Not For Love

5. Mister Unbelievable

Asher smiles at me across from the dining table, seeming so genuine. He is so effortless at this it makes me want to puke. That is what unsettles me about him and the Cheraunos. They're perfect in pictures, articles and everything. Being not only one of the oldest, wealthiest families in the world, they are also very influential, have a big part in major economy, are extremely private about their personal affairs but are constantly in the spot light.

"Water?" Asher offers. "You must be tired."

    This man is the living embodiment of a headache. Of course, I'm tired. All I do is smile back and nod, having the inside of my cheek in an iron grip.

He pours me water and I fist my dress, braising for the water to fall on me or something. It doesn't. Asher gently nudges the glass towards me and I pick it up before he changes his mind. I drink the whole thing in one gulp. "Thank you."

"No problem."

     Two faced asshole.

"So Eda, how is work?" Ivette asks.

"It's okay. A little hectic."

"You just finished your residency, right?"

I bob my head. "It's been two months."

"Well that's a relief. I was worried your work would be affected by all this..." She makes a gesture with her hand. "Marriage stuff."

My happy demeanour almost breaks. Arrange marriages are common between us. My parents, Ivette herself, almost everyone was arranged to marry. At a young age it was expected of me. The only reason I am bitter about this is that I had a choice long ago. And I messed it.

Ivette looks like the kind of person who doesn't like it when things are quiet and awkward, because just a breath later she lightheartedly chuckles. "I got married before my residency. Got pregnant with Asher just after it. It was a whirlpool after that. Changing diapers one night, going into surgeries the next. They were the real hectic days."

"Oh. Is that why you left work?" I blurt out then instantly regret when her smile falters and Asher fidgets in his seat. This is the first time I've seen him uneasy since I met him. It makes me feel even worse about my question. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

  Ivette waves a hand, smiling like it's nothing. "There wasn't a particular reason. I just got busy in my personal life."

  I nod, internally shouting at myself.

"Sarah! Did you tell Eda about the time you tried to carried an old man to the hospital because he couldn't walk but ended up passing out yourself?" Ivette laughs with cheeriness, ignoring my mother's dramatic eye roll.

"I'd rather not—" she starts.

"I'll tell you." Her grey eyes become round with gaiety.

All I can think to myself as I say yes is how this woman gave birth to a jerk like Asher.

The dinner goes smoothly with Ivette leaving no detail of her and my mother's life at college a secret, my and Asher's father discussing business, with Asher occasionally joining them or talking with my mother about the most random things.

After dinner all six of us lounge out in our porch that lies just right to the lake and left to the flower field. Desert is being served when Ivette proposes Asher and I take a walk in our garden. I start to make an excuse but Asher is already up.

      "Show him the gardens, dear," my mother tells me. "Eda loves gardening."

      This makes me halt for a moment, stumped. Eda loves gardening. Present tense. I clench my jaw, forcing myself to lead Asher out. To the garden. My garden. The garden I spent my whole childhood in. The garden I last saw when I left this house. I hate everything about this. From Asher to taking him to see a place that I hold very dear—the memory I hold very dear.

I lead him from the corner of our house, Mister Paige, one of our housekeepers following us. Asher and I walk over the long stone bridge that connects the main mansion to the grounds behind it. The spring water underneath it tenderly splatters on the feet of the bridge. The moon glimmers in between the clouds, giving the whole place a soft glow. Just as we cross the bridge, the scent of flowers and dew greets us.

A smile flutters across my cheeks before I even notice. I close my eyes and breathe in deeply.

"I am supposed to propose to you, right now."

My eyes snap open and whirl around towards Asher. He isn't even looking at the garden. He's just an inch from me. I reflexively take a step back. He notices but doesn't pay attention.

"Here." He hands me a beige box and rounds back to the gardens in front of us. "Wear it when we go back."

I do not say anything, just open the box. My vision slightly widens at seeing the thing inside. A delicate band of metal with threadlike veins running around it and a sharp cut diamond is resting in the centre. The veins create a sort of pattern—sigil, maybe—around the diamond and I recognise it. It is the Cherauno's family ring. Passed on from generation to generation. To hold such a piece in my hands is making them shake. I close the lid abruptly.

"Why're you giving me this?" I ask, knowing the answer, just not being able to comprehend it.

"Are you going to say no the marriage?"

"No."

"It's yours then." I am still finding the words when he walks back to me. "It's given to whoever is marrying the heir. That is it. No other meaning. Wear it from now on."

I fidget the box in my fingers. "I spend a lot of money," I say.

He blinks, turning to face me. "I earn a lot of it."

"I'm a really messy person."

"I have workers."

I take a step back. "My work will always be my priority."

"Good."

"I do not like you." I shake my head. "I hate you."

The corners of his mouth go up and I freeze. He's smiling, impressed. "That's perfect."

I am dumbfounded. "This was your proposal?"

"Yes."

Silence.

Asher looks bored but spares enough decency to explain, "It was either getting it over with now or us meeting again. I figured neither of us would have liked the latter." A pause. "I already knew the answer so I skipped the question. Now. Let us go back and have our parents make up a beautiful lie for the people to eat."