Flash marriage

IN LOVE WITH MY LOVER’S BEST FRIEND

CHAPTER ONE

It has been raining since midnight, which has turned the streets of Twilight into a silver blur under the streetlights. Maya stood in front of the glass window of her bedroom and looked towards the city lights without actually seeing them. She unconsciously reached for the silver bracelet on her wrist; it was the very one that Daniel had given her as a promise seven years before.

She had waited for seven long years for the man she loved to return, going through each year, each birthday, each Christmas, and every lonely night; she slept holding her phone, always hoping for the call, which at times did come and at times did not.

Daniel had promised he would come back, and Maya had believed him.

“You will wait for me, won’t you?”

She could still hear his voice from that night seven years ago, when they had gone on a date in one of the luxurious restaurants in the city. He had held her face between his hands, his face filled with the certainty of a man in love.

“I will come back before you know it,” he had whispered. “And when I do, Maya, I am going to marry you.”

She had smiled through tears, her emotions overflowing. “I will wait.”

That had been her mistake; she should have known that promises made at twenty could destroy many decisions.

A soft knock sounded at the door, but Maya didn’t turn around. “Come in.” The door opened, and her mother stepped inside.

“Maya.” Something in her mother’s voice made her stomach tighten. She slowly turned around.

Her mother stood near the doorway, dressed in an expensive blue gown; her expression was serious. Unlike her, she had always been a cheerful woman.

“Mother, what is it?

Her mother walked closer; her eyes moved to the bracelet around Maya's wrist; for a moment, something crossed her face.

“Your father wants you downstairs”

“It's almost midnight, Mother. What happened?

“Nothing, dear; it’s just that the bank called again”

Maya’s heart sank; she knew what that meant. Her father’s company had been struggling for months. What had once been one of the best construction companies in the city was now drowning beneath loans, unpaid suppliers, and lawsuits from workers.

“How bad is it”

Her mother looked at her, but whatever answer she wanted to give remained behind her lips. “We need to talk downstairs.” Then she turned and left the room.

Maya sat still for several minutes; a strange uneasiness settled in her chest; her father rarely called her for almost-morning meetings, so that meant that something very serious had happened.

Her fingers wrapped around the bracelet on her wrist one more time, then turned and left the room. The house was quiet; the magnificent living room was dimly lit, and her father sat behind his desk near the left window, a file left open in front of him.

He didn’t look up when she entered; her mother took a seat on the sofa in the sitting room.

“Dad?”

“Sit”

Maya sat opposite him; her father closed the file. He was a man known for discipline, decisiveness, and his refusal to entertain unnecessary arguments. Tonight he looked the same.

“Maya, you are getting married”

For a moment she wondered if her ears were failing her, or maybe she didn’t hear him correctly. I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard me.” Her father’s tone remained completely even.

“To whom?” Maybe, just maybe, Daniel is coming back, and they want to surprise her.

“Adrian Alfred”

Silence filled the room; Maya’s hand tightened on the bracelet around her wrist. " Dad, I don’t even know who that is”

“You will.”

“Dad……….”

“Your mother will tell you the details”

Her mother lowered her eyes. Maya turned to her mother. “Mom? "

“The Alfred family has agreed to merge one of their businesses with ours. The marriage will finalise the arrangement and secure both families' interests.”

Maya stared at her in disbelief. “You are arranging my marriage for a business deal?”

“Yes.” There wasn’t even any hint of apology in his answer. Her father opened the file again. “The ceremony will take place in three days”

Three days. Maya felt the words settle heavily inside her.

“Everything has been arranged: the dress, the venue, the invitations. This isn’t up for discussion, Maya.” Her father’s eyes finally met hers.

“Dad, what about me? I don’t even love him; I have someone I love, and you know it. Why are you forcing me to marry someone else?”

Her father’s face remained unreadable. “Because love does not keep a family; if this marriage doesn't happen, we will lose everything we worked so hard for.”

Devastated, Maya ran into her room, tears filling her eyes. She picked up her phone and dialled Daniel’s number. It rang for five minutes without any answer. Maya kept on dialling the number, tears running down her cheeks; she couldn’t just marry someone she didn't know because of family problems, but as it stands, she can't do anything about it, and Daniel isn’t taking her calls.

Three days later, Maya was standing at the door of the chapel, waiting to enter into a marriage with a total stranger. Daniel was still not taking her calls; she had even tried calling him before walking to the door where her father was waiting to walk her down the aisle.

One hour later, the vows were said, the marriage was blessed, and Maya was married to an unknown man; she still couldn't believe it, but the cold silver sapphire resting on her finger was proof. She stood at the window of their honeymoon suite, staring off into the distance and waiting for her unknown husband to come inside the room. She had tried Daniel's number again, and it still was not connecting.

The door opened, and she turned around; her eyes met a tall, handsome man about the age of Daniel. Under normal circumstances, she might have taken time to really look at him, but all she could think about was Daniel.

“Hi Maya, I’m Adrian. I must apologise for having to drag you into this marriage, but that is the only way my grandfather would let me handle the family business”

Before Maya could think, her palm was already connecting with Adrian's cheek. “Is marriage a joke to you? How can you ruin my life just for your selfish desires?” Adrian was taken aback; nothing had prepared him for the feisty girl standing before him. He hadn't cared about her appearance; when they had shown him her picture, all he was thinking about was taking over the authority of the family business from his scheming Uncle. Looking at her up close, she was beautiful, but he didn't care about all that, or so he thought.

“Wow, wow, wow. You didn't even allow me to finish. Nobody told me that my wife was this feisty.” Adrian backed away from Maya with both his hands raised in surrender. “I wanted to say that our marriage will only be on paper; you live your life, and I will live mine. Your family will get the assistance they want, and I will get the authority I want, that's a win win and in a few years we will get a divorce, and you will go your way.”

At that exact moment, Maya’s ringing tone pierced the heavy silence between them; she picked up the gadget she had been holding onto for three days and looked at the name displayed on screen. “Daniel…………… hello, Daniel, where have you been?”

Daniel? The name echoed through Adrian's head; they were no such coincidence.

Right?