Ariena didn't know for how long she sat on the floor crying her heart out. All the blissful hopes of her were withered in a jiffy, and she's the one to blame for all this heart wrenching experience.
She got up to drag herself to the bathroom with all those strength left with her. She kept on dazing her sorry, pitted face. She felt so disgusted when suddenly she noticed her swollen lips and the hickey on her lower part of just above her breast. She rushed towards the shower and started rubbing madly the spots where he had touched her. A moment ago the touches which made her felt like she was in the seventh heaven where marking her feel nauseating.
The tears kept flowing down with the cold water from the shower. She only left the bathroom when all her body were scalped by the intense rubbing. She slumped in her bed in the bathroom gown without drying her hair or changing in her sleepover.
All the answers to her questions kept playing in her mind. His words were so crystal clear that it felt that he himself was repeating them in front of her again and again as she blankly stare at the roof.
"He regretted everything...." as a soft inaudible whimper escaped her mouth with the a lone tear drop to accompany it. Her mind drifted to the past as she pounder over the thought, 'Did she also regretted marrying him.... No, she didn't as she fell in love with him at the first sight of him. He lived to her father's words... Too handsome to resist...'
FLASHBACK....
Their first meeting is still as fresh as morning sun in her mind. That day when her dad told her about her arrange marriage with Andrew Johnston, the most eligible and breath taking handsome bachelor in the city. She had instantly rejected his offer pointing her age and her dreams to him.
But when Diane, her stepmother, forced her to go with the arrangements by black mailing her about SofiaNa, she has to let her pride go. She still remember Diane exact words, when she said in her usual expressionless face, "Ariena don't be too hard headed, I know for what you are trying so assiduously.. But dear what will you do if I sell of that company of your mom before you can even step in it.. Don't forget I have the full authority to do anything I want till you turn twenty five or your are capable of running it.... "
Diane walked to her elegantly in her high heels clanking it on the mirror like clean tiled floor completely piercing through the silence that had engulfed the room. Diane was like a lady devil in the eyes of Ariena as there was not a slight guilt in her eyes when she touched the most sensitive spot in Ariena's life ,her deceased mother Sofia Werben last gift to her, "SofiaNa".
With the bloodshot red eyes Ariena turned to face her and replied controlling the hot tears in them, "You can't do that.. SofiaNa didn't belong to you, it's mine, my mother gifted it to me...."
Diane let a soft mocking chuckle as she tapped lovingly on her shoulder while saying, "Oh dear, the little kitty is all grown up to scratch her own master, hmm.... You know I can do anything in this house. Infact if I put it in this way that everything in this household is done after getting my approval then it wouldn't be any surprise to you ... Right Ariena.. you know me so stop struggling and go with your Dad arrangements obediently, if you still want your mother dream to be fulfilled. Don't you dare to oppose me, if you have guts then go ahead and challenge me..."
Ariena was flabbergasted by her words , she knew that the woman in front of her whom everyone portrait as the most kind hearted and easy going person can really be a scary if time demands. She can't pass Diane words in lightly. In the end she lifted her head up and said, "I'll go with you all and meet the man..."
Diane was quick to get a proper response so she made herself clear, " I don't want you to play any trick there behind our backs, remember they are influential people we can't let them down, so BEHAVE .."
Ariena pursed her lips tightly into a thin line as she said in a low voice, "I will.."
The next day Ariena got ready before the time to go and visit Johnston with her parents. She had wore a baby pink flared dress with white lace work from its neckline to the waist. The dress stopped at her knee length enchancing her beautiful and long legs. She had put in a light make up, highlighting her eyes and lips, with a tear drop diamond pendant set and white stilettos. She was looking enchanting yet decent in her choice of clothes.
Soon she arrived at the Johnston mansion with her family. She was nervous and anxious as it was very normal for a girl of eighteen years to be. To think of it was not that she was here for dating someone, she was here to meet her future husband.
The moment she went off the car she was welcomed by a warm hug from a middle aged woman, " Oh you are so gorgeous ... Andrew is lucky to have you as his wife..." said the lady as she dragged her towards a man, and continued, "Andrew look she's like a Barbie doll... oh how I want to pinch those pink cheeks of her.. haha" making Ariena blush harder.
"Mom please control yourself you are making her conscious, look how red she had turned..." Ariena heard the sweetest voice of a man in this world as she lift her eye to look at him.
Silence engulfed around her as she keep staring at the handsome man. She was not able to hear anything what other around her were talking at she was feasting on the beautiful features of the man. His well made black hair, dark brown almond shaped eyes, straight nose, thin lips, flawless pale skin.... tall, lean, well built physique. He was looking damn handsome in his ink blue tailor made customized suit.
She felt her heart pumping out from her chest as she kept looking at him without blinking her eyes..... That's it She had Fallen In Love With Him at the first sight.
"I think we should also get going as our parents already went inside..." she was brought back to earth when she heard him. She run to her Dad in embarrassment.
Both the families spend a wonderful time together, they happily discussed about the preparation for their marriage. The evening ended on a beautiful note.
She was about to leave the mansion with her family, when suddenly Mrs Johnston, suggested Andrew and her to have a alone time.
Excitedly yet nervously he went with him to the first floor balcony, she didn't know what to say to him as she watched the silent figure in front of her. After muttering some confidence she was about to say something when she heard him saying, " I don't want to marry you, but I can't refuse you. I have someone I love, but I can guarantee you if we were to get married I'll be loyal to you... just don't expect love from this marriage because I can't give you that.... "
Ariena was dumbstruck with his revelation, she didn't have any idea what to do. But she soon recovered from the shock, she chuckle heartly and said in a calm tone, " Same goes with me Mr Johnston, I've my own reasons to be here, I hope we are really fated.... I'm willing to marry you but don't expect anything from me....." she felt something missing in her words but didn't dare to correct it as she also has some pride to safe.
........ .... ......
At present....
She kept reminding herself that tonight was all her wishful thinking and she deserves that, because with the passing years she had started to forget about the real deal of this so called happy marriage. They were not and will never be a REAL COUPLE....
She still don't know why she fell for this heartless and haughty man at the first sight of him. But it can't be helped...The tears started to flow from her eyes non-stop as the pain in her heart was unbearable for her.
She squeeze into a fetus position as she hugged her knees closely to her chest while crying silently at her fate. She had no idea at what time she finally doze off but the nightmares of loosing someone keep haunting her ....