The Wife He Never Wanted

Chapter 3: Terms And Condition

Arabella's POV

The maid led me back toward the ballroom, her pace slow enough for me to follow despite the heaviness in my chest.

By the time we reached the ballroom doors, I had composed myself enough to force a smile. The maid nodded approvingly before guiding me toward the Hayes family table.

As I approached, my eyes instinctively searched for an empty seat. Instead, they landed on a familiar face. My footsteps almost faltered. It was him. The man from the hallway. The man who had caught me when I almost fell. The man with those cold, unreadable eyes. Gosh, I was already falling for a man in my own engagement party.

He was seated directly across from the empty chair waiting for me. For a second, I simply stared. What was he doing here? The question immediately began spinning through my head. He hadn't looked like a guest. In fact, he had carried himself with the kind of confidence that made people move aside without being asked. He looked important. Very important.

I sat down slowly, trying not to draw attention to myself. Yet I couldn't stop wondering. Why is he sitting at the same table as the family I'm supposed to marry into? Was he related to them? A cousin perhaps? Maybe he was one of Richard Hayes's business partners. Or an important client. That would make sense.

The Hayes family probably had hundreds of influential people attending tonight.

Still... Something about him seemed too comfortable at the table. As though he belonged there.

My thoughts were interrupted when he suddenly lifted his head. Our eyes met across the table. My breath caught. Those eyes. Even from a distance, they were impossible to ignore. Cold....Deep....The kind of eyes that looked like they carried years of things left unsaid. For a brief moment, neither of us looked away.

Then heat rushed to my cheeks and I quickly focused on my lap. I told myself it was relief. Relief because I'd finally stopped crying. Relief because tonight was almost over.But deep down, I knew I was lying. The truth was much more embarrassing. I was thinking about him.

Again. A sharp clink suddenly echoed through the ballroom. The sound immediately silenced the room. And I looked up.

Victoria Hayes was standing with a silver spoon in her hand. She had lightly tapped her glass to get everyone's attention.

Conversations gradually died away.

Guests turned toward her. Every eye in the ballroom seemed focused on the elegant woman standing at the center of the room.

A smile appeared on her face. The same smile she had worn when I first arrived. And somehow completely empty.

"Good evening, everyone," she began.

A few guests raised their glasses.

Victoria waited until the room was completely silent before continuing.

"Thank you all for joining us tonight. Our family is honored to have so many friends gathered here for such a special occasion."

My stomach tightened. I already knew where this was heading. Still, hearing it spoken aloud felt different. Victoria looked around the room proudly.

"We are gathered here this evening to celebrate the engagement of our first son." A round of applause broke out.

My fingers tightened around the edge of my chair. Then she spoke gesturing at the man I had been drooling over.

"Alexander Hayes." The applause grew louder. Suddenly the ballroom seemed to disappear around me. A strange ringing filled my ears. My eyes slowly lifted. Across the table. To the handsome stranger. No. Not a stranger. Alexander Hayes. My fiancé,My future husband, was the kind stranger I was falling for already? The realization hit me so hard that for a moment I couldn't breathe. I stared at him in complete shock.

How had I not realized it sooner? Of course. Of course it had been him. I felt ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Yet somehow I couldn't stop staring. Victoria continued speaking, but her words became nothing more than background noise. All I could see was him. All I could think was—That's Alexander Hayes. For weeks, he had existed only as a name. A story told by other people. Now he was real. Sitting only a few feet away. And if I was being completely honest with myself, he was nothing like I had imagined. He wasn't smiling. He wasn't charming guests. He wasn't acting excited about tonight. Not that he should be when he has someone else he loved. In fact, he looked as uncomfortable as I felt.

Strangely, that thought comforted me.

When Richard Hayes motioned for us to stand together, Alexander rose from his chair and walked toward me. He was actually playing a gentle man, by taking the first step. My heartbeat became painfully loud. Every step he took seemed to make it worse. Soon he was standing beside me. Close enough for me to notice the faint scent of his cologne. Close enough for me to see the tiredness hidden behind those cold eyes. He looked down at me. And for the first time all evening, something unexpected happened. I smiled. And it was.... real.

Because despite everything that had happened tonight, despite the tears and the cruel words and all the fear weighing on my heart... I was suddenly happy.

Happy because the man I had been dreading meeting wasn't what I expected.

Happy because the first person who had shown me kindness tonight turned out to be him. The devil I thought he was. And most of all...Happy because for the very first time since this engagement began, Alexander Hayes no longer felt like a stranger.

I placed my hand in his. His fingers closed around mine. It felt Warm and...Strong. The touch caught me off guard.

For weeks, Alexander Hayes had existed only in my imagination. He had been a distant name attached to an arranged marriage I never wanted. Yet standing beside him now felt strangely natural.

As though he'd always belonged there.

As though our hands had found each other without effort. The thought was ridiculous. But it didn't stop me from feeling it.

Alexander glanced down at me briefly before turning toward the audience.

A charming smile appeared on his face.

It was the first time I'd seen him smile.

The transformation was shocking.

The cold man from the hallway seemed to disappear completely. The guests immediately responded. A few women practically melted. Several businessmen laughed and nodded in approval.

Suddenly I understood why the media loved him so much. He knew how to perform.

He knew exactly how to become the man everyone wanted to see.

"My fiancée and I would like to thank everyone for being here tonight." His voice was calm. Confident. Effortless. More applause followed. I found myself staring at him again. Alexander's thumb brushed lightly against the back of my hand.

The movement was probably for appearance. For the guests to see, Yet my heart reacted anyway. "Arabella is an incredible woman," he continued.

I almost laughed. We barely even know each other. How could he possibly know that? Still... The words wrapped around me like warmth. Even if they were rehearsed. Even if they weren't real. I wanted to believe them. Just for tonight.

Alexander turned slightly toward me.

The smile never left his face.

"I look forward to building a future together." A wave of approval swept through the ballroom. Someone even let out an emotional sigh. I should have known it was all an act. A performance crafted for wealthy guests and family friends. And maybe a part of me did know. But another part didn't care. Not when he was looking at me like that. Not when his hand was wrapped around mine. Not when, for the first time in weeks, I felt wanted. Even if it was pretend. Especially if it was pretend.

Because sometimes a starving heart couldn't tell the difference. And mine had been starving for a very long time. Alexander leaned a little closer.

Close enough that only I could hear him.

"Try to smile." The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "It'll make the photos less painful."

A surprised laugh escaped me. For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes. He looked.... amused. And somehow that felt like a victory. The cameras flashed around us. Guests applauded again. Alexander effortlessly slipped an arm around my waist. Another performance. Another pose for the audience. Yet I could feel every place where he touched me burn.

The realization embarrassed me. I barely knew this man.

He was waiting for another woman. His heart belonged somewhere else. And yet standing beside him felt safer than it should have. Safer than it had any right to.

As the applause continued, I glanced up at him one more time. His smile remained in place for the guests.

For a moment, I found myself thinking about Charlotte's words again.

"Sometimes loyalty can make people do foolish things." Maybe she was right.

Because despite all the smiles tonight...

Alexander Hayes didn't look like a man celebrating his engagement. He looked like a man trying very hard not to think about someone else. And even knowing that...

Even knowing I would never be the woman he was searching for...I couldn't stop hoping that one day he might look at me the way he once looked at her.

The applause was still echoing through the ballroom when a voice suddenly rose from the crowd. "What about Diane?" The room fell silent. My smile froze. Across the room, several guests exchanged nervous looks. Everyone knew who Diane was. The woman Alexander had spent years waiting for. The woman he loved. The woman I had spent the last few weeks comparing myself to. The man who had spoken wasn't rude. If anything, he sounded genuinely confused.

"You loved her, didn't you?" he continued. "Why did you suddenly choose someone else?" The silence lasted barely a second.

Then another voice joined in. "Yes."

Someone else nodded.

"What happened to Diane?"

"I thought they were getting married." The whispers spread through the ballroom. Like wildfire. Soon everyone was talking. Everyone was asking. Everyone wanted an answer. I felt my stomach drop. Beside me, Alexander remained perfectly calm. As though none of this bothered him. As though he had expected this question all along. Slowly, he raised his hand.

The room became quiet again. What was he going to say this time?

When he spoke, his voice was smooth. "Love is a wonderful thing."

The room listened. Every eye fixed on him. Alexander smiled. The smile was gentle this time. Almost believable..

"Sometimes we spend years chasing an idea of happiness." He said, tightening his grip on my hand. Yet it sent warmth through my spine.

"Then one day," he continued, looking directly at me, "we realize happiness was standing in front of us the entire time." A murmur swept through the guests. The response was immediate. Of course people loved romantic speeches. People loved fairy tales. And Alexander Hayes knew exactly how to give them one. A woman near the front smiled emotionally. Another guest laughed.

"Aww." Ha! I should have known better. How easy it was for those who swim in money to speak nonsense and all we can do is drown in their world. He was swaying these people's hearts. Then he continued speaking. "Diane was part of my past." The words echoed through the ballroom.

"I wish her well." A pause followed. Then he smiled again. "But I've already moved on." My breath caught. The crowd erupted into applause. They seemed to be fully convinced by the words of this persuading demon who knew how to sweet talk his way out of dangering questions. Alexander glanced down at me. His thumb brushed over my knuckles. "I.... love Arabella."

My heart stopped. No. It didn't stop. It broke. Because I knew he was lying. We had met less than an hour ago. We barely even knew each other. How could he love me? The answer was simple. He didn't.

And somehow that hurt more than if he'd said nothing at all..

"I can't wait to marry her." Another round of applause filled the ballroom. "In six months," he continued, "she'll officially become my wife." The cameras flashed along with the guests cheering louder. And all I could think was— None of this is real. He was nothing but a good and sweet liar who will go innocent in a case even as the culprit.

"Now," Alexander said smoothly, "if you'll excuse me, I'd like some private time with my fiancée."

The crowd laughed approvingly. A few people whistled. My face immediately grew warm. Before I could react, Alexander took my hand. And led me away. The second the ballroom doors closed behind us, everything changed. The smile disappeared from his face. The warmth vanished. His grip tightened. And suddenly the man walking beside me wasn't the charming fiancé from a few moments ago. He was cold..... again. Just like the stranger in the hallway. Without warning, he opened a nearby private room and pulled me inside. The door slammed shut. The sound made me jump. Then Alexander released my hand so abruptly that it stung. I stared at him in a

Confused state. I didn’t understand what was going on. I mean what happened to that sweet man who was outside there few seconds ago? Why is he suddenly cold and dark towards me? I began to wonder. But as I was about to speak. "What was—"

"Let's get one thing straight." He cut me off. His voice was ice. The words died in my throat immediately. Alexander loosened his tie. "I'm not interested in this engagement." It felt like a slap. My stomach twisted. Of course he wouldn't be. I mean who in the world as a billionaire will even dream to spend the night with someone lowly like me. "I don't want to marry you." He declared looking away. With annoyance washing over his face. What was wrong with this man? I guess he didn't know I was his wife to be back when he caught me or else.... he would have let me fall to die. Maybe....

"You and I both know exactly why we're here."

"No," I whispered. "I don't." Of course I didn’t know. The only thing I do know is my selfish mother telling me I was engaged to a devil like you. Just to get herself from her stinky poverty. I thought.

Alexander laughed bitterly. "Really?" Walking toward the desk, he grabbed a folder and tossed it toward me. The papers slid across the polished surface. I stared at them. Where did those come from? How hard was he trying to get rid of me? "What is this?" I asked.

"My conditions." He burst out.

Slowly, I opened the folder. My heart sank.

It was a list. At the very top was one sentence produce an heir. The words blurred. I was already tired of everything that was happening. I looked up. Alexander folded his arms.

"My father wants grandchildren. And once that happens?" I already knew the answer.

Still, I asked. Because a small foolish part of me hoped I was wrong. Alexander didn't hesitate.

"We get divorced." The words hit harder than anything his mother had said earlier.

Harder than all the whispers. Harder than every smile he had faked tonight. We get divorced. Just like that. As though discussing a business merger. As though talking about the weather. As though I wasn't standing right in front of him. I looked away quickly. Afraid he might see the tears gathering in my eyes.

I was going to give my body to someone I didn’t love. Neither did he love me but at the end I was going to leave my child with them? How easy does that sound? "You make it sound simple." I spoke.

His expression hardened. "Because it is."

No. It wasn't. Not for me. Maybe for you.

Not just for me. But he continued....

"I'll take care of you financially. Isn't it money your family wants? Is that not why you want to marry me? "

I laughed. A broken little laugh. There it was. Money. It's always money. Everyone's solution to everything. All that these rich people could think of was low life crawling in to get money from them.

"You can have the penthouse." He continued speaking. "You'll never have to work again if you don't want to." Just then, the tears finally escaped. I looked down immediately. I was...embarrassed. Humiliated. I was tired of everything. I never asked for any of these. I don't want your money neither do I wish to get married to a devil like you too.

For a brief moment, Alexander stopped talking. Something flashed across his face.

Then it vanished.

"And after the divorce," he finished quietly, "you can live whatever life you want."

I swallowed. My throat burned. "And you'll finally be free to go back to Diane." The words slipped out before I could stop them.