Chapter Six: Shadows and Sparks
648 Words
The following morning dawned with soft golden light filtering through the tall curtains in Alina’s room. For once, she hadn’t woken up anxious. There was something about the way Damian had said “Goodnight, Alina” that echoed in her mind like a quiet comfort.
She stepped into the hallway, only to bump into Lucas, already dressed and sipping from a mug. “Morning, sunshine,” he teased, eyes twinkling. “Sleep well?”
She gave a small, polite smile. “Yes, thank you.” Lucas leaned against the wall. “Damian’s out back. Said he’s taking a break from his schedule today.”
Alina blinked. “That’s… unlike him.”
Lucas shrugged. “You’re having an effect.” Before she could respond, he added with a smirk, “That’s not a bad thing.” Alina turned away, her cheeks warm. “Excuse me.” She found Damian in the garden behind the estate. He was dressed down for once—in a simple shirt, sleeves rolled up, pacing while on a call.
When he spotted her, he raised a hand to whoever was on the line. “I’ll call you back.”
He ended the call and met her gaze.
“Morning,” he said.
“Morning… I didn’t know you liked gardens.”
“I don’t,” he said dryly. “But I like silence.”
Alina smiled. “It’s peaceful out here.”
He motioned toward the bench. She sat, surprised when he joined her.
After a moment, he asked, “Were you okay last night? With your family?”
Alina looked down. “I’ve learned to live with it. They’ve always made me feel like the extra piece in a perfect puzzle.”
His jaw tightened. “You’re not an extra piece. They gave me the wrong sister but I’m not sure they even knew what they were giving away.”
Her heart fluttered.
She turned to him. “Why do you hate marriage so much?” Damian was quiet for a while. “It’s not marriage I hate. It’s the expectations. The performance. The control.”
Alina watched him, seeing the layers beneath his coldness.
“I’m not here to control you,” she said quietly.
“I know,” he replied. “That’s what makes this harder.”
Before she could ask what he meant, the garden door opened.
It was Vivienne, Damian's mother
“Alina,” she said with her usual chilly tone. “We need to talk.”
Alina rose, nerves sparking in her chest. “Yes, ma’am?”
Vivienne’s eyes narrowed. “Damian grandfather will be holding his 70th birthday. Damian will be expected to bring his wife. You will need to look… the part. your parents and sisters are invited also.
Alina glanced at Damian, who simply nodded. “You’ll do fine.”
Vivienne’s lips twitched with restrained judgment. “Let’s hope so''
Later that evening, in her room, Alina sat at her desk, staring at her reflection.
Lucas had left a small note earlier with a dress boutique recommendation and a silly little drawing of her in a ball gown. It made her smile.
But her heart wasn’t on Lucas.
It was on the man down the hall. The man who’d begun to see her—not as a mistake, but as something more.
Her arranged marriage had started as a forced trade. But slowly, something unexpected was blooming.
And neither of them knew how to handle it.
- Writer
