Arranged marriage : Married to an unknown man

Ariana

It was almost four-thirty and I was arranging some documents in order which needed Xavier’s attention. I was about to stand up to go into his office when he himself walked into my office.

“I’m going out for some work so, I won’t be able to drive you back. Finn will drive you back, I have already informed him.” He informed me.

“Okay,” I said without standing up from my chair. Then without saying anything else, he left my office.

What important work he had? There was even no meeting scheduled for the particular time.

I shrugged my shoulders and focused back on the documents. I huffed. He’s gone which meant I had no work till he comes back.

I decided to meet Lauren, I was too occupied with work that I couldn’t meet her since the morning. My ankle had not healed completely but the pain was a little less.

I went to her office and knocked on the door.

“Hi, Lauren.”

Her eyes lit up seeing me. “Hey, you finally got time to meet your poor friend.” She said sarcastically but smiled at me.

“Sorry Lauren, I have been so busy that I even didn’t have lunch,” I said, sitting on a chair in front of her desk.

“I have been occupied as well because my boss is in a really bad mood today. He snapped at me for even negligible mistakes.” She huffed.

Sean? He’s not in a good mood? I don’t know what’s going on. Why three of them are in a bad mood?

“Mr. Knight was also in a bad mood. I wonder what happened. You know anything?” I asked her out of curiosity.

“You don’t know?” She asked, making a weird face.

“No?” I frowned.

“In which world do you live, Ariana? Since morning, everyone in the building is talking about just one thing. Though the magazines are being taken down, I still have one copy with me. Here, have a look.” Lauren said, taking out the magazine from the drawer of the desk and slid it towards me.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Pictures, pictures of four of us were printed in the magazine. But that was not the shock. The actual shock was the article printed with the pictures.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

And the article was written by none other than Sarah Park. The one whose friendship broke with Xavier because of me.

She did it, she did threaten to take down Xavier’s reputation, she had succeeded in it. And all that happened because of me.

This is why he was angry since the morning, this is why Daniel and Sean were in a bad mood. This is why Xavier threatened to fire Bianca and Diana.

And all this happened BECAUSE OF ME.

I don’t know when my hands started shaking and the magazine fell from my hand.

“Hey, hey, Ariana, it’s okay. I know you’re shocked to see another woman in Mr. Knight’s arms after he kissed you. But hey, it’s okay. It’s not the end.” Lauren came to me and patted my back.

But she didn’t know that what she said was the least of my concern. No one knew that the woman in his arms was me, he was securing me from Paparazzi.

I didn’t care about myself because I was no one. No one knew me and would never get to know me. I was worried about Xavier’s reputation, three of their reputation, company’s reputation which was almost ruined.

JUST BECAUSE OF ME.

“Lauren I n.. need to l.. leave.” Saying that I rushed out of her office, I didn’t stop even when she shouted for me. Picking up my laptop bag from my office, I left the building. I didn’t care if work hours were not over. I just wanted to go away, I wanted to go to the place which provides me tranquility. I wanted to go home.

I asked Finn to drive me home. I was on brink of breaking down, only I knew how I had been handling myself at the moment.

They must be thinking that I was the reason behind all that happened. That’s why three of them were angry. None of them wanted to see my face. They didn’t even ask for coffee. I shouldn’t have gone out with them. I was so selfish that I didn’t even for once thought the consequences of going out with them.

Pain… that’s what I felt. I’m not good for anyone. I again went back to my past. Sarah Park called me a hooker, I had been called worst. All the emotional pain that I had been hiding inside me came flooding out.

Someone has said ‘Pain changes people’.

Pain makes you emotionally strong. But for me, it worked otherwise.

The pain may have made me physically strong but it made me emotionally weak. Pain gave me the power to endure physical injury but it didn’t give me the power to fight my demons.

I wanted to cry, I wanted to shout, I wanted to scream. I wanted to let it all out. But my tears refused to come out. Before I was on verge of crying but now it was like my tears evaporated in the air.

I became numb. Just one thing had been swirling in my head.

It was all my fault.

I was on brink of getting a panic attack. I was stressed, the headache had begun to grow. I needed to divert my mind to something else to avoid getting a panic attack.

So, I picked up my laptop and started doing work that needs concentration. Even a minor mistake could fail all the effort of doing it. I started doing what I hadn’t done for so long. This was only my solace when I used to get stressed. This was something I pursued to study to make a carrier in.

I started doing coding/programming. After all, I had graduated in software engineering.

Hope doing this would make me calm like it used to do before.

Xavier Knight

I strode confidently into the GBN building. I was totally in the mood to show Sarah her place. I didn’t pay heed to the receptionist and other employees who were ogling me. Ignoring every stare I stride to Sarah’s office.

“Oh my, my, did the sunrise from the west today? The Xavier Knight himself came to visit an old friend?” Sarah welcomed me with the sarcastic remark, sitting on her chair.

“Truth to be told, I knew I’d hear from you today. But I didn’t know that you will personally visit me.” She smirked.

“Well, what can I say, I thought you forgot who Xavier Knight is. So, I personally came to remind you.” I said arrogantly as I sat on a chair placed in front of her desk.

“So, how do you like the article?” She smiled wickedly.

“Which article are you talking about? The one which has been taken down already?”

Her smile vanished after hearing me and now it was my time to smirk.

“What? You don’t know? What did you think that someone would write rubbish about me, my company, my dear ones and I’d do nothing about it?” I said sarcastically. She didn’t speak, obviously, she was out of words. Her face turned into a scowl.

I leaned forward and put my elbows on the desk. I scratched my forehead with my finger before speaking.

“You wanted revenge on me then you should have written about me. But you dared to involve my friends, my dear ones in your game. You shouldn’t have done that. I didn’t say much when you insulted my employee in my own company. But you have crossed your limits this time.” I said in a dangerous, deep tone.

She smirked and leaned forward. “Oh come on, I didn’t write much about you. Why are you angry? Or is it because I wrote that to know who that woman was? The world wants to know what’s happening in Xavier Knight’s life. So, tell me who that woman was in your arms last night? Or should I say, who’s warming your bed these days…”

“Who’s warming my bed and who’s not is none of your fucking business and is none of the world’s business.” I gritted my teeth, glaring at her.

“Don’t tell me that whatever I wrote was true. She’s indeed some hooker.” She fake gasped.

That’s it, my calmness and patience all went in the air. How dare she insult Ariana in front of me? I abruptly stood up from the chair, pushing it away harshly.

“Just fucking shut your mouth! I didn’t come here to listen to your nonsense. I came here to remind you that if you dare pull this stunt again, if you dare meddle in my business again then be ready to kiss your career goodbye. And I assure you that if this ever happens again, no one will be able to bring you back in this industry. I’ll not care if you were my friend once.” I said, raising my voice a little.

I was done with her, I didn’t want to stay there for long.

“Just remember my words.” Saying that I turned to leave.

“How can you do this to me? You are breaking years of friendship just because of your fucking P. A? That fucking bitch. Don’t tell me she slept with you and maybe she’s giving something more to you that’s why you’re being on her side. Tell me what is that cheap whore giving you that I can’t.” She shouted on top of her lungs, making all my restrain vanish in the air. I turned to face her.

“Shut up if you don’t want me to strangle your neck right now. Don’t you dare say anything about her! You don’t know her and you’ll never know her. She’s not like you who fucked don’t know how many men to get on this position. My P. A is working in the topmost company in the world because she deserves to be there. And I assure you that one day she’ll do something big because She has got talent, she is hardworking. Don’t you dare question her ability or her talent.” I raised my voice. She was standing in her position, breathing heavily because of shouting.

“I won’t remind you again not to insult her in any manner. You’re no one to question her nobility. And if anyone who dares question her dignity has to go through me because In my eyes she’s the most respected woman after my mother.”

“Mark my words, this is the last and final warning I’m giving you,” I warned her and stormed out of her office and the building. I didn’t regret saying all that to her. She’s no fucking one to insult Ariana. I’d surely destroy her if she tries to pull such kind of stunt again.

Getting out of the building I thought about Ariana, she’s not like other money and body hungry women. She’s so pure.

I respect Ariana, she has earned it. In a very short period, she changed my views about her. She’s worthy of doing many things. She’s the most dignified woman I ever met. Though she lacks confidence, she’s scared of people, she’s conserved to herself but that doesn’t mean she’s any less worthy.

Her calm, decent, innocent, pure, and selfless personality has been making me fall for her.

When I reached outside my penthouse building it was almost ten at night. I had been driving around to clear my head and even went to the bar to drink but I couldn’t bring myself to drink. So, I left the bar and drove aimlessly, thinking about Ariana; how she changed me, how I was willing to fight with anyone who dared to speak against her.

When I was emotionally blackmailed by my parents to marry her I didn’t want to have any relation with her. I didn’t want to call her my wife back then, but everything changed with time.

I desired to keep watching her beautiful face, I wanted to remain lost in her black sparkling eyes. Her eyes are so hypnotizing. I wanted to keep kissing those luscious lips of hers. I wanted to take her to my bed, but with respect. I wanted to show her the world she hadn’t seen yet. I wanted to experience ecstasy. I wanted to feel her. I just wanted to be the only one who does these things to her.

I never had the urge to call someone mine. My parents may have blackmailed me to marry her, I may have always denied accepting her. But now, I was sure that I would not let her go. I was so proud of her that I could proudly announce to the world that she’s MINE. The inside-out beauty is mine. This kind, polite, generous, crazy, stubborn, cute, and adorable woman is mine.

She’s Ariana Xavier Knight.

My wife.

And I like her.