CHAPTER THREE:FIRST MEETING
929 Words
Arianna slammed her bedroom door shut and leaned against it, her chest rising and falling unevenly.
It felt like everything around her was collapsing.
No matter how hard she tried to make sense of it, her mother’s words from the night before refused to settle.
Marriage.
To a stranger.
It had to be a joke.
But deep down… she knew it wasn’t.
“Ari, open the door. Come downstairs and eat.”
Her mother’s voice came from the other side, gentle—but firm.
Arianna didn’t respond.
Her vision blurred as the tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.
Her breathing quickened.
It hurt.
Everything about it hurt.
Her gaze fell across the room—and stopped.
The frame.
She rushed toward it, pulling out the small picture she had hidden behind her closet.
Her father.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she held it.
Memories flooded in—warm laughter, soft voices, the safety she used to feel.
Before everything changed.
“Dad…” her voice cracked.
“If you were here… would this be happening?”
Her grip tightened.
“What did you leave behind? What deal did you make with the Ravencrests… and why am I part of it?”
The questions came one after the other, unanswered.
Heavy.
And eventually—
exhaustion dragged her into sleep.
The next morning came too fast.
Arianna blinked awake, her head pounding slightly.
“What time—”
Her eyes widened.
“Oh my God. My presentation.”
She shot up immediately.
“I haven’t even gotten ready—what is wrong with me?”
She rushed through her morning, barely thinking, barely breathing.
But the moment she stepped out of her room—
She saw her mother.
And everything came back.
Her expression fell instantly.
Reality hit harder this time.
“Ari… I made your favorite,” her mother said softly. “Come eat.”
Arianna glanced at the table, then away.
“I’ll eat later.”
“Ari—”
“Please, Mom. Not now.”
Her voice was sharp.
Too sharp.
Even she felt it.
But she didn’t stop.
She grabbed her bag and walked out.
Behind her, silence lingered.
“Arianna Ethanson! Why are you late—”
Brittany stopped mid-rant.
Her expression changed instantly.
“Ari… what happened to you?”
The question was softer now.
Concerned.
Arianna avoided her gaze.
“Where are the others? I need to join them.”
“Arianna.”
“I’ll explain later, Bri. Please.”
Something in her tone made Brittany pause.
“…Fine. But you will explain.”
Later, after the presentation—
Brittany didn’t wait.
“What’s going on?”
Arianna stared ahead for a moment before finally speaking.
“My mom wants me to get married.”
Silence.
Then—
“What?”
Brittany blinked.
“Wait… you’re joking, right?”
Arianna didn’t answer.
And that was enough.
“Since when do parents just assign husbands?” Brittany snapped. “This isn’t a school project, Ari—it’s your life!”
“I’m not doing it,” Arianna said quietly.
But even she didn’t sound convinced.
“Then don’t,” Brittany shot back. “No one can force you.”
Arianna didn’t respond.
Because deep down—
she wasn’t sure that was true.
That evening—
“Ariri! Mummy said we’re having a visitor!”
Arianna paused.
A cold feeling crept up her spine.
“Who?”
She directed this question to her mum.
“Mr. Xavier Ravencrest.”
Her breath caught.
No.
It couldn’t be.
But something told her—
it was.
“Ari ,please I do not have the strength to argue with you”.
She stared at her mother in utter disbelief.
“He will be here by 7 pm,so please go and prepare yourself.”
She knew she couldn’t argue with her on that.
By the time she came downstairs, dressed in the purple satin gown her mother had chosen that hugged her slender figure perfectly.
She looked ravishing.
Immediately she stepped into the sitting room,the air felt tense already.
Too quiet.
Too expectant.
She hated it.
“He’s late,” she muttered.
“He’ll arrive when he’s ready,” her mother replied.
Of course he would.
Then—
The sound of a car engine.
Low.
Familiar.
Arianna froze.
Her heartbeat quickened as the sound died down.
Footsteps followed.
Slow.
Deliberate.
The door opened.
And everything shifted.
She turned—
And her breath caught.
Him.
The man from the SUV.
Black suit. Composed. Unshaken.
Watching her like he already knew everything.
For a moment—
no one spoke.
“You look different up close,” he said calmly.
Arianna forced herself to recover.
“I wish I could say the same.”
A flicker of something passed through his eyes.
Interest.
He stepped closer.
Unhurried.
Unbothered.
Dangerous.
“You were at the park yesterday,” he added.
Her body went still.
So he had been watching her.
Not just passing by.
Watching.
“This isn’t a coincidence, is it?” she asked quietly.
His lips curved slightly.
“No.”
The room suddenly felt smaller.
He stopped in front of her.
Close enough to make her aware of every breath she took.
“You don’t have to like this,” he said.
His voice was low.
Controlled.
Final.
“But you will accept it.”
Her jaw tightened.
“I’m not marrying you.”
A pause.
Then—
“You will.”
No emotion.
No hesitation.
Just certainty.
And somehow—
that was what scared her the most.
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