Matrimonial Masquerade

1. Marriage

Irene's Pov.

The party surged with life, the music creating a vibrant backdrop to the swirling energy in the room. Amidst the sea of moving bodies, I aimed to navigate without getting caught in the frenzy.

As I made my way through the pulsating crowd, a sudden collision threw me off balance. Pain shot through me as an unknown guy accidentally hit me. Irritation surged, ready to give a piece of my mind to whoever was responsible.

"Hey there, sorry about that!" The voice was muffled by the music, the guy's tone light and tinged with a hint of drunkenness.

His attempt at charm grated on my already frayed nerves. Before I could react, he continued, undeterred by my obvious annoyance. "I'm Greggy, by the way. Haven't seen you around here before. You must be new." His words slurred slightly as he extended a hand in an attempt at a friendly gesture.

The realization hit me; this was Greggy Araneta—the one notorious for his flirtatious behavior when intoxicated.

His introduction only added to my annoyance. Not only had he carelessly bumped into me, but now he was trying to strike up a conversation, seemingly oblivious to the discomfort he was causing.

"Nice to meet you," I replied curtly, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. I wasn't new here, and the last thing I wanted was to engage in small talk with a tipsy stranger, especially one who was trying to be overly familiar.

Trying to disengage from the situation, I nodded in acknowledgment and attempted to move past him. However, Greggy persisted, his inebriated attempts at flirtation intensifying.

Hiswords blended into the background noise of the party as I pushed through the crowd, frustration mounting with every step. The mix of annoyance from the collision and his persistent flirtation created a sour note in an otherwise lively atmosphere.

Opting to distance myself from Greggy's drunken advances, I sought solace in the liveliness of the party, determined to salvage the night despite the awkward and bothersome encounter.

After an hour, I found myself engaged in an unexpected yet surprisingly civil conversation with Greggy, who seemed a bit more gentlemanly than usual, albeit still slightly flirtatious.

His words carried a hint of inebriation, but his gestures were oddly courteous. "You look stunning tonight, Irene." he complimented with a lopsided grin, leaning in a bit closer than necessary.

I chuckled softly, feeling a mixture of amusement and discomfort at his tipsy attempt at charm. Before I could politely steer the conversation away from any more flirtatious banter, my phone buzzed in my pocket, signaling an incoming call

I excused myself from Greggy's tipsy admiration and moved to a quieter corner of the room to take the call.

The familiar voice of my father greeted me, his tone unusually anxious."Irene, sweetheart, I hope you're sitting down. We've set the date for your wedding," he announced, a mix of excitement and urgency lacing his words.

Confusion clouded my mind. Wedding? I hadn't been dating anyone seriously!

let alone considering marriage. This news hit me like an unexpected gust of wind, leaving me momentarily speechless amid the cacophony of the party

"Dad? What wedding?" I asked, my voice a mix of surprise and disbelief.

The sudden revelation caught me off guard, overshadowing the frivolities of the evening and the awkward encounter with Greggy. My father hesitated for a moment before realizing my lack of awareness.

"Oh dear, didn't you get our messages? Your aunt and I thought you were aware. We've been planning this for a while now," he explained, a note of concern creeping into his voice.

As the conversation unfolded, I tried to make sense of the whirlwind news. Apparently, my family had assumed I was on board with plans for an arranged marriage, a tradition I hadn't anticipated being a part of.

Excusing myself from the call with a promise to discuss this further later, I stood there, the lively party now a distant hum. Thoughts of unexpected commitments and familial expectations overshadowed the earlier encounter with Greggy.--

Feeling a mixed of emotions after the unexpected call from my father, I returned to the lively chaos of the party, my mind still reeling from the news of the arranged marriage. Greggy, slightly inebriated but still wearing a charming smile, noticed my return.

"Hey there, Irene! Everything alright?" he inquired, concern flickering in his eyes as he sensed something was amiss.

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before speaking. "Actually, no. My family just dropped a bombshell on me. They've arranged a marriage for me, and I had no idea about it..it's insane!" I confessed, my voice tinged with disbelief.

Greggy's brow furrowed in surprise. "That's... unexpected. What are you going to do?"

As I shared the situation with him, a strange idea popped into my head—an idea so unexpected that it took me by surprise. "What if... what if we pretend to be a couple?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

"Please?"

Greggy's eyes widened in astonishment, but then a mischievous grin crept across his face. "Wait, what? You mean pretend to be a couple to stop the arranged marriage?" he chuckled, clearly finding the notion amusing.

Surprisingly, the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a plausible solution. "Yes, exactly! If we show them I'm already with someone, they might reconsider." I explained, the idea gaining traction in my mind.

Greggy's initial amusement turned into contemplation, fueled by the alcohol clouding his judgment. "You know what, Irene? That's crazy enough to work." replied, his words laced with a tipsy sense of adventure.

Before I could fully process what was happening, Greggy agreed to play along, driven more by the alcohol-induced spontaneity than rationality.

The weight of the situation and the unorthodox plan seemed to dissipate amidst the buzz of the party and the unexpected excitement of our impromptu agreement.

With a mix of determination and disbelief, we sealed our impromptu arrangement. Greggy and I would pretend to be a couple to thwart the impending arranged marriage, an idea born from desperation and a hint of reckless courage.

As the night carried on and the music continued to pulsate through the air, we solidified our plan in whispers and nods, swept up in the spontaneous and audacious scheme that had taken root in the midst of a chaotic party.

To be continued!