Unknown Feelings - Chapter 5

Raisel – POV

“Why would he announce his marriage to Davina?” I asked, my voice trembling as tears welled in my eyes. My heart ached, and the betrayal stung anew, as if Alaric had twisted the knife in deeper. “What kind of man is Alaric to move on so easily? To flaunt it so publicly?” My voice cracked, and I pressed my trembling hands against my face to stop the flow of tears.

“I know why,” Soren said, his voice calm and measured.

I looked up, startled by his confidence. “Why?” I demanded.

“We are the talk of the town,” he replied. “The internet believes I’m serious about you. That I’m in love with Raisin.”

My cheeks burned at the nickname, but I ignored it. “How does that backfire on Alaric?” I asked, not understanding.

Soren’s hazel eyes gleamed with something I couldn’t quite decipher. “I’ll explain later,” he said, waving off my question.

I frowned, and Hazel mirrored my skepticism with a pointed glare.

“Soren, I need an answer,” I pressed, my frustration building. “You asked me to trust you, and I have. But I deserve to know what’s going on.”

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if debating how much to reveal. “Fair enough,” he conceded. “I can tell you one thing. Investors have been watching Alaric closely. They know about his affairs, his flings, his cheating. And they don’t take it lightly.”

I blinked, confused. “Why would investors care about his personal life?”

“Because,” Soren said, leaning forward, “they believe if a man can cheat on his wife, he can cheat in business. It’s about trust. And right now, the big investors are backing out of his new project—launching that mobile model he’s been so desperate to debut.”

A flicker of satisfaction sparked in me, but doubt quickly followed. “Won’t this affect your business, too?”

He shook his head with a small smile. “Not even a little. My biggest investor is my grandfather. And he’s the one person I can count on—so long as he believes I’m in a serious relationship. That’s why I made our relationship public.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Wait. You didn’t tell your grandfather this is all fake? That we’re… fake dating?”

“No,” he admitted bluntly.

My mind spun. “So… how does that help me get my revenge, Soren? My name is already in shambles. People think I’m a gold digger because of your announcement!” My voice rose, filled with frustration. “I don’t care about what people think of me, but what about your name? Aren’t you risking everything?”

He leaned forward, his voice soft but firm. “Let me ask you something, Raisel. Do you want Alaric back?”

“No!” I snapped, the words tumbling out before I even had time to think. “I want him to suffer.”

“Then we’re on the same page,” Soren said, his lips curving into a knowing smile. “You want revenge, and I need my family to believe I’m dating seriously. This works for both of us. But you’ll have to be patient and trust me. The plan is already in motion.”

I turned to Hazel, who stood with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on Soren with suspicion. She sighed after a long pause. “You should have told Raisel everything from the start,” she said pointedly.

“I’m sorry,” Soren said, though the lack of remorse in his tone was glaringly obvious.

Hazel gave me a long look before sighing again. “Well, you two clearly need each other. He needs a fake girlfriend, and you want to burn Alaric’s world to the ground. It works, I guess. Just… be careful, Raisel.”

Maybe she was right. Maybe I was being overly cautious, still sensitive after everything Alaric had put me through. But something about Soren’s words—it felt like there were more layers to his plan than he was letting on.

“Fine,” I said, turning back to Soren. “But I want details on how I get my revenge.”

He grinned. “I have plans. You’ll love them. And Hazel can pitch in with ideas, too.”

I sighed, feeling the heaviness in my chest start to lift slightly. “Can we at least get drinks first?”

The music pulsed through the club, loud and hypnotic, as the beat vibrated beneath my heels. I downed one drink after another, letting the alcohol numb the ache in my heart. Hazel and I danced together in the middle of the floor while Soren stood off to the side, watching us with his ever-calm demeanor.

“I want to dance with you!” I shouted, grabbing Soren’s hand and pulling him toward the dance floor.

He resisted, frowning. “You know I don’t dance.”

“Tonight, you do,” I declared, spinning him into the crowd. Hazel laughed, swaying beside us, but my body moved with reckless abandon, the alcohol and music drowning out the memories clawing at the edges of my mind. Alaric. His first kiss. His last kiss. The way he used to smile at me before it all turned into a cruel lie.

I danced harder, shaking off the ghosts of the past. My legs and hips swayed to the rhythm, my movements uninhibited for the first time in years.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist, steadying me. I looked up and saw Soren’s face inches from mine, his hazel eyes locking onto mine.

“Where’s Hazel?” I asked, slurring slightly.

He pointed to the corner of the dance floor, where Hazel was lip-locked with a handsome stranger.

“Let’s go home,” he murmured, his lips brushing close to my ear. His hazel eyes locked onto mine, and my heart pounded wildly in my chest. He was too close—dangerously close. I wanted to kiss him, but my head spun as his hand grazed my lower lip, sending a shiver down my spine.

“You’re irresistible, Raisins,” he whispered, his voice low and filled with promise. His gaze darkened. “And I will make you mine.”