Weights
1074 Words
The ink on the contract hadn’t even dried on the contract when silence settled over the room like smoke, following Aria's words.
" I'll leave you two to it then." With a nervous grin, Mr. Delacroix stood, clapping his son’s shoulder with pride before taking his leave with the lawyer, telling the latter with warm smiles and nostalgic words about how this day was what he and Aria’s father had always dreamed of.
Now, it was just her and Kain in the room.
The guy who had nearly ruined everything without even knowing it.
Kain Delacroix stood, pacing the study slowly as he did, arms folded. “So… this is it?”
Aria seated behind the mahogany glass top table, didn’t look up. “This is it.”
“No priest? No ceremony? Not even a slice of cake at least?”
“I see no reason to celebrate.” Aria retorted, picking her copy of the contract up.
He chuckled. “Right. Marriage of convenience and consequence. Got it. So I'm staying here now?"
“You’re free to stay in the guest room,” she said flatly. “Try not to touch anything. Your only staying cause we have to keep the facade. This is still my house.”
Of course they'd have to live together from now on, Aria had to keep a close watch on him.
Kain stopped to look around at the polished shelves, the art pieces, the quiet power humming from every corner of the space. “No offense, but you seem more like the type to conduct hostile takeovers than… arranged marriages.”
“You’d be surprised what a woman can be forced into when men start shaking hands.” Aria said, clearly not amused by Kain's comment just now.
“Well, cheers to family bonds and paper shackles.” While Kain responded, he stopped when he saw someone walk in through the main door to the mansion.
Kain peeked and raised a brow towards Aria at the sight of the familiar younger, yet sophisticated version of Aria who stormed straight towards the study.
The door to the study was still ajar.
Aria frowned and peeked. She stood quickly when she saw Mira had returned. " Stay here.”
She walked out of the study to meet Mira in the main hall. With damp hair and fancy backpack slung over one shoulder, Aria could tell from the look on Mira's pretty face that she was pissed.
Seeing that her sister was coming towards her, Mira slowed down, her pouty pink lips pursed.
“Did you really do it?” she asked with alarm. “Is it… already done?” she glanced through the door to the study at the tall handsome man in there.
Aria’s throat tightened. “Come with me.”
She pulled Mira gently aside to the staircase, out of earshot from Kain.
They stood just beside the stairwell, the cool light casting soft shadows on Mira’s concerned face.
“You signed it,” Mira whispered. “You really did it.” The realization set in, seeing the look on Aria's face. A part of her was still unwilling to believe it, until Ariaa gave a small nod.
Mira touched her arm. " I didn’t want for you to go through with this. I… I thought we discussed that you'd find another way?" They'd talked about buying out the contract with Mr. Delacroix, Aria didn't have to marry herself off.
“There wasn’t one,” Aria said. “Mr. Delacroix was pressing, he wouldn't listen. Mr. Harrows suggested we go through with it, I didn't want the assets lost.” She lied, half-lied, covering up the fact that she had to hasten the marriage due to Kain's unpredictability.
Mira looked down. “I’m sorry, Aria. I should have—”
“You’re not the one who had to be,” Aria said, gently cutting her off. “You still have a future that’s yours. You still have dreams. I couldn’t let a flimsy marriage trap you. Besides, it's only for five years. After that I'd be free from it." She reached to cup Mira's face as she consoled.
There was a long pause.
Shortly after, Mira’s voice lowered as she quipped, “ That guy, is that him?… I feel like I’ve seen him before in school. Does he attend my uni?"
Aria's lips pressed into a thin line. This was the part where her guilt lies. However, she maintained a calm expression and answered honestly, “ Yes, he also attends Montegorry University. I didn't really know him until today.” She didn't say more than that.
Mira frowned. “It’s strange. He looked right at me just now but didn’t say a word."
“That’s probably for the best,” Aria said quickly, cutting her off before she would ask another question. She then added more gently, “There’s something you should know.”
Mira looked up.
" About the blackmail,” Aria continued, lowering her voice. “It’s gone now. Daniel helped out with everything.He pulled a few strings and got it buried. Whoever it was, they won’t be bothering you again.”
Mira’s eyes welled with tears. “You… you really fixed it?”
“Of course, I handled it,” Aria said with a faint smile. “Just like always.
" Thank you. Thank heavens, I have you Aria. I don't have to miss mom and dad with you around." Mira flung her arms around her, and Aria hugged her back tightly, willing herself not to crumble.
Mira's words just now struck a chord in her. She was all Mira depended on. She was all the poor little girl had, ever since their parents' death.
Yet, Aria felt like she'd only done nothing but betray Mira's trust in her.
Regardless, Aria didn’t say that the man sitting in her house right now in the study-- the one she had just signed her name beside, was exactly the very person behind Mira's blackmail.
She couldn’t.
Not when the damage was already done. Not when she'd gotten married to him!
It was her decision now to bear the weight of it all.
- Writer
