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Chapter 16
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THE ARRANGED BRIDE Chapter 17
Kellan's POVI pushed the door to our suite open and stepped through into the first light of dawn, filtering through the drawn curtains. The room was quiet except for the low sound of Olivia's breathing. My eyes skittered to her, a small figure, curled up on the couch, in her clothes from the day prior, asleep. She would have tipped sideways a little, her head at an awkward angle, even asleep, the faint furrow that lined her brow as if mind could not find its way free from its troubles would be present. A sharp twisting in my guts, pierced through by that stabbing pang of chagrin that stabbed through the armor of indifference I had worked so hard to build up around myself. I could shrug it off. After all, she brought it on herself, didn't she? Trying so hard to fit a role I never wanted her to play. Trying so hard to be someone I could love when I had clearly made it known that I couldn't.I peered back over to Olivia, still asleep, obviously not even knowing I was here. She looked
Last Updated : 2024-08-24THE ARRANGED BRIDE Chapter 18
OLIVIA'S POV "How are you doing, Liv? How's city life in Paris?" Brain's voice came from the other end of my line, drawing a smile against my cheeks as he just kept on rambling, on and on and all that happiness in his tone made my chest hurt."Paris is magnificent, Brian. Just as I always thought it would be." I was nearly convincing myself of the false enthusiasm that spilled from my mouth, the very hope that sounded through my voice. "Kellan and I have been running around the city, taking in the sights. .. the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, every classic tourist trap.""Sounds good. And Kellan? How's he treating my little sister?" Brian's voice was taut, there was a gentle, soft protectiveness in it and I could almost hear him leaning back in his chair, raising his eyebrows as he waited for me to answer him."He's been great," I said, my voice was too high, too forced. "Really attentive to making sure I get the total Paris experience."There was a moment of silence, then Brian was quiet
Last Updated : 2024-08-26THE ARRANGED BRIDE Chapter 19
OLIVIA'S POV"Isn't Paris just the most beautiful city you have ever laid eyes on?" Monique thrilled as we walked the cobblestone streets of Montmartre. The district literally throbbed with life from artists drawing portraits, street musicians playing rhythmic music, and wafting smells of freshly baked bread and coffee.I tried to force myself to smile, to get really caught up in all the magic of it, but I just kept thinking about Kellan. I'd vowed, from the moment I left for Europe, that I wouldn't let him ruin my day, but not having him beside me felt like a shadow over existence, something throwing into dark relief everything I wanted but could never have.Monique must have noticed my distant expression, for she elbowed my arm. "Come on, Olivia. Where has that smile gone? This is Paris; let nothing take it away from you."I felt my deep breath steal in like an infusion of strength, taking my troubled thoughts of Kellan and slowly shoving them to the farthest corners of my mind. Or
Last Updated : 2024-08-26THE ARRANGED BRIDE Chapter 20
Kellan's POV"Sharon, you ready?" I called out, tapping my foot impatiently as I waited for her outside her hotel room. We were already ten minutes behind our schedule to leave for dinner, but Sharon always ran late. It was one of the many things about her that used to grate on my nerves, but which I had figured out ways to handle over the years.It didn't matter tonight. For one, I wasn't in a hurry, and if I'm being straight with myself, I wasn't looking forward to getting back to Olivia at our hotel, either. I saw no problem in staying away; that tension didn't mix well with me.The door swung open, and out Sharon came, beaming. She was resplendent in her black dress with golden trimmings, contouring every curve of hers, and her blonde hair running down her shoulder. "Took you long enough," I said, although there was no real annoyance in the tone.She rolled her eyes playfully and linked her arm with mine. "Good things come to those who wait, darling."I smiled and inched closer to
Last Updated : 2024-08-26THE ARRANGED BRIDE Chapter 21
OLIVIA'S POV How I got back to the hotel is something my mind doesn't remember. My mind had gone numbingly blank, my body on autopilot while I plodded around Paris, barely taking in the very beautiful surroundings that delighted me just days before. The only thing in my mind's eye was Kellan and Sharon together, him smiling at her, her blowing me off like I meant nothing. Finally, when I entered the room, there was no to switch the light on. Stumbling towards the bed, I fell on it face down, burying my face in the pillows. The tears, so controlled since the restaurant, came with a force at every sob that racked my body until I felt absolutely spent. On some Neanderthal level, I knew this wasn't a love match. Kellan had been endlessly careful to let me know, from the very beginning and in a thousand small ways, that he had but felt nothing. There'd still been some insignificant, minute part of me that had probably wished, probably even dared to dream, that maybe, one day, he would
Last Updated : 2024-08-26THE ARRANGED BRIDE Chapter 22
KELLAN'S POV There had been so much bloodshed that the sun had finally hit deep in the latter part of its cycle, hitting high against the Parisian sky, turned to a sheen of gold over the city as I walked along at Sharon's side, hands bound tightly, hers in mine. Perfect day. As perfect as they come this late in the year. He twisted his hand in mine again, and this weirdest sense of jubilant impossibility washed over me, the feeling that at one moment in the universe, the world had come to a standstill and I couldn't hold my thoughts in line, not the way I wanted to. Sharon laughed pretty loudly when we stopped to watch a street performer. Her hand, which was holding onto mine rather precariously, sparkled up at me through eyes as she gazed through a dazzling smile, one that, at one time, used to set my heart racing. But today felt hollow and useless, as my mind was somewhere else: back in the suite with Olivia.I just couldn't rid myself of the image that haunted me since last nigh
Last Updated : 2024-08-26THE ARRANGED BRIDE Chapter 23
Brian's POV "Liv, are you sure you're okay?" For the third time I asked as the plane sailed above with Paris lights far below us. I was looking at her face to find a clue of how she really felt. Olivia just managed a nod and a tight-lipped smile."I'll be fine, Brian," she replied a bit softly, with some strain in her voice. "I'm… just… tired.""We are going home directly,” I whispered, striving to level the tone of our conversation. "And when we get there, we're going to work all this out, believe me, Liv. You're not alone in this.".She just gripped hard at my hand and made a motion of agreement, but no word came out. She didn't need to say one. Her eyes said it all. She said only one thing, that she was not falling apart in front of me.It passed in maddening silence, the hum of the plane's engines loud against Olivia eardrums, which wouldn't let her enter the arena of sleep. I just sat, my mind racing, watching the slackness of her features. How did I let things get so mixed up?
Last Updated : 2024-08-26THE ARRANGED BRIDE 24
Kellan's POVI scowled at the phone as the screen flashed on displaying Sharon's name for what felt like the hundredth time. She'd been calling for ten minutes now and I'd been avoiding her just that long.Finally answering the phone "Sharon, I don't feel like it today," I said. "I'm not going out."There was a silent pause on the other end of the line, and I could have sworn I heard her trying to work out what was happening."Kellan, what's wrong? You have been…”"I said I'm not going anywhere, " I cut in, a little more sharply than I really meant. I blew hard and rubbed my hand over the top of my hair. "I'll call you later."I slapped the phone beside me down onto the bed, hanging up before she could utter another word. Of all of the people I didn't want to hear from right now, it was her voice and, frankly, not one single person's voice-not when Olivia's tear-streaked face was so freshly etched into my mind that with every tick of a second since she'd left with Brian was haunting m
Last Updated : 2024-09-24
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THE ARRANGED BRIDE 89
CARL'S POVI walked around the lounge with Amanda slumped on the couch in front of me, lifeless as a doll. My pursuit of reason was after a wriggle away while the noise of the sirens was growing outside-no less shrill to herald an empire crumbling away.It would have had to have been Kellan-that self-righteous jerk-just couldn't leave well enough alone, could he? I built it with my own hands, he had no right to take it away from me.A loud crash, and my thoughts are rent asunder by the flying open front door. First to storm in is a tidesurge of river-backed, armed officer, hard on the heels of Hardhead, the head of Security-firm as unshakeable granite."Carl Martins," he yelled, as if his voice should have carried around the estate. "It's time to know what's left of you. Back away from Amanda now and surrender yourself to authority."I raised my hands, and a smirk curled my lips. "Surrender? To what, precisely? Baseless accusations? You have nothing on me."Out came the head of Securi
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CARL'S POVMy ringing phone dragged me out of my sleep. Already, my chest was getting tighter while I read on-screen the name Marcus, one of my most trusted men. Swiping to answer, already my voice was a low growl. "What is it?‘We have a problem," Marcus said, the tight urgency laced into his voice. "The head of Security has mobilized a team. They're coming for you, Carl. They're going to raid the estate within the hour."I almost lost my grasp on the phone as that icy panic clutched my chest. "How the hell could this have happened?”"It's Kellan Easton," Marcus spat. "That bastard's been gathering evidence, and he gave it to them. They've got enough to tear you apart."I clenched my jaw so tight I thought my teeth were going to crack. Should have killed Kellan Easton when I had him. That smug, self-righteous fool actually thought to take everything from me, power, my empire, Amanda."Listen now," I said, my voice razor-sharp. "Delay them. I don't care how you do it--cause a diversi
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 87
KELLAN’S POV The next morning, I sat on the edge of Alex's couch, my phone clutched in the firm grasp of my hand as if the strength of the hold could balance my thoughts spiraling out of order. The room, apart from the soft light coming from the table lamp, was shrouded in darkness. The creeping shadows at each corner were a reflection of unease crawling in my chest.What was left now was the riskiest of them all, and frankly speaking, I couldn't afford to waste more time. So I dialed the number that Brian had sent me - London head of Security - a man who, per Brian, had ties in with the Brooke family and who would deal in high stake situations.It rang a couple of times until I heard this firm, deep voice respond, "This is Gerald Mitchell.”‘Mr. Mitchell, my name is Kellan Easton," I started off hopefully-my voice wasn't breaking, "I'm calling because I have evidence regarding Carl Martins’ involvement in some illegal activities including but not limited to fraud, bribery, and unlaw
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 86
KELLAN’S POV It was 10:27, and my phone vibrated on the bed-side table, breaching the silence in my hotel room. All I could think of was who on earth would ring at such an ungodly hour, and by the time Eliza flashed across the screen right in the next second, my stomach started to growl. She never called for nothing whatsoever, and I think something inside my stomach had told me this time it was serious.“Eliza?" I returned, trying to keep my voice as neutral as possible, though the edges of my mind tickled with dread."Kellan," she said in a near whisper and barely holding in her shakes. "Something happened, Carl and Amanda, they had this huge fight.”My heart did a somersault, skipped a beat in me. "What kind of fight?" I was upright in bed.“A bad one,” she whispered. "Carl locked her in her room. He's furious. I think-" The words seemed to break off as if the weight of what she was saying hung in silence between them. "I think Amanda might be remembering."My mind just went compl
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 85
Olivia's POVCarl's eyes, boring into my skin, his jaw snapped shut; fists bunched at his sides, unreachable and menacing, he stood between me and the door. I had been so very careful with feigned ignorance, and yet somehow he knew."You've been lying to me, Olivia," Carl said ominously in a quiet tone.I glowered back with puzzlement, but inside my heart had started going crazy, pounding loudly inside my ears. "What's it? I don't-""Enough," he snapped-the word whistling through the air like a whip. "You think I do not see the way you are looking at me now? The reluctant one, the defiance in your eyes? You are remembering who you are.”Instinctively I moved one foot backward, but behind my back was no place to go. "Even if I did," I said, and for some reason my voice wasn't shaking. "What does that matter? You have lied about everything to me, Carl-who I am, about my past-“Because you needed protection!" he cut in, voice rising. That manic edge gleamed once more in his eyes and my h
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 84
Olivia's POVI slowly came awake, the pungent antiseptic smell of the hospital stinging my nose. It was like trying to blink the world into focus-my eyelids just felt so heavy. The pale, white ceiling above me came into view, but it wasn't the sterile room that caught my attention-it was the flood of memories crashing through my head.Kellan.It surged back, with such force-so visceral-taking the breath from my lungs: his face, his voice, his touch. I remembered it all-the life they shared, the love they shared, the despair I felt because it was torn from me.Carl had lied.My heart racing, I swallowed hard, my eyes flying from one side of the room to the other. There was no sign of Carl anywhere, but I knew that he wouldn't have wandered very far away. I couldn't tell him I remembered-not yet.I shifted slightly, wincing as a dull ache coursed through the back of my head. The flash of Carl's anger, his hand shoving me, and the wall rushing toward me replayed in my mind. Stupid to con
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 83
Kellan's POVMorning light filtered through my window, but it was barely noticed. In front of me, on the desk, my laptop sat with its screen full of all the documents and reports Thomas sent over in the last days: copies of bank accounts, police records, cameras at important junctions. The jigsaw of grains formed one enormous confusing puzzle.My phone rang right next to my head. I lifted it-the name across the screen glowed. It was Thomas.“What have you got?" I said, cutting to the chase.“We need to act fast, Carl is growing paranoid,” Thomas said. “We’ve noticed him destroying files, moving assets around. He knows someone’s digging into his business, but he doesn’t know it’s us.”Good. That gave us an edge, but not much of one. Carl was too calculating to let his guard down for long.*****I later met Thomas and the rest of the team that afternoon in a nondescript café on the outskirts of town: functional in as much as it was well out of the way of prying eyes, and even farther ou
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 82
Kellan's POVI was pacing around in the living room when it came. The incessant buzzing on the table; I reached to snatch it up with not a lot of thought on whom it would be; it was Eliza."Tell me you have something," I pressed, an edge to my tone, though tension in my voice belied a composure."Mr. Easton," Eliza started, but just then, an inflection of the tone that began to rise her voice sent my alarm bells ringing. "There's been an accident.”"What's wrong?" My stomach twisting into a tight knot, I clutched the phone in my hand."Olivia, she's been admitted to the hospital. She is unconscious."The world had stopped. I just blanked for a second until pure surging panic and anger took over my head. "What do you mean she's unconscious? What happened?""I don't have all the details yet," said Eliza, "but yes, she was rushed out of the house today, some type of head injury, and she's at Memorial Hospital."I didn't say a word either; took my car keys and ran out of the house, full o
THE ARRANGED BRIDE 81
Amanda's P.O.V.The room was stifling. Dead air, deadening the silence, weighed upon me, like some unshed tear inside of me which refused to come out. I sat at my window, looking out into the sprawling gardens of Carl's mansion. My mind, however, had flown elsewhere.Disjointed pieces of something that were at the same time so strange and yet so familiar started as flashes sometime back: a sound, a woman's voice calling my name; the echo of laughter with this feeling of warmth and welcome that just didn't fit into this cold, calculated life Carl said was mine.My fingers dug in and scratched the nail deep across the skin. Would not those flashes let me be, hanging onto the edges of my mind tenaciously-never to let go and believe this version that Carl tried to sell so desperately as my life.I abruptly got on my feet-my chair scratching the floor with me. The unease inside had brimmed; I wanted answers.Carl's voice carried out to the hall outside my room, and I took a deep breath, pu
