Chapter 4

I rolled my eyes before holding his hand. He intertwined our hands together as we walked passed by the visitors. 

Most people were looking at our hands then they would whisper things I couldn't understand. Some would smile and some would giggle. My lips already felt numb from faking a smile ever since I arrived at this party.

"Here are the lovely birds." Mom looked at our hands and formed an 'oh' on her lips before smiling at me. "Where have you two been?"

I managed not to roll my eyes. I just showed my teeth, faking a smile. "Outside. We talked."

"That's good to hear. You two seem vibin' huh." Mom giggled.

Goodness. It was so hard stopping my eyes from rolling. Obviously, my mom was trying so hard to be that supportive mom. It cringed me.

"So they really are engaged huh." An old lady appeared beside my mom. "You must be Katiana." She looked at Pierre. "We've met before, Pierre."

"I remember, vice mayor Hong." 

Mom's eyes were signalling me to do something.

I gasped. "Nice to personally meet you, vice mayor Hong." I shook my hand with her.

"Nice to meet you too, but where's the ring?" 

I was stunned while the vice mayor was examining our hands. I looked at mom who seem confused. I turned my gaze at Pierre who was looking uneasy and so was I.

"Right, our ring. We might have left it in the bathroom when we washed our hands, may you excuse us?" Pierre pulled my hand away from them.

I looked at our hands intertwined again as we walked toward somewhere. We reached a corner where there were no people at all. He let go of my hands as he gasped, resting his back on the wall.

"What now?" I asked when he just stared at me.

He blink multiple times before his hand explored his pockets. He was looking for something and seemed like he couldn't see it in his pockets. 

He sighed. "It's in my room. Come on." He held my hand again as we walked upstairs.

I was just staring at his firm back, confused. "Why are you bringing me to your room?" I cleared my throat.

"To fuck you."

I tried to grab my hand from him but he tightened his grip on it while we walked in the hallway of their second floor.

"Go fuck yourself," I hissed.

"You wanna watch me?" 

"Hundred per cent asshole." I rolled my eyes.

"You didn't say no."

"Of course no!" 

"Yeah, keep pretending." He opened a door, I guessed his room. His hand gave me the permission to go inside. I glared at him before I stepped foot into his room. A manly scent welcomed me. He closed the door before he sat on the side of his bed while I just stood near the door so I could run whenever.

I looked around. In fairness, it was nice and neat. I heard him hissed then saw him grabbed a small box from his bedside table. He opened the box making his brows furrow more.

"What's that?" I asked.

"What do you think?" 

"Can't you just talk nicely even for once?" I crossed my arms.

"It's the engagement ring." He tsked and stroked his hair.

"The ring?! Goodness! Am I really required to wear that?" I rested my back on the wall; I closed my eyes as I felt the frustration shiver on my nerves.

"Since you agreed to the arrangement, yes, you are and I'm required too." He puffed a breath with his eyes glaring at the box.

"Bullshit." I shook my head but I walked towards him. "Let's wear it for the show." I grabbed the box from him. My brows crossed at the ring but I couldn't deny how fancy it looks. It looks expensive with a diamond on it. The one has a thicker band while the other one was thinner.

He carefully grabbed it from my hand. "This is so cringed but whatever." He grabbed my hand then he slowly put the ring on my finger while I just stared at his serious face. He bit his lower lip, looking uncomfortable, but the way he slid the ring on my finger felt so real like we weren't faking it.

"What now?" His brows crossed. "Go put the ring on my finger."

"Don't you have a hand to do so?"

"I just used my hand to put your ring on, so used your hand to put mine. Let's practice fairness here." He rolled his eyes.

"Fairness," I sarcastically whispered before I grabbed his hand. I grabbed the ring and rolled my eyes at him. His hand felt so soft. He bit his lower lip as I slid the ring on his finger. I pushed his hand away after that.

I cleared my throat. "Happy now?"

"Why would I be?" He raised his right brow.

"I don't know, maybe you really want this in the first place."

"Lady, I'm living my dream life in the Ecstasy Land. Why would I wanna ruin it for you?"

"Ecstasy Land?" It sounded familiar like I'd heard it from a friend before.

"See? And you're not even a member." He rolled his eyes again. "Lame. But you'll know that soon. Thanks to your fiancé." He said the word fiancé with full of sarcasm

I mocked him. "Whatever. I'm gonna remove this ring every time I'm not with our parents. You do you; remove your ring all you want as well. I don't care."

"You will care soon." He stood and crossed his arm.

I chuckled sarcastically. "In your dreams." I turned my back on him as I went back downstairs to the venue. My lips felt numb again from faking a smile while the visitors were so happy about the engagement as if it was for real. Goodness, it was just a play directed by my very good dad. In fairness to him, he looked so proud when he saw Pierre and me wearing the engagement ring. If he only knew, I'd been dying to remove it.

Finally, dad gave me permission to go home while they were still at the party. Only with the condition that I had to go home with two bodyguards and one personal driver. My God, I felt like a prisoner of my own family.

I took a shower before dropping my body on the bed. I opened my laptop and immediately called Loisa on facetime.

"What's the news? How's the engagement party?" She sounded really excited to gossip.

I rolled my eyes. "Boring." 

"Uhuh. I don't think so. Pierre is one hell of a partygoer! You wouldn't get bored if he's there."

"I'm with my parents, Loisa. With old men and women, politicians, business owners, all that boring stuff. What do you expect?"

She laughed. "You and Pierre should have ditched the party."

"Why would I ditch with him? No way."

She raised her right brow. "You're telling me you didn't like him after you saw how good-looking he is!"

"Not my type." I shrugged.

"You have an ugly taste for man, you know that?"

I grabbed a small pillow and hugged it while the laptop was on my lap.

"He's handsome yeah. I won't deny that." I looked up as I imagined his perfectly crafted face. "But I still don't wanna marry him."

"See, you like him! You're just in denial because of your pride."

"We're not a match, Loisa. We argue from time to time. He is a sarcastic man. I hate him."

"You're gonna get used to it, I bet. Sooner or later you're gonna love the way he argues with you. Anyway, can you share anything about his personality? I just knew him through social media. You're lucky, truly."

"I said it, he is a sarcastic man." 

"Other than that?" 

I looked up, remembering all that we'd done at the party.

"I can't think of anything. I told you, we just argued most of the time."

She rolled her eyes and convinced me more to say anything unique about Pierre's personality. We talked for a few more minutes until I felt sleepy. I said goodbye to her and ended the facetime. The next day, I don't feel like waking up because I know I was still grounded and I have nothing to do inside the house. My life was just draining me so I prefer to sleep just so I could forget about my dilemmas.

I ate my lunch alone since my parents were busy with work again. Though I still couldn't go out with the guards and CCTV all around. I gasped as I walked back to my room with my dropped shoulders. Mom mentioned that I only have one week to stay in the house, and after that, I have to move in with Pierre Moretti.

I lay on the bed and closed my eyes. I was about to sleep in the afternoon when someone knocked.

"I'm sleeping!" I shouted.

"Madam Katiana, I'm sorry to interrupt but you have a special visitor." It was a maid's voice.

My brows crossed. Mom and dad never allowed me to have visitors. I got curious so I stood and fixed my tank top and shorts. I combed my messy hair before opening the door.

I was stunned when a bouquet of flowers was the first thing I saw, resting on a firm chest. I slowly looked up to a man's broad shoulders until I met his eyes. 

"Pierre?" My lips parted. Why the fuck is he here?