A Challenge To An Arranged Marriage

She Is The Reason

"White shirt?!"

"Packed!"

"Four ties?!"

"Packed!"

"Black socks?!"

"Packed!"

"Great you are all packed now." Lisa concluded shifting from the wardrobe and placing herself close to the luggage closing the zip.

"Yup and I am sure I wouldn’t have done it without you." Ian said as he bend down to place a quick kiss on her temple.

"Well, you better start packing on your own, I might not be there always." She whispered standing on her feet and facing him.

"Funny, because I am not letting you go anywhere." Ian whispered placing his hands on her waist and letting his lips fall on hers.

"I will miss you."

"Then take me along" Lisa responded putting herself on her toes and leaning forward to take him in a hug.

"You will get bored. And don’t worry I will be back before you know it" he answered tugging his hands around her waist pulling her close.

"Hmm" she responded holding him close. She couldn’t understand the feeling she was having inside her, it was like she didn’t want him to leave but she couldn’t tell him to stop. Something was telling her something bad was about to happen.

"Don’t worry to much, concentrate on your art, don’t I repeat don’t dare tire yourself off limit and don’t miss me too much." Ian instructed placing his hands on her cheeks making her look him in his eyes. "Okay?"

"Yeah yeah, I got it. Now you go otherwise you will get late for the flight." She answered placing a light kiss on his hands that was still on her cheeks.

"Okay" he responded placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Take care Lisa." He said as he collected his bags and walked towards the car. She waved him a goodbye and he was gone soon. Something felt off to her. She knew something was about to come dashing her.

She distracted herself with work, completing some pending paintings and putting them aside. The picture of her mother was still on the side, uncompleted. She was happy now and had idea what to do with the painting but still she couldn’t touch it. Something was still stopping her from doing so.

"Lisa?" Marie called out from the hall pulling her out of her thoughts.

"I am coming Marie" she answered taking a last look at the painting and setting down her colours and brushes.

"Did you- James?" She spoke as she saw James standing in the hall waiting for her. It’s been a long while since she has seen him and after what Ian told her seeing him here in the house made her take a step back.

"Hi, Lisa how are you?" He asked as he moved a step forward to reach her when he noticed her taking a step back. He knew she would be scared of him as to now she knows everything about him. That is every lie Ian told her. He knew he was about to do the right thing.

"I...what are you doing here?" She asked looking around to see if Marie was near to her, but unfortunately, Lisa couldn’t find her meaning James would have send her away.

"You don’t need to be scared Lisa. I understand why though. I get that what Ian told you about me would have terrified you but you deserve to know the truth. Please take a seat Lisa" he said as he gestured her to take a seat in front of her.

"I know enough truth and you need to get out of here. I saw you as a father and what did you do? You used me!" She screamed letting out all of her anger.

"And I am really sorry about that. But just listen to me once. Please" he pleaded looking straight in her eyes letting her know he had a honest gesture.

"You promise you will leave after that?"

"I promise just please listen to me, we don’t have much time" he continued taking a seat in front of her.

"Okay say what you want to tell." She motioned him to start talking.

"Alright, I know what Ian told you about me but the truth is whatever he told you was a lie. He-"

"What do you mean it’s all I lie? I am not hearing this if you are here to manipulate me!" Lisa shouted listening to him.

"It’s not a lie Lisa please listen to me." He continued as he asked her to take a seat again.

"Lisa... Ian is building up lies everything he told you was a lie. The marriage was his plan, instead he was the owner of the company since he was 19. So he, you know he didn’t do it all to get the company from me because... Well I got scared to run the company when it went into a great debt and Ian had to take over."

"What?... But why.. I mean he told me-"

"Whatever he told you was a lie,  the idea of getting married to you was his decision. Taking you to the gala and then pretending to be distant from you was a plan to get you closer to him. Planting me in and making you think like I did was the plan again, he was using me to get to you every time. The phone conversation you heard him having me in Paris was a lie even. He wanted to gain your sympathy by putting me wrong." Something pulled away from Lisa. It was like someone just took away the very ground she was standing on. She was vulnerable and defenceless again. She trusted him, she believed him when he said he loved her, she gave him a chance again, just to get her heart broken again.

"How do I know you are not lying?" She asked trying to control her tears because she knew everything he said might actually be true. But she loved him, she wanted to fight for that, at least till it was true.

"You have no reason to believe me Lisa, but I am not lying. I am carrying enough burden and guilt with me already and I don’t think I could handle anymore, I had to tell you. I am sorry."

Lies, planning, plotted were the only words revolving around her head now. She proved to be naive again, getting herself to the point where she knew could hurt to fall again.

"Why? Why would he do it?" Lisa spoke in between her tears.

"Because of Hailee, she is the reason."