The Arrival

Chapter 4

BIANCA’S POV

The handsome stranger left a wad of cash for me at the motel along with a small note on it saying, “TAKE THIS AND BOARD TAXI HOME.” Initially, I thought it was crazy because I had more than enough money for a taxi to any part of the city, and the amount was way too much. Surprisingly, it came in handy as I used it to buy a long faux fur coat to hide the love bites from my parents.

After a speedy shower at the motel, I hurried home. Thea, our housemaid, who was a bit younger but more endowed than me, assisted with my hair, makeup, and outfit. We settled on a teal sequin gown, ankle-length with long sleeves and a turtleneck. Since my parents and my supposed future husband’s family were coming, I needed to appear decent and responsible like the ideal bride they expected. Plus, it helped hide the love bites on my body.

Each time I see the love bites, I remember him and the magical sex we had, and I couldn’t help but smile like a teenage girl in love for the first time.

My parents really went all out for this – they hired decorators to spruce up the house, and Mom and Thea cooked like they wanted to feed five thousand guests. The dining table was loaded with various rice bowls, spiced meats, fish, veggie and fruit salads, and wine bottles, filling the whole house with delicious smells. I sighed at the sight. Did all this really matter for a playboy?

Dad, on seeing me, smiled widely and pulled me into a big hug that almost took my breath away. He was decked out in his fancy outfit reserved for special occasions – a sharp suit, dress pants, and shiny Oxford shoes. I couldn’t recall the last time I saw him dressed so snazzy.

“Look at you, honey. You look very beautiful. I’m so happy for you.”

After what seemed like an eternity, he pulled away and I regained my breath, that broad smile still on his face.

“Dad, I don’t get why we’re doing this,” I whined, trying to make him reconsider, even though I knew it was too late. “I just can’t do it. I’m not ready to get married, especially to someone I don’t know.”

I’m just twenty-four. There’s plenty of time to think about marriage. Right now isn’t the best, especially with someone I don’t know.

“Nonsense!” he dismissed, heading to the table to check if everything was in order. If something wasn’t right, he’d make minor tweaks that didn’t really matter. He was so excited about this, but I wasn’t. “We’ve talked about this a million times, honey. You can’t keep putting words in my mouth. You’ve been rejected once by a foolish idiot who didn’t care for you like you deserved, you have no better choice than marrying the Alpha’s son…”

“What if I told you the Alpha’s son is of bad behaviour?” I interrupted, taking a few steps forward to stress my point.

His eyes widened in confusion as my revelation hit him like a surprise storm.

“Bite your tongue!” Mom interjected, making room for another bowl of veggie salad on the dining table. “How can you speak ill of your future husband? We’ve met him. He’s one fine, young, and very responsible man,” she praised, and I couldn’t help but look away, rolling my eyes in disapproval. “You’ll see him the way we do, soon enough.”

“I’m serious, mum,” I continued, holding onto my point. “He’s not who you guys think he is. He is a famous….” I thought of telling them he is a famous playboy who didn’t sleep with the same woman twice as Nina told me. But I stopped myself. After giving it some thought, I realized it wouldn’t be a good idea since they held him in such high regard.

“A famous what?” Mum inquired, looking at me with curiosity and frustration.

“He’s just too famous for my liking,” I covered up, sighed and looked away in defeat.

“Nonsense!” Mum scoffed. “Isn’t that what you young girls want nowadays? To marry a rich, famous, tall, and handsome man? You practically got it all handed to you on a silver platter.”

“It’s just…it’s just that…”

“Enough of this!” Father instructed, cutting me off as he was already angry. “You shouldn’t be this negative on a day like this. You’re getting married to that young man and that’s final. No word on this ever again. Is that clear?”

I looked away and was about to nod when the doorbell dinged.

“They’re here!” My mum jollied like a child expecting a gift from Santa Claus. She took in a sharp breath before adjusting herself and walking to the door to open it, a big forced smile on her face.

Her loud laughter and friendly chatter with the guests made me exhale in annoyance. However, a familiar scent of soap and pine reached my nose. I turned around, only to freeze on the spot, my mouth dropping open on seeing the guests.

The Alpha’s son and my future husband turned out to be the hot stranger I had a steamy one-night stand with last night at the motel.

I couldn’t trust what I was seeing. I kept blinking to make sure it wasn’t a dream. Turns out, I got played by the Alpha’s playboy son. I felt guilty and betrayed, realizing I was just another one of those cheap girls he easily had his way with.

As he and his father made their way in, I could tell he recognized me too because of the way he paused a little, his charming glacial eyes blinking nonstop like he’d seen a ghost and wasn’t sure if it was real.

We greeted our parents and said hi to each other, feeling a bit awkward and nervous. Once we sat down, we mainly concentrated on eating, avoiding eye contact. Memories of last night lingered in my mind, and I could sense he was thinking about it too.

I was amazed at how composed he appeared. He smoothly tackled every question my parents threw at him as if acing a job interview. That’s his act – pretending to be the ideal son-in-law. But behind that façade, was a notorious playboy who changed women like clothes. I wished my parents could see through his charade.

His father asked me some questions which I answered with ease as well. I realized his mom wasn’t there; then it hit me that my parents mentioned some time ago that she passed away a few months ago, leaving only his dad.

“Bianca, sweetie,” Mum called out most sweetly, drifting me from my lingering thoughts. I knew something was up because that was the tone Mum normally used anytime she wanted to ask for a favour or to convince someone. “Why not give your husband a tour? Get to know each other better.”

I tried to protest. But Dad backed her up.

“Yeah, sounds good,” Dad chuckled in agreement as he glanced at Richard and me. “You guys haven’t exchanged many looks or words since you got here. I get it, our presence and talks might be boring you. So come on honey, show him around, get to know each other better.”

Our eyes met briefly and then quickly looked away—super awkward. I couldn’t help but think about what my parents would say if they knew we’d already crossed paths at a club. They wouldn’t be happy. I breathed out heavily but unnoticeably, pushing that thought aside. Richard’s dad encouraged him to join me, so we both stood up and headed upstairs to my room.

I guided him into my room and quickly checked the hallways to make sure no one was coming before closing the door. Finally, we had some alone time to talk things through.

“What the fuck, dude? Why didn’t you tell me you’re the Alpha’s son last night?”

I crossed my arms defensively against my chest, glaring at him with both annoyance and anticipation. He just lounged casually on the edge of my bed, acting like he wasn’t bothered by the situation.

“It’s not my fault you aren’t kept abreast with the latest happenings around you,” he teased and looked up at me with a playful smirk. “If I remember correctly last night, you said you weren’t interested in knowing my name and that I should stop talking already and get into action. Or have you forgotten so soon?”

He bubbled out a mocking laugh, and at that moment, I regretted saying that. I wished I hadn’t gotten drunk, hadn’t met him, and hadn’t even gone to that club in the first place.

“Don’t get me wrong. If I knew it was you – the infamous playboy who never slept with the same girl twice, then there was no way fucking way last night would have happened. Not in a million years!”

He continued smirking, a corner of those pair of subtle red lips that tasted so good last night twitching to a corner flirtatiously as he looked at me. This was a serious issue, yet he didn’t treat it as one. I can’t believe my parents would pair me up with this unserious womanizing jerk. Yes, he was all tall and good-looking and blah blah blah. But he was way too unserious for something as serious as marriage.

“That doesn’t justify sleeping with a total stranger the night before meeting your future husband. I don’t see any difference between us at all.”

Anger surged through me as I stared at him, my lips parting in disbelief. That was it. There is no way I’m marrying this man! No fucking way!!

“If that’s the case, then I’m not marrying you.”

His smirk grew wider and more mischievous. He stood up and walked to me. My heart raced, fearing he might try to seduce me. Oh boy, he smelled so good, and it was tough keeping my control with him so close.

“But you have to, my rejected fiancée,” he whispered in my ear, and my eyes widened at being called his ‘rejected fiancée’. My parents must have told him and his father that I was once rejected already. Fuck! “Your parents worked hard for this to happen. You wouldn’t want to break their precious little hearts, right?” He lightly tapped my cheek with his lips and my whole body tensed. “Thanks for having me. Goodbye. And see you on our wedding day.”

He said before leaving.