Wife for a Year

Chapter 1

Dedicated to babymickey98 for being my first reader of this story.

Chapter 1

Arandia, 2 weeks ago

"You're getting married."

Rashiq Zafar turned to glare at his father. "What did you say?"

"You're getting married. I've made a deal with the neighbouring country and you're going to seal it. Through your marriage with Hanna, princess of Satrin, we would be forging ties and business relationships. It's a very good deal."

Glancing at his father, Rashiq's hands curled into fists. First his sister, now him. He was not going to be another pawn in his father's game. He could not protect his sister before but he could very well protect himself now. And he was not going to let his father dictate his life.

"No."

"I don't care what you say. The deal has been made; you will be married two months from now." His father, the sultan of Arandia sat back behind the oak table where he did all his royal work from and continued leafing through official documents as if Rashiq wasn't in the room anymore.

Anger poured through Rashiq's veins. "Then," he gritted the word out, "What was the point of you even telling me?" Rashiq stood up from his place on the couch in his father's office and left, slamming the door behind him.

After all this years, his father still wanted to dictate his life. He was twenty-five years old for God's sake. It was time he started making his own decisions, starting with his marriage life. Hanna was only 18. She wasn't even fully an adult. His own marriage?! He was not going to marry her. And if he had to marry another woman just to spite his father so be it.

He was going to marry a commoner and his father could go to hell with the arranged marriage.

San Diego, Present

Annabelle Walker was nervous for Monday to come. Come Monday, she would be a freshman in college. Although she was attending college a little late at her age of twenty-four, she still wanted to get her degree. She still had to get a loan but since she had a 50% scholarship, she was fine. She still had to work at the nearby cafe every night to pay off the loans gradually, but it was worth it.

After packing the remnants of her stuff into bags, she did not know what to do. She stared around at her dingy apartment, though it was cheap and dirty at times since it was located at a rural area of town, she liked her apartment. It was paid all from her hard work. But now that she was going to be a freshman in college with appointed dorms, it was time to say good bye to her apartment. She was suppose to move in tomorrow into the dorm that she was suppose to share with four other females. Wind blew in from the open window to her left. She should take a walk. After all, it was a beautiful day and it was only ten o' clock in the morning.

Grabbing her sweater; a good deal that she had gotten at one of the nearby thrift shops since it was practically new, Annabelle opened the door to her apartment and left after locking the door behind her. She walked down the roads heading into town. The weather was sunny but not too hot. She put on a pair of sunglasses and walked to the café where she worked every weekday. Weekends were her off days.

For some people, they hated going back to their work place when they weren't working on that day but Annabelle loved the café. It was a small little shop, located at the corner of the street. Besides, the job paid well. Annabelle opened the door and let herself be enveloped by the familiar smell of coffee and delicacies. The smell was overcoming and it felt like a tiny piece of home.