in romance novels and impossible fantasies. The kind who could have anyone he wanted.

Suddenly, the man's grip loosened. He stepped back. Immediately creating distance between them. His expression never changed.

"Watch where you're going, Miss." His voice was deep and Calm. Almost....indifferent.

Before Arabella could respond, he had already moved past her. She turned to watch him walk away. A second man hurried after him. Probably an assistant.

The handsome stranger adjusted his cufflinks and continued down the hallway.

"What else did my father say about me being late?" he asked..

The assistant sighed.

"A lot, actually." The man let out a short laugh. The sound surprised her. It didn't match his cold expression.

"The man never runs out of complaints."

"He specifically told me to make sure you attended."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"Barely." Their conversation grew fainter as they disappeared down the corridor.

Arabella watched until they vanished. Then frowned. Something about him felt familiar. Unfortunately, she couldn't figure out what.

With a shake of her head, she turned toward the ballroom. As she walked, her mind betrayed her once again. She imagined dancing with that stranger. Imagined him smiling.. Imagined those cold eyes warming whenever he looked at her.

Imagined what it would feel like to be loved by a man like him. The thought made her laugh at herself.

Because while she was busy daydreaming about a handsome stranger she'd known for less than thirty seconds...

The man she was actually supposed to marry was somewhere in this building waiting for her.....

And she had absolutely no idea that the stranger who had just caught her in his arms... Was Alexander Hayes.