She's different

Kayden's POV

“What the hell is your problem dude?” Nolan stared at me wide-eyed in disbelief. “What did she say?”

“Uhh nothing.”

She said nothing.

She had just stared at me and got out of the car as fast as she could immediately we got to her house.

I wouldn't blame her. I would probably have the same reaction if I were in her shoes.

But I knew I had to make her understand. A lot of things were at stake here.

My twenty-seventh birthday was fast approaching and my father had made it clear that if I wasn't married or engaged by then, I could kiss the company’s CEO position goodbye.

Not like I longed for it anyway.

It wasn't mine to begin with. The position rightfully belonged to Kai as the firstborn son. But he was a prick, a lost cause, incompetent in a lot of ways.

He was most likely to sell off the company for a trip around the continent anyway.

Naturally, father didn't give a fuck about him, and I of course became his favourite child.

Contrary to what it may seem on the outside, I didn't enjoy it. In fact, I dreaded it. I hated the attention, I hated being in the spotlight, I hated being around pretentious billionaires just like my father.

But in the end, I had no choice.

I had no choice because I owed it to my mother. Not the bitch father married who always flaunted her tits at me, my actual mother.

She always longed to see me succeed. When I was a kid she was so sure I was going to be mayor, then president.

I guess being CEO is a good start.

Death took her away from me. Rather than drowning myself in unhealthy habits like Kai, I chose to channel it into something useful.

Like extending my father's legacy. The Blackwood legacy.

It didn't matter if I didn't want to do it, I had to do it. Even if it meant asking someone I barely knew to be my wife.

“Why don't you just marry Kayla bro?” Nolan asked. He knew about the ultimatum my father had put in place.

He knew everything about me. He was the only one that did.

We had been friends ever since I learned to walk. Our fathers were close friends. He was like the brother I never had, or should I say the brother I should've had.

Lucky for me, I got cursed with that douchebag instead.

“Fuck no.” I replied.

“What do you mean fuck no? Y'all have known each other for a while anyways. You basically do everything married couples do except that she doesn't live with you full time. What difference does it make? And if you really don't like her you can get divorced after you've secured your position in the company. How's that for a more logical idea?” He reasoned.

I mean I got where he was coming from, and yeah I could admit it was a bit more logical, but fuck no still.

Getting married to Kayla would be like signing a death wish. I wasn't going to come out of a divorce alive.

Even though it was an easier option, it just seemed so messy to me. There was only so much Kayla drama I could handle.

“No can do bro.” I shook my head. “I mean I get where you're coming from, but I just can't risk starting anything with Kayla. That bitch is bat shit crazy.”

Nolan laughed. “Man I never knew you were this terrified of her. But why Arya though?”

“Cause she's different man.”

Arya was different indeed.

I know how cliché that sounds, but she was truly different from every other woman I had come across.

Other people would throw themselves at me, begging to be noticed. But she? She didn't give a fuck.

She had a mind of her own, stubborn and she had a smart mouth. Oh that mouth. My dick hardened at the memory of what she could do with it.

That was one of the best nights of my life. I treated her like shit the following morning because I wanted to erase every hope she might have had of being with me.

And now I was asking her to marry me. How ironic.

In fact I think she hated me to some extent. I hoped she did. The marriage would only work as long as feelings and sentiments were kept aside. I didn't see myself settling down.

I just needed to secure my position in the company. After that, we could file for a divorce. The whole arrangement should take up to a year. A year at most, to make it convincing and believable.

“She's different.” Nolan mimicked my earlier statement. “You sound in love.”

“Love?” I laughed. “Come on now you know me better than that.”

“What,so you're not in love?”

“We fucked once. No, I'm not in love, get out of your head.”

“If you say so.” He said as he wiggled his eyebrows. “So what's your plan? Arya doesn't seem like someone who would give in so easily.”

He was right.

But somehow, I felt positive about the whole situation. I just had to convince her tactfully.

I could offer her money. It was obvious she wasn't from a wealthy background.

I could offer her a price I knew she wouldn't be able to resist. But then again, who's to say she would accept it? She was strong and independent. I knew that much.

No matter how much she needs money, she might not necessarily give in even though it's offered to her on a platter of gold.

I needed to find better leverage.

Which is why I already asked someone to look into her background for me. There should be something I could exploit, something she could also benefit from.

With the right leverage, I was certain she was going to be mine.

“Trust me, I have a plan in place.” I assured him.

“Trust you?” He scoffed. “I'd rather chop my balls off.”

“Alright come here let me assist you with that.” I said, grabbing a knife as Nolan sprinted across the kitchen screaming with his hands over his crotch.

My phone rang, stopping me in my tracks as I answered the call.

“Blackwood.”

“It's been sent to your email sir. That's all we could find.” The person on the other line spoke.

“Thank you.” I replied, ending the call.

I immediately went to my email and opened the file. It was the background check result on Arya I had asked to be done. I scrolled through, assessing the minimal information till my eyes caught something that could be of use.

“Bingo.”