Chapter 04

Kylie

I don’t know why I’m still here. They won’t ask for my opinion on business matters since Dad knows he won’t get anything useful from me. But I’m here because they want Atlas to marry me for their own selfish reasons.

I glance at Vaness, noticing the irritation and frustration etched on her face. I know exactly how much she wants Atlas. I’ve always known this day would come; it’s clear that she’s not genuine in her actions and that envy has always simmered beneath the surface.

“Kylie,” Atlas calls my name, pulling me out of my thoughts. I take a deep breath, turning to face him with an expression devoid of any emotion. To me, Atlas is just a friend—nothing more. But that changed when he confessed his feelings for me. Since then, I’ve grown even more distant from him, especially after learning about the arranged marriage.

He knows how much I despise talking about our family business, yet I didn’t expect him to be the one to push for this. Dad agreed because he wants to increase his wealth, and Atlas played right into his hands.

“Finally, Atlas, you’ve arrived,” Dad says warmly as he greets Atlas. He immediately shakes Dad’s hand and kisses Auntie on the cheek.

“Good morning, Uncle, Auntie,” he says with a polite smile. They beam at him, clearly pleased. Vaness quickly approaches him, but Atlas only gives her a brief smile before turning his attention back to me.

“By the way, Uncle, my parents brought some food; they’re still outside,” Atlas informs them. Dad smiles and they start heading towards the dining area, leaving Vaness and me alone.

Vaness glares at me, and I can’t help but let out a deep sigh. What exactly is she so mad about? Her anger feels unnecessary. After all, I’ve done nothing wrong to her. I’ve treated her kindly since she first stepped foot into our home, yet she’s the one who has always given me an attitude. I don’t let it bother me, though.

“I don’t know why it has to be you,” she mutters in frustration.

“I’ve already told you, Vaness. If you want Dad to marry you off to Atlas, then go ask him yourself. Do you really think he’ll listen to me about things like that?” I reply, rolling my eyes as I walk away towards the dining area.

As I enter, I see them all chatting happily. The parents of Atlas have also arrived, and I greet them with a polite smile. I hold no grudges against them, but I can’t comprehend how they agreed to this arrangement.

Atlas sits beside me while Vaness takes a seat across from us. I can see the way she looks at him—her eyes burning with jealousy. She envies the experiences I’m about to have, the moments she wishes she could share with him.

“What would you like to eat?” Atlas asks, turning to me. I shake my head slightly.

“I’ll get it myself,” I say softly.

“You know, Kylie, Atlas prepared all this food himself. He said he wanted to serve you once you’re married,” Auntie says cheerfully. I force a smile, unsure of how to respond.

“Yeah, you know, I’ve been practicing my culinary skills. I even attended culinary school just to learn dishes I could cook for you,” Atlas adds with a proud grin.

I’ll give him credit for being sweet and caring. But it’s heartbreaking because I know I can’t return the love he so clearly wants from me. No matter what he does, I can’t love him the way he wants to be loved.

“I’ll cook you even more meals once we’re married,” he says with a smile.

“That marriage can wait, but don’t worry, Atlas. It will happen soon,” Dad assures him. I look over at Dad, who’s smiling at me. I know this is what would make him happy, but it won’t make me happy. If I force myself to marry Atlas, what will become of me?

“I guess Kylie needs to learn how to cook, too,” Vaness says suddenly, and the room falls silent. I don’t know why she had to say that, but I know exactly what she means. She’s trying to undermine me in front of Atlas.

Vaness is an excellent cook, while I’m not. I can manage fried dishes, but when it comes to soups and other complex meals, I’m out of my depth.

“You know, Atlas, we could cook together sometime. I know a lot of dishes, especially baked pastries,” Vaness suggests, her tone light but with an underlying motive.

“Really? That sounds great! We could cook something together next time and have Kylie taste it,” Atlas replies, looking at me. I notice how Vaness’s smile falters at his words. She’s trying to get closer to Atlas, but he keeps including me in everything.

“I don’t like sweets, Atlas. I’m not fond of sugary things, but Vaness loves them since she bakes a lot. You’re fond of sweets too, right? Why don’t you join her?” I suggest, glancing at Vaness with a small smile. Isn’t this what she wants? To get closer to Atlas? Since I don’t have any romantic feelings for him, I might as well help her achieve what she desires.

“Kylie, why would you turn down Atlas’s offer? He and Vaness don’t get to spend much time together,” Dad says, causing the atmosphere to tense even more. Instead of helping Vaness, it seems to have backfired.

“Come on, Vic, it’s better if Kylie and Vaness bond. They’ll be sisters-in-law soon, so they should spend time together,” Aunt Celeste chimes in. I just shake my head and start filling my plate.

I hate this drama. I don’t want to be part of it, but Vaness keeps dragging me into it, casting me as the villain in a story where she’s the self-proclaimed heroine.

“I’ll get that for you,” Atlas says, serving me some food, including my favorite dishes. I look at him and smile, appreciating his kindness.

I begin to eat while they continue discussing wedding plans. I don’t participate in their conversation; instead, I find myself lost in thought. I don’t want to get involved in these discussions because I have no interest in them.

All I want is to live a life far removed from their desires. I want to live my life to the fullest, away from the business world.

As I watch them, I see how happy they are, laughing and chatting about their plans. But I can’t feel the same joy. I can’t relate to their conversations. I feel like an outsider, only included because they’re discussing my future and because I’m the bait my dad is using to fulfill his ambitions.

I finish my meal, and they suggest moving to the living room to continue their discussion. I head to the kitchen to get some water, but I stop in my tracks when I see Aunt Celeste and Vaness talking.

“Auntie, I don’t know what to do anymore,” Vaness says, her voice laced with desperation. I stay still, listening to their conversation.

“Why didn’t you execute your plan properly? You were supposed to handle it, Vaness. You said you’d arrange a room for her and have a man meet her there so you could catch them together and show it to Vic. What happened?!” Aunt Celeste snaps, her frustration evident.

I cover my mouth in shock at what I’ve just heard. I can’t believe they were planning something so vile. No wonder Vaness was acting so strangely that night—she had a malicious plan in mind.

“Aunt, I don’t know what happened. I gave her the key so she could go to the room. I sent the man I hired, but he said no one showed up because the door was still locked.”

“It’s because you’re too distracted by your feelings for Atlas. You found out he was coming to the bar to pick up Kylie, and your jealousy got the better of you. You let your emotions get in the way, and now look at what's happened! How are you going to win Atlas over now?” Aunt Celeste scolds her.

“There’s still a way. Kylie must be lying. The staff said she didn’t leave the building, which means she’s still inside. I need to find out where she went and what really happened that night,” Vaness says, her voice determined.

My heart races with fear. If she investigates further, she’ll find out the truth about what happened that night.

“Get it together, Vaness. You’ve messed up simple tasks too many times. I thought you could handle Vic’s daughter and bring her down, but she’s still here,” Aunt Celeste says, her anger palpable.

“I’ll come up with a plan, Auntie. I’ll make sure that girl is out of Uncle Vic’s life for good,” Vaness vows.

I take a deep breath, clutching my head. They’re dead set on their plan to get rid of me. I never imagined they’d go to such lengths to take control of our family’s wealth.

I can’t tell Dad about this because I know he won’t believe me. But I’ll do everything I can to make sure their plan fails.