Chapter 3

• All I desire is a lifetime with you...
• But why do I feel like I am deceiving you?
• ARLET
• Holding the sheer drapery, my eyes gazed down at the man who had unsettled my soul. That little angel was his daughter. In what world was this possible? How could he be so secretive? My heart sank as I glimpsed the poor child observing the other kids playing around. Anyone could see the heartbreak etched on her face as she watched them. I could feel her pain, raw and undeniable.
• Ruben glanced in our direction, but the scattered evening rays painted the air in fragments, shielding his view of his radiant bride.
• Behind me, his stunned bride sauntered across the room, her steps faltering as she struggled to suppress the rush of adrenaline coursing through her.
• "What am I supposed to do now?" Reile hissed, clutching my arm as if I held the power to save her from this chaos. Her voice dragged me back to the storm of emotions she was battling, making her confusion palpable.
• If I hadn’t met that little angel, I might have been as outraged as Reile. But now, it didn’t matter what I thought.
• Snatching a piece of paper, I quickly scribbled:
• How do you know?
• "Look at this." She extended her phone to me.
• That pretty angel seemed excited, her love shining through as she proudly showed off her doll collection. It was clear how much she wanted to adore and share, but that still didn’t explain why Ruben would lie to her. Should I call Ruben and let them have a private conversation? Reile deserved an explanation.
• "That girl is his daughter. I can’t be the fucking mother of a disabled child." She cried again, and my heart ached for Reile.
• I shook my head gently, trying to calm her. Don't rush yourself; please talk to him. I'm sure he can explain everything. Why would he hide being a father from you? I signed slowly, my hands moving with care, making sure she understood.
• Reile slapped her forehead in frustration, her chin jutting out defiantly. "He lied to me. That’s what he did. I don’t need his fucking explanation."
• Things were delicate now, and I didn’t know how to fix them. But she should have known about his family, right?
• I signed the question slowly, making sure she could read my lips. Didn’t you meet his daughter or his parents before?
• "No, he never mentioned anything about this girl, and I never felt the need to meet his parents." Reile exhaled sharply, jerking at her dress with agitation.
• It was surprising to me. Two people about to marry, and the woman didn’t know anything about her husband’s family? Ruben had never shown any interest in introducing Reile to his parents.
• It was strange.
• Well, it’s not new to me. Reile never liked to meet people who couldn’t help her. I stood there, lost in thought, weighing my options. Should I call William and Debbie? Should I ask Ruben?
• But that would not look good. Ruben might be thinking, Who the hell am I to get involved in this?
• I was deep in my brooding when I heard Reile’s giggling voice.
• She was reading something on her phone. Did she lose her senses?
• "I don’t need to marry him," she said with a carefree tone.
• She thrust the screen in my face, revealing that she had been selected for the Paris fashion event.
• Reile, how could you do this? Where the heck did this come from?
• The man down there, waiting for you to walk down the aisle. I shook my head, signaling her not to take such a rash step.
• I was surprised to see how much these two had hidden from each other—so many secrets—and they still called it love, marriage. How could they go forward with it like this?
• But before I could write, Debbie entered the room.
• “You’re not ready yet?” Debbie asked in a lower tone.
• “And what the heck are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to help her out?” She snarled, looking at me as if it was my fault.
• Reile hugged Debbie tightly, crying.
• “Mom, I can’t marry him. He’s a liar.”
• I signed quickly, wishing I could help. Don’t trust her, Debbie. Please talk to Ruben first.
• “Why are you crying?” Debbie asked, pulling back slightly.
• “That disabled girl is his daughter, and I can’t be a mother. Not at this point in my career.”
• Debbie jolted, clearly shocked. “What?”
• “Yes, I don’t want to marry him. Besides, I got selected for the Paris fashion event.”
• What is going on here? How can these people be so indifferent? This is a marriage—a commitment for life. How can they talk about it like this?
• William entered the room just as the tension in the air thickened, watching these ladies stirring up something that didn’t make sense.
• “What’s going on?” he asked, clearly confused.
• “Dad, I can’t marry him,” Reile said calmly, though her eyes betrayed her uncertainty.
• William’s face turned red with anger.
• “He lied to her. That little crippled girl is his daughter, and he never mentioned it to Reile,” Debbie added, supporting her daughter’s distress.
• I quickly grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled, my hand moving urgently, hoping Reile would see my concern.
• He loves you. Please talk to him. Don’t you love him?
• I extended the paper towards her, my heart sinking as I waited for her response.
• Reile jerked the paper away with a sudden movement, her eyes narrowing. “Are you mad?”
• "I wanted to marry him because of his status and money. Not because I want to become the mother of an unwanted child." She confessed, and in that moment, the Reile I knew materialized. How could someone be so bitter toward an innocent child? My heart ached for her. At least talk to him and let him know you’re uncomfortable with this decision.
• William still wore that stern expression, while Debbie continued to caress her selfish daughter.
• "Calm down," Debbie whispered.
• "You, get me some water," Debbie ordered, glancing in my direction.
• I paced with a heavy heart, feeling the weight of the situation. How does fate play such cruel games with us? The man I love never even knew I existed. And the woman he loves wants to marry him just for his status and money. I walked down the hall to grab a glass of water when Milo suddenly grabbed my hand.
• "Where were you?" I pointed toward Reile's room.
• "Were you helping her?" I nodded.
• "Fine, I’ll be back in a little while." Should I mention this to Milo? Would it make sense? Before I could say anything, he left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
• Returning to the room, I could tell the matter had been settled, and these three seemed to carry the same emotions.
• An itch of curiosity crept inside me, and I wanted to ask why Reile suddenly seemed so confident in her decision.
• Debbie gave me a smile—an unexpected one. "Arlet, what do you think of Ruben?"
• A strange feeling settled in my chest. Something didn’t feel right at this moment. I returned her smile, keeping my emotions minimal. I signed, my hands moving fluidly. He seems like a good man to marry. I’m happy Reile chose him.
• "Do you think we are the ones who could make decisions for your life?"
• I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat growing. Are they going to throw me out of the house now? My heart raced in fear, and panic began to rise within me.
• "Mumma, just tell her." Reile chimed in, her voice cutting through the silence.
• "Arlet, you have to marry Ruben."
• What? A zap of shock shot through my spine. The words hung in the air, but the next moment, the glass I was holding slipped from my hand and shattered on the floor. Did I hear them right? No... it can't be.
• I shook my head, unable to process what I was hearing. My legs moved on their own, instinctively stepping back. How in the world is this possible? This isn't happening.
• I waved my hands, desperately trying to form words. "Nnn... oo."
• I can’t let this happen to him. He loves her, and he deserves to marry her. But my protest felt like a futile whisper against a storm, my voice swallowed by the cruel reality that was beginning to unfold.
• Suddenly, the harsh sound of a slap echoed through the room, and my cheek stung. William’s fury was palpable.
• "I don’t care what you say or do. But I can’t let this deal slip away so easily. He promised me his hotel contracts, and this marriage would seal that deal."
• My head throbbed as his hand grabbed my hair, pulling my neck to force me to face the venom in his words. His selfishness seeped into every syllable, burning through me.
• Don’t... The pain sliced through my chest, a tear slipping down my cheek. How could they ask this of me? How could they make me a pawn in their twisted game? I can’t be part of this deception. Ruben deserves to know why Reile doesn’t want to marry him. He deserves the truth.
• What did I do to deserve this treatment? To be thrown into this mess, my life twisted for their gain? How could they replace Reile with me—me—like this?
• "You are going to marry him. Do you understand?" William’s voice was cold, and the shove that followed sent me crashing to the ground. I looked up at him, my body trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief.
• I wanted to scream, to fight back with every ounce of my being. I wanted to say no, to resist. But I knew—I knew—what would follow would be worse than anything I could imagine.
• "Don’t you dare say no to this proposal. You know what I can do."
• A shiver ran through me. My parents' house was the only thing I had left—my last tie to them, to the memories of a life before all this chaos. And now, William was eyeing it, waiting for the chance to sell it.
• "I still have that house you loved with all your soul, Arlet."
• I felt a deep, gut-wrenching wave of despair crash over me. How could I face Ruben now?