Chapter 2

I'm here outside the gate, watching my mom get in the car. She's going back home now with our driver, Douglas. I still remember this driver because he was the one who took me to school.

"Bye, sweetie! Get ready to meet your fiancé this Friday."

I sighed deeply, "I know, mom, please don't mention it again." I responded.

She smiled foolishly and closed the car. I waved until the car vanished from my sight.

I went back inside the house and did my daily routine.

EAT. YOGA. BAKE. SHOWER. READ A BOOK. EAT. SLEEP.

That's what I always do here and I'm used to it.

I just got out of the bathroom when my phone beeped. I immediately looked at it and saw dad's text message.

From dad:

"Get ready, I will bring your fiancé this Friday. I want you to bake for us, make sure to impress him."

I rolled my eyes. Ugh! They are so annoying! They just texted me to say that "I need to prepare." Like, what the fuck?! Do they have nothing else to text other than to prepare? Is this man too important that I need to impressed him?!

I rolled my eyes again. 

I did my routine at night and went to sleep.

The next day, I woke up early and sat on the sand 'cause I was going to watch the sunrise.

I prefer sunrise than sunset. That's why I watch sunrise almost three times a week.

After watching the sunrise, I went inside and did my routine again. 

EAT. YOGA. BAKE. SHOWER. READ A BOOK. EAT. SLEEP.

That's all I did for three days, until the day comes that my mom and dad will come here, and of course with my ............. FIANCÉ.

"Hilda, please take care of the cake, I'll fix my hair first." I said while looking in the mirror, fixing my hair. I also put on a little make-up. Even though it was early, I fixed it because I haven't been able to put on make-up for a long time. I'll change it later, so it's ok if I'm ugly now.

Hilda immediately stopped vacuuming and left the room.

It's eight o'clock in the morning and here I am, having a hard time fixing my hair. I woke up early because my mom called me to get ready. It was only six o'clock in the morning when my mom called, she's annoying!

Mom said they'll arrive before lunch so that I can bake the cake together with my fiancé.

I just rolled my eyes again and again. 

They should make it sure that my fiancé is kind.

"There! I'm done! " I said smiling.

"You're beautiful, Ma'am!" said Josephine, Hilda's younger sister. She's only staying here for a week.

My cheek turned red, "Are you sure, Josephine?" I asked shamelessly and grinned foolishly. 

"Yes, ma'am, you're beautiful! It's a pity you have to marry someone you don't love." she said with a low voice.

I immediately lost my smile and just looked in the mirror.

"Josephine!" Hilda shouted at her and turned to face me. "Ma'am, I'm sorry if my sister--" 

I smiled at her. "It's ok, Hilda, your sister is right, I'm really going to marry someone I don't love."

She just bent her head down and rubbed his finger. I immediately took my phone and went to the terrace.

I took a deep breath. I stayed here for the past few years, I haven't done what I wanted. I waited for the time that I could recover so that I could do what I wanted to do but it all seems vague. I'm getting married and all my dreams will be lost because of that arranged marriage.

I took a deep breath and opened my I*******m. I tried to calm myself first and smiled to take a picture. I took a few shots until I was satisfied. I choose the one I think is the most beautiful shot and post it.

I went down to the kitchen and saw Hilda preparing the ones I will cook later. I remembered the cake that I baked earlier.

"Where's the cake?" I asked as I approached her.

She pointed at the mini table in the living room.

I take a few steps and looked. I tasted two flavors. First is the Red Velvet Cake and the second one is a Cheese Cake. I need to know which of them is the most delicious that I can bake later.

"The Red Velvet Cake is delicious than Cheese Cake," Hilda pointed out the red velvet cake.

I nodded and went out with the cake and a book. I will read first since it's too early. I stopped reading at 10 a.m, then went to the kitchen and cooked what I needed to cook for our food later, and I will bake a cake, too.

"What can you say?" I asked Hilda as she tasted my cooking. 

"It's delicious, ma'am. I'm sure your mom and dad will want to eat it." She said and tasted it again.

I laughed softly and also tasted my cooking.

I looked at my phone and saw it was 11:45 in the morning, and mom said they'll gonna be here before lunch, but I don't see any car yet?

Maybe just ...... traffic?

I nodded at what I was thinking and just distracted myself with other activities. 

It was almost two o'clock in the afternoon and they're still not here, so I called mom but her line was busy so I just texted her. I haven't sent it yet when I received a text message from her.

From Mom:

Sorry, sweetie. Mr. Gray was late so it will take us a while to get there.

I rolled my eyes and threw the cellphone I was holding on the bed.

I took a bikini and got dressed. I decided to swim in the sea first instead of waiting for the unimportant man.

I left the house and headed to the beach. 

When I got there, I couldn't stand the heat and swam.

__________

LOGAN'S POV

"Logan, Have you eaten the lunch?" Hazel asked, my childhood friend.

"Not yet" he replied, while still busy looking at the papers. I have to finish it NOW. 

"Great! Let's eat together" Hazel said, happily.

"I'm sorry, Hazel, but I have an important appointment right now."

"Come on, 20 minutes is enough" she said.

"I'm sorry, I really can't go with you .I promised someone that I would eat lunch there." 

"But it's almost 1 o'clock. You're late. Do you think they'll wait for you?"

I laughed at what she said. "Yeah! I'm late but they seem to be waiting for me."

"Okay, fine! It looks like your appointment is really important so I'm leaving, Im so hungry."

"It's really important because my fiancé is the one I will be meeting today."

My uncle, set me into arranged marriage and I didn't protest even though I hadn't seen the woman because I wanted to have a family. 

"I'll treat you next time."

She gave me a thumbs up, so I just shook my head. 

It was 1 o'clock, when I finished what I was doing. I immediately went to the parking Lot and rode in the car to the restaurant where we would meet my fiancé’s parents.

When I got there, I hurridly went inside the resto and when I saw them, I immediately apologized.

"I'm sorry, Mr. And Mrs. Griffin, for coming late." I said with my heart beating faster.

"It's okay, I know you're busy." said my fiancé's father.

"Yeah, we understand. Being a doctor is not easy." The woman beside him said while smiling.

"Shall we order here? O-"

"Ahmm, let's just eat together with your daughter." I said.

"Okay, If that's what you want" said my fiancé's father.

"You go first, Ma'am."

"Mr. Gray, You can call us mom and dad. Don't be shy, we should be ashamed of you because your uncle just forced you to get married, right?" said mom as we walked out of the restaurant.

Mom ... I haven't used that word in a long time since my mom died. 

"No. I agreed to this marriage mom" I said.

"We're very lucky. Your so kind."

I just smiled and got in my car. I followed their car until we arrived.

_______

I'm still here at the beach, swimming. I feel like they will come later because my fiancé was late.  I swam again and I don't care if I get dark as long as I enjoyed swimming.

I swam again into the very deep part. Only the sea calms me down right now.

I dived deep and I saw something that glitters, so I went for it.

A necklace hung on a sharp stone. 

I was losing air, so I swam up. I swam to the platform surface to sit, when someone was waiting there.

Dad, mom and a man. He was tall and good looking guy.

'What the fuck, Vianne?' 

I frowned and looked at dad who were holding my towel. He smiled at me, so I smiled, too. I would have run to hug him but mom gave her phone to dad and I heard, that was their business partner. Mom and dad walked away, so the towel was on the man waiting for me to walk towards him.

He doesn't look like a pervert, but I'm nervous of his gaze, especially because I'm only wearing a bikini. I didn’t want to come, but I have no choice, so I went to him. 

He handed me the towel, so I looked at it. My hand was shaking when I took the towel. 

"Thank you" I said without looking and wrapped the towel around my body.

He stepped forward to get close to me, I got nervous but I didn't make it obvious . He brought his face close to mine and to my surprise, I accidentally slapped his face. 

"Damn!" he shouted loudly.

I was startled and began to tremble. I haven't really been able to get the guy to be too close.

I wanted to say "Sorry" but I realized it was his fault. But he didn't know my about my situation, right? Why did he come close to me? It's like he was going to kiss me or I'm just assuming.

I just averted my eyes and walked towards the house. I don't know if he followed me, I don't care about him at all. 

I immediately went to the bedroom and took a shower in the bathroom, then put on some make up, got dressed and went downstairs. I caught up with them eating what I cooked while talking. I haven't heated it yet, I cooked it earlier, remember? But they seem to be hungry, so I just let it go and I don't care if my fiancé doesn't like it.

"Sweetie, come here. Let's talk about the wedding and of course, I will introduce you to your fiancé."

I sat in the chair next to mom and the man in front of me looked at me seriously.

"Louise, you should introduce yourself to your fiancé." my dad said and I can't help but to grimace.

I smiled fakely. "Vianne Louisse Griffin. Nice meeting you ....?"

"Logan Parker Gray" His baritone voice makes me nervous.

I heard mom's weak laugh so I bent my head down and started eating.

"Too formal" dad said.

"Let them be. They are still awkward to each other." Said mom.

"Louisse, you better take a walk with your fiancé tomorrow, so you'll be comfortable with each other." Dad said.

I just nodded. I lost my appetite and then Mom inserted this wedding again.

“So, Mr. Gray, Where will the wedding be held?" mom asked.

"I haven't thought about that yet. Maybe you can ask your daughter about that." he replied.

I stopped eating. Why me? He's talking to mom, isn't he? Why did it come to me? I'm already annoyed with him. He even said that with no emotion on his face. Like, he wasn't interested...at all! 

"You decide, but it's okay for me if you won't continue the wedding." I said with a straight face.

"Vianne!" mom and dad said at the same time. 

I just closed my eyes. "You stupid Vianne, you shouldn't have said that, what about your company?" thoughts were running in my mind.

I sighed before speaking.

"How about before the anniversary of our company? It is 2 months from now, right?"

"Great idea, sweetie!" mom applauded.

"Do you agree with that, Mr. Gray?" asked by dad.

"If that's what your daughter wants, then I agree." I just rolled my eyes. He's so good on pretending. I know he's a cold man.

"OMG! He's so sweet!" I heard mom's giggle.

Ewww .....

I just hurried to eat because I might get sick. I don't know but I'm annoyed with him, even though this is the first time that we met.

I ate even faster because I wanted to be locked in my room.

When I was finished eating, I got up and was about to walk when dad called me.

"Louisse" I closed my eyes because dad called me. I don't want to be called by my second name. I'm used to being called by my first name.

"Yes, dad?" I turned around with a smile on my face--a fake smile.

"Where's the dessert?" Dad asked.

"Oh! I haven't baked yet. Wait, that's easy too bake." 

"Ok, Mr. Gray has finished eating. You can talk while cooking."

The fuck?

I forced myself to smile even though I was irritated. He got up and went closer to me, but before he could get closer, I turned around and couldn't paint my face because of the annoyance.

I opened the refrigerator to got some flour.

When I confronted him, he's near at the table. I ignored him and started mixing the ingredients.

It was so quiet in the kitchen, no one was talking. I could feel his eyes staring at me.

"You slapped me, earlier." he said plainly.

My eyebrows rose.

"So?"

I have a lot of words in my mind but I didn't have the courage to tell it to him.

"Is that how you greet your fiancé?" I can hear the annoyance in his tone. 

I raised my eyebrows to face him, but I almost lost my balance because of the depth of his gaze on me.

I took a deep breath, unnoticed.

"When there are new people in my eyes that I like, I smile and treat them well" I said.

"So why did you do that to me earlier?"

"Simple" I looked at him from head to toe. "I. DON'T. LIKE. YOU!"

"Hmm, I don't like you either but I didn't slap you."

I glared at him, but he remained calm.

"I slapped you earlier because you were so close to me"

Her eyebrows rose at what I said. “What’s the problem with being near? When we get close, will you slap me every day?"

I give him a deadly glare, but again, he remained silent.

I ignored him and just took an egg. I was going to break the egg when I feel a hot body sticking to my back and a hot breath in my ears.

"You know, I'm a goodboy but you've done so far today that I don't like. I'm going to tell you that..." he whisper in my ear and he pressed his body behind me, so I tried my best to catch my breath.

"I can't breathe"

I started to get cold. I don't want to be this close.

"I.DON'T. LIKE. YOU. TOO!" he whispered again in my ear.

My grip on the sink tightened as he left. I stared blankly at the broken egg. I looked at the man who had already left in the kitchen.

I was cold but I could still feel the warmth of his body to me.