Chapter 2 — The Choice We Never Made
1382 Words
Adrian was staring at his parents, clearly still unconvinced.
“Why do we really have to get married?” he asked.
His father took a deep breath before answering.
“Because this isn’t just about the two of you.”
“Then what is it about?”
“It’s about the future of both our companies.”
Adrian frowned.
His father picked up a folder from beside him and placed several documents on the table.
“You both know that our families have been business partners for years. But in the coming years, we have bigger plans.”
He opened the folder.
“Lewis Tech International Group is expanding internationally. We’re planning to enter several new markets, and Elena’s family company has the connections and investments we need.”
I glanced at the documents.
“If we combine the resources of both families,” my father continued, “we’ll strengthen our position against our competitors.”
“That only requires a business partnership,” Adrian said coldly. “Not a marriage.”
His father looked at him.
“We want more than a partnership.”
“Then what?”
“Unity.”
Adrian let out a quiet scoff.
“Unity?”
“Yes.”
My mother spoke this time.
“If you get married, the two families will become permanently connected. It will strengthen the trust between the two companies, make it easier to combine our investments, and make both business empires even more powerful.”
I listened quietly.
I didn’t know whether I should feel happy or hurt.
Because to them, marriage was a business strategy.
A contract.
A way to make their companies more powerful.
But to me—
It was a marriage.
And the man I was supposed to marry was the man I had secretly loved for years.
“Didn’t you think about how we would feel?” Adrian asked.
“Of course we did,” his mother answered. “But we also know that both of you are mature enough to understand the responsibility.”
“Responsibility?”
He gave a humorless laugh.
“Marriage isn’t a business responsibility.”
I lowered my gaze.
He was right.
Marriage shouldn’t be used to strengthen a company.
Before I could say anything, my father spoke again.
“We’re not asking you to fall in love with each other immediately.”
He looked at both of us.
“All we’re asking is that you give this arrangement a chance.”
I looked at Adrian.
He remained silent.
But the resistance in his eyes was obvious.
And at that moment, I realized something.
Maybe this was wrong.
Maybe I would only hurt him more if I forced him to become my husband.
So I took a deep breath.
“If Adrian doesn’t want this…”
Everyone looked at me.
“…then I won’t agree either.”
Adrian immediately looked at me.
“Elena.”
His voice was quiet.
“I don’t want you to feel like you have to marry me.”
I forced a small smile.
“I’m not forcing you.”
“But you agreed earlier.” Adrian answer directly.
“Yes.”
I paused.
“But if you really don’t want this, I don’t want to be the reason you’re forced into it.”
He didn’t answer immediately.
For the first time, Adrian seemed unsure of what to say.
Our parents exchanged glances.
“Adrian,” his father said, “think carefully.”
He remained silent for a long moment.
Then he finally let out a deep sigh.
“Fine.”
I looked at him.
“I’ll do it.”
My eyes widened.
“Adrian…”
“I’ll marry her.”
There was no happiness in his voice.
No excitement.
He sounded as if he were agreeing to a business deal he never wanted.
But he had agreed.
And that was all our parents needed to hear.
They smiled.
As if they had just won a major negotiation.
---
After Dinner
We left the restaurant after nearly two hours of discussion.
Our parents had already gone to their cars.
I stayed outside, waiting for our driver, when I heard Adrian’s voice behind me.
“Elena.”
I turned around.
He was standing a few steps away.
“Can we talk?”
I nodded.
“Sure.”
He walked closer.
For a moment, neither of us said anything.
Then he spoke.
“Do you really think we’re making the right decision?”
I looked at him.
I hadn’t expected that question.
“I don’t know.”
“Then why did you agree?”
I gave him a small smile.
“Because you agreed.”
“That’s not an answer.”
I took a deep breath.
“Maybe it isn’t.”
I looked at him.
“But I told you that if you didn’t want this, I wouldn’t agree either.”
“And yet you still agreed.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I fell silent.
I couldn’t tell him the real reason.
I couldn’t tell him that I had secretly been waiting for a chance like this for years.
So I looked away.
“Maybe because I think we can make it work.”
He shook his head.
“Elena…”
“I know.”
I looked back at him.
“We don’t love each other.”
His expression hardened slightly.
“But I don’t expect that to happen immediately.”
He stayed silent.
I thought the conversation was over.
But then he spoke again.
“There’s something you need to understand.”
I looked at him.
“Before we get married.”
“What?”
His eyes met mine.
“I don’t want you to expect anything from me.”
My chest tightened.
“Anything?”
“Especially love.”
It hurt.
But I refused to let him see it.
“I understand.”
“I’m serious, Elena.”
His voice was firm.
“Even if we get married, nothing changes.”
I stared at him.
“Nothing?”
“Nothing.”
He took a deep breath.
“I have someone.”
I already knew.
But somehow, hearing it from him still hurt.
“My girlfriend,” he added.
I nodded.
“I know.”
“Then you also need to know that I’m not leaving her.”
I remained silent.
“Even after we get married,” he continued, “I won’t break up with her.”
Something tightened painfully inside my chest.
I looked away before he could see the hurt in my eyes.
“Okay.”
“I’m telling you this now because I don’t want you to misunderstand anything.”
“I won’t.”
“Don’t expect me to suddenly fall in love with you just because we’re married.”
I forced a smile.
“I won’t.”
“Don’t expect me to act like a husband who loves his wife.”
That hurt even more.
But I nodded anyway.
“I understand.”
He stared at me for a few seconds.
“Are you sure?”
I looked at him.
And deep inside, I wanted to say—
No.
I wasn’t sure.
I wasn’t sure if I could be his wife while his heart belonged to another woman.
I wasn’t sure if I could watch him come home to me while loving someone else.
And most of all—
I wasn’t sure if I could hide my feelings while being married to him.
But all I said was—
“Yes.”
I smiled faintly.
“I know what I’m getting myself into.”
He said nothing.
For a few moments, we stood there in silence.
Until my car finally arrived.
Before getting inside, I turned to him one last time.
“Good night, Adrian.”
“Good night, Elena.”
I got into the car.
As it slowly pulled away, I looked through the window.
He was still there.
Standing in front of the restaurant.
Quiet.
Cold.
And completely unaware of how long I had loved him.
He didn’t know that when he told me he would never love me—
I had to hide my love for him even more.
Because from that night on, he would become my husband.
But his heart—
would still belong to another woman.
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