Chapter 2

I stared at my reflection in the mirror once more and felt that everything was perfect. I was wearing a pink sleeveless dress that was a bit puffy at the bottom, with prominent floral embellishments.

I don't really like sexy dresses and too many open parts here and there. My mom smiled with a glow on her face, I looked at her with my cheerful smile, but I was actually having an extremely nervous fit.

 "Mom can't wait to see you get married, put on a wedding dress and be the prettiest," she said and the melancholy started to come out, I took a deep breath and rolled my eyes when I saw her teary eyes. I got up from my seat, then turned to face her and gave her a big hug.

"You will surely see this day and be happy too," I comforted her, but my heart suddenly became restless. Marriage is not on my list right now. I released my hug and we both walked into the living room.

"Sean, sorry for taking so long, take good care of my daughter, okay?!" My mom ordered with a smile, Sean smiled reverently, I, who had been standing next to my mom, was stunned by the beautiful scenery that was presented at that time. My mom nudged me in awe, then nervously walked over to Sean, as we were about to go through the door, his hand touched my waist.

I felt electrocuted by the touch, so we walked to his Mercedes Benz. As I sat in the car, I squeezed my chest as if it would explode from my pounding heart, then Sean appeared and sat in the driver's seat.

Silence fell over us, but I didn't want to start a conversation because I didn't know what to say in this situation.

"Sorry for surprising you with this engagement." He opened the conversation between us by apologizing, I looked down at my fingers that I was slowly twisting.

"I-I don't want to rush into anything," I stammered nervously.

"Me too," he said, the silence covering us again until we reached our destination. Immediately, I stiffened in my current seat, a large number of press crowded in front of the entrance. I don't want to bring up news that will shock everyone, I'm not ready for that.

"W-what!? There's no other entrance?" I asked nervously, mixed with panic. Oh, my God! Please save me, I bit my inner lip out of nervousness mixed with worry. If the media manages to see me with Sean, nothing will be able to save me from the news that will spread, and I don't want that to happen.

"We'll go through the side door of this building," he replied, then turned to the side of the very large building, there was an entrance where there was no crowd at all, only a security guard. Sean parked the car, got down first and opened the door for me. My body seemed to lose energy, he extended his hand to me, I looked at his hand doubtfully, then looked up at him, he gestured for me to return the help.

Nervously I put one of my hands in his, then he took it and I got out of the car. His grip was warm, then he pulled my waist close to his body and walked through the door guarded by security. The two men guarding the door bowed respectfully to us, I bowed as we entered the building. This ballroom is very spacious, and of course there are many people, this atmosphere increases my nervousness to the highest level.

"Sean! Come here!"

Someone called Sean, I lifted my face to look at the caller. A beautiful Middle Eastern Indian woman was smiling as we approached the woman. When we were almost in front of the woman, she seemed to cover her mouth with both hands, with a look as if she had seen something amazing.

"Oh Sean, you're so lucky," she said loudly, she came over and hugged me hard as if she wanted to squeeze my body, I was gasping and confused with this woman's treatment, when she opened her arms she kissed one of my cheeks.

"Mom is right and you are not wrong, you have to mingle and show your affection, I want the world to know that this handsome but stupid Sean is going to marry a beautiful girl with a golden voice."

 I held back my laughter at this woman's comment. How dare she say that a Sean is a stupid man, she must be someone very close to Sean.

"Ranila! Come here!" someone called and the woman in front of me turned around. I also got an explanation out of curiosity. So this is Sean's sister, I didn't expect her reaction to me like this, I was nervous because I knew what Sean's family was like, wealthy and classy, while I wasn't in that list. I am a singer, but my fame is not comparable to Sean and his family. The woman named Ranila said goodbye before leaving us and approached a handsome man, they kissed for a moment before embracing. I guess it must be her husband.

"Would you like a drink?" I turned to look at Sean, then nodded smiling, I'm very thirsty now, it's the result of my excessive nervousness. My inner goddess fanned her face with her hands, her nails were red, several people in this room were staring at us and that made me nervous.

"Follow me," he said combined with an order, he bent one of his elbows, I looked at him confused, he motioned for me to take him, hesitantly and shyly I took his arm and walked to the dining table.

"What would you like to drink?" He asked again, I looked at the stemware filled with red and clear liquid, there was also a dark blue color. I know it's wine, but I don't drink alcohol.

"I don't drink alcohol," I refused, forming my lips into a straight line, am I going to die of thirst during this party? This is ridiculous, I don't want to be in the news with the embarrassing topic 'Our newcomer singer Ariana Alexandra was found dead of thirst at a party'. My inner goddess gave me a look of disgust at what I had just thought, while my senses spat violently to the side as a sign of humiliation and disgust. I saw Sean take a glass of orange liquid, I think it was orange juice. He also handed me the drink, I immediately breathed a sigh of relief when I smelled the citrus aroma from the drink, thank God I'm not dying of thirst here. As I drank my juice, I looked at Sean who was also looking at me with eyes that made my heart skip a beat. Can this man not look at me like that? There were many things in this room he could look at that were more interesting.

"Excuse me, are you Ariana Alexandra?" someone asked, breaking our gaze, I took the glass from my lips and turned to look at the questioner, I nodded and smiled. A rather handsome man, a fan(?) I was a little proud of that, but turned disappointed after he said who he was.

"Hi, we're in the same management now, my name is Ariel," he explained, then reached for my hand and shook it for a few seconds.

 "Hi Ariel, nice to meet you," I replied trying to be friendly, Ariel turned to look at Sean and greeted him friendly, Sean smiled slightly, after talking to Sean for a while the man left. The man seemed familiar, but I decided not to think about it.

"Would you like to dance?"

Sean turned me around, I looked nervously at a group of people dancing with their partners near a group of musical instruments in the corner of the room, I nodded weakly, then Sean grabbed my hand and held it, I followed him to dance. He put his hands around my waist while I wrapped my arms around his neck. My face must be blushing right now, my cheeks feel hot, we move slowly left and right.

"Have you ever danced before?" I know he's trying to make small talk because I'm looking down at him. Oh my God! Really! He is very handsome.

"Never," I whisper, embarrassed but honest.

"Really? Not with a man though?" Sean looked incredulous, I smiled shyly and shook my head, how ignorant I was. We stared at each other in silence, I was lost in his golden net and unexpectedly he kissed me, oh no! He took my first kiss, right here in the crowd.

At first I was surprised, when he teased my lower lip, I was lulled and returned the kiss with a movement that I know is very amateurish. It was so sudden and also intoxicating, his hand pulled my waist to press it against his body, one of his hands pressed against the back of my neck to deepen our kiss. I felt a strange sensation inside me, flowing like water, vibrating me from within and reacting to my groin.

"Do you want to just get married without getting engaged? You seem impatient."

The voice stopped our kiss, I looked down in shame and embarrassment, Sean snorted in annoyance, then sighed heavily.

"Come on Mom, what's wrong?" Sean asked with a bit of annoyance in his tone, I looked at Aunt Ramia from behind my lashes. The elegant woman in the black dress sighed.

"Your wedding is next week."

Suddenly, I raised my face to look at the woman and was about to protest, but Sean stopped me.

"It's up to you, Mom," Sean said.

Wait. WHAT??

Has he gone crazy? Oh no! What am I going to do? My tongue is dry, I can only curse in my head.

"Okay then, mom will talk to Aunt Alina again to cancel the engagement and replace it with marriage," Aunt Ramia concluded seriously, I saw her smiling happily as the woman walked away from us, I turned to look at Sean.

"Why don't you refuse?" I asked with a little annoyance. Why am I just a little annoyed? What is wrong with me?

"I want you, Ariana."

I'm in shock, what did he say? He wants me? But I don't know him? It's like a new puzzle for me.

"Why?" I asked again, he smiled.

"You'll find out later," he said, and I felt that there was something behind his smile and his words.