{Rosalina}
I stare at myself in a body mirror, completely dressed and ready now. I truly do look beautiful. Graclynn squeals behind me.
"You look amazing!"
I just smile, looking over myself more. I'm going to have fun and this is going to be a blast. I continue to chant positive things like this in my head and I slowly start to believe it.
The door opens and Aunt Alicia says, "They're here."
I suck in as much air as humanly possible and release it. It's showtime. I give my aunt a confident grin to which she returns.
Aunt Alicia and Graclynn are on either side of me as we walk down the hall. Each of them glance at me occasionally as if trying to discreetly check on me, but I don't say anything nor do I make eye contact with them. I am okay. But saying so, for some reason, isn't easy.
We turn the corner and we're at the grand staircase. I see him and I feel myself start to get choked up. I close my eyes for a fraction of a second, clear my mind, and keep moving. He's just a person. All the talking that was going before has ceased as my family, Lord Howard, and the Gray family watch us descend the stairs.
I know what to do. I am in control of this situation as long as we're in my house. When I reach the bottom, I can see his face more clearly and I think I see a little awe in his eyes. He gives me his notorious smile and holds his hand out to me, bowing a bit.
"You look stunning, my dear."
I curtsy before taking his hand. "Thank you." I look at Julien and see that he doesn't look half bad himself. He actually… looks good. Especially with his hair combed perfectly to the side. "You look very handsome," I tell him. He smirks at this and I avert my gaze.
Out of the corner of my eye I see Graclynn walk over to her husband and they lock arms, although he doesn't seemed too thrilled about it.
"Oh my goodness gracious!" A voice cries. I turn towards it and see a girl with brown hair and face very similar to Juliens. "So you're my future sister-in-law!" I just smile and nod. "I'm Clara, Julien's sister."
"Hello," I say politely, holding my hand out to shake hers. "I'm Rosalina."
"You and I are going to be good friends, I can already tell," Clara states. I then notice a slight stern look she gives her brother. "Happy birthday, Lady Rosalina."
"Thank you. I look forward to marrying Julien," I lie as I slip my hand back into Julien's, knowing that's what he would want me to do. That's when I see the Lord Gray step into the light.
"Hello there, Lady Rosalina." He looks me up and down. I feel Julien's hand in mine tighten ever so slightly before his father says, "You will make a fine wife for my son and a welcome addition to our family." I feel disgust crawling up my spine. "I hope you have a happy birthday."
I nod lightly and reply with, "Thank you too, Lord Grey."
My mother claps her hands together and says, "Alright, everyone! People will be here soon, meanwhile the orchestra is already playing, food and drinks are already out, so just make your way to the ballroom!"
As we're walking, Julien leans close to my ear and says, "Happy birthday, darling."
I look up at him, my heart hammering in my chest. "Thank you," I reply stiffly.
He chuckles. "You're doing well. Now you just have to sell it when more people arrive."
My nose wrinkles in distaste. "I'm not kissing you."
This makes him laugh harder. "Who said anything about kissing?" He then lowers his voice to whisper. "You won't be able to avoid it forever. Our wedding is in two weeks."
"Two weeks and a half," I correct.
"Keeping track are we?"
"Yes," I reply. "I want as much time as I can get."
We enter the ballroom and music fills my ears. I look around and my eyes widen as I take everything in. I've had birthday balls before but never… like this.
"Do you like it?" Julien asks me.
"How can we even afford all of this right now? You haven't even given them the money yet..."
"I did this," he tells me. I look at him, my jaw dropped.
"Why would you do this?"
"For you, of course. It is your birthday, afterall."
I stare at him, bewildered. "Why on earth would you do something for me."
"Our image is everything, my dear," he repeats what he said to me the first time we met.
I remove my hand from his and cross my arms. "About that," I say. "Do tell me why it matters so much that we seem in love? Everyone knows that most arranged marriages don't work out."
"Ah, but you see, dear, no one but your parents know that this marriage is arranged. And of course anyone you told."
My posture straightens. "I didn't tell anyone."
He cocks an eyebrow. "You can't lie to me. Go on, now. Who did you tell?"
I swallow hard and respond hesitantly. "Graclynn and my Aunt Alicia."
"That's all?"
"T-that's all," I say. I pause before I continue, "You're not going to hurt them, right? Or me?"
His eyebrows furrow then raise as if not understanding what I said until he did. "No, it's only fair, I suppose, because I did tell my sister and a… friend of mine."
I feel relief flood my body. I was scared there for a minute.
"You still didn't answer my question," I state.
"I suppose I didn't, did I?" He grows quiet for a moment. "You see, in order to get what I want, I don't need anyone to expect a thing, so even the people we've told need to eventually be among the ones who don't know."
I nod my head in understanding, although I don't like it. "Okay," I say.
"Good girl," he coos.
I scoff. "Don't."
His hand reaches up to caress my cheek and I flinch slightly. "Careful, dear."
"I-I have a lot of questions," I tell him.
"I'm sure you do. You've already asked me plenty."
I roll my eyes and shift my weight. "The wedding. What's the whole deal there?"
He shrugs a little. ���I haven't heard much about it. All I know is that it'll be in my family's field."
My eyebrows shoot up. "Your family's field? You own a field? How's that supposed to work."
"Yes, my family owns a field. And it's pretty simple. There's a gazebo, we'll get chairs, and there's even a little house for you to get ready in and everything."
"Wow… that sounds… beautiful."
"Mhm," he says quietly.
"And… after we're married will there be a… honeymoon?" I ask, unsure of exactly how to phrase it.
He glances at me, a strange mischievous glint in his eyes. "Of course. We have a beach estate on a secluded beach. It'll be nice, fun even.
"And it'll be… just us?"
"Of course," he replies as if it was obvious. "What would people think if we didn't have a proper honeymoon?"
He has a point, but that doesn't make me feel any less uncomfortable with the idea. " And then, once we're married and I live in your manor, where do we go from there."
He pretends to be in deep thought. "Well, whatever you want. As long as we show up in public together and host a few gatherings, we'll be fine. But if you want kids--"
I hold my hands up abruptly and say, "No, no, no! I'm good."
He laughs. "You know, eventually I will need an heir."
I just look at him with my jaw dropped. I hope he realizes I won't be getting anyway near him and a bed. "I'm not having kids with you," I deadpan.
"You say that now…" he trails off and I shudder in disgust.
It grows quiet and I stare across the room. People have already started to fill. A few people tell my happy birthday and when each one walks up, Julien feels the need to wrap his arm around my waist. I just have to smile and act like it's normal or that I'm okay with it.
That's when my eyes land on the last person I expected to see here. Viviane Renoir. She is like the most stuck-up bitch I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. Her long black, curly hair, her slender, devil looking eyes, her defined, bitchy face. She's the definition of a bitch. She and I hate each other, and we have since the day we met. She put salt in my tea instead of sugar. A lot of it. I couldn't get the taste off my tongue for weeks. After that, she's been dedicated to ruining my life. She tore one of my gowns the day I was supposed to wear it, she's stolen things from me-- she's basically tried to set me up for failure at every chance she gets.
"Oh god," I mutter.
Julien looks at me with furrowed brows. "What?" He follows my gaze and then says, "Fuck…"
My head whips in his direction. "You know her?" He groans as I look back to her only to find she's staring at me and walking towards me. "She's coming this way!" I hiss.
"Rosalina, darling! Happy birthday," She says with mock sincerity.
I force a smile. "Why thank you, Viviane."
Her eyes move to Julien. "Julien, dear, fancy seeing you here. I hear you're getting married." Viviane tries to sound nonchalant, but it's obvious she's not happy about it. "I mean, I know you. You'd never let a single woman tie you down."
Julien smirks at this, pulling me to his side. I place a hand on his chest, trying to steady myself. "Actually, I am. And to Rosalina, herself." I stare up at him and then glance at Vivane, trying to understand the relationship between them.
Viviane scoffs. "Well, I'm sure it's been arranged. You know where to find me when you…" she looks me up and down as she wears a judgemental expression. "...bored."
"I can assure you that it's not arranged. Rosalina is the only one for me, and there will be none of that," Julien replies smoothly. "I would never have an affair on my future wife.
It seems that Viviane was with Julien in some sense before. I might as well take this shot while I have it. All those years of torture and now finally… revenge. For once in my life I have something she doesn't.
I lean my head on Julien's shoulder and look up at him through my eyelashes. "Julien, my love, I'm a little parched, can we go get something to drink."
He looks down at me and I think I see triumph in his eyes. I just grin innocently. "Of course, my dear."
As we walk away, I tell Viviane, "Thank you so much for coming! I hope you enjoy yourself!"
This night might not be as bad as I thought after all…
{}{}{}{}{}
"You did what!?" Graclynn exclaims.
This causes me to giggle. "Yeah, I know. I wish you could have seen her face!"
"I'm sure it was priceless."
I nod, still laughing. "It really was!"
I glance in the direction that Julien left. He disappeared quite a few minutes ago, saying he was going to get us some champagne. I know it can't take this long. Possibly, he just ran into someone and they're talking, but I can't help but think he's up to no good.
"Looking for him?" Graclynn asks me.
I shrug a bit. "Yes and no." She shakes her head with a smile. I decide to change the subject before she tries to pull anything. "So, how's the pregnancy going?"
Graclynn slides a hand over her stomach as she wears a thoughtful look. "It's going well. I told my parents two days ago; they are ecstatic. My mother can't wait to have a grandchild."
"And… Giovanni?" I question carefully.
Her smile falls slightly. "The same. I don't think he'll even be excited until the baby's here."
I nod, not wanting to drag this on too much.
There's suddenly the loud clinking of a spoon being hit on glass. A hush falls over the room and everyone turns to the owner of the sound. My mother. Just then, Julien slips in through the crowd and stands back at my side, handing me a glass of champagne.
"Took you long enough," I grumble.
He just rolls his eyes.
"I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight," My mother says loudly. "It's a great honor to have each and every one of you here to help celebrate my beloved daughters birthday. I would like to make a toast to her and her soon-to-be-wed husband!"
There's a few gasps from the people who haven't been keeping up with the town gossip before applause erupts across the ballroom. Julien holds me close again as we all raise our glasses and drink. I set my champagne on a nearby table. I don't make a habit of drinking much.
The orchestra strikes up again and music fills the room. Julien, setting his drink down as well, bows and offers me his hand. "Would you care to dance, Lady Rosalina."
Seeing as though I don't exactly have a choice, I take his hand and say, "Of course, Lord Gray." The smile on my face is more forced than it was when I spoke to Viviane. He leads me to the dance floor and naturally, he and I take the center.
"So," I start, beginning a conversation as we glide and spin across the floor. "How do you know Viviane Renoir?"
"Ah, curious again, are we?"
I roll my eyes. "Please, just answer the question."
He twirls me away from him before we meet again. "She was… an old pastime of mine."
"You say that like she was a hobby," I reply with disgust, my nose wrinkled and all.
"It's the truth," he says calmly. "I wasn't interested in her. I just took what she gave: her body."
"You're despicable."
"Believe me, my dear, I know."
I twirl again. "And the fact that you know is just… awful. How do you live with yourself?"
"It's not like I tell them to run after me like lost puppies. It gets annoying. I find it's just better to give them what they want. It spares me the drama and tears."
I let out a harsh laugh. "Right. She's obviously into you. Why me and not her?"
He moves closer to me, taking me a bit by surprise as I notice how our noses are nearly touching. "Because she's no fun."
I frown. "And I am?"
He leans back. "Absolutely."
I avert my gaze, not knowing how I feel about that. It's messed up. He's messed up. And I find my fear of living with him only growing me.
"You spoke of respect the day we met," I tell him.
"What about it?" He asks me.
"You said you'd respect me as long as I respected you."
"I did."
"What did you mean by that?"
"I meant exactly what I said," He responds. "I may not be an ideal man, but I'm not cruel."
"I find that very difficult to believe."
"I'm sure you do," he pauses. "Just don't be stupid, and you and I will get along fine."
I narrow my eyes at him. "Define 'stupid'."
I roll his eyes, obviously exasperated. "Don't try to to run off, hit me, poison me, kill me, anything like that."
My jaw drops. "Kill you? You really think I could do something like that?"
"You'd be surprised by some of the things people try to do to me."
"I highly doubt that," I tell him. "I'm just not like other people, but it's completely understandable why someone would try to murder you."
He sneers at me. "Well then, it's good to know that you aren't stupid because you know what happens when peole cross me? They don't live to tell the tale. Just because you're a woman does not mean you're completely safe from me. I would never hurt you, but that only applies if you make wise decisions. I wouldn't hesitate to kill you if you tried to do the same to me."
I swallow hard as he says that last bit through his teeth.
"I'm not an idiot," I respond, my voice more unsteady than I would have liked. "I know how people like you work, Julien. No one else can end you but you. You'll be the reason for your own undoing. Someone like me could never hope to cause your fall."
He gives me a sudden dashing smile. "I'm glad we've come to an agreement. You be smart and I'll leave you be."
"It's a deal," I practically snarl.
The song finally comes to an end and we make our way back to where we were before. As we're doing so, there's a crash and I'm splashed with a red liquid. It's wine. I freeze, holding my arms out as it drips from me. There's no way this will ever come out of the whitelace on my dress. I look around for one person I know I responsable. Viviane Renior.
"My lady, are you alright?"
"Someone clean this mess up!" My mother barks and three maids come rushing in.
"What on earth happened here," Aunt Alicia's voice rises above the crowd, the music long stopped.
"O-oh! I'm so sorry, Lady Rosalina!" Viviane says, pretending to be concerned.
"It��s fine," I say through gritted teeth as I give my arms a hard shake. People murmur around me.
"Are you okay?" Julien asks me, his breath fanning my neck and sending shivers down my spin.
"Yes," I reply a bit harshly. "But I'm done for tonight."
Aunt Alicia, who's currently dabbing at me with a small towel, says, "That's fine, dear. You've had a good night anyway."
"Yeah, it didn't last long, though," I respond.
Viviane tries to move closer but Julien holds her back. "I just want to help!" she tells him.
He actually glares at her. "I think you have done enough."
"Oh my goodness, Rosalina!"
"I'm okay, Graclynn," I tell her. She tucks a few wet strands of hair behind my ear.
"Come on," Julien says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
We're just about to leave the ballroom when Viviane exclaims. "Oh, come on, Julien! There's no way this is real! I know you, Julien Gray. I know you! You two have barely touched all night."
"Well," He huffs. "It seems that you don't know me well enough."
And just like that, Julien tips my backwards and places his lips on mine. My eyes go wide, but I know I can't push him away in front of all of these people. Just what the hell does he think he's doing? My eyes flutter closed and find myself melting into it. I tighten my hold on him, slightly scared of falling. His lips continue to move in sync with mine but I can't help but think… This bastard probably did this on purpose. He wanted this to happen.
When he pulls away, my eyes open slowly and I stare at him as I breathe heavily. He winks at me, but I have no idea how to react.
Julien turns to the crowd, some of them shocked, some of them smiling, some of them not even paying attention. "Thank you for coming, but my fiance is retiring for the night. Feel free to continue celebrating."
And he guides me through the doors. As I pass Aunt Alicia, she seems the most surprised, judging by how I was acting earlier. I only look away.
Julien gets me up to my room through my direction, not once letting go of me.
"Why did you do that?" I ask him quietly as I sit on my bed. I can't meet his gaze.
"Because. She was vexing me and I wanted to wipe the confidence off her face."
"And you wanted to convince the people that we're in love," I say.
He nods. "Yes, that too." He pauses for a second. "But, there's another reason."
My head tilts up, but my eyes don't reach his face. "Oh?"
"You belong to me now."
"I'm not property," I spit out quickly.
He crosses his arms and sighs. "No, you're not. But if you would let me finish."
"Go on."
"You belong to me now. You'll be my wife soon. And if there's anything I stand by it's that no one messes with what's mine." I finally lock eyes with him. "And I mean that."
"You're confusing, you know that?"
He chuckles at this. "That's the point, my dear. I like to play with my prey."
And suddenly, that little bit of thankfulness, that little bit of something that started to not resent him vanished.
"Get out of my room. Please."
The smirk is back. "No goodbye kiss?"
"Get. Out."
Julien laughs. "You'll see, my dear. Just know, no matter what, I'll always protect you."
He walks out of my room and I stare at my closed door, my mouth hanging open. I hate him. I truly hate him.
Seconds later, Aunt Alicia and Graclynn come hurrying in with Lilith on their heels. They question me and make sure I'm okay before the real questions start as Lilith starts to get me out of my dress.
"What was that?" Graclynn inquiries.
I shrug shyly. Aunt Alicia doesn't seem fooled.
"Oh, come on, child. Details, details!'
"There's nothing to say!" I reply. "You two were there."
But of course that's not the end of it. I'm glad they didn't bother me about it too much, though. Because if they were to ask me if I enjoyed it? I'd lie and say I didn't. As much as I hate to admit it, that jackass is one hell of a kisser.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
{A/N} Well, I did say this chapter would end up being wayyy longer. Imagine if I had combined it with the last one! 6000 words? I don't know about you guys, but super long chapters make me sleepy. I lose interest very fast.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
❤Thanks for Reading!❤