Chapter Text
You arrived at a mansion that may as well be a haunted house—only, it’s well maintained.
You approach the gates and press the doorbell, and seconds later, a voice came through the speaker beneath the bell.
“May I help you?”
You took a deep breath and told them your name. “I’ve come to discuss this marriage contract made twenty-three years ago.”
“Ah…so it’s you.” The voice said as if they’d been expecting you. “Come in, come in.”
As the gates opened, you slowly walked in, clutching your bag strap tightly.
The maid led you to the living room, where an elderly lady, Madam Sutherland, sat, sipping her tea.
“We’ve been waiting for you.” Madam Sutherland spoke, blowing her cup of tea. “I assume you’ve received the contract?”
“Yes, and I’d assume you’d have answers?”
“Answers?” Madam Sutherland paused with the tea halfway to her mouth. “What could you possibly be confused about? Everything’s just as the contract says. You will marry my grandson,” she gestured to a picture on the bookshelf, “in two months.”
“No, I know that, but don’t you think it’s…unreasonable to draft up such a thing when I was barely conscious?”
“Oh, sweetie.” She set down her cup and looked at me, her smile almost pitying. “This was an agreement made between families. Your grandmother simply…lost sight of what she had promised.”
You bit your lip. “Promised?”
“You and your fiancé were supposed to meet long ago.”
Fiancé. Your stomach twisted uncomfortably when she emphasized that word. “What does my grandmother have to do with this?”
Madam Sutherland lightly chuckled. “Has it ever occurred to you that the explosion that happened that day was perhaps…not an accident?”
Before you could speak, she continued. “My grandson has a condition. A particularly troublesome one. For years, we’ve searched for something powerful enough to keep it under control. Protocores worked, but their effects were always temporary. We needed something stronger, more powerful, like an aether core.”
You bit your lip, already know how this is going to end.
“And then, we met you.” She smiled. “You possess an unusually powerful aether core. We attempted to retrieve it once.”
“Attempted?”
“Oh, don’t look so frightened.” She waved her hand dismissively. “You were rather difficult. No matter what we tried, your core resisted extraction. So your grandmother suggested another approach: if you were raised alongside him, away from the expectations of both families, you might develop genuine affection for him. She even offered to raise you herself. But unfortunately, as time passed, she started growing attached. One day, she disappeared with you and went into hiding. Your grandmother was smart, but not smart enough. She tried everything she could to keep you away from us, but in the end, as you may know, she failed. Now, it’s time to take back what’s ours.”
“So I was merely a tool to you?” You finally uttered. “Then why didn’t you make a move earlier? Why wait until now?”
Why wait until now, when I already have my whole future planned? You asked in your heart.
The elderly lady finally laughed. “Oh sweetheart, do you really think all marriages require love?”
You remained silent, staring at the carpet, your fists clutched tight.
Her smile softened. “Obviously, that’s for the best, but all we need is for you to become part of the family. In time, you would come to accept that in a family, some sacrifices must be made.”
“Family?” You huffed, almost wanting to laugh. “There is no family between us.”
“Not yet.” Madam Sutherland said, calmly sipping her tea.
“This is ridiculous!” You stood up, ready to storm out, but just as you’re about to touch the door handle, the elderly lady spoke.
“See you in two months.”
You turned back, looking at her with disgust.
“Don’t worry, everything will ready by then.” She sipped her tea. “You just have to stand still and say ‘I do.’”
“I don’t think I’ve made myself clear enough. I’m not marrying into your family—not today, not tomorrow, not in two months, not ever.” You turn back around opening the door, but once again, you were stopped.
“Then perhaps that pretty Lemurian boy would be willing to help my grandson.”
You froze, eyes widening. Taking a deep breath to steady your voice, you slowly turn back around.
Madam Sutherland simply smiled and shrugged like it was an ordinary afternoon. “It’s said that Lemurian blood can go as far as bringing the dead back to life.”
“Leave him out of this.”
“Then I suppose I’ll see you in two months.”
You wanted to cry, but you can’t. Not here, not now.
When you left the estate, you pulled out your phone as you waited for your taxi, only to find your screen flooded with notifications from Rafayel.
cutie what are you up to
wanna grab dinner together
miss bodyguard i dropped my paintbrush and the paint splatter looks kinda like a fish
miss cutie dun respond to thomas hes gonna tell you to tell me to finish my painting but i dun have any inspo
actually just block him
hello???????
miss bodyguarddddddd what are you doingggg
miss bodyguard why arent you answering me i thought you had the day off today
cutie are you mad did i do smth wrong
[Artsy Birb: Heartbroken]
why wont you pick up your phone
Your chest tightened. How could you possibly explain what had happened? How could you possibly tell him that your grandmother spent your whole life promising you to another man? That your future together would soon come to an end?
Knowing Rafayel, he would immediately put himself in danger for you.
And the last thing you could bear was watching him get hurt because of you.