RYLAN POV
I smiled at the tiny mark of her bite on my arm. It was almost comical, considering how uncontrollable drunk she was just yesterday. She'd been screaming at me, calling me a murderer and threatening to call the police. Yet, here I am now, waiting to marry her. She is a really funny girl. “Boss,” Asher called me, I snapped out of my thoughts. “Boss, are you really sure of marrying her? You are aware that she has been assigned to keep an eye on you. Sir, you shouldn't go ahead with this marriage at all. It's a Trap!!” I lifted my hand dismissing him, "But Sir, you shouldn't go through with your mom's plan. Can you imagine how she kept you waiting for her. Or was she just informed that her wedding is today?" Asher urged, his expression grave, as if he was the one meant to stand at the altar. I shot him a chilly glance. He bowed his head in disappointment, “I am sorry Boss. I am just worried about you. You remember the maid your mom sent the other time, she poisoned your food. Now today this one is coming as a wife. I feel this is a little weird.” I opened the car and left him talking while I went to the male restroom. The restroom was at the back of the church, the compound was empty. I guess no one took my wedding day seriously. I burst through the restroom door, and decided to relieve myself. I was nervous, maybe other men get nervous on their wedding day. I had mixed feelings, accepting her or rejecting her. But she seemed like a very interesting girl. The bathroom door flew open, and I wondered who was so impolite as to go in without knocking. “Hello!! Hi!! Excuse me!!” A female voice echoed in the restroom. I froze thinking if she didn't see the sign outside that says it's the Male restroom? I turned around only to meet the last person I expected. She kept staring at me like she saw a ghost. I can't believe she carried her wedding gown into the male toilet. Or is it her Hobby? Entering the male toilet? Staring at men? I kept waiting for her to speak, but she stood. Her grey eyes fixed on me, her makeup suited her oval shaped face. She was very pretty, even though her wedding gown was ugly. I chuckled silently at the style of her wedding gown. Who gave her such an ugly wedding gown? She suddenly stared at my unzipped trouser, I hurriedly sipped it up. “I am not a pervert!! Don't look at me like that!!” She said, with a pitiful look. Which I found funny and pleasing to hear. ““Please help me escape the church, my parents are forcing me to marry an old and crippled man. Please help me get out of the church, I will repay you.” My happiness suddenly faded, “Did she just call me an old and crippled man? When did I force her to marry me?” She suddenly grabbed my hand, staring at me with her pitiful puppy eyes. “Please help me, I will repay you with anything you want.” Those eyes weren't right. Why should she stare at a stranger with those eyes? Is she trying to seduce me? Or was she trying to seduce a stranger to help her run away from marrying me. I just made up my mind at that minute that I must marry her. She can't escape from me!! I shook my head in disbelief, and walked away yanking her off my way. AURORA POV He brushed me off walking away after I begged him to let me out of the church. I even used my most seductive voice to get him to help me. But he ignored me without saying a thing to me. Not even Hello or Hi!! Why is he so rude? Or is he a priest? He doesn't like such advances from women? “Fuck off!! Brown face!! Who do you think you are? Ignoring me? You are not even my type!! You can never get a woman like me in your lifetime!!” I screamed my lungs out as I watched him disappear into thin air. "He is extremely rude!! But he appeared familiar. Where have I seen him? But he is very attractive! A man that looks like that is normal to be a bit cocky!!” I thought, as I watched him. “Seems I am to marry after all. I wonder how Nicky will react when I tell her about my marriage to a stranger(Sighs deeply)” **_**** I stood at the altar close to the smiling priest, he seemed more happy than the bride. Who is the bride? I guess it's me. Am I really getting married? Should I call the police saying they are forcing me to get married? Fiona will kill me if I make a fuse today. It was 11.am already but there was no guest. So called wedding day without a single guest? The Church's big door opened and a man entered and he held the door wider for the second man. The second man was the rude man that I met in the restroom. But why is he here? Is he a priest or a guest at the wedding? He is not putting on a priest cloak. Why is he coming to the altar? Who is he? Should I ask the priest? As He walked closer to the altar, my heart kept beating faster than normal. With a single step he took, my heart beat accordingly. He was walking towards me with his cold and handsome face. “Please, the ground should open and swallow me!! I have lost my will to live!!” I screamed inwardly. My legs started trembling when he stood opposite me at the altar. The man that opened the door for him stood beside him. He also wore a cold face, he never spared a little glance at me. I felt like I was their enemy. I just abused him at the toilet, but mom said he is deaf and dumb. That means he didn't hear me at all. Oh my God!! Am so happy!! He doesn't hear or talk!! Am I actually rejoicing over someone's predicament? The priest brought our two hands together with a smiling face. “Please exchange your wedding vows," he said, wearing a sweet smile and giving me a ring. ‘I, Aurora, Take you..um…um..What's.. your name please?” I asked, with a trembling voice. My words struck in my throat as I can't recall my soon- to be Husband's name. Not that I can't recall. I fucking don't know his name!!! “He is Rylan Blackwood, your husband.” His assistant whispers to my ears while Rylan kept silent without taking his eyes off me. **_**** We arrived at the big mansion of the Blackwood, my so-called Husband never said a word to me during our ride home. Not like I expected him to talk. He could use sign language to at least say Hi. He walked past me and entered the mansion, I scoffed at his rude behaviour. His assistant suddenly dragged me back, “Behave yourself after you enter my boss house. Nothing that happens in there should be heard outside, If not I personally will send you away.” He said to me and walked away following his Boss. “What does he mean by that? Why are they being so rude to me?” I followed them into the big mansion, as we entered the sitting room. A man was tied to a chain like a dog, he was bleeding all over his body. I couldn't scream out, my voice got lost into my stomach. I can't imagine this innocent looking man to be this deadly and cruel. The man rushed towards Rylan, while the chain dragged him back. Was this the scene he said I should not discuss outside? “Please don't kill me Boss, I really don't know who sent the pictures to me.” The injured man begged while holding Rylan's trousers. “Get your hands off my boss,” His Assistant said as he kicked the man's stomach and he vomited blood that splashed on my white dress. At that moment, I couldn't bear it again. I felt so nauseated my head was spinning in circles. I can't explain nor understand what was going on. I rushed into the toilet and puked all the remaining alcohol left in my stomach.ANNE’S POVThey were actually trying to kiss!!They were really about to kiss? Why kiss? For what reason?Right there in her room, like no one existed but the two of them. My blood boiled.After everything!! everything!! I had done for Rylan… After five damn years of bending over backwards just to be seen by him, noticed. Worked my ass off!! Now he was all lovey-dovey with her? That little snake who walked into his life wearing a wedding dress and sad eyes?I stood frozen outside the cracked door, watching them. My stomach twisted in disgust.What does she even know about him? About what he's endured? She’s weak. She’s naive. She’s from them. She works with his mother. Why does he still trust her?And he… he’s mine. Or at least he should be mine before she showed up with her damn sign language and that pathetic act of “I care” look she gives when she thinks no one’s watching.I couldn’t take it anymore. I pushed open the door loud enough to announce myself, and the moment shattered.
AURORA – POVWe were breathing each other in, lips tangled in something that felt like drowning and gasping at the same time. Our mouths moved together-slow, deep, aching. Not rushed, just feeling each others breath.But then, like cold water pouring down my spine..it hit me!! Was i really supposed to be doing this? This isn't my mission!! Falling in love wasn't in my agenda.That voice that always told us the right thing ringed in my ear, “You shouldn’t be doing this Rora!! Not with him!! Not after everything.Not when you don't even know where you stood in his life.”I panicked.I shoved him away with both hands and immediately slapped him on the cheek before I even know what I was doing.The sound echoed through the quiet room like thunder.My hand stung instantly.My heart stopped as He fell flat on his butt, then he froze.His hand slowly rose to his cheek, eyes wide, and stunned—not from the pain, but from something deeper. It was the kind of look someone wears after they’ve b
Continuation of Rylan’s POV.I opened Aurora's room door and shut it behind me.The words of the doctor still rang in my head, “She’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with her leg. If she’s still using those crutches, then it’s either for drama or for your attention.”I stood there frozen, watching her expression harden the moment the doctor left. She didn’t even look at me just sat there stiffly, her hands gripping the sides of the couch, knuckles white.I hated that she looked for me and I wasn't there. I hated myself more for even asking her if she was cosplaying.I moved closer. Slowly. Quietly.She finally turned her face, and her eyes met mine — not angry, not teary. Just… disappointed.The silence between us cracked something inside me.I picked up the notepad I’d replaced after she tore the last one, and quickly wrote:“I am sorry!! I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”She didn’t respond.I sat beside her, close but not too close. I wanted to reach out at least touch her
RYLAN'S POVAsher opened the door and dropped her crutches beside me before she stepped in. My heart stopped.Crutches? What the hell happened?She never said a word to me, not when she came home drenched last week, not ever. It's like she’s made it her life’s mission to keep me in the dark. Maybe because she still doesn’t trust me. Not with her pain. Not with her truth.“You didn't tell me you're a teacher,” she said suddenly, a smile tugging at her lips like everything was fine.Fake smile. Like always.“You didn’t ask,” I wrote on my pad, eyes never leaving her face.I narrowed my eyes. “So what’s this then? Cosplay? What’s with the crutches?”Her smile vanished, replaced by a sharp glare. But she didn’t answer. She just turned away, gazing out the window like I wasn’t even there. Like I didn't exist.I tapped her arm and wrote again:“Is your tongue tied?”She snapped. “Rylan, you’ve been gone for a week. A full damn week. How would you know I hurt my leg?”Her voice cracked, eye
A WEEK LaterAurora POV.“Hi Alex,” I greeted cheerfully as I stepped into the classroom. He was already by the door, waiting.“Aurora,” he signed quickly, worry etched on his face. Without hesitation, he rushed to me, his eyes scanning my body with concern.I forced a smile, trying to cover up the ache in my chest.He pointed to my crutches, then looked back at me. “What happened?” he signed. His face was all worried that it made my heart ache.“Umm...” I hesitated, then signed back with a small smile, “I fell down the stairs.”His expression tightened. “Why weren’t you more careful? Look at your legs, doesn’t it hurt?”“It’s okay,” I signed, still smiling. His worried look made me somehow happy. Creepy right? I was happy seeing his worried look. Because when I fell screaming, no one in the Grey's house had this look. No one gave me a little bit of care, no one felt pity for me. They just called the ambulance and left me behind. After I fell, I was very sure I saw someone running awa
Raine POVWe pulled up to Marylee Alberto's mansion. Hanni stepped out first and opened the car door for me, carefully placing his arm above the frame to keep me from hitting my head.He held out his hand for support.I took it with a small smile. No matter how many times I pushed him away, he always showed up when it counted.“Miss Raine, she’s inside,” he said gently. “You think she’ll even answer us?” He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.I glanced at me, reading the nerves he tried to hide. “Are you nervous?”“Of course I am. You know how difficult she can be.”“Dont worry, have you forgotten it's me. I am not that easily defeated.” I said to him, with a smile.We gently walked me in, the maids in the mansion led us to the waiting room. It was very big and exquisite but it lacked the ancient rich decorations like the Blackwood's mansion. The Blackwood mansion has always been the most famous mansion in Ireland.Marylee came in, she was putting on an expensive golden dress, he