The Billionaire's Arranged Bride

Chapter 2

The Billionaire's Arranged Bride

Chapter 2

The Rules of the Arrangement

Astrid barely slept that night.

Not because she was excited.

Definitely not.

She simply couldn't stop thinking about the fact that she had agreed to marry a man she had met only a few hours ago.

Trey Santillan.

Her future husband.

The words still sounded strange in her head.

She turned on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

"What did I just do?"

She had said yes.

Actually, she had looked directly at a complete stranger and willingly agreed to become his wife.

Her grandparents would probably call it a sensible decision.

Astrid wasn't entirely convinced.

She grabbed her phone from the bedside table and opened the browser again.

Trey Santillan.

She stared at his photograph.

Even in pictures, he looked intimidating.

Astrid sighed.

"Great. I'm marrying a man who looks like he can sue me for breathing too loudly."

Her phone suddenly rang.

She nearly dropped it.

It was her grandmother.

Astrid answered.

"Hello?"

"Are you awake?"

"Yes."

"I thought you might be."

Astrid sat up.

"Lola, did you know he was going to ask me that?"

"I knew he wanted your answer."

"You didn't tell me!"

Her grandmother laughed.

"You would have worried all day."

"I worried anyway."

"I know."

Astrid sighed.

"Are you happy?"

There was a brief silence.

"Yes."

That answer softened something inside her.

Astrid knew how much her grandparents wanted to see her settled.

"Then I'm happy too."

Her grandmother's voice became gentler.

"You don't have to force yourself to love him."

Astrid frowned.

"I don't?"

"No."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Get to know him."

Astrid smiled faintly.

"That sounds reasonable."

"Marriage doesn't always begin with love."

Astrid looked toward the window.

"Maybe."

"It can grow."

She didn't answer.

Her grandmother continued.

"And if it doesn't?"

Astrid looked down.

"I'll figure it out."

"That is all we ask."

After the call ended, Astrid lay back against her pillows.

Maybe this wasn't going to be as terrible as she imagined.

Maybe she and Trey could simply coexist.

Maybe they could become friends.

Maybe, eventually, they could become something more.

She immediately stopped herself.

"No."

She shook her head.

"Too early."

---

The next morning, Astrid received a message from Trey.

Trey: Good morning.

She stared at the screen.

That was it.

Two words.

She typed a response.

Astrid: Good morning.

Three dots appeared.

Trey: Are you free for lunch?

Astrid frowned.

Astrid: Today?

Trey: Yes.

She looked at the clock.

She had no plans.

Astrid: Sure.

His response came almost immediately.

Trey: I'll pick you up at twelve.

Astrid stared at the message.

Then typed:

Astrid: You don't have to.

Trey: I know.

She raised an eyebrow.

Astrid: Then why are you picking me up?

There was a short pause.

Trey: Because I want to.

Astrid stared at the screen.

She didn't know why that answer made her smile.

She quickly locked her phone.

"Stop."

She wasn't going to fall for a few polite messages.

Not yet.

---

At exactly twelve noon, a black luxury SUV stopped in front of the Aragon residence.

Astrid walked outside.

Trey stepped out of the vehicle.

He was dressed casually this time, wearing a dark polo shirt and trousers.

Still intimidating.

Still annoyingly handsome.

Astrid walked toward him.

"You're early."

"I prefer being early."

"I'm not surprised."

He opened the passenger door for her.

Astrid hesitated.

"Thank you."

He nodded.

Once she was seated, he closed the door and walked around to the driver's side.

Astrid glanced at him.

"You're driving yourself?"

"Yes."

"Don't you have a driver?"

"I do."

"Then why are you driving?"

"I wanted to."

Astrid smiled.

"You really like doing things yourself."

"When I can."

The car pulled away from the house.

For a few minutes, neither of them spoke.

Astrid finally broke the silence.

"So where are we going?"

"Lunch."

"I figured that out."

He glanced at her.

She smiled.

"I mean, where?"

"You'll see."

She narrowed her eyes.

"That's suspicious."

"It isn't."

"You're kidnapping me."

Trey looked at her.

"If I were kidnapping you, I wouldn't tell you where we're going."

Astrid burst out laughing.

"That was dark."

"You asked."

She shook her head.

"I think I need to get used to your humor."

"I don't joke often."

"I noticed."

---

The restaurant was quiet and elegant.

Not the kind of place Astrid usually visited.

Trey led her to a private dining area.

She sat across from him.

"This is nice."

"You like it?"

"Yes."

"Good."

They ordered lunch.

Once the waiter left, Trey folded his hands on the table.

"We need to talk about the marriage."

Astrid nearly choked on her water.

"Already?"

"We're getting married."

"Right."

She put the glass down.

"Okay."

"I want us to establish some boundaries."

Astrid nodded.

"Fair."

"First, neither of us will interfere with the other's work."

"Agreed."

"Second, we don't lie to each other."

She paused.

"That's important."

"Yes."

"Third?"

Trey looked directly at her.

"If either of us has a problem, we talk about it."

Astrid nodded.

"Okay."

"Fourth, we don't embarrass each other publicly."

She smiled.

"That sounds obvious."

"It isn't."

She laughed.

"Fine."

Trey continued.

"And fifth..."

He paused.

Astrid waited.

"We don't force this relationship to become something it isn't."

She looked at him.

"What does that mean?"

"We don't pretend to be in love."

Astrid slowly nodded.

"That makes sense."

"Unless it happens naturally."

She blinked.

Trey's expression remained calm.

Astrid looked down at the table.

"Okay."

There was something oddly comforting about his rules.

There was no pressure.

No expectation that she suddenly had to become his perfect wife.

They were simply two strangers agreeing to try.

"What about living arrangements?" she asked.

"My house."

Astrid almost dropped her fork.

"Excuse me?"

"We'll live together."

"Already?"

"We're getting married."

"I know, but..."

She rubbed her forehead.

"That's a big step."

"I know."

"Do you have to?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because we're going to be married."

Astrid stared at him.

"You're very literal."

"So I've been told."

She sighed.

"Fine."

Trey watched her carefully.

"If you're uncomfortable, you can tell me."

Astrid looked at him.

"You're surprisingly considerate."

"I told you. I won't force you."

She smiled.

"Okay."

---

After lunch, Trey drove her home.

Before she got out of the car, he spoke.

"You'll move in next week."

Astrid turned toward him.

"Next week?"

"Yes."

"That's fast."

"I know."

She sighed.

"Okay."

Trey studied her.

"You don't have to say yes to everything."

Astrid looked at him.

"I know."

"Then why do you?"

She smiled faintly.

"Because so far, you haven't given me a reason to say no."

For the first time, Trey didn't have an immediate response.

Astrid opened the door.

"See you."

"Astrid."

She turned.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For trusting me."

Her expression softened.

"Don't make me regret it."

"I won't."

She smiled and stepped out of the car.

Trey watched her walk toward the house.

He didn't understand why he was already thinking about her.

She wasn't what he had expected.

He had expected someone spoiled.

Someone who would complain about the arrangement.

Someone who would demand things from him because of his money.

Instead, Astrid had agreed without asking for anything.

She was cautious.

Funny.

Independent.

And surprisingly easy to talk to.

That could become a problem.

Trey looked away.

He had agreed to this marriage because it was necessary.

It was supposed to be simple.

Temporary in everything except the paperwork.

He had no intention of falling in love.

That was not part of the arrangement.

---

Inside the house, Astrid walked straight to the living room.

Her grandmother looked up from her book.

"How was lunch?"

Astrid dropped onto the sofa.

"He has rules."

Her grandfather looked amused.

"What kind of rules?"

Astrid counted them on her fingers.

"No interfering with each other's work. No lying. Talk about problems. Don't embarrass each other publicly."

Her grandmother smiled.

"And?"

Astrid hesitated.

"And don't force the relationship to become something it isn't."

Her grandparents exchanged a knowing glance.

Astrid noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Lola."

Her grandmother smiled.

"You'll be fine."

Astrid sighed.

"I hope so."

She leaned back against the sofa.

Then she remembered something.

"He also said I'll move into his house next week."

Her grandfather nodded.

"That's reasonable."

Astrid stared at him.

"Lolo, that's not a normal thing to hear."

Her grandfather laughed.

"You'll get used to it."

Astrid wasn't so sure.

She looked toward the window.

Somehow, her life had changed in less than twenty-four hours.

A stranger was becoming her fiancé.

A new house was waiting for her.

And a wedding was being planned.

She still didn't know what her marriage to Trey Santillan would become.

But for the first time, Astrid wasn't completely afraid of finding out.

Because perhaps the strangest part of all was this:

She was beginning to look forward to seeing him again.