Valerie's POV
I get butterflies in my stomach a lot.
In fact, there are a lot of things that give me butterflies. It doesn't have to be love or sex that gives me that.
Clubbing does. Being with my best friend does. Being happy does.
But this news before me is definitely one of the things that doesn't give me those butterflies in my stomach, that makes me excited about something I haven't done before or something that is about to happen to me.
I never saw this coming. I never envisioned my life to be going along this path and I still find it very hard to believe because my jaws are still dropped open in shock.
"Val, we know this is coming as a shock to you but it's for the best", Mother begins, her hands touching my thighs, jerking me back to reality. Father is sitting opposite me, his face in a deep frown. He looks frailer than ever before.
"We need to save your father's dying business. We talked about it at length and we thought it's high time you knew. I think now is the time for you two to meet so you can get to know each other better."
Now I can't take it anymore. Not because I have a boyfriend. But because I don't want anyone to interfere with my life or make decisions for me.
"No, mother,” I say sharply, startling her. I turn to face her squarely. "I am not meeting anyone and that is final."
"Valerie", Father calls with a harsh tone. This isn't about them, this is about me.
I am 23 years old for crying out loud. How can I be betrothed to some guy all my life without even knowing about it? I have a boyfriend. I have a life that I love. A life that gives me the right butterflies.
I am not doing this.
"Dad, I am not doing this", I voice out sincerely. "This is my life and I can choose to get to meet my so-called betrothed or not. I have a boyfriend for crying out loud!"
I didn't mean for my voice to be raised at my father but here I am doing that.
"I won't let you speak of my husband that way, you silly girl", Mother scolds me harshly, her hands leaving my thighs.
Did she just defend her husband? Last night, they were at each other's throats and I didn't even bother to ask what the problem was.
That is their shit, not mine and I have no reason to interfere in their affairs.
Ever since Father's company went bankrupt, he has been having issues with my Mother. Mother is finding it very hard to get accustomed to this new lifestyle he is offering us.
It was hard for me at first but I get used to new things or new places easily. Getting myself accustomed to being middle class is one of the easiest things for me.
"Really?" I peer down at her with a scoff.
"Really. Is this the lifestyle you want for yourself? When was the last time we went shopping, uhn? When was the last time we threw a huge party like we used to? I know this isn't what you want…"
"No", I laugh. This is definitely not what I want. This is what my Mother wants and she wants to use me to continue living that life.
What I want are butterflies. Always being present.
What I want is for Fred to stop cheating on me. Getting married at this age and to some strangers is not one of the things I want.
"You need to help your father, princess", she begins to use that tone on me. That soft, alluring tone she always uses whenever she wants me to comply. "Your father needs this help. The Lorenzos won't help us until we fulfill our promise of having you married to their son. You will like him, just try…"
"I have a BOYFRIEND, mother!" I shout, rising from the sofa in anger, my chest heaving up and down. "I have a boyfriend, for Goodness sake."
"The same one who is always cheating on you with other girls?" She retorts back sharply, standing up to my height.
What? How did she know about Fred's cheating?
He promised to change and I gave him another chance but I caught him again, two nights ago but this time it was with someone I know. She is one of those who give me those butterflies and who makes me happy.
She was fucking my boyfriend. I caught them in the act at a party I was invited to by the same girl who I caught with my boyfriend.
I told them I was running late and I guess they took the clue to get to the act before I was around. They must have been doing this for a very long time.
It broke me.
I cried.
But I am a strong girl. Fred always comes back to apologize and I was waiting all night for his calls. It never came until yesterday morning when his text came in.
He apologized for his mistake.
Brenda has always been a seductress and I am sure she seduced him. I don't want to have anything to do with Brenda ever again but I will make sure she regrets having sex with my boyfriend.
Fred is still my boyfriend. What happened two nights ago didn't change that fact. Because he was with my best friend doesn't mean I will let him go. I won't let her have him. Fred and I are still a thing and I am patiently waiting for him to summon up the courage to come to beg me.
Here.
"That idiot that keeps hurting you?" My mother's voice is raised. "Do you even know what you are doing? He always cheats on you yet you keep accepting him back?"
Who told her this? I ask within me, tears threatening to fall down my eyes.
Was it Brenda? Brenda is my best friend but she is close to my mother too and they talk about everything and anything.
Did she tell my mother about Fred's cheating? She had always condemned him and wanted me to leave him but now I know why she is so enthusiastic about me leaving Fred.
She wants him for herself and that won't be happening.
"This is a good life we are offering you", she is still talking. "This guy is handsome and wealthy. He is the younger billionaire in New York. What more do you want?"
"What do I want?" I ask back, then point my index finger at her. "What I want is for you two to stop interfering with my life."
She is surprised that I am talking to her this way. Father is silently watching us. Sparing him a glance, I move past Mother to leave when her voice stops me.
"You are getting married to Ryan whether you like it or not, Valerie. You two were betrothed to each other since you were still a child and I won't have you make a wrong decision when he is obviously better than your cheating boyfriend."
I am tempted to go back to her and tell her how Fred makes me feel. This is not just about the butterflies. There is more to it.
I want to shout out how much I love Fred and how much of a real man he is. He might not be as wealthy as this so-called billionaire but he is a real man.
Instead of doing what I have in mind, I walk out of the living room to the front door with one intention in mind.
I am going to have him back.
Brenda won't.
Valerie's POVI am having ambivalent feelings about what happened tonight. That doesn't stop me from smiling at the thought of seeing Fred.Hugging my jacket to myself, I step down from the car and begin to walk towards his apartment.Now that I think of it, I don't really know if Mother doesn't want to support my relationship with Fred because he is not as rich as the man they want me to be married to or because he is cheating on me.Fred cheated only twice.If Brenda doesn't have eyes for him, then maybe he wouldn't have cheated on me yet again. Brenda is a bitch and I am going to prove to her that she is nothing but a bitch.Fred and I love each other. He loves me a lot and I feel the same way. He is a passionate and kind lover. He cares for and adores me.The love I stopped receiving from home for years since we have been struggling to maintain our status, Fred was able to bring it back. He showed me so much love and I couldn't help but fall so deeply for him.Fred didn't give up
Ryan's POVFive minutes have gone by already.Tardiness is one of the things I detest so much. It irks the shit out of me.If I am here for another five minutes and she isn't here, I am leaving. The time I am spending here is going to be enough to do a lot of work in the office.Taking a final glance at the door to the restaurant where I have been waiting for almost ten minutes, I sigh heavily, thinking about the huge amount of changes that would happen to me in the next couple of months.I initially took it the wrong way.Getting to know about the betrothal and the fact that I have to be married soon to inherit my grandfather's construction company.That old man knew I was never going to get married and he did this on purpose. My father didn't inform me all this while and this is why I am infuriated.No one forced me to come here. I just thought it would be a nice idea to come to see who I am going to get married to in the next couple of months.Even though I don't like the idea of b
Valerie's POVThe plan worked.I almost burst out laughing when I first saw the look on his face. It was a combination of confusion and anger.He is obviously an impatient man. I came late on purpose and I am dressed this way on purpose too.I want to spite him. I am only here for a reason, not because I actually want to go ahead with the so-called silly betrothal and marriage preparations.No matter how much I think of this, it irks me and I want to do something to defy my parents for taking a major decision like this on my behalf.I have every right to go against them. I have every right to make decisions for myself. I am not a child.Finding Brenda in Fred's apartment last night is the result of my decision to come here. I never intended to. I was betrayed by my two best friends and I want to take my revenge on them.Mother was right. Fred isn't good for me.At first, I was giving him reasons to justify his actions but now it is clear to the eyes that he wants my friend too. He do
Ryan's POVIt sounds ridiculous.A contract marriage? What for?I laugh for a very long time, wishing it will piss her off but the lady in front of me isn't ready to be mad at anything I do at the moment.She is smiling with a determined look on her face. That sort of I- know-what-I-am-doing look makes me sober up immediately."Are you done laughing?" She leans forward, her stupid makeup in clear view.I do not reply to her. I just wish I didn't propose this meeting. I hope this will just end soon.Is it this psycho I am getting married to? Why will she even propose a contract marriage?As if hearing my thoughts, she comments. "The last time I checked, I had a boyfriend and I was asked to break up with him simply because I have been betrothed to some man. The last time I checked, we don't like each other a bit, so tell me what the hell you are thinking about? What the hell is stopping you from agreeing to this? You want us to be married forever?"I am tempted to let out a loud NO. I a
A MONTH LATERValerie's POVLife is about turning on different roads and choosing to either face the rock of reality or not.This is reality.That was the word I wrote down in the dressing room before coming out here to face my reality.This isn't what I have always dreamt of. This is the opposite of what I want for myself and my future.I am a strong believer in love, probably because I have experienced love in beautiful souls. I never believed in getting married out of love but here I am doing that one thing I never believed in or never knew existed.Dazed, I let the sound of applause get drowned in my head as I approach the arbor where the groom of the day is awaiting me.His name is Ryan and I am going to be his bride today. Not because we love each other but for different reasons and goals.I want my father to be back on his feet. I want him to return to that confident, strong man he used to be and I also want my revenge on Fred and Brenda.I am not doing this because I want our
Ryan's POVThe door is locked.My hand is on the doorknob still. Then I turn it again but it won't budge.It has been locked from the inside. Without thinking of a single reason why the woman I just got married to a few hours ago is locking me outside my own bedroom, I raise my hand to knock.The knock is loud enough to wake the dead. She can't possibly tell me that she locked the door and slept off. I only spent thirty minutes outside trying to let everything sink into my head and also to think of what to do after this damn thing is over.I have been trying to get over how she ridiculed me at the church wedding. She didn't let me kiss her on the lips. Isn't that part of the pretense? We are to make believe that we are real and beginning to like each other, isn't this what she said?I felt humiliated. What if someone had seen that?Fortunately, no one was quick to observe anything between us. Not even the tension and despise we feel for each other.There is no answer."Valerie, open t
Valerie's POVDetermined to get on his nerves tonight, I lay sprawled on the bed fully clothed. The moment the shower goes off, I close my eyes to pretend that I am asleep.I can't let him sleep with me on the same bed. We can't share the same bed.I love my privacy and space. I never had any reason to share a bed with anyone, except Fred and I am not ready to get to that stage with Ryan.I know we are supposed to sign the contract tonight but I am seriously not going to give him the chance to sweet-talk me into letting him sleep here tonight.The bathroom door opens and I imagine him coming out of the bathroom with a bare chest trailing with water from his wet hair and a towel wrapped around his waist.I imagine the glare he will throw my way when he notices I'm already asleep on the bed, sprawled with my legs apart to prevent him from getting into bed with me.Today is our first night as a couple and I want us to stick to the rules of the contract to ease the whole period we will be
Ryan's POVShe practically jumps on me, scaring the shit out of me. I sit up immediately, letting her slide down with a big grin on her face."What was that for?"She shrugs nonchalantly like she hasn't done anything wrong."I need to sleep", I almost add, please. I am already tired of arguing back and forth with her. It is obvious she isn't going to let me be."Please?" She demands, raising her brow. This is when I notice her hand on mine. I yank my hand off immediately.Turning back to the bed, I comment. "Please."Then, I lay down, hoping she will let me be now."I didn't ask you to sleep yet", she jumps down from the bed and drags me up. Now I am more than convinced that she jumps for a living. Why the hell is she jumping like a monkey all over the place? What does she even do for a living?I know I married a stranger but I should have asked her if she had a job so she won't be a complete liability. Having to help her parents is enough."We need to sign the contract first of all…