Between Two Hearts 18+ | PAUSED

003

9:40 pm

"Oh, Madam Valence please, it is no trouble," Alfred, my mom's longtime butler, reassures me by grabbing my belongings from my hands. "Your parents request you meet them in the dining room, there are guests might I warn you," he nods, walking past the foyer through the open hall.

Guests? My parents rarely like to have people over; they prefer our locations to be kept private. The smell of Daphne's delicious food entered my nose, when I was little and Daphne would be cooking my parents would be busy in the afternoon and I would sneak in running past Alfred and right there on the stove would be her infamous seafood paella. Oh the smell of it fills my nostrils.

And the memory of sneaking some on my palm no matter how scorching hot to eat soothes my mind.

"Oh! Dahlia there you are, where have you been darling? Alfred said you'd be on your way," she ushers me rushfully towards the entrance of the dining room. Jeez.

Once I reach her she takes my hand and whispers, "You look beautiful dear," a smile makes its way onto her face. Leading me towards the elegant wooden doors she pushes them open and sitting at the large round table are three unfamiliar faces, a woman and two men. One of the man keeps sneaking glances at the woman.

I look at my mom with an awkward chuckle leaving my lips. I grit my teeth slowly leaning towards my mother. "Mother, what on earth is this," I whisper in her ear and smile slowly towards the three guests. I hate surprises.

I know, I know.

Well of course you know, you're me. "Darling this is Aerlyin Esteves, Rowan Deveraux and Cyrus Knight," she introduces the three. Aerlyin wears a beautiful sundress, her pure blue eyes staring deep into my soul with an oddly cute smile on her face I can practically smell the sunshine from where I stand, shifting my gaze to Rowan he wears a crimson red suit with a serious look written on his face but just like with sebastian I can see the amusement behind his eyes, Cyrus the same but with a emerald green suit as I look at the three of them with furrowed brows

Rowan has a smug look on his face. Weirdo. He pulls out a folder from the bright purse Aerylin carries. I slowly brush my hand against the dagger in my pocket. "Dahlia please sit," walking over I pull out a chair directly in front of the three and my mom sits alongside me. Where the hell is my father?

"So darling do you remember that club you went to... for your birthday a few years back," I can sense the tension heavily in the room. I feel like my mother is trying to swerve around the main point but I can already see where this is going. Either I fucked up bad that night or I might've killed someone who worked there. Glaring slightly over at my mother, "Mother can we please just get to the point," she looks between the folder and me silent.

Snatching the folder from Rowan's hand I open it reading the heading.

'Marriage Contract'
An Agreement in the making of a Marriage

I don't even bother to read the rest, my hand growing sweaty gripping slightly at the paper and an odd nerve rising through my stomach as if I'm going to throw up.

"So this is how you deliver news to me," I stand abruptly, the wooden chair scraping against the floor as I stand up the piece of paper in my hand waving it in my mothers face.

"And why the hell did you want to pony around the point that you've given my hand in marriage to a random prick!"

Aeryling eyes look like they'll pop out of her head and Rowan lets out a small chuckle. "What the hell is so funny red suit?" Cyrus stays still.

My mother stands up in her silky dress flowing as she stands. "Dahlia, a word," her tone harsh as she wraps her hand around my wrist dragging me out the living room as if I'm some child!

"Listen darling," she cups my face in her hands, her brown eyes growing glossy. "No, mother, you don't get to cry now," my voice grows silent.

"Listen to me," her hands lower to grasp mine. "I should've told you, I know darling you know, never in my life would I have done this if there wasn't something greater at cause," her eyes meet mine then down to the marbled floors that only shine from the fireplace that has grown bright.

Looking towards the fire I for some reason can't keep my eyes off of. The wood crackles, smoke rises from it the warmth surrounding the room.

"Dahlia, me and your father, the family, our business, we need this. The supply Armani has taken has become too much for us to handle. Armando-" I cut her off.

I release my hand from hers putting a finger in the air. "Repeat that name mother."

"Armando E-"

That's why she was ponying around the damn club! "The owner of the Hook?"

"Yes," she nods, a pleading look leaves her eyes as she looks between me and the dining room.

I release both my hands from my mother and storm towards the dining room slamming my hands on the table directly in front of Rowan causing Aerylin to jump the slightest. Cyrus still staying still. Is he a damn statue?

"Give me the damn pen."

Reading through the contract I slow down once I see the terms. "Our assets are joined? We are to be married in 2 weeks? Who the hell does this guy think he is?"

Rowan snorts, "You'll find out soon enough Valence."

"Well the prick could've at least shown his face for this couldn't he?" Cyrus lets his lip twitch upward

"Had enough balls to ask for my hand in marriage," I mutter.

Aerlyin almost chokes on air.

Never has anyone called me by my last name unless it had a Madam in front of it meaning only Alfred.

Looking at my mom through the doorway and the paper all I can think of is my family. They deserve to prosper. My mother has taken many sacrifices for me. A mere one such as this shouldn't hurt.

Shouldn't it hurt?

Heasintly I draw the pen over to the signature line.

x 𝒟𝒶𝒽𝓁𝒾𝒶𝒱𝒶𝓁𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒

Rushing out the dining room I grab my purse from the rack Alfred had hung it in a rush Dapheny on her way out with the dish looking at me in confusion. A disappointed look runs along Alfred's face. And my mother? Well she makes no effort to stop me.

Opening the flap of my purse I immediately grab the keys rushing towards the bike and turning the ignition on. And riding off the sound of my wheels crushing the gravel being the only sound I can bare to hear.

Tears somehow brim my own eyes. Wiping them away furiously the breeze dries the rest up quickly my hair flying in the night wind a chill running down my spine.

Why the fuck am I even crying?

A rush of regret fills my body. What have I done?

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Word Count: 1224

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Surprise! Hope you enjoyed this chapter now the book starts to get good my loves, chapter 4 coming real soon! My laptop shut off while I was writing.