Chapter 8

Owe news spread through the town like wildfire—Arlo, the mysterious billionaire who kept mostly to himself, was getting onesried. It seemed that no one could talk about anything else. Whispers filled the streets, shops, and cafés, and every corner of the town buzzed with speculation.

"Can you believe it? Arlo’s finally tying the knot!" one woman exclaimed in the bakery, her eyes wide with disbelief as she spoke to her friend.

"I wonder who the lucky bride is," another woman chimed in, leaning over the counter. "No one’s even seen her, but she must be stunning to catch his eye."

The truth was, no one in town had any idea who the bride-to-be was. Arlo had been careful to keep Lune’s identity a secret, and despite the growing curiosty, the town had been left guessing. This only fueled the excitement, turning Arlo's upcoming wedding into the most talked-about event in recent memory.

The girls in town, especially, couldn’t stop speculating. Arlo had always been a subject of fascination—his wealth, his looks, his mysterious air. Now, with the news of his wedding, jealousy spread like a quiet undercurrent, leaving many of them wishing they were the one walking down the aisle beside him.

"I bet she’s some model or a girl from a rich family," one girl said as she walked with her friends. "Someone like him wouldn’t settle for anything less."

"Whoever she is, I’m so jealous," another added with a pout. "Can you imagine being married to a man like Arlo? The mansion, the luxury, the lifestyle. She’s the luckiest woman alive, and we don’t even know who she is!"

There was a bitterness to their words, as though they couldn’t fathom why someone else, someone unknown, would get to live the dream they had all secretly harbored. Every girl had, at one point or another, wondered what it would be like to catch Arlo’s attention. Now, the thought of some mysterious woman, hidden from view, taking what they imagined to be their place only stirred their envy.

At the local hair salon, the conversation took on a more serious tone as the older women gossiped.

“I heard the bride isn’t from around here at all. Maybe she’s foreign, someone Arlo met on one of his business trips.”

“No one’s seen her because Arlo’s keeping her hidden. It’s a power move—he doesn’t want anyone to know until the wedding day.”

“Well, whoever she is, she’ll be theenvy of every woman in this town,” one of them muttered, her voice dripping with resentment.

Meanwhile, young men in the town watched the frenzy with amusement, shaking their heads at the way the women fawned over the idea of marrying into Arlo’s wealth.

The wedding, now just two weeks away, had become the town’s biggest mystery, and the bride—whoever she was—had become the object of both admiration and envy. They didn’t know her name, her face, or her story, but that didn’t stop the rumors from spreading like wildfire.

What the townspeople didn’t realize was that Lune, the unknown bride, was far from feeling lucky. Hidden from the world, she was grappling with a sense of betrayal and dread that no one outside her home could ever understand. While the town buzzed with excitement and jealousy, Lune felt trapped in a future she had never asked for, tied to a man she barely knew.

The morning air was crisp as Lune left the house, her footsteps heavy on the familiar path toward her second part time work which she does on weekends . She pulled her coat tighter around herself, hoping it might also shield her from the thoughts racing in her mind. The knowledge of her impending wedding weighed on her like a dark cloud, and even though she had tried to push it aside, she couldn’t escape it.

As she entered the small office where she worked, the familiar hum of voices greeted her. Her boss, Mr. Turner, stood near the front desk, chatting with a group of his friends who often dropped by for coffee. Lune immediately noticed the excitement in their voices, and it didn’t take long for her to realize what they were talking about.

“Have you heard the latest?” one of Mr. Turner’s friends asked, leaning in with a conspiratorial grin. “Arlo’s wedding is all anyone can talk about. Can you imagine? A billionaire, right here in our town, and he’s getting married to some mystery woman!”

“I wonder who she is,” another man chimed in. “No one’s seen her. She’s got to be something special for a man like Arlo to keep her so hidden.”

Mr. Turner chuckled, shaking his head. “Whoever she is, she’s one lucky lady. Marrying into that kind of wealth? It’s a dream come true. Can you imagine? She’ll never have to worry about a thing for the rest of her life.”

Lune’s heart sank as she overheard the conversation. She paused by the door, her hand tightening around the strap of her bag. The irony of their words hit her like a punch to the gut. Everyone spoke of Arlo’s bride like she had won some grand prize, like her life was going to be a fairy tale of luxury and ease. No one could see the invisible chains wrapping tighter around her every day.

“She must be beautiful, too,” one of the men said with a laugh. “No way someone like Arlo would settle for anything less.”

The laughter echoed in Lune’s ears, and she clenched her fists, feeling the anger rise in her chest. None of them knew her. None of them knew the suffocating weight of being forced into a life she hadn’t chosen. To them, it was a story of glamour and fortune. But to Lune, it was a prison.

“Lune!” Mr. Turner called out, finally noticing her standing in the doorway. He smiled warmly at her, completely unaware of the turmoil brewing beneath her calm expression. “Good morning. You’re just in time to hear about the town’s favorite topic—Arlo’s wedding.”

Lune forced a tight smile, trying to hide the bitterness rising in her throat. “Yeah, I’ve heard.”

“You know,” Mr. Turner said, turning back to his friends, “I bet the bride’s going to be revealed soon. They can’t keep her a secret forever. We’ll see who the lucky girl is before long.”

Lucky. The word stung like a fresh wound. Lune swallowed hard and nodded before excusing herself to head to her desk. She could still hear the conversation carrying on behind her, their voices filled with excitement and envy for a wedding they believed would be nothing short of perfection.

But for Lune, every mention of the wedding felt like a reminder of how trapped she was, of how little control she had over her own future. As she sat down at her desk, she stared blankly at her computer screen, her thoughts miles away. The world outside might see her as fortunate, as the bride of a wealthy man with a glamorous life ahead of her, but in truth, she felt like a prisoner in a gilded cage.

Lune dragged herself through the front door, her shoulders slumped with exhaustion. It had been another long day at work, and the endless gossip about Arlo's wedding had only added to her weariness. She barely managed to kick off her shoes before her mother’s voice echoed from the living room.

“Lune, come in here. We need to talk.”

Lune sighed, her body protesting at the thought of another conversation. All she wanted was to collapse in bed, to forget about everything for a little while. But she knew better than to avoid her parents right now. Reluctantly, she made her way into the living room, where both Evelyn and Gerald sat waiting for her, their faces lined with anticipation.

“What is it?” Lune asked, her voice tinged with fatigue.

Her mother patted the seat next to her. “We’ve been thinking, dear. It’s time for you to quit your job.”

Lune blinked, caught off guard by the statement. “Quit? Why?”

“You need to start focusing on the wedding,” Evelyn replied, her tone overly cheerful, as if trying to make the situation seem like something to celebrate. “There’s so much to do. You need to pick out your dress, choose the flowers, talk to the caterers—it’s all happening so quickly.”

Lune stared at her parents, her mind reeling. They were serious. They actually expected her to give up her job, to throw herself into preparing for a wedding she had no say in, with a man she barely knew. It felt like they were asking her to abandon the last shred of normalcy she had left.

“I can’t just quit,” Lune said, her voice sharper than she intended. “I need my job.”

“Not anymore,” Gerald interjected, his tone firm but calm. “Arlo’s taken care of everything, financially speaking. You don’t need to work. There’s no reason for you to exhaust yourself when you should be preparing for your future.”

“My future?” Lune repeated, her voice trembling. “You mean the future that was decided for me? The one I didn’t choose?”

Her mother’s face softened, but her resolve didn’t waver. “I know this is hard for you, Lune. But the wedding is in two weeks. We have to get everything ready. You’ll want to look your best on the day.”

“I don’t care about the dress or the flowers,” Lune snapped, feeling a surge of frustration. “None of this feels real to me. You’re acting like this is some grand occasion, but I’m not ready for any of it. I don’t even know him!”

Gerald’s expression darkened, though his voice remained steady. “You’ve known this was coming, Lune. This is your reality now. We’re trying to help you. Arlo is a good man. He’s given us more than we could have ever asked for.”

Lune’s heart twisted painfully at his words. “So, because of the money, I’m just supposed to fall in line? Quit my job and pretend like this is a normal wedding?”

Evelyn reached for Lune’s hand, her eyes pleading. “We understand it’s overwhelming, but it’s happening. And it’s going to be beautiful, Lune. You deserve to look and feel beautiful on your wedding day. Let us help you make this as smooth as possible.”

Lune pulled her hand away, rising from the couch. Her chest felt tight, the walls of the room closing in on her. “I don’t want to quit my job,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s the only thing that feels like mine right now.”

Her mother stood, trying to reason with her. “You don’t need it anymore. Arlo—”

“I don’t care about Arlo’s money!” Lune’s voice cracked as she shouted. “I just want something in my life that I can control!”

The room fell into a heavy silence. Her parents exchanged glances, both of them looking helpless, but also determined to push her into the role they had chosen for her. Lune’s heart sank. She could see it in their eyes—they weren’t going to let her hold on to her independence, not when Arlo had already given them everything they needed.

Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Without another word, Lune turned and walked up to her room, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it, her breathing shallow. Everything was slipping away—her job, her freedom, her voice in her own life. And now, they wanted her to immerse herself in preparations for a wedding that felt like a sentence, not a celebration.

Her job had been her last bit of control, her escape from the suffocating pressure at home. But now, even that was being stripped from her.