CH 12

HER POV ~

I pulled my legs up onto the couch, wrapping my arms around them as I stared at the ceiling. The sound of the rain was oddly calming now, but it didn’t quiet the thoughts swirling in my head.

Lucian.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. Why the hell was I even thinking about him? It wasn’t like he was sitting in his room thinking about me. He probably forgot I even existed the moment he walked away.

But even if I wanted to ignore it, I couldn’t deny one thing—I was stuck in this situation now. And in exactly one week, I was going to be his wife.

The word itself felt foreign. Unreal.

Back in London, when my parents first brought up this ridiculous marriage arrangement, I had laughed it off. Told them they were insane if they thought I’d leave my life behind just to marry a man I barely knew. I had plans. Dreams. A whole future that had nothing to do with being someone’s wife.

Yet, here I was.

I left everything behind—my career, my friends, the life I had built for myself—just to come back to this. To him.

And the worst part? Lucian didn’t even want this marriage either.

I scoffed under my breath. At least we agree on something.

I wasn’t an idiot. I knew exactly what this was.

A deal between two families.

Our fathers, best friends since their youth, had decided that the best way to solidify their bond was through marriage. And since Lucian’s first marriage had already crumbled into dust, they thought I would be a good fit for the replacement.

I clenched my jaw at the thought.

A replacement. That’s all I was, wasn’t I?

I shook my head, running a hand through my hair. I didn’t come back just to be some substitute for a woman who walked out on him.

I exhaled sharply, closing my eyes.

It was too late to back out now. The wedding was set. The preparations had begun.

And in just seven days, I would be standing at the altar, saying vows that neither of us meant.

______________________________________

HIS POV ~

I leaned back in my chair, pinching the bridge of my nose as I stared at the laptop screen. The numbers, reports, and emails all blurred together, but my focus had long since drifted elsewhere.

The rain hadn’t stopped. It kept hammering against the windows, a dull reminder of the storm both outside and in my head.

Eleanor.

I exhaled slowly, pushing the thought away. I had already wasted enough of my time dealing with her today. First, she crossed the line during our argument at the office, then she had the audacity to jump on me like a scared cat when the thunder roared. And now, she was out there in the living room, completely unbothered, scrolling her damn phone like this wasn’t a complete disaster waiting to happen.

One week.

That’s all I had before my life would officially be tied to hers.

I had been here before. I had stood at the altar, made promises that were eventually thrown back in my face.

And yet, here I was again.

Only this time, there was no illusion of love. No expectations. Just a contract, a family arrangement, and a woman who didn’t know when to back down.

Eleanor wasn’t like my first wife. That much was obvious.

She enjoyed pissing me off.

And maybe that was what irritated me the most.

Because no one had dared to push me since… her.

My jaw clenched at the thought. I shut my laptop with a little too much force and stood up, rolling my shoulders.

I needed space. Air. Anything but the suffocating thought of history repeating itself.

Dragging a hand through my hair, I walked to the window, watching the rain as it continued to pour.

One week.

Then she’d officially be mine.

And I still wasn’t sure if that was a curse… or something far worse.

_________________________________

I exhaled sharply, deciding I needed something stronger than the black coffee I had downed earlier. Walking to the mini-bar in the corner of my room, I poured myself a drink. The amber liquid swirled in the glass, catching the dim lighting.

I took a sip, letting the burn settle in my throat.

This wasn’t what I had planned for my life. But then again, plans had never really worked out for me, had they?

A sudden vibration from my phone snapped me out of my thoughts.

I glanced at the screen. My mother.

Of course.

With a sigh, I answered. “What is it?”

"Lucian," her voice was soft but firm. "How’s Eleanor?"

My grip on the glass tightened. "She’s fine."

"Are you two getting along?"

I let out a dry chuckle. Getting along? If arguing, ignoring, and pushing each other’s buttons counted, then sure. "We’re surviving."

"That’s not an answer."

I took another sip before replying, "We’re coexisting, Mother. Isn’t that enough?"

She sighed, and for a moment, there was silence. Then, "Lucian… I know you’re still holding on to the past. But Eleanor isn’t her."

My jaw clenched. "I don’t want to talk about this."

"But you need to," she insisted. "You can’t keep pushing everyone away. This marriage—”

"Isn’t real."

"It could be," she said softly.

I scoffed. "Not in this lifetime."

"You don’t know that."

I didn’t answer. There was no point. My mother was too hopeful, too blinded by whatever image she had of Eleanor and me.

But I wasn’t.

I knew exactly what this was. A deal. A contract. A necessary inconvenience.

"I need to go," I said, already tired of this conversation.

"Fine," she sighed. "But try to be civil. That girl is trying, even if you refuse to see it."

I ended the call before she could say more, setting my phone down with a little too much force.

Trying?

I ran a hand through my hair. Maybe she was. Maybe she wasn’t.

Either way, it didn’t change a damn thing.

Finishing my drink, I set the glass aside and stepped out of my room.

I wasn’t sure why I walked toward the living room.

But when I did, I found her curled up on the couch, fast asleep.

Her phone was still in her hand, the screen dimmed. A few strands of her hair had fallen over her face, and despite everything, she looked… peaceful.

A sharp contrast to the chaos she brought into my life.

I should’ve walked away.

But instead, I stood there for a moment longer than I should have, watching her.

And for the first time that night, my thoughts were quiet.

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