Chapter 4

ARDEN’S POV

I ignored her screaming the entire drive until I finally pulled over in front of a restaurant.

She was fierce. Loud. Annoying.

Definitely not my type.

I had actually felt relieved when she said she wasn’t interested in the marriage either. That should have made things easier.

Then Brianna showed up and ruined everything.

That woman had a temper. Sharp. Explosive.

Just like Brianna.

Why does fate keep throwing women like this into my life?

After Tatum left, I spent almost an hour calming Brianna down before she finally stormed out of the restaurant.

Peace never lasts.

NEXT DAY

TATUM’S RESIDENCE

I was still furious about what that witch said yesterday. That was the only reason I even involved myself in that stupid mess.

I was almost free from this arranged marriage.

Almost.

Now I was more tangled than ever.

I flopped onto my bed and groaned.

“I’m so doomed,” I half-yelled, tugging at my hair. “What was I thinking when I said those words?”

“Tatum!”

Liam’s voice came from his room.

I walked in and found him twisted inside his school uniform like a trapped octopus.

“Help me,” he said proudly, like this was an achievement.

I tried not to laugh.

Liam had been beside me since the day he was born. We had never spent a day apart.

And now I had to tell him I was leaving.

I knelt and fixed his crooked tie.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

I paused.

Liam always noticed.

“I’m fine,” I lied, poking his cheek.

He narrowed his eyes. “You only poke my cheek when you’re lying."

I blinked. “Since when are you this observant?”

“Since I turned seven.”

I sighed dramatically and sat beside him.

“Liam… how would you feel about going to a boarding school? Big playground. Lots of friends. Fancy dorm rooms.”

His eyes lit up first.

Then they dimmed.

“That means I won’t see you every day.”

It wasn’t a question.

I nodded slowly.

He looked down at his shoes and swung his legs.

“It’s fine,” he said after a second, puffing his chest. “I’m a grown man now. I can survive.”

I raised a brow. “A grown man who got strangled by his own tie five minutes ago?”

He gasped. “That was tactical training.”

I burst out laughing.

He watched me carefully.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked. “Or are you just tired of me?”

My smile faded.

“Don’t ever say that,” I said softly, cupping his face. “I could never get tired of you.”

“Then why boarding school?”

I swallowed.

“Because… Tatum is getting married.”

His eyes widened.

“Like a wedding wedding?”

“Yes.”

“With cake?”

“Yes.”

“With babies?”

I choked. “Excuse me?”

“Aunt Amelia said when you get married, you’ll have lots of babies. And then I can play with them.”

“That evil woman,” I muttered.

Liam grinned. “So when are my babies arriving?”

“You are banned from talking to Aunt Amelia.”

He laughed and hugged me suddenly.

“I’ll miss you,” he whispered.

That broke me more than anything.

I got dressed later and left the house with Liam. After dropping him off at school, I headed to the company. Just as I pulled into the parking lot, my phone rang.

The old man.

“Good morning, sir,” I said, cutting the engine.

“Morning, darling. I know it’s early, so I won’t waste your time. A driver will pick you up from your house tonight and take you to your new home. You may take your brother with you for now. I’ll arrange for someone to pick him up tomorrow and drive him to school. Goodbye.”

The old man hung up before I could respond.

I stared at my phone.

“What a beautiful way to start my morning,” I muttered, stepping out of the car.

Inside the company, I greeted my colleagues as usual and entered the elevator. Thank God no one seemed to be talking about the engagement news. Maybe they hadn’t seen it.

When I reached my department, I placed my bag down and sighed in relief.

“The witch isn’t here yet,” I whispered.

Wrong.

Before I could even blink, she was striding toward me.

Not planning to drop my guard, I fixed my eyes on my laptop screen.

“You’ve got quite the nerve to show up here after what you did yesterday,” Brianna said loudly, stopping right in front of my desk.

Heads turned.

Whispers started.

“Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?” I replied calmly. “Do you really want to repeat yesterday’s performance?”

“Did you just call me embarrassing?”

“I hate having conversations with people who struggle to process basic sentences.”

I stood to walk away.

She grabbed my wrist.

“I’m still talking to you. Do you even know what you’re dragging yourself into?”

She wasn’t wrong.

I worked in her family’s entertainment company. She could make my life hell.

But I refused to lower myself.

“Please, Brianna. It’s too early for this,” I said, glancing at the growing crowd. “Let’s end it here.”

I turned.

She grabbed my hair.

Gasps echoed around us.

I caught her wrist, trying to pry her hand off, but she refused to let go.

“Let go of me, Brianna.”

Nothing.

“Stop it!” I snapped, grabbing her hair in return.

People rushed forward, trying to separate us, but she was stubborn.

Then—

A firm grip wrapped around my arm and pulled me backward, holding me steady.

“Who the—”

I froze.

Xavier Voss.

The Xavier Voss.

Actor. Model. The nation’s obsession.

And yes — I was part of that nation.

We had met once at a party. He had been charming. Gentle. Everything Arden wasn’t.

He leaned slightly closer.

“She’s not worth it,” he murmured near my ear.

My stomach flipped.

I nearly forgot how to breathe.

Across from me, Brianna was being restrained too.

By Arden.

Of course.

The cousins stood facing each other.

They looked nothing alike in temperament.

Xavier was effortless warmth.

Arden was controlled ice.

If not for their surname, no one would believe they were related.

They avoided each other everywhere. If Arden attended an event, Xavier didn’t. If Xavier showed up, Arden was absent.

Rumor had it they’d been like that since childhood — never allowing their worlds to overlap.

And now?

They were standing in the same room.

Because of me.

“Calm down, Brianna,” Arden said quietly.

But he wasn’t looking at her.

His eyes were locked on Xavier's hand resting on my shoulder.

Not glaring.

Not raging.

Just watching.

Carefully.

“You’re defending her?” Brianna shrieked.

Arden didn’t answer.

Xavier’s fingers remained where they were — deliberate, almost lazy.

“What exactly are you doing here?” Arden asked evenly.

His tone was calm.

Too calm.

Territory.

That’s what it sounded like.

Xavier smirked.

“I don’t recall this building being a Voss company,” he replied lightly. “And it’s not a cinema, so I’m definitely not here to watch a show.”

He gave my shoulder a light tap.

“I just didn’t expect your girlfriend bullying an employee. Interesting taste.”

The air shifted.

Arden stepped forward.

Not aggressively.

Just enough.

His jaw tightened slightly.

“Watch your words.”

Not loud.

But firm.

Xavier turned to me instead.

“Take care, little bunny,” he said, ruffling my hair gently. “Stay out of trouble.”

Gasps erupted.

He walked away as if he hadn’t just set fire to the room.

Whispers exploded instantly.

“She’s so lucky…”

“Did you see that?”

“Oh my God…”

Arden hadn’t moved.

His fist was clenched at his side.

Not shaking.

Not wild.

Just restrained.

His gaze dropped to the spot Xavier had touched.

Then slowly rose to my face.

Unreadable.

Cold.

Possessive in the most dangerous way.

He didn’t look jealous.

He looked… displeased.

Like someone had crossed a boundary that wasn’t meant to be crossed.

And even though he didn’t want me—

Even though this marriage was forced—

There was something in his eyes that said:

Not him.

Anyone but him.

And I couldn’t tell if that made me safer…

Or in more danger.