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Epilogue
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Treacherous Prologue
Alan's POV “Well, I can’t say she’s the best choice for you, but I do know that she’s better than most of our other options.” Seated across my father, my mother gazed out of the glass that separated the street from the inside of the restaurant with evident disappointment etched on her face. For a couple who were always perceived as being like-minded, my parents surely weren't on the same page on several occasions. Today was no different. Realising that he was nowhere close to winning her approval on the matter, his shoulders slightly slumped down. He looked visually defeated but he was much prideful to give up so soon. I reckoned that was something I always had in common with him and I was yet to be sure if it were a good or a bad thing. “I don't have a good feeling about this, Kevin.” She said, refusing to look at any of us. “He’s in such a dangerous and tiring field already. Don’t you think he deserves to choose his own wife? Someone, he’ll be spending the rest of his life with?”
Treacherous Chapter 1
Rachel's POV Unlike an early growing abdominal cyst, the Volvo XC 60 that pulled up in front of my house was clearly standing out to my naked eye. My neighbourhood was vainly posh yet when I spotted the extravagance on wheels, I was strangely taken aback. The little chunk of hope lingering in my heart pumped itself out upon the sight. Dismayed, I turned away from the window and sighed to myself. As my chances of escaping this situation were slimmer than finding a cure for racism, this was bound to happen. I had clearly been a fool to have hoped for a miracle. Unsurprisingly, I heard my mother’s voice from below, “Hurry up, Rachel, he’s here!” “Give me a second!” Stealing a last look at myself in the mirror, I acknowledged that there was no way I’d have bothered to dress up so well if I weren’t forced into it. I’ve never appreciated fancy dinners, more so for first dates, as my inclination was more on the casual side. Naturally, picking out a red cocktail dress was a rare event in
Treacherous Chapter 2
Rachel's POV Convinced that he was perhaps not in the habit of sexualising women, I peeled my eyes away from him but he was much too swift. Locking his eyes with me, he frowned, “Is everything alright?” He asked, “No, it’s perfect,” I shrugged, “My dream first date.” With a blank look, he heaved a sigh. I could notice that my sarcasm was beginning to frustrate him, but I enjoyed seeing him struggle. For all I cared, he completely deserved it. “Do you disapprove of the place?” “I disapprove of you pursuing me.” “You sure about that decision even after seeing me?” He asked. Although he was joking, I wasn’t sure if my sex drive would approve of turning him down. But his arrogance put me off, and it was so out of his character. “Seen better.” That earned me a chuckle from him as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table.“Well, why are you here if you’re not interested? Would’ve saved us both time and trouble.” “If it were that simple, I wouldn’t be here, trust me.” He loo
Treacherous Chapter 3
Rachel's POV Dinner with Alan had been an enervating affair, more exhausting than open-heart surgery. In retrospect, surgeries have guided steps, protocols and superior mentors to aid us in time of crisis. Such was not the case with dating. I lacked the first-hand experience, knowledge and prowess in the field of dating. When thrown into a problematic situation, my brain was as young as a new born’s. I was entirely powerless against his arguments, and there was nobody to turn to for help. Once closed, I rested my head against the door and let out a long sigh of exhaustion. Noises from the dining room were beckoning me to follow and thus I took the call. Upon entering, I caught sight of a long dinner table situated accurately at the centre of the room. There was not a hint of dust on the floor nor the dinner table, and the immaculate surrounding intimidated my posture, forcing my body to grow vividly conscious of my movements. My mother followed a strict unforgiving policy when it
Treacherous Chapter 4
Rachel's POV Friday afternoon, I was summoned to the Hedger’s residence. It was set in an aesthetically pleasing corner of an elite neighbourhood, and the serene vibe of the sight eased the tension we’d carried throughout the ride. Before Alan could use his chivalry to impress me, I opened the door for myself. My eyes continued to admire the beauty of the mansion as Alan walked up to me. “It’s beautiful,” I said, mesmerized. “It’s better inside,” That seemed impossible. “Come on.” He guided me toward the entrance door with a hand on the small of my back. Although I’d not preferred it, I didn’t make any conscious effort to escape the intimacy. Once we’d reached the doorstep, Alan spread his arm over my shoulder to reach the doorbell, but I’d quickly turned around and blocked his path. He looked at me quizically. “Should I be worried?” “Of what?” “Your parents.” I said, “Are they going to like me?” “Just be yourself,” He said, leaning closer to me so he could get to the buzzer,
Treacherous Chapter 5
Alan's POV Sasha often told me that if the girl hadn’t splashed her red wine over my face one hour through the date, I should consider it a huge accomplishment. According to her, I was the next bad thing after ghosting, that failed relationships. I honestly couldn’t blame her and might as well agree with her on that note, because I had no serious dating experience as such to defend myself. I was a hardcore workaholic who never found time for romantic endeavors and serious commitments outside of work. Of course, I had been with a fair share of women through high school and college but they weren’t very serious. I was a top student and that required a tremendous amount of time and attention to studies, and girls weren’t extremely patient to keep up with my preferences. After getting a job , the intense training and work ethic demanded my full and exclusive attention and I was gladly letting it. It’s a common misconception that people in my field generally feel like they have no time
Treacherous Chapter 6
Alan's POV “What’d she say?” Bruce asked. Rachel practised being passive-aggressive better than anybody I knew. I had always known her to remain calm and composed despite any stressful condition, and for a long time, I even admired it. It was only now that I was realising the downside of such behaviour. Sometimes, it’s just better to get yelled at; at least the outburst helps your conscience. “She hates me,” I groaned. “She’s never going to forgive me for this.” “Do you think she’ll come around though? She better, because this is your last shot.” “I’m not concerned if or not she’ll marry me. Her parents will leave her no choice and that’s not a good thing, Bruce, I hate doing this to her. Damn it, it looks like I’m exploiting her vulnerabilities to get what I want. What’s worse, she probably thinks I’m doing this out of lust.” “Since when do you care about what others think about you?” “I’m not bothered about what she thinks about me. I’m more concerned about how that’s going t
Treacherous Chapter 7
Rachel's POV Dualities are a distinct part of humanity. There are dualities in the way people perceive, understand and react to things. And often, the counterparts work in synchrony. Two halves make a whole. There are two sides to every story. And it takes two people to trigger a connection. The concept of soulmates, twin flames and lovers proves that everything profound in life is in possession of two parties. Covalency, symbiosis and the law of attraction work along these lines. But the question remains - does this union involve the conscious compliance of the two halves? Or is the subconscious to be blamed for the invisible power that draws one to their better half? For me, dualities operated at the basic level of everyday life. When you see something almost every day, you either fall in love with the routine or grow to hate the monotony of it. The latter was the choice I had succumbed to. I looked helplessly at the white fabric that engulfed me within its confines. White is th
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