CONTINUE
1238 Words
The grand pre-wedding party had been a spectacle—luxurious, dazzling, and filled with people Agatha never imagined she’d be surrounded by. The evening had been a whirlwind of introductions, conversations, and polite smiles. But as the last guests bid their farewells, reality slowly crept back in.
Standing near the entrance of Baur au Lac, Agatha watched as her parents and friends prepared to leave. The thought of being alone again in the vast mansion sent an unsettling feeling through her, but she kept her expression calm.
Benny was the first to pull her into a tight hug, his excitement still buzzing. “That was the most fabulous party ever! You’re seriously living the dream, Agatha. I mean, Alexander Draven! Do you even realize how lucky you are?”
Agatha let out a soft chuckle, though it was forced. “Yeah… lucky.”
Veronica gave her a knowing look before wrapping her arms around her. “Remember what I said." Call me anytime, okay?” she whispered.
Agatha nodded, grateful for her friend’s quiet concern.
Her mother, Margaret, reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind Agatha’s ear. “You looked beautiful tonight,” she said warmly. “And you handled yourself so well.”
Agatha swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thanks, Mom.”
Her father, Edward, gave a small nod of approval. “Alexander has been good to us," Agatha. Just… try to make this work, alright?”
The weight of his words settled deep inside her, but she forced herself to smile. “I will.”
She watched as they stepped into their car and drove away, leaving her standing alone in the cold night air.
Then, a deep voice broke through the silence.
“It’s time to go.”
She turned to find Alexander, standing a few steps behind her. His suit was still crisp, his presence as commanding as ever.
She hesitated. “Where are you going?”
“I have things to take care of,” he said simply, his tone offering no further explanation. “You’ll return to the mansion.”
There was no room for argument.
Without another word, a sleek black car pulled up, and the chauffeur opened the door for her. Agatha cast one last glance at the now-empty venue before stepping inside.
The drive back to the Draven Estate was silent, the city lights of Zurich fading into the night as they moved further into the countryside. With each passing mile, a deeper loneliness seeped into Agatha’s heart.
When they finally arrived, the mansion loomed tall and foreboding against the dark sky, its outdoor lanterns casting long, eerie shadows along the stone driveway. The car came to a gentle stop, and Agatha stepped out without a word. As she hurried toward the grand entrance, the soft click of her heels on the stone pathway echoed in the still night.
Before she could push open the large doors, a familiar voice called softly from the side. Elise, the housemaid, appeared with a gentle smile. “Good evening, Miss Agatha. "Welcome home,” she said kindly, her eyes full of quiet concern. For a moment, Agatha managed a small, grateful smile in return. Elise’s presence was a rare comfort in a place so cold and empty.
Yet, as soon as Elise’s warm greeting faded behind the closed doors, the loneliness returned with a vengeance. Agatha quickened her pace up the grand staircase, her heart pounding louder with every step. The silence of the mansion pressed in on her, and the overwhelming sadness that had been building inside finally became too much to bear.
The moment she reached her bedroom, she slammed the door behind her and leaned against it for a fleeting second, trying to catch her breath. But then, the dam broke. Hot, silent tears streamed down her cheeks as she slid to the floor, burying her face in her hands. In that solitary moment, Agatha felt more alone than ever before.
The soft glow of the morning sun filtered through the heavy curtains, casting a warm hue over Agatha’s bedroom. She barely registered the sound of her phone buzzing on the nightstand, her mind still tangled in the remnants of restless sleep.
With a groggy sigh, she reached for it, squinting at the screen. Veronica.
She barely had time to greet her when her best friend’s excited voice burst through the speaker.
“Oh my God, Agatha! "Wake up!" Do you even know what’s happening right now?” Veronica’s excitement was almost deafening.
Agatha rubbed her temple. “Good morning to you too, Vero. What are you talking about?”
“You’re all over the news! "The entire country is buzzing about your wedding! ‘Agatha Hale, the mystery woman set to marry Switzerland’s most powerful businessman, Alexander Draven,’” she mimicked a dramatic news anchor. “They’re obsessed with you!”
Agatha sat up straight, fully awake now. “Wait… what?”
“Every media outlet is covering it! There are articles, interviews with so-called ‘sources,’ even speculation about your dress. "Some are calling it the biggest high-society wedding of the year!” Veronica practically squealed. “I’m sending you links.”
Within seconds, Agatha’s phone was flooded with messages. Headlines popped up one after another.
THE WEDDING OF THE YEAR: MYSTERY WOMAN TO MARRY BILLIONAIRE ALEXANDER DRAVEN
WHO IS AGATHA HALE? INSIDE THE LIFE OF THE WOMAN WHO CAPTURED THE MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR IN SWITZERLAND.
Agatha wasn’t surprised to hear Veronica’s excitement. She had expected this—expected it to be in every article, every news segment, every social media post. After all, she is marrying Alexander Draven.
Still, seeing her name plastered all over the Swiss media made it feel even more real.
“I know,” Agatha said, trying to sound indifferent. “It was bound to happen.”
“Oh, come on! "Aren’t you even a little excited?” Veronica pressed. “You’re about to have the grandest wedding Switzerland has seen in years!”
Agatha forced a small laugh. “Excited? Sure.”
Truthfully, she wasn’t sure what she felt anymore. The past two weeks had been a blur of preparations—fittings, meetings with the wedding planner, reviewing every detail that Alexander had approved.
Everything was flawless.
Everything was perfect.
Everything was exactly how he wanted it to be.
“You don’t sound excited,” Veronica noted.
Agatha hesitated. “It’s just… overwhelming.”
“I get that,” Veronica said, her voice softer now. But at least you won’t go through it alone. Benny and I will be there. And your parents, of course.”
Agatha’s grip tightened on the phone at the mention of her parents. They were happy—relieved, even—thinking this marriage was a blessing for their struggling company. Seeing them happy made it easier to go through everything.
“Yeah,” Agatha said quietly. “That makes it better.”
Before Veronica could say more, a knock on the door interrupted them.
“Miss Hale, breakfast is ready,” a maid’s polite voice called.
Agatha exhaled. “I have to go. I’ll see you soon?”
“Of course! Call me if you need to freak out.”
With that, the call ended, and Agatha placed the phone down, her eyes lingering on the news headlines still glowing on the screen.
In two weeks, she would officially become Mrs. Draven.
- Writer
