The smile on my face and all the excitement I felt earlier vanished into thin air as I stared at a different guy sitting right before me. He seemed much more older than me, and he wasn't even as good-looking as…Darrell.That's his name.My gaze drifted involuntarily across the table to where Darrell sat, eating his food without paying any attention to what the elders were discussing and I felt a sharp pain in my heart.Why does it have to be like this?Why can't he be the one.I looked across dinning table that consist of my family and all the entire Backwood family, seeing smile on everyone face except me and Darrell. Actually, I found out that my husband-to-be wasn't the youngest son but the oldest—not the boy I fell in love with, but his brother. And Darrell is ten years old, just has a big stature.But who cares about age? I don't care about any of that.I just want him. But instead, they are giving me to his brother.How could I be so unlucky?"The funniest part," Mom's voice s
Wow, is this really real?How could he look this beautiful?My heart began to race, hammering so hard I was certain it would give me away. Never in my thirteen years had I seen anyone so... perfect. It was as if the Moon Goddess herself had sculpted him from starlight and dreams.I found myself leaning closer to the gap, desperate for a better view, when suddenly he looked up. Our eyes met through the small opening between books, and the world seemed to stop, with a little romantic sounds playing in the background.Heat flooded my cheeks, and the loud sound of my heartbeat could almost be heard by everyone in the room.I think I just found my soulmate.I continued to stare at him and after a second, I suddenly felt shy, so I just quickly bent down, hiding from him.I touched my blushing cheeks. “Oh my goddess, why am I feeling like this?” I asked inwardly.I must have really fall for him.This must be what they called love at first sight.I touched my chest, feeling my heart beating f
****AMAYA'S POV*****( FLASHBACK)"You must be on your best behavior today," Mom said, using her hand to adjust the collar of my dress.I stared at her, not even knowing what to say as I knew that my opinion would not be welcomed, and I had no other choice than to follow whatever decision they made for me.It's true that I never believed in finding one's mate and living happily in love, but what my parents were doing right now... was the last thing I wanted."I don't understand why this has to happen now," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I'm only thirteen, Mom. I'm still in seventh grade.”“I don't even know how he looks. I don't know if I would like him, as I have never met him before. Why can't you just consider me for once, Mom?”Tears almost slipped down my face as I looked at her, hoping she would take pity on me. I didn't really think any normal parents would fix their daughter’s marriage to a random stranger and say he’s her mate.How can he know that I am his mate when
No. You didn't believe him, did you? He's lying. He's obviously lying to save himself.""That doesn't sound like a lie to me.""How could you believe the words of that old fool over your own wife?""No," I said quietly, standing and moving to the desk behind us."What do you mean, no?"Then retrieved a brown folder and returned to my seat, sliding it across to her. "It's not my wife. It's my ex-wife.”Her lips trembled, “ what?”Crossing my legs and resting my back against the seat, I gesture toward the folder. “ You should check that.”Amaya took the brown folder and pulled out the document in it. Her eyes widened in shock as she recognized the document."I don't know if you still remember that but I do. It's our little contract," I continued. "I know it's long overdue, and I apologize for that, but now I want you to honor the terms of that agreement and sign the divorce papers without any drama."Her hands trembled as she lifted the contract, staring at it as if it were a death sent
**** DARRELL'S POV*****Before Amaya even got to the door, I could hear her heartbeat—it was steady and calculated unlike what I was expecting. I actually thought it would be frantic and desperate as she’s supposed to be scared and troubled by everything going on around. I even heard that she has refused two summonings and refused to take a single step out of the mansion because she was too scared. But it seems all that’s nothing but a pretense.Amaya, you are really amazing.For seven good years, I could not believe that you have perfectly played me very well and I stupidly and blindly couldn't even see through all your fake masks.I sighed heavily as I remembered all that I had lost and missed all because of her.Seven years of marriage, and I was only now seeing the cracks in her facade.Well, it's all going to end today and right now.As her presence lingered by the door, I didn't wait for her knock before I said,"Come in."I want us to just sort this out quickly.It took her a wh
Hi everyone, I just want to take a moment to say thank you to you all. I'm really grateful for your continued support and love for this book, even when my update schedule has been all over the place. Your patience, encouragement, and unwavering support mean more to me than words can say. I'm not a full-time writer, and balancing life, work, and writing can be a little challenging at times. On top of that, I recently welcomed a beautiful baby boy into this world—a blessing that has brought so much joy, but also a big shift in my daily routine. That said, I know how it feels to be eagerly waiting for the next chapter, and I’m so sorry for making you wait. Now, I promise to do my very best to be more consistent starting tomorrow. And I want you to remember that I always read every single comment of yours, so please tell me more about what you have in mind about this book in the comment section. Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading. And thank you for believing in this story.