Ella’s POV:
When Arec first ntioned that we were heading to his grandmother’s estate, I didn’t realize how soon we’d be thrown into the fire.
It was supposed to be a visit, to make things official, introduce as the woman he was going to marry. Except, only Arec and I knew the truth.
This wasn’t so romantic union. It was a contract, an agreent that would let Arec finally take over the CEO position his grandmother had been holding over his head for years.
Still, the weight of the situation pressed down on . Contract or not, this eting felt personal.
I had rehearsed my words, practiced my smile, but nothing could have prepared for the mont we stepped into that grand living room.
His grandmother, Lydia Weston, was a force of nature. The kind of woman who could silence a room with just a glance, she was seating in a high-backed chair, dressed immaculately in cream-colored silk, her posture straight, her gaze sharp. She looked at like I was an unwelco guest in her kingdom.
"Well, Arec," she said, her voice cold as marble. "I assu you’ve brought the woman you plan to marry?"
Her eyes landed on , and I felt the sting of her judgnt instantly. Arec, standing tall beside , squeezed my hand briefly, a reminder that we were in this together, even if the stakes felt higher than ever.
"Grandma," Arec began, his voice steady but firm. "This is Ella. The woman I’ve chosen to marry."
Lydia’s eyes swept over , her disapproval thinly veiled behind a tight smile. "Chosen," she repeated, the word dripping with disdain. She sat back, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "I see."
There was a pause. A long, uncomfortable one. I could almost feel her calculating the next move, deciding how to tear into , or, rather, into us. The tension crackled in the air.
"You’ve made your choice," Lydia said at last, her gaze still locked on . "But I had hoped... that Joanne would be the one sitting here with you today. She’s much more suited to the role, wouldn’t you agree?"
Arec sighed, a quiet but loaded sound. I could see the strain in his jaw, the tension that had been building since we stepped into this house. "We had an agreent that I would choose a bride within a month," he reminded her, his tone steady but firm. "And I’ve done that."
His grandmother’s lips thinned. "I was expecting soone... more appropriate," she said, her gaze flicking back to , as if I were so blemish on her carefully curated life. "Joanne, for instance. A girl from a respectable family, with the right connections."
There it was, the comparison. The na of the woman she ’wanted’ for Arec. I still wondered why Alex didn’t asked Joanne to be contract wife, I she was his best friend from childhood. Joanne’s Practically born into Arec’s world, but the deed has already been done, and now I just have to face the consequences.
Arec leaned forward, his voice firm and deliberate. "Grandma, you gave a deadline. I’ve made my choice. I’m marrying Ella, and nobody else."
Lydia’s lips thinned, her displeasure palpable. "And why, may I ask, would you choose soone who doesn’t have the background or connections that are expected of a Weston wife? Surely, you could’ve made a more... sensible decision."
The sting of her words wasn’t lost on . It wasn’t about as a person; it was about my lack of status. I wasn’t the high-society woman she envisioned for Arec, and she wasn’t even trying to hide her disappointnt.
Arec’s voice remained calm, but there was a steeliness to it now. "You gave an ultimatum, Grandma. Find soone to marry, or lose my shot at becoming CEO. I’ve done what you asked. Don’t go back on your word now."
Her eyes flickered, but she recovered quickly. "I didn’t think you’d settle." She muttered, her voice like venom, dripping with disappointnt. "I expected more from you, Arec."
"I’m not settling," Arec countered, his tone sharper now. "This isn’t about settling or about appearances. This is about doing what’s best for and for this family. You wanted to marry within the month, and I’ve done that."
Lydia’s gaze shifted to again, colder this ti. It was clear that she wasn’t just frustrated, she was furious. And yet, she wasn’t going to show it outwardly. That wasn’t her style. Instead, she let her disappointnt simr just beneath the surface, hidden in the daggers she sent through her eyes.
"Best for the family?" she echoed, as if the words were foreign to her. "You think this marriage is best for the family? Arec, you’ve always been pragmatic, but this..." She gestured at , a dismissive wave of her hand. "This is reckless."
I bit the inside of my cheek, willing myself to stay calm. I’d known walking into this that she wouldn’t accept easily, but hearing it, feeling it, was another thing entirely. And yet, the stakes weren’t just about personal feelings. This marriage was a stepping stone, a ans to an end. For both Arec and . We needed it.
But Arec wasn’t backing down. He sat forward slightly, his posture confident and unwavering. "You think it’s reckless because it’s not Joanne. I’m not marrying soone for their status. I’m marrying soone who understands and supports what I need to do."
Lydia’s fingers tightened around the armrest of her chair. "And you believe she understands what it ans to be a Weston?" she asked, raising a perfectly arched brow. "Does she know what’s expected of her? The sacrifices she’ll have to make?"
I swallowed, the words hitting close to ho. I did know the expectations. I knew what I was signing up for. But there was a part of that wondered, even in the back of my mind, if I was really ready for the reality of it all.
Arec didn’t hesitate. "She knows, and she’s more than capable of handling it."
Lydia’s gaze shifted to again, and the silence stretched. I could feel her weighing her options, deciding whether to keep pushing or to accept the inevitable. Finally, she spoke, her voice low and sharp.
"Fine. You’ve made your choice." Her words were clipped, her disappointnt clear. "But don’t expect to embrace it. Joanne would’ve been the perfect match for you, and you know it.
Arec stood then, pulling gently to my feet beside him. "I’m not marrying Joanne. I’m marrying Ella. And the wedding will be in a few weeks, just close family and friends."
His grandmother’s eyes hardened, but she didn’t argue further. She’d made her feelings known, and Arec had drawn the line. There was nothing more to say.
"I’ll be there," Lydia said finally, her voice tight. "But don’t expect to smile through it."
Arec nodded, not saying anything else. He turned, guiding toward the door, but as we walked away, I could still feel Lydia’s eyes burning into my back, her disapproval weighing heavy on my shoulders.
Once outside, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My heart was pounding, and my mind was still spinning from the confrontation. Arec had stood his ground, but I could tell it hadn’t been easy for him either.
"Are you okay?" Arec asked quietly, his hand still resting on the small of my back.
I nodded, though I wasn’t entirely sure. "Yeah. I think so. Are you?"
He glanced at , his expression softening. "I’m fine. This was bound to happen."
I nodded again, though there was an uneasiness in my chest that wouldn’t quite go away.
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