Chapter 2 II

ANDREA

I stared at the ceiling, my eyes watering with tears.

I was back in my old room, the same I had shared with my sister about to get married to a total stranger.

My thoughts, my opinions… my dreams did not matter and it was useless trying to reason with my parents and do not think I had not tried.

How I wanted to speak to Sarah, my best friend.

She would know what to do… the right words to say to get me out of this freaking nightmare.

I could run away, I thought, sitting up almost immediately.

There would be no point to this besides where would I go? And what would become of my parents.

I sighed for the umpteenth time that day, laying back down on the bed.

A swift knock on the door to my room interrupted my thoughts.

“Come in” I called out.

My mother poked her head into the room, her eyes surveying my state of undress.

“What are you doing?”

“Feeling sorry for myself, mother” I rolled my eyes. “I do not want to get married to whoever this person this” I turned around, hoping she would understand.

She was my mother after all… she should be on my side.

She said nothing for two seconds before she continued like she had not heard a word I said.

“I know you are not a fan of chocolate cake so I ordered Vanilla and Red velvet. I was wondering if…”

“Mom” I stopped her. “I do not want to get fucking married”

“Foul language, Andrea” Her eyes narrowed.

My mother took one last look at me, her eyes blank before she closed the door.

It was too much of me to expect that for once in our lives, she would actually stand up for me and not cower behind my father allowing him his every whim.

And as for Camilla… I wish I could strangle the little chit right now but as much as I wanted to kill her, I was worried about her.

My phone trilled, interrupting my misery.

“Hello” I muttered into the receiver.

“Miss Silva” A voice I have never heard before asked.

It was deep, sure and I felt a ripple raise through my spine.

I suddenly had the urge to want to see the man behind the voice. I wanted to know if his face was just as sultry and breathtaking as his voice.

“Yes?” I croaked, clearing my throat in annoyance.

“I want you to be ready by 4pm; I am going to have a car around to take you shopping for the wedding.” The voice declared curtly.

“Excuse you?” I snapped, visibly pissed.

Who the fuck was this? I thought to myself.

“Who the fuck are you?” I blurted.

“I am sorry, we have not been properly introduced” The voice drawled. “I am your husband”

The line clicked before I even had the chance to say anything.

I stared intently at my phone in shock, trying to comprehend what just happened.

Rude asshole, I fumed.

I glanced at the clock.

It was 3:00pm and so I rose, slipping into a dress.

If he wants to go shopping then he should do that all by himself, I thought.

If he thought for one freaking minute that I was going ton be at his beck and call after the marriage then he had an entirely different thing coming to him.

It was even for the best that he had reached out to me himself albeit rudely. It would give us time to call off whatever sham this was and maybe enough time for me to speak some sense into his obvious empty head.

I opened the door to my room, my eyes darting about right before I slipped out of the house. I was not about to listen to talks from my mother and barking commands from my father on why I shouldn’t be out.

I hailed a cab with no possible direction in mind, stopping him when I came across a bar and then ordered a drink.

I glanced at the clock again, it was 3:30pm; there would not be enough time for me to get back to the house and for the arrogant bastard to pick me up but I could not care less.

Maybe if he knew how irritating I found the whole arrangement and I wasn’t someone to ever follow his orders, then he would figure out how terrible this arrangement was.

I downed the drink I had ordered and excused myself, making a mental note to call Sarah as soon as I reached home and then I hailed a cab.

It stopped me in front of my family’s house and I was greeted by the stern look of my father as I walked in.

“Where have you been?” He asked.

“I had something to do.” I replied as vaguely as possible whilst brushing past past him not wanting to explain myself any further.

“You can’t continue doing this you know.” He muttered, stopping me in my tracks

“Doing what father?”

“This is the time for you to step up for this family. I have carried each and all of you on my backs for years and I will not have you throw everything I have worked for away just to satisfy your whims.” He raved.

“My whims? I scoffed

“I will have you remember that I did not ask for any of this, you put us in this situation, whatever this is, you created it.” I shot back at him as I felt the anger build up in my veins.

“You will not speak to me that way, Andrea… you will watch your fucking tone with me” My father raved

We held each others gaze for some seconds as I could see the look of disappointment build up in his eyes. There was a time in my life when that look alone would have been enough to break me; daddy’s good little girl, but not this time.

This time I was too angry for that to even be an option.

“You wanted me back home, well here I am. You want me married and I am going to be.” I said, “Now if you will excuse me, I have a date with the man you have apparently sold me to.”

I turned around and sped away before he could say anything more to me.

My mother was waiting at the top of the stairs and she too also had a look of disappointment in her eyes but I paid her no attention as I walked straight to my room and slammed the door shut. I could hear her pacing in front of my door for some seconds no doubt trying to figure out if she should enter or not and then finally deciding against it, leaving me to my devices.

I felt bad but they had to know that this was not supposed to be happening.

I checked my watch again, it was 4pm on the dot.

I could not help the smile that graced my face at the thought of whoever the asshole was waiting for me to finish up and I did take my time even when my mother called out my name, notifying me that he was around.

I made sure I wasted about thirty more minutes before I was ready and descended the stairs.

The erratic pounding of my heart was the only thing I could hear as I descended the stairs. I could see the silhouette of a man but not what he looked like.

“Here she is” My mother announced, beaming from ear to ear.

He turned then and the sassy words I had planned out died in my throat.

“Miss Silva” He smiled, rising to his feet.

Damine! My head screamed.

This was impossible; there is no way he is the man I am to marry, I thought to myself.

“Mr…” I stuttered.

“Fel” He supplied. “Damine Fel and you, Miss Silva are fashionably late” He arched an eyebrow, taking in what I was wearing with a sweep of his eyes.

“I was out” I muttered lamely, like that was going to explain the reason I was late.

He cocked his head to the side and then put out a hand to me which I took, sucking in my breath with his scent wafting to my nostrils. He smelled like expensive cologne and I immediately wanted to take another breath so I could smell him again.

“We shall get going” He nodded towards my father and then my mother, leading me out of the house and into his car.

I said nothing as he opened the door and I slid in while he circled the other end. My head remained reeling with the fact that the stranger whom my family desperately wanted me to marry was Damine Fel.

The same boy turned man I have had a crush on since like forever.

“You are quiet” He declared, turning to face me.

“I am overwhelmed” I muttered, hoping that explained rather than gave away the fact that I knew him.

He did not seem to recognize me and I did not expect him to. It has been so long ago; 15 years was a lot of time to love one man.

“You are Andrea” He stated.

“I am” I concurred.

“Hmm” He muttered, saying nothing more.