Chapter Five

Furina leaned against the wall of the dimly lit tube station, trying to steady her nerves. The metallic hum of the arriving train grew louder, mingling with the rhythmic thrum of her anxious heartbeat. She glanced at her phone again, noting the text message from Diluc Ragnvindr Neuvillette: “Meet me at 10:00 AM at the office. I have something to discuss.”

The previous night had been a whirlwind of emotions. After settling her father’s debt with the help of the mysterious and handsome Diluc, she felt a mix of relief and trepidation. The funds had arrived just in time, but the identity of the benefactor, and the strange circumstances surrounding his help, left her uneasy. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something complicated.

As she rode the tube, she replayed their last conversation in her mind. Diluc had been clear—he wanted to meet her to discuss the terms of her repayment. The gravity of his tone left her with a knot in her stomach. What could be so important that it required an in-person discussion?

The train jolted to a stop, and she stepped out onto the platform. The office building, a sleek glass structure that loomed above the city, came into view. It felt out of place against the backdrop of the gritty streets, its modernity starkly contrasting with the surrounding neighborhood.

Inside the building, the reception area was pristine, with polished floors and high ceilings. Furina approached the front desk, where a young woman with sharp glasses and a no-nonsense demeanor greeted her.

“Name?” the receptionist asked.

“Furina… um, Furina Dunne. I’m here to see Mr. Neuvillette.”

The receptionist’s fingers flew over the keyboard as she checked the schedule. “Please take the elevator to the 25th floor. Mr. Neuvillette is expecting you.”

The elevator ride felt interminably slow. Furina’s reflection in the shiny walls seemed to mock her apprehension. When the doors finally opened, she found herself in an expansive office with floor-to-ceiling windows, revealing a panoramic view of the city. Diluc was standing behind a large mahogany desk, his presence commanding and confident.

“Ms. Dunne,” he greeted, his voice smooth but carrying an undercurrent of seriousness. “Thank you for coming.”

“Mr. Neuvillette,” she replied, trying to keep her tone steady. “You said you wanted to discuss the repayment of the loan.”

Diluc gestured to a set of chairs opposite his desk. “Please, have a seat.”

Furina sat down, feeling the weight of his gaze as he settled into his own chair. His eyes, a piercing shade of green, held a calm intensity that made her feel exposed.

“Let’s get straight to the point,” Diluc began, folding his hands on the desk. “I have found a way for you to repay my kindness. There’s the matter of how we’ll finalize our agreement.”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Furina said, frowning.

Diluc’s expression didn’t waver. “You don’t need to repay me in monetary value. I propose a solution that involves a legal agreement between us. Specifically, I need you to marry me on paper.”

Furina blinked, her mind struggling to grasp the implications. “Marry you? On paper? Why?”

“It’s a formality,” Diluc explained. “A strategic arrangement. The marriage will be for appearances only, but it’s crucial for my current business dealings. I assure you, it will only be for the sake of formality, and we can have the marriage dissolved in three years.”

The room seemed to shrink as Furina processed his words. “You’re asking me to enter into a legal marriage just to make a business arrangement? What happens if I refuse?”

Diluc leaned forward, his demeanor shifting slightly. “If you decline, you’ll need to repay the £1.5 million I wired to you. I understand this is a significant amount, and I’m offering this as a compromise.”

Her heart sank. She was barely managing to settle his father’s debt to the lloan shark The prospect of paying back such an amount was daunting.

“And if I agree?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Diluc’s gaze softened. “If you agree, we’ll sign a marriage certificate and a separate agreement detailing our arrangement. It’s a legal formality, and I’ll ensure you’re not entangled in any further obligations.”

Furina weighed her options. The idea of a marriage for appearances was unsettling, but the alternative was financial ruin. She sighed, her decision clear despite the discomfort it caused her.

“Alright,” she said finally.

Diluc nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. “Very well. Let’s proceed with the paperwork.”

Within the hour, Furina found herself in a small conference room with Diluc, his personal assistant, and a lawyer. The documents were straightforward, detailing the marriage and a separate agreement outlining the terms of their arrangement. She signed them with a shaky hand, feeling the gravity of the decision settling on her shoulders.

As they walked out of the building, the flash of cameras caught her off guard. Reporters and photographers swarmed, capturing the moment of their departure. Diluc placed a protective hand on her back, guiding her through the throng.

Furina glanced at the faces in the crowd, her thoughts racing. The attention felt invasive, but she had little choice but to endure it. She’d entered a contract she barely understood, and now she was left to navigate the consequences of her decision.

When they finally made it to a quieter street, Diluc turned to her. “Thank you for your cooperation. I’ll make sure everything is handled according to our agreement.”

Furina nodded, her mind still reeling from the whirlwind of events. “I hope you understand this isn’t exactly what I envisioned for my life.”

Diluc’s expression remained impassive. “I understand. We’ll work to make this arrangement as smooth as possible.”

As she walked away from the building, Furina felt a profound sense of unease. She had traded one set of problems for another, and now, she was left to deal with the fallout of a marriage that was meant to be nothing more than a formality. The real challenge, she knew, was figuring out how to navigate this new chapter of her life without losing herself in the process.

👠👠👠

The next morning, she was awoken by the constant notification alert on her phone. She’d never put her phone in silent, just in case her father needed her. Reaching for the phone on her bedside table, she stifled a yawn.

Furina stared at the array of notifications on her phone with a mix of disbelief and confusion. Her fingers trembled as she scrolled through the barrage of articles that had erupted overnight. Each headline seemed more sensational than the last, but one stood out with painful clarity: “Playboy Diluc Neuvillette Married Her Sister”.

She felt as though the world had tilted on its axis. Her mind raced to connect the dots between the sudden marriage, the strange headlines, and the frantic phone call from her mother. What had she missed?

A knock on her door snapped her out of her reverie. It was Lizzy, holding a stack of newspapers. “Furina, you might want to see this,” Lizzy said, her voice tinged with concern.

“Not now, Liz,” Furina replied, trying to sound calm despite the storm inside her. She was still grappling with the implications of the news.

“Furina, you need to see this. It’s important,” Lizzy insisted, stepping inside and placing the papers on the coffee table.

Reluctantly, Furina picked up the top newspaper and read the headline: “Incest Scandal: The Neuvillette Marriage Controversy.” Beneath the headline was a photo of her and Diluc leaving the building the previous day, surrounded by flashing cameras. Next to that, a photo of her mother, Celeste Neuvillette, looking stunning at some event, caught her eye. The articles described Celeste as a celebrated socialite who had married the billionaire Antoine five years ago.

Furina’s stomach churned. Her socialite mother had always been in the public eye, but this was a new level of scandal. What had Diluc gotten her into?

Her phone buzzed again. She glanced at the screen and saw a message from her mother: “Call me NOW. You need to explain this madness.”

With a deep breath, she dialed her mother’s number, trying to steady her nerves. The call went through, and her mother’s voice was strained, almost hysterical.

“Furina! How could you do this to us? Marrying my son, without even telling me?”

That word ‘my son’ cut deep especially when the supposed son was obtained through marriage while Furina herself was Celeste’s biological daughter.

“What were you thinking? Do you have any idea what this means for my family?”

Again, the word ‘my family’ which meant that Furina was never a part of Celeste’s family despite her request for Furina to move in with her and Antoine.

“You’re such an ungrateful child! I can’t believe I offered you my home last night!” Her mother snapped. “You and your father are both useless!”

The call ended abruptly, leaving Furina staring at her phone in shock. Lizzy, who had been observing quietly, finally spoke. “You need to talk to Diluc. He’s the only one who can explain this mess.”

Furina nodded, feeling overwhelmed but determined. She grabbed her coat and headed out the door, her mind racing as she made her way to the address of Diluc’s office, a sleek high-rise in the heart of the city.

When she arrived, the building’s grandeur only heightened her anxiety. Inside, she was escorted to a luxurious office with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city. Diluc was standing behind a large mahogany desk, his expression inscrutable as she entered.

“Furina,” he greeted, his voice calm but with an edge she hadn’t heard before. “I see you’ve been catching up on the news.”

“Diluc, what’s going on? Why didn’t you tell me that you’re my stepbrother?!” she demanded, struggling to keep her composure.

Diluc’s gaze softened slightly, but his voice remained measured. “I didn’t expect the news to break so quickly. The marriage was a business arrangement, and I was trying to avoid any personal complications.”

“Personal complications? Is this good for business that you’re being accused of incest?” Furina said, her frustration bubbling over. “I need to understand why you’ve dragged me into this and what’s going to happen next.”

To her surprise, the handsome French man let out a deep chuckle that sent a shrill down her spine. “C’est là que tu as tort.” (“That is where you’re wrong”). He stood from his seat behind the massive wooden oak table and slid his hands inside the pockets of his designer trousers. “I don’t have to explain anything to you, Darling. You’ve signed a legally binding agreement. There is no way out for you, I’m afraid.”

Before Furina could answer, the office door swung open, and a tall, elegant woman stepped in. Furina recognized her immediately – Yvette Moulin, Diluc's ex-girlfriend. Yvette's presence seemed to fill the room, her eyes gleaming with calculated intent.

“Oops, am I interrupting?” asked Yvette, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

“What are you doing here, Yvette?” Diluc’s voice was cold, but Furina could see the tension in his posture.

“I came to talk to you, Diluc. We have some unfinished business, remember?” Yvette said, her gaze flicking to Furina with barely concealed disdain. “But I see you’re busy.” 

“We were just finishing up,” Diluc said dismissively.

“Alright then.” Yvette turned to look at Furina with a raised eyebrow.

Furina steeled herself and without sparing any glance at Diluc or Yvette, she turned and left, leaving a heavy silence in her wake.