Chapter 3

• SELENA'S POV.
• I contemplated excuses to avoid it, but my mother's glaring look stopped me.
• Facing Aiden, he drew near, tilted my face up, and approached for a kiss.
• His lips met mine, eliciting a soft sound from me.
• His flavor was unlike anything I'd experienced, even with Derrick. Or perhaps I was overstating.
• As his arms encircled me and our lips remained joined, the clapping reminded me it was time to stop.
• The last thing I wanted was my image plastered across magazines and the internet, kissing Aiden Evans.
• "That's enough," I declared, pulling away from his firm hold as he smirked.
• One of the guests congratulated us, "You both are wonderful."
• I managed to reply a polite "Thank you," noticing Aiden's preoccupation with his phone.
• "Congratulations," his mother, a dignified woman in her fifties, added. "Thanks, mom," he responded curtly.
• The pretense of it all threatened to overwhelm me, and I needed to escape before I succumbed to it.
• "I'll return shortly," I informed Aiden and his mother, who were deep in conversation, as I hurried to my room.
• My mother's footsteps followed, but I didn't pause.
• Collapsing on the bed, tears flowed as she entered.
• "You nearly frightened everyone with your silence," she scolded, aggravating my frustration.
• "It's always about others' opinions, never my feelings," I cried out.
• "Selena, tears change nothing. What's done is done," she stated coldly. "And pack your bags; you're leaving with Aiden tonight," she added before leaving me alone with my sorrow.
• With reluctance, I began packing, dreading the six months ahead with a man for whom I felt nothing.
• Derrick's reaction will surely be one of anger when he hears about it. Facing him seems like an insurmountable task.
• As I was securing my luggage, a faint tap at the window caught my attention.
• There's only one person who uses that route to slip into my room.
• Approaching the window, it opened to reveal Derrick.
• He's the one whose mere presence accelerates my pulse.
• "Surprise!" he exclaimed, leaping in with a bouquet he'd been concealing.
• "Derrick. Why are you here?" I inquired.
• His smile waned.
• "Darling, the real question is why you've been ignoring my calls," he retorted.
• I hoped that was all he noticed. I avoided his gaze as he stepped closer.
• "And why are you adorned in a bridal gown?" he inquired, his words making me wish for the earth to swallow me whole.
• "Answer me!" he demanded, his tone reaching a volume I never thought possible.
• As I retreated, shaking, he seized my hands from behind.
• "Derrick, release me. Let me go," I implored, withdrawing my hand from his hold.
• "Forgive me, my dear. Can you explain why you're wearing that gown?" he inquired, worriness in his words.
• How should I begin to explain? What should I say first? These thoughts whirled in my head.
• “Selena, please, utter a word. Say anything," he pleaded.
• "I married Aiden Evans," I confessed, no longer able to keep it a secret. It was over. Despite the pain, I owed him the truth.
• "No! You must be kidding, aren't you? You're—you're—"
• "I'm speaking the truth," I interjected, looking him in the eye.
• "This can't be real, Selena. Not today," he protested, and only then did I notice the ring box he clutched in his hands.
• "I intended to ask for your hand in marriage today, my love. How could you do this?" he lamented.
• His sorrowful expression moved me.
• Deep down, I wished to reveal the sham and our eventual reunion after six months, but the backstory of the marriage had to remain hidden.
• "Who forced you into this?" he probed, drawing nearer as tears streamed down my face and he clasped my hands.
• "I...I never felt love for you," I declared, striving for believability in my admission, but he just shook his head, unconvinced.
• "Really? You expect me to accept that tale?" Derrick challenged, skeptical, but I persisted.
• "Whether you accept it or not, my feelings for you were never sincere. It was merely a casual affair," I claimed, releasing his hands.
• "You're a terrible liar. Gabriella, your sister, was supposed to marry that man. How did you end up in her place?" he confronted me.
• His anger was unsettling, but I had to come to terms with my situation.
• "Derrick, that's not your concern. Please, leave me be," I implored, overwhelmed by the strain.
• As I faced away, his firm hold encircled my waist. "Let's escape together. Let's just flee from all this," Derrick murmured in my ear.
• My body yearned to agree, but the thought of my father compelled my heart to refuse.
• Turning towards him, he gently lifted my face, his eyes brimming with emotion, and was about to kiss me when the door burst open, followed by a voice.
• "What are you doing here?" my mother demanded, causing us to separate instantly.
• I signaled to my mother to keep silent about the situation, and she gave a subtle nod of understanding.
• "I've come to marry your daughter," Derrick declared boldly, grasping my hands.
• "How audacious!" my mother exclaimed, her smile tinged with mischief. Approaching us, she forcefully separated his hand from mine.
• "My daughter is already wed, and we have no need for you in her life. Leave immediately," my mother commanded, her voice booming.
• "You orchestrated this, didn't you?" Derrick accused, prompting my mother to tighten her jaw.
• "You're the mastermind behind this, right?" he pressed.
• "Derrick, I won't tolerate baseless accusations against my mother. Kindly depart," I said, maintaining courtesy.
• Though I was aware of my mother's influence on my choices, I refused to let anyone address her disrespectfully.
• "You'll regret this immensely, I assure you," he warned.
• "Please, just go!" I urged, my voice quivering as I watched Derrick make his exit through the window.
• A piece of me seemed to vanish with Derrick's departure.
• Derrick's warning reverberated: "You'll regret this immensely." Perhaps he was right. Perhaps duty would eclipse desire.
• Yet, as the man I had once dreamed of slipped away, I wondered: could I rewrite my fate, or was it already etched in indelible ink, binding me to a stranger's embrace?