Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 23: this can’t be love .When they finally make it back to Ariana’s apartment for the third time that day, Williams escorts Ariana to the bathroom, quickly pecking her cheek and informing that he’ll wait for her in the living room. Apparently his driver had already supplied him with a new set of clothes for the dinner, and all that’s left is for Ariana to shower and get ready herself.Weirded out by the fact that Williams is paying her more attention than necessary, Ariana succumbs to the warm shower after such a tiring day. The hot water does a much better job at loosening her tense muscles than the masseuse did.As her skin soaks, she tries to figure their odd relationship out and why Williams is devoting so much of his time when he could be anywhere else but tagging along with his so-called burdensome fiancée. As much as Ariana’s tempted to confront him about it, she figures she’d rather stay oblivious.At least it’s way better than them
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 24: beautiful beautiful angels .“How do I look? Good? Okay? Tolerable?” Ariana asks for the nth time this evening as she whirls around to face her prep team consisting of Lance, Sandy, Hana, and Keith. They hover around her like bees, adding the final touches for tonight’s appearance.Hana clicks her tongue and gives her a final squirt of setting spray. “Good is an understatement, girl. Your beauty will leave everyone snatched, trust me. Right, guys?”“Definitely,” Sandy cooes. The two men nod in agreement.In her defense, no amount of reassurance can calm her down in time for the big day. All Ariana did was blink and suddenly she’s being steered around and around through errands and then carted into her house for a grand makeover.Despite it being just the engagement party and not the wedding itself, it’s still nerve-wracking as it’s the first officially public event she’d be attending with Williams prior to their big announcement. They’v
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 25: the engagement party .“Okay, okay, truce. Drink up.”Ariana smiles up at him apologetically.Realization flickers across Williams’s face and he nods. “Ah. Hey, you—excuse me, my good man.” The server curiously turns around, returning to them upon Williams’s gesture. “My fiancée would like something non-alcoholic. Can you make sure the bar’s supplied with whatever she wants?”“Yes, of course. What would you like, ma’am?”It’s weird to see how much of a trembling impact the billionaire leaves on the poor guy, so she gently says, “A lemonade, please. Thank you,” and sends him off.“I should’ve remembered that you aren’t a drinker.” Williams shakes his head. “Honestly, you make me feel like a sinner with all your virtues."“It’s a choice, not a virtue.” Ariana laughs. “Besides, you don’t need me to prove how much of a sinner you are.”“I beg to differ.” And there he goes again, lowering his voice to a husky, saccharine tone. His captivating e
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 26: snitches everywhere .“What the hell Liam, you never told me your brother’s a romantic. This is perfect!” Ariana can’t help but exclaim. She uses the corner of her sleeve to wipe the sudden tears that had welled up in her eyes during the performance.“Uh huh. A nosy little romantic,” Williams mutters under his breath, earning her a questioning look.They make no further comment and listen to the rest of the cover, which moves the audience with its cleverly altered lyrics. Even Ariana has to admit the song doesn’t sound as solemn as it normally would’ve been.Without further ado, the roar of applauds fill the entire venue when Warren voices the ending and takes another polite bow. Walter returns afterwards to finish off the program.Despite Williams being as charming and attentive as ever during dinner, Ariana detects annoyance somewhere beneath those layers. Before she can confront him about it, though, Williams excuses himself to catch
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 26: snitches everywhere .“What the hell Liam, you never told me your brother’s a romantic. This is perfect!” Ariana can’t help but exclaim. She uses the corner of her sleeve to wipe the sudden tears that had welled up in her eyes during the performance.“Uh huh. A nosy little romantic,” Williams mutters under his breath, earning her a questioning look.They make no further comment and listen to the rest of the cover, which moves the audience with its cleverly altered lyrics. Even Ariana has to admit the song doesn’t sound as solemn as it normally would’ve been.Without further ado, the roar of applauds fill the entire venue when Warren voices the ending and takes another polite bow. Walter returns afterwards to finish off the program.Despite Williams being as charming and attentive as ever during dinner, Ariana detects annoyance somewhere beneath those layers. Before she can confront him about it, though, Williams excuses himself to catch
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 27: miserable me .Ariana stills. “Antonio? You okay?”. Sure enough, Williams’s older brother peels himself off the smaller frame and steps into the light. His complexion flushes a dark red, yet Ariana can sense something more than distress in the dim lights.“Why wouldn’t I be?” Antonio snaps before recoiling at his mistake. He manages a deep breath. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. What are you doing here?”Ariana takes a moment to study the petite woman still hiding in the corner. Elegantly dressed in furs, her long raven hair thrown over her bare shoulder, lips left red and smudged. She looks oddly recognizable. She tries to dig through her database. “Just looking around. You?”“Same.” Antonio answers stiffly.The name off the woman finally clicks in her brain, so she ends up saying, “And I’m guessing Miss Paris Maguire is doing the same, huh.”Paris Maguire is more than just a trophy wife. Besides being married to one of the most influential neur
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 28: someone tall, lush, and gorgeous.After crying her soul, heart, and makeup into the couch pillow all night long, Ariana groggily wakes up to both a resolution and a headache.As dangerous as her fury can be, her merciful attitude always gets the best of her and therefore, can no longer hold a grudge against the instigators of last night’s incident. In her defense, Ariana’s been polishing this quality since the day her father first returned home as a drunkard. It’s come to the point where she has no choice but to pick up the broken pieces without a single reprimand.That’s why she finds herself softening at the little stunt Williams pulled. Still, Ariana is no saint, and hates herself for hurting over something she never should’ve paid attention to in the first place. In fact, it’s better to continue looking out for herself—and only herself. No baggage required.Yet she can’t help but try placing herself in Williams’s shoes before resumin
Married for A Million Dollars:.Chapter 29: boyfriend Vs Fiancée .A sense of pleading laces his frustrated growl as Williams takes the seat next to her and gently pries Ariana’s elbow away from her concealed face. “Ariana, why are you crying?”She pulls away from the grip. “I’m not fucking crying.”Williams raises a brow at the crumpled napkin in her hands. “You are fucking crying.”When Ariana refuses to say anything else, the younger purses his lips and gently repeats his question, to which he wants to retort a response, yet only thinks of what good there’d be if she did answer.What would you do if I said you shattered my heart last night? Would you either clean the mess up for me or watch me do it myself?So instead, she finds herself muttering, “I’m suffering from a case of blue balls,” and immediately recoils at both father and son’s bewildered expressions, Williams’s being more genuinely surprised.Ariana decides to get up as Walter apologetically watches her throw the napki