Arranged marriage : Married to an unknown man

Ariana

If Xavier had not gone to the meeting, I wouldn’t have been in a situation I was in.

I had been sitting on my bed, my legs hung down with my feet on the floor. My legs had been shaking furiously, making my whole body shake. I was trying to calm myself but wasn’t able to do it.

I was on verge of getting a panic attack, my heart was beating furiously, it felt like it would come out of the ribcage any moment.

Anxiousness had crawled in my body. I was frightened, there was an uneasiness flowing in my body, giving me a weird sensation in my stomach. I was feeling apprehensive about going there. It felt like something bad was going to happen.

I didn’t want to see them. I didn’t want to see any of the Smiths. They were not welcoming people. They would not be pleased to see me there. They would not even acknowledge my presence, instead, they would get angry, especially Mr. Smith.

And I couldn’t forget the fact that they would be there too. Those evil people who stole my happiness, who stole my growing years, who made me weak, because of whom I lack confidence would be there. I didn’t want to recall what they did to me. Seeing them would only bring my horrible memories back that I had been trying to hide somewhere inside.

The ringing of the doorbell brought me out of my thoughts. It must be Finn, Xavier’s driver/bodyguard had. I forcefully stood up from the bed and walked to the door to open it for Finn.

As I opened the door, I saw him standing in a stiff posture, hands at the back, head straight.

“Hello, ma’am. The car is ready.” He spoke.

“Umm, hello, I am ready as well, Let’s go,” I replied, a little unsure of myself.

“Err… Ma’am, you sure you are ready?” He asked, looking at me questioningly.

I looked down at my outfit. I was wearing fitted denim jeans, a white hoodie, and sneakers with my hair tied in a bun. Yeah, I was going there in this outfit because I knew I won’t go inside the mansion, I had already decided to pass the gift to one of the maids through the back door and would leave.

“Oh.. yeah, I am ready. I won’t stay there for long. So, let’s go.” Before he could say anything else, I stepped out of the penthouse, locked the door, and headed inside the elevator. He entered the elevator with me.

When we reached the parking area, Finn walked in front of me, he clicked the button on the car remote. I glanced in the direction of the beeping sound only to see a Rolls Royce. My jaw almost fell on the floor when I looked at the red shiny, royal, top-class Rolls Royce.

“Ma’am,” Finn said while opening the back door of the car for me.

“We are going in this?” I asked while pointing my finger at the car.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Umm.. can we go in another car? Any small car instead?” I asked, looking around to find a small car between the collection of luxury cars of Xavier. But I found none.

“I am sorry ma’am. I am afraid we can’t take another car. Mr. Knight ordered me to drive you there in this car.” He replied.

Huh? Xavier ordered him? But why? His behavior had been confusing me these days.

Well, I was excited though. It was the first time I’d be sitting in a Rolls Royce.

I sat inside the car and Finn shut the door for me before taking the driver’s seat. He started driving towards Smith’s mansion.

The atmosphere in the car was silent and my mind was again flying towards the things that would happen in the mansion. So, I tried to talk to Finn to ease my uneasiness.

“Finn? How long have you been working for Xavier?” He glanced at me through the rearview mirror.

“It’s been 3 years ma’am.”

“Finn, Please call me Ariana,” I said politely.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate. You are my employer’s wi…” I cut him off before he could complete the sentence.

“It’s alright, I don’t mind. Please call me Ariana from now on.”

“Oh, okay, Ariana ma’am,” He said hesitantly. He won’t call my name so, I had to settle with this. I smiled at him through the rearview mirror and he reciprocated the smile.

The atmosphere in the car again fell silent. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the place I hadn’t seen for a month came into the view. I closed my eyes to calm my heart but that it didn’t help, instead, my heart started beating at a faster rate.

Finn stopped the car in front of the mansion and instantly stepped out of the car to open the door for me. I hesitated a bit but sensing that I still had no choice, I stepped out of the car with the gift in my hands.

“Let me hold this for you,” Finn said while bringing his hands to hold the gift box.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“No it’s okay, I can hold this,” I reassured him.

“Okay, ma’am. I’ll park the car, give me a call when you are ready to leave.” I nodded my head.

When Finn drove the car towards the parking area, I immediately ran to the back of the mansion to enter from the backdoor which opens into the kitchen.

Inhaling deeply, I opened the backdoor. First, I peeked inside the kitchen and when I found no one there, I stepped inside and decided to wait for a maid to enter the kitchen. I’ll hand over the gift to the first maid that enters the kitchen and will leave immediately.

I waited for almost five minutes but no one came. Maids must be busy serving the guests. But I was getting very anxious standing there. Frightening thoughts began to cross my mind.

What if they enter the kitchen before any maid?

No, no, no…

I took the cautious steps towards the door of the kitchen and slowly peeked outside. There was an etched glass wall that was hindering the view of the party. I slowly walked towards the end of the glass wall to peek outside so that I could call for a maid.

I was sauntering while looking at the other side that I failed to notice that someone was coming from the front. An audible gasp left my throat when I bumped into someone. I closed my eyes praying for my safety. Please, God, don’t let this person be one of them. Please, please.

“Where the hell are your eyes, you stupid woman?” Honestly, I was relieved when I heard an unfamiliar female voice. It wasn’t one of them. I immediately opened my eyes and looked up. There stood a lady who wore a gown with a slit reaching up to her thigh. Her face was caked up with makeup.

“I am so sorry.” I immediately apologized. But instead of accepting my apology, she began shouting at me.

“Are you blind or what? I almost fell on the floor because of you!” She seethed in anger, making me flinch at her tone.

“I am s-sorry. It was…” I tried to apologize again but was cut off by the booming voice.

“What is going over here?!” Oh no! It’s Mr. Smith.

“Ask your maid! I fell because of her. I think I sprained my ankle.” I gasp at her accusation. Why was she lying? And she called me a maid?

“No, it’s not like that Mr. Smith, actually-” I tried to explain but he again cut me off.

“You shut up” he shouted, pointing a finger at me.

“Mrs. Moore, are you alright? Can you walk or Do you need any help?” Mr. Smith asked that evil lady politely. Huh, he could act polite? That was new.

“Yes, fortunately, I can walk. But Mr. Smith you must teach your servants to behave and how to walk without bumping into someone. She touched my dress with her filthy hands! Now I have to throw this expensive dress away.” She seethed, eyeing me from head to toe in disgust.

“I apologize from her side, Mrs. Moore. I’ll buy you a new dress. Please enjoy the party. I’ll take care of this woman standing here.” Mr. Smith eyed me in anger which made me tremble in fear.

“Fine! I am leaving this matter here for now.” She said this in attitude and marched back to the party.

Scarlet and my mother came running towards us.

“What’s going on he-what are you doing here?” My mother asked in shock when she saw me.

“Your good for nothing daughter bumped into our most important client’s wife, Mrs. Moore and she fell on the floor. Thank God I came on time otherwise we would have lost an important client. She was really angry.” Mr. Smith exclaimed in rage.

“It’s not like that-” Before I could explain myself, Mr. Smith cut me off by slapping me hard on my face. The force of his slap was so strong that I almost fell on the floor.

“Shut up! What the hell are you doing here? Who invited you? Don’t you know you are not allowed in any gatherings related to my family?” He shouted on my face.

A lone tear rolled down my eye. Yes, it had been like this only. Whenever I would mistakenly come before his guests, he would slap me for no reason.

“Come on dad, don’t spoil your mood. She is not worth wasting your time on. Guests are waiting for you outside.” Scarlet said, eyeing me with annoyance.

“You better leave right now.” With that, Mr. Smith went back to the party.

“You always ruin everything for me, you bitch. You better leave before my dad sees you again.” Scarlet spat angrily and marched back.

“What are you doing here, Ariana?” My mother asked with the void of emotion or concern in her voice.

“M-mom… I came here as a replacement for Xavier. He couldn’t attend the party, and, and that lady was lying.” Tears started flowing down my eyes.

“Leave right now, Ariana. You have already ruined our mood.” She said as she averted her eyes from me. I felt hurt.

I didn’t wait even for a second and ran away from there. I ran until I reached the back of the mansion.

As soon as I reached outside, I fell on my knees and I cried. I cried until I let my frustration out through my tears. My own mother didn’t even try to console me. She completely ignored me.

Why I had to go through this. Why?

What mistake I had committed that I was treated like an animal? Even animals are treated better.

“Dad, why did you leave me? My life would have been better if you were here with me.

What did I do wrong, dad, that you left me? These people do not treat me well. I am broken, dad. I can’t take this anymore. I am tired. Tired of them, tired of everyone, tired of everything.” I cried.

I then looked up in the sky. “I have now lost all my hopes for a better life. Please, dad, call me to you. I don’t want to live down here.”

I cried harder until tears stop flowing. I cried until no more tears were left to come out.

I was thankful that they were not there. And if they were indeed there, I was thankful that they didn’t come in front of me.

I angrily cleared my tears with the back of my hand and stood up from the ground and ran towards the parking lot. I didn’t want to stay there any longer. I saw Finn and approached him with my head down.

“Ma’am, is the party over? Were you late for the party? You have come so early.” Finn asked.

“N.. no,” I mumbled, not looking at him.

“Are you crying? Is everything okay?” He asked with concern.

And the tears that I had been trying to stop started flowing again.

“P-please, I want to go back,” I said while sobbing.

“Yeah, sure.” He immediately opened the back door of the car for me. I sat inside and cried again.

When we reached the penthouse building, Finn parked the car and opened the door for me.

“Ma’am, Let me drop you to the penthouse,” he said, giving me his handkerchief. I took the handkerchief from his hand and wiped my face. I didn’t have the strength to deny him so I let him accompany me to the penthouse.

“Thank you, Finn, for dropping me here. But I have one request, please don’t tell this to Xavier. Please, Finn. Don’t even tell this to Mrs. Molly, she’d tell this to Mrs. Knight which will make her worried.”

“But Ma’am-”

“Please Finn, I request you.”

“But ma’am, Mr. Knight should know whatever happened back there in the mansion,” He said.

“Please Finn. He doesn’t have to know about this. I just had an argument with my mother. That’s all.” I lied hoping that he’d agree to my request.

“O.. okay.” He was hesitant but agreed.

“Promise me that you won’t tell anyone.” I looked at him in hope. He thought for a second then agreed which made me sigh in relief.

“Thank you, Finn.”

“It’s okay, ma’am. I’ll take your leave then. Take care.” I nodded my head then he left.

I ran to my room and jumped on the bed and hid my face in the pillow and… screamed, Screamed till my throat was sore.

With no hope of a better life, no hope of finding someone who would care for me, love me like my dad, with no hope of anything, I laid on the bed until sleep engulfed me.