Refuse to Marry

“I am so sorry,” Arabella muttered as she stared at the unconscious man before her. Her fingers trembled as she began undressing him.

Biting her lip, she added, “It’s the only way to save my father. I will properly apologize to you and… pay for all the damages in the near future.”

Her heart pounded violently in her chest, every fiber of her being screaming at her to stop.

The man was clearly intoxicated, but whatever he had drunk shouldn’t have knocked him out like this. He had been drugged… of that, she was certain. She didn’t know who he was. She had only been given instructions: go to this suite, use the keycard left for her, and stage the perfect scandal.

The goal was simple, convince the world that this man had betrayed his fiancee.

Her hands shook as she pulled off his shirt, revealing a sculpted chest and taut muscles beneath. Her cheeks burned. She had never been this close to a man before, much less an undressed one.

Swallowing her nerves, she moved to his trousers. Each movement felt like a betrayal of her own morals, but hesitation wasn’t an option. If she didn’t go through with this, her father would die.

Taking a deep breath, she clenched her eyes shut and tugged at the waistband of his briefs. SHe paused, hesitating for just a moment. Then, with trembling fingers, she pulled it down, discarding them onto the pile of clothes she had already scattered across the room.

It was done.

The bed was unmade, their clothes were strewn about, and the air smelled faintly of alcohol and expensive cologne. It had to be convincing.

Shutting her eyes briefly, she reached behind her back and unhooked her bra, letting it fall onto the floor. Then, she slid out of her panties and climbed into bed beside him, pressing herself under the quilt.

Lying stiffly beside him, she whispered, "All I need to do is stay here until they find us like this."

The mattress dipped slightly beneath his weight, his warmth pressing against her side. She turned her head cautiously, curiosity getting the best of her.

His face was… breathtaking.

Even in unconsciousness, he had a sharp, commanding presence. His features were carved like stone with chiselled cheekbones, a strong jawline, and a perfect, pointed nose.

Though he was clean-shaven, a faint shadow of a beard and mustache lingered, adding to his rugged appeal. His lips, full and slightly parted, made him look almost… serene.

Arabella swallowed hard and forced herself to look away.

‘You can’t afford to admire him. He is just a pawn in this game. But would he see it that way when he woke up?’

She sighed and pressed her fingers against her temples.

"But if you and your fiancee truly love each other," she murmured to him, though he couldn’t hear her, "then you’ll overcome this, right?"

That was the cruel irony of it all… if she failed to destroy this arranged marriage, her father’s life would be forfeit.

Moving carefully, Arabella rested her head in the crook of his neck, pulling his arm around her. She needed to sleep too. It wasn’t just her body that was exhausted, she was mentally and emotionally drained beyond belief.

Surprisingly, her body relaxed in his warmth, and without realizing it, she quickly dozed off to sleep.

Hours Later…

“What the hell is this?!” A loud, high-pitched voice echoed through the room.

Arabella stirred slowly on the bed, her eyes fluttering open. Bright flashes assaulted her vision, forcing her to close them again. 

Murmurs began to fill the room.

“What is this? Isn’t their wedding supposed to be tomorrow? How could he sleep with another woman?”

“I’ve heard about him, many fear him. He’s known for fiercely protecting his privacy. This is the first time he’s been involved in such a scandal with a woman.”

“This is shameful. He even did it in the suite where we were supposed to conduct the interview. Is this a deliberate act?”

“I can’t believe this! I can’t believe what I’m seeing! I refuse to marry you, Sebastian Bancroft! I will not marry a jerk like you!” the woman’s furious voice echoed through the room.

Arabella’s breath hitched. ‘It was working.’

"I can’t believe this!" a furious voice shrieked. "I refuse to marry you, Sebastian Bancroft! I will not marry a man who humiliates me like this!"

Arabella turned her head slowly, her pulse spiking.

The man beside her was awake. And he was staring directly at her.

Arabella gulped, her heart pounding as she took in the dark, stormy expression on his face.

She tried to sit up, but his commanding voice roared through the room. 

“Stay. Where. You Are.” 

Her body froze on instinct, her fingers tightening around the edge of the quilt that covered her naked form.

Sebastian sat up with a deadly aura. “All of you,” his voice a low, dangerous growl. “Get. Out.”

Silence followed like a death sentence.

“How could you do this?!” the woman shrieked in response, her voice shaking with rage. “How could you disrespect our family like this, a day before our wedding?! The Bancrofts will pay for this humiliation!”

Arabella cringed at the venom in the woman’s words and instinctively tried to hide her face against the mattress.

“If none of you leave right now, I swear, you’ll all regret it!” he thundered.

Arabella’s throat tightened as a wave of fear washed over her. His deep, chilling voice alone was enough to make her entire body tremble uncontrollably. Then he moved out of the bed, and silence filled the room.

Arabella slowly peeked out from behind the quilt covering her face. The sound of running water filled the air.

She frowned. ‘He was… taking a shower?’

‘How could he be so calm in this situation?’ Seizing her chance, she slipped out of bed, clutching the quilt around her naked body. Her hands trembled as she gathered her clothes from the floor, slipping them on as quickly as possible.

Just as she finished dressing, she turned to leave, only to freeze midway.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

Arabella froze.