The husband she never wanted

2

Outside, the air felt almost offensive in its normality, like the world had no awareness that something inside that house had just shifted permanently. People walked past, cars moved, someone laughed nearby, and everything continued exactly as it had before, which somehow made it worse rather than better because it reminded her that life didn’t pause for betrayal.

Alessia kept walking until she reached the gate, she didn't feel calm but stopping felt like acknowledging too much at once, and when she finally stopped, the silence in her head was louder than anything else around her.

Her phone rang.

She looked at it once.

Unknown number.

She considered ignoring it, she already had enough chaos for one morning, but something about the timing made her answer anyway, and when she did, her voice came out sharp and immediate.

“What?”

There was a pause before a calm male voice responded, telling her she had left, and she frowned because she didn’t recognize it at first, until he said his name.

Damien Alvan.

The realization didn’t come as shock. It came as irritation, Because of course he would call.

She let out a short laugh that held no humor and told him immediately that she didn’t care about any agreement, that she wasn’t marrying him, that whatever had been arranged without her consent meant nothing to her, and she said it all in one breath because the anger inside her didn’t have space for pauses.

He responded only with calm certainty.

“You will.”

That single word snapped something in her tone, and when she replied that she wouldn’t, his answer remained unchanged, stating that she was already part of the arrangement, as if her disagreement didn’t alter the structure of reality he was describing.

Alessia scoffed "Stop talking like that. I'm not an arrangement. I'm a person" She didnt wait for him to counter her statement.

"I dont know who you are" she continued " i dont even care to know who the f**k you are. I'm not interested in being forced into your world or whatever sick game you are playing just because your world thinks it has the right to decide for me"

"This is not about interest"

Alessia let out a humourless laugh.

"Oh really? the what is it about? Because from where im standing , it looks exactly like forcing a stranger into a contract they didnt agree to"

"its an agreement"

“It was already authorized. You didn’t have to sign anything.”

The words settled over her like ice water. She simply stood there, wondering if he understood how insane that sounded. A signature was permission. A signature was consent. A signature was choice. Without it, what exactly was this? Her fingers tightened around the phone.

"Say that again."

When Damien repeated himself, something ugly twisted in her chest. Something closer to helplessness. And Amara hated feeling helpless.

Amara exhaled sharply. "That's insane. Do you hear yourself? You're telling me my consent doesn't matter."

"It was already authorized."

"By people who aren't me."

"Your family." Amara let out a short, bitter laugh. "So what am I? A payment?"

Silence. And that silence told her more than any answer could. Her jaw tightened. "You people really think you can decide someone's entire life and just expect them to accept it?"

"I don't expect acceptance," Damien said calmly. "I expect reality."

That made her grip the phone tighter.

"Reality?" she repeated. "Let me give you reality. I'm not showing up to any wedding. I'm not becoming your wife. And I'm not participating in whatever game this is."

"The wedding is in seven days," he said.

Alessia genuinely thought she had misheard him. Seven days? Not seven months. Not even seven weeks. Seven days. A bitter laugh escaped her as she looked up at the sky. The sheer audacity of it almost impressed her.

They had planned an entire wedding. Chosen a date. Prepared invitations. Made arrangements. And somehow forgotten the tiny detail of asking the bride. Her grip tightened around the phone.

"Let me tell you something," she said quietly, the anger in her voice now far colder than before. "If you think I'm going to show up and become your wife because a piece of paper says I should, then you're even more delusional than I thought."

"Five hundred of our guests have already accepted the invitation and venues have been booked" Her breath caught slightly, but she refused to let it show.

"Then cancel it," she said coldly. "Find someone else. I don't care."

A pause. "There is no one else." That stopped her. Just for half a second. Then she scoffed. "Not my problem.

His voice lowered slightly. "It is now." And then the line went dead. He had ended the call.

Alessia stood there for a moment, staring at the screen like it had personally insulted her. Her chest rose and fell unevenly as the reality settled deeper than before.

Seven days. A stranger. "Wow. How generous". Then she said under her breath

"Arrogant i***t"

Alessia shoved her phone back into her bag and continued walking.

Seven days. Seven days until a wedding she never agreed to. Seven days until everyone expected her to smile, nod, and become someone's wife. The thought made her laugh bitterly. Let them book venues. Let them print invitations. Let them prepare for the perfect ceremony.

She wasn't showing up.

For the first time since leaving the study, some of the helplessness began to fade. Anger was easier to carry. Anger could be used.

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts.There was only one person she trusted enough to help. The phone rang once. Twice. Then a familiar voice answered.

"Alessia?" She stopped walking.

"I need a favor." A pause.

"What kind of favor?" Alessia looked back toward the house one last time. Her jaw tightened.

"I need help stopping a wedding."