ar

my pulse racing as I stared

s always. My eyes were fixed on mom, be

poised. My mind spun with confusion. Wha

't the type to visit unannounced, especially not in tandem. They hadn't even inform

ng like a fool. My mother's brow arched in that way she did when she was displeased, and I shook myself

voice smooth but firm. "We tried cal

think I was busy with? Playing the dutiful wife to a man I despise

s," I replied, sidestepping the quest

watched them walk ahead of me toward the dining room, their presence making

elf. Something wasn't right. My mother rarely dropped by without a purpose, and Aaron's mother-well, s

t would have melted me years ago when Aaron and I were in love-before everything had soured. But now, it only made me feel mor

issa?" Evelyn asked, her

ied, folding my hands ne

immering with the same polite warmth. "

like we were still the couple we used to be. But of course, she didn't know any of that. Aaron

h a nod. "He's be

e my mother cleared her throat. I knew that sound all too w

nt we need to discuss," she began, her eyes f

t. This was it. Whatever they

en this marriage was arranged," my mo

r coursing through me. Of course, I remembered. How could I forget? The arrangement that had bound me

mber," I rep

her voice calm but with an edge of excitement,

" I repeated, m

u and Aaron have been married for a while now, and it

cies, and carrying on the family name as if I wasn't even there. As if they didn't care about what I wanted or

y stand to be in the same room with him, let alone think abo

and Aaron loved each other once," she said. "And we believe th

They didn't know that every time I looked at Aaron, all I felt was hatred and betrayal. They didn't know th

"I'm not sure Aaron and I are ready for that yet," I said carefully,

icker in their eyes. But I didn't care. I wasn't going to let them manipulate m

h steel, "you should start thinking about it serious

wave. This marriage, this life they had trapped me in-it

disapproval. "It is