LOGINArianna’s POV “Leave this house immediately before I throw you out myself!” My stepmother’s booming voice rang across the courtyard so loudly that the birds perched on the tree scattered into the sky. Strangely, her shouting barely affected me anymore. Instead of fear, it sounded like the irritating buzz of a a housefly in my ears—loud, persistent, yet meaningless. I folded my arms across my chest, standing as straight and composed as I could manage. “Why do you think you can throw me out of my father’s house?” I asked calmly, tilting my head slightly. “Are you drunk?” My words hung in the air like sparks waiting to ignite something explosive. Her eyes narrowed instantly. “Well,” I continued lazily, brushing imaginary dust off my polished nails, “I guess we are past the pretenses now… considering how bold you were sending those disgusting men after me.” The reaction was immediate. Her face drained of color so quickly it almost fascinated me. Fear flashed across her features
I spent the entire school day receiving stares and glares from almost every student. I suppose that made me somewhat famous.Chloe found it endlessly amusing. The same girls who had once taunted and bullied me now seemed almost frightened, probably because their precious boyfriends could not stop staring in my direction. They sat in their usual clusters of three, surrounded by their loyal minions, whispering and eyeing me bitterly. From the venom in their expressions, one would think they were plotting to disfigure my newly appreciated face.“Well, well, if it isn’t the famous Arianna Young. We are humbled by your presence today,” one of them, Hayley, finally said, not bothering to conceal her contempt.Annabel, the self-proclaimed queen and leader of the cheerleading team, rose gracefully to back her partner in crime. “I guess she forgot her place simply because she had one night of fame,” she added mockingly, folding her arms across her chest.I did not dignify them with a response.
I can’t get it out of my head.It had been two days since he left, yet I couldn’t stop replaying it—the steamy kiss we had shared before his departure. The kisses had been getting more frequent, more intense, more deliberate. He was planting dangerous thoughts in my head, and he knew it.“Ahhh!” I screamed in frustration, pacing the length of my bedroom.How could this be?He did it on purpose. There was absolutely no way I was calling him. The phone he had placed in my hand was some sort of advanced technology—encrypted, secure, filled with features I barely understood. And it had only one saved contact.His.As for his so-called surprise, it had been an envelope. Inside were pictures of my sister in a rather unexpected setting—compromising enough to raise questions, but not enough to destroy her outright. I concluded it was either a weapon against them or a bargaining chip to get what he wanted. Honestly, where was the fun in choosing one? With careful planning, I could get both.I
Waltzing down the grand staircase in an unlikely, almost dramatic fashion, Arianna held the banister as though she were descending into a ballroom instead of her own living room. The maid walking a few steps behind her struggled to suppress her laughter, clearly amused by her mistress’s playful elegance.At the foot of the stairs, Arianna came face to face with her brand-new husband. Aiden stood tall and composed, his presence nearly swallowing the space around him. He was dressed, as always, in his preferred fashion—a perfectly tailored black suit paired with a crisp white shirt and a black tie. Not a single shade of color dared interrupt his dark ensemble.Well, he definitely had something against colors, she was convinced.“Are you leaving now?” she asked, tilting her head slightly as she studied him.“Yes. I’ll be gone for a week or so.” Aiden replied calmly. “Everything you need is in the house, and if there’s anything not to your liking, you may change it. I’ve assigned a car an
The car door could not open fast enough.Arianna stepped out, her eyes shining, her smile wide and unrestrained—like a twelve-year-old on Christmas morning. The grand house before her stood tall and elegant, bathed in the soft glow of the afternoon sun.She was completely captivated.So captivated, in fact, that she momentarily forgot the presence of her newly wedded husband standing beside her.Aiden watched her quietly, his hands tucked into his pockets, a faint smile curving his lips. Her reaction pleased him more than he cared to admit.Unknown to Arianna, after their night together, he had ordered this entire place renovated. Every room. Every detail. Every touch of elegance had been chosen with her in mind, long before she had agreed to marry him.Just beside the entrance, the staff stood neatly arranged in two straight lines, uniforms crisp and immaculate.The moment Arianna reached the doorway, they bowed slightly.“Welcome, ma’am. Congratulations on your marriage.”The maids,
Silence followed their departure from the courthouse. Each was clearly engrossed in private thoughts, wondering what this sudden, contractual union truly meant. The late afternoon sun cast their shadows across the pavement, stretching their figures into unfamiliar shapes—two strangers now bound together by law.Aiden’s POVI had no idea what conversation to pursue with her. My emotions were all over the place. Even though this marriage was purely contractual, I was feeling something disturbingly strong for the beautiful, petite girl walking beside me. The irony of it all was almost laughable.I had spent most of my adult life avoiding women. Partly by choice, partly by necessity. Being around them usually ended in discomfort—sometimes worse. I could not touch one without breaking out in hives, my body reacting as though intimacy itself were a threat. It had been easier to focus on work, on business, on control.But with Arianna, things were… different.Testing the theory more than onc







