Chapter 3: Constrained by Obligation

Unexpectedly, the dawn of the next day arrived. An orange light emanated from the big windows of Aria's new room as the sun just barely made its way over the horizon. She gently roused herself from her sleep, her body weighed down by the weight of the truth of her choice.

There was no way for her to avoid the burden of what she had agreed to do, which was marriage, but not the type of marriage she had previously fantasized about. One and only a contract was being discussed here.

Following a brief shower, she immediately stepped in front of the mirror and gazed intently at her own image.

The tiredness that she had experienced as a result of the emotional roller coaster that she had been on was engraved into her face, and her brown eyes, which were normally so full of life, were lifeless.

A sigh came out of her mouth as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Simply put, what was she meant to be wearing?

Is it even relevant?

A rap on the door jolted her out of her reverie and brought her home. It turned out to be Roland, Lucas's assistant, who was standing there with a grin that was kind and somewhat robotic.

It is Mr. In order to provide you with a briefing, Ashford asks that you come to his study.

Is there a briefing?

Aria cocked her eyebrow but did not make a sign of agreement. She hastily dressed herself by grabbing a plain white top and black pants from her bag and running out the door.

It is quite likely that whatever it was that Lucas wanted to talk about was linked to business. When dealing with him, it was all business.

in the time that she arrived in the study, Lucas was already sat behind his enormous desk, with papers strewn in front of him. His eyes momentarily scanned her as she entered, and then he indicated to the chair that was in front of him.

He glanced up with a look of surprise.

"Take a seat," he replied, using the same icy and authoritarian tone as before.

She took a seat, and placed her hands on her lap as she did so. How come this is happening?She inquired, her tone of voice being more subdued than she had meant.

Lucas crisscrossed his fingers, his eyes focusing intently. The expectations that are associated with this arrangement need to be discussed. In your role as my wife, you will be expected to fulfill certain tasks, notably with regard to your looks.

I will be attending a lot of public events in the near future, and on each occasion, you will be required to remain at my side.

Aria clenched her teeth and resisted the thought of questioning him. After all, she had consented to this occurrence.

Nevertheless, the concept of being paraded about like some kind of ornament to Lucas's enterprise caused her stomach to flip.

"I understand," she eventually answered, maintaining a steady tone of voice despite the fact that her feelings were everything from peaceful.

As if he hadn't seen her distress, Lucas resumed their conversation. This afternoon, I will be meeting with a stylist who has been booked to meet with you.

For these gatherings, you will need to look the part, and your existing wardrobe will not be sufficient to meet the requirements.

Despite the fact that his bluntness caused Aria's cheeks to blush, she nodded. But what did she anticipate? It was obvious that she did not have a place in this society of great riches and luxury. Her experience with the Moonstone pack had been straightforward, with an emphasis on practicality rather than style.

Lucas said, "And one more thing," while leaning slightly forward in his chair. "We are going to be attending a gala the next evening. It is going to be the first time that you are presented to me as my wife.

It seemed like the air was leaving her lungs.

The night after tomorrow. As his wife, she was introduced. It caused her heart to beat when she considered the possibility of standing in front of people she did not know and pretending that everything was normal, that she had not been rejected only a few days earlier.

However, she could not afford to falter at this point.

With a greater sense of self-assurance than she really had, she met his eyes and murmured, "I'll be ready."

As he was pleased with her answer, Lucas nodded his head. "That's good. First, let's go over some of the specifics, shall we?

Additionally, you will need to be aware of how to deal with specific... circumstances"

Aria wore a frown. "What are the circumstances?"

There was a subtle darkening of Lucas's countenance. Many of my competitors in the business world would be delighted to see me fail, and I have a lot of them.

There will be those of them who will attempt to reach me via you. This is something that you will need to keep in mind at all times.

There was a flutter in her chest. Was he implying that there was a possibility that someone might harm her?

It was as if Lucas could read her mind. Don't be concerned; I have security measures in place. There are, however, more covert methods that others would attempt to undermine us.

They are going to put you through a test to see how weak you are. Aria, I just cannot afford to have a spouse who is not strong. You need to be just as powerful as I am if we are going to keep control of the situation.

She was unsure if the comments hurt her because of the idea that she was weak or because of the coldness with which he spoke. However, she felt a sharp pain.

There was no place for carelessness or vulnerability; there was no room for errors. In this world, not at all.

Again, she said, "I understand," despite the fact that her thoughts were racing.

Lucas stood up from his seat, indicating that the conversation had reached its conclusion.

"The stylist will be waiting for you at two o'clock. You are free to wander about the estate till that time comes. It would be best if you avoided the west wing.

Aria, too, rose up, perplexed by the conclusion of the sentence. How come I am unable to travel to the west wing?"

Cold and inscrutable, his gaze flickered toward her as he approached. "You should not be concerned about it. Make sure you don't go there."

He strode passed her and out of the study without waiting for a response, leaving her standing there with more questions than answers. He did not wait for her to respond.

Can you tell me about the west wing? Why was he keeping such a tight lid on the situation?

She motioned with her head. The fact was irrelevant. She already had a lot of things to cope with, and she didn't need to put her nose into Lucas's personal business.

She would concentrate on making it through this marriage, one day at a time, for the time being.

The remainder of the morning went by without any disturbances. Aria ventured out onto the expansive grounds of the house, attempting to divert her attention away from the rising sensation of discomfort that had found its way into her chest.

The estate was typically a chilly and sterile environment, but the gardens were lovely. They were filled with finely maintained hedges and vivid flowers that appeared out of place in the mansion.

 On the other hand, the allure of the gardens was not enough to dispel the burden that was weighing on her heart.

When she looked down, she saw that she was standing on the brink of a gigantic fountain, marveling at her reflection in the water flowing around her.

A lady who seemed to be a stranger appeared to be staring back at her. Her life had undergone such severe transformations in such a short period of time. It was as if she had lost all recognition of herself.

A voice cried out to her, "Aria," which jolted her.

Roland was coming, his normal courteous grin on his face, and she turned around to see him. This is the arrival of the stylist.

The sitting area is where she is waiting for you to arrive.

Aria gave him a nod and then followed him back inside. Despite the fact that she had no other option, she was unsure of what to anticipate from this stylist.

She would have to put on a convincing performance if she wanted to make it through this farce alive. Moreover, if it meant dressed up like the ideal wife of a millionaire, then I would not object to that.

A tall, stylish lady with nicely groomed hair and a keen sense of fashion welcomed her as she entered the sitting room. She was impressed by her look and her sense of style. Aria was already being evaluated by her as she glanced across at her, and her eyes brightened up.

The lady spoke to her in a tone that was kind yet professional, saying, "You must be Aria." "My name is Camille, and I am your stylist."

Under Camille's watchful stare, Aria managed to muster a smirk, but she was uncomfortable with the situation. I am delighted to meet you.

Camille arrived at work without wasting any time there. At the same time as she was demonstrating how essential it was to provide the appropriate picture, she took out swatches of fabric, drawings, and examples of jewelry.

After allowing Camille's words to permeate her, Aria bowed her head in agreement. At no point did it feel genuine.

Eventually, after what seemed like hours of deliberation, Camille made a decision about the design of Aria's gown that she would wear to the gala.

A dramatic open back and a high neckline characterized this dress, which was sleek and black in color. It was sophisticated and modest, making it an ideal choice for the part that she would be portraying.

While Camille was packing up her belongings, she gave Aria one final glance that conveyed her approval. "You are going to be the most popular person in the room. While Lucas is looking at you, he won't be able to shut his eyes.

Aria made an effort to grin, but the notion of it made her stomach turn inside out. Despite the fact that Lucas is now her husband, there was no love between the two of them.

Keeping in mind that she was but another component in his well crafted universe was something that she needed to maintain.

In the evening, Aria was lying in bed and gazing at the ceiling below her. Within the eyes of the whole world, she would be formally recognized as Lucas Ashford's wife the next day.

It was necessary for her to put on a happy front, do her role, and seem as if everything was in order.

In spite of this, she was aware, on some level, that this was just the beginning.

In Lucas's universe, there were mysteries that waiting to be discovered, and she would have to confront them at some point in the future.

In addition, when she did, she was uncertain as to whether or not she would emerge unhurt.