Destiny's Arrangement

Chapter Eight

After the exhausting week, James suggested we hit a place where the pressures of the world would feel miles away. He had a knack for finding the most exclusive and discreet spots in the city, and this time he chose a masquerade nightclub. It was a place where anonymity was guaranteed, and the burdens of identity could be shrugged off, even if just for a few hours.

The club was dimly lit, with pulsing beats and shadowy figures moving in sync with the music. Everyone wore masks, which added an air of mystery to the already intoxicating atmosphere. For once, I could be just another man in the crowd, not the cold, calculating CEO that everyone expected me to be.

James and I settled into a booth with drinks in hand. It wasn’t long before I found myself telling him about my grandfather’s latest ploy to marry me off to Elena.

“You’re kidding me,” James said, laughing in disbelief. “Your grandfather really is something else. I mean, Elena’s great, but you’re not exactly the type to let anyone decide your future, especially in this way.”

“Exactly,” I replied, taking a long sip of my drink. “But he’s serious. He’s convinced she’s the one for me, and he’s not going to let it go.”

James leaned back, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Well, my friend, there’s only one solution to this problem. We drink, we forget, and we let tonight take us wherever it wants. No worries, no obligations.”

Normally, I would have brushed off such an idea, but tonight, it felt like the only way to escape the trap my grandfather was setting. So, we drank—heavily. The liquor dulled the edges of my frustration, and before I knew it, I was on the dance floor, lost in the music, the masks, and the anonymity of it all.

That’s when I saw her—a woman, her identity hidden behind a silver mask, moving with a grace that was both captivating and intoxicating. Something about her drew me in, and I found myself walking toward her, my steps unsteady but determined.

As I approached, she turned, and even though her face was obscured, I could feel a connection, an unspoken understanding that we were both here to escape. Without a word, we began dancing, our bodies moving together as if we had done this a thousand times before. The alcohol had loosened my inhibitions, and for the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to just be.

The night blurred after that. The dancing led to more drinks, more laughter, and eventually, to a private room in the back of the club. What happened there was a haze of passion and abandon, a moment of release from all the pressures and expectations I’d been carrying.

The next morning, I woke up with a splitting headache and a sense of disorientation. The room was unfamiliar, the bed too soft, and the light streaming in through the window felt like knives stabbing into my skull. As I shifted, I realized I wasn’t alone.

Beside me, nestled under the blankets, was a woman. Her dark hair spilled across the pillow, and as she stirred, the events of the previous night came crashing back with horrifying clarity.

Elena.

I jolted upright, my heart pounding in my chest. This couldn’t be happening. How the hell did she end up here?

“Elena, wake up!” I said sharply, shaking her shoulder.

She groaned softly before her eyes fluttered open. The confusion on her face was immediate, and as she took in her surroundings, her eyes widened in shock.

“What—how—?” Elena stammered, sitting up and clutching the blanket to her chest. “What’s going on? How did we end up here together?”

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to piece together the fractured memories of the night before. “I don’t know. We were both at the club last night. I didn’t even recognize you. Everything’s a blur after that.”

She looked around the room, her eyes landing on the clothes strewn across the floor, and then back at me. “This... this can’t be real. I would never—”

Neither would I. This wasn’t how I operated. I was always in control, always aware of my surroundings. The fact that I had let things get this far was infuriating.

I... I don’t know,” she stammered, pulling the blanket tighter around her chest as I scrambled to make sense of what had happened. “I don’t remember... how did we end up here?” she asked confused

I ran a hand through my hair, I was finding it hard to piece together the events of the night before. “We were at the club... and then...”

A sudden, ugly thought crossed my mind, and I turned to her, my eyes narrowing. “How much did my grandfather pay you?”

Elena recoiled as if I had slapped her. “What?” she asked, her voice laced with disbelief and anger.

“You heard me,” I said coldly, the suspicion eating away at my better judgment. “This is exactly the kind of stunt he would pull. Set up a situation like this, so I’d have no choice but to go along with his plans.”

I do not care whatever this might look like and I am ready to accept this as coincidence.