Arabella dragged Liam until they reached the bridal car.
"Get inside!" Arabella ordered him.
"Bossing me around?! Who do you think you are?" Liam spat back at her, narrowing his eyes.
The irritation was evident on his face. He hated this woman.
"Whether you like it or not, I'm your wife starting today." She bravely declared to him, trying her best to calm her racing heart.
She still couldn't believe that she kissed this stranger in front of everyone!
"Wife your ass! I don't even know you. And for your information, I have a girlfriend. I don't know what Michael is scheming this time. Don't bother me and just go to him!"
Liam was about to abandon Arabella when several bodyguards immediately blocked his path.
"Young Master, you are not going anywhere. Just enter the car with your wife. Cooperate with her if you don't want to get hurt." The head bodyguard warned Liam.
Liam clenched his fists. He was cursing his father in his mind over and over again.
'Returning to this country is a wrong move. I shouldn't have come here.'
Liam started to regret his decision. His cunning father cornered him with this unexpected marriage.
Liam was so determined to escape. He balled his fist, getting ready to throw a punch. He didn't care about fighting those bodyguards alone. All he wanted to do was to leave this place as soon as possible.
He was about to punch the leader of the bodyguards when Arabella suddenly stepped into the middle of them.
Liam stopped, his fist hung mid-air. Though he hated this woman, he couldn't punch her beautiful face.
"Don't fight them. You are just going to lose. You are outnumbered." Arabella said matter-of-factly, underestimating Liam's combat skills.
Liam's face contorted further when he heard that while the bodyguards behind her tried their best to hold their laughter.
"If you fight them, they will punch your handsome face. I don't want my new husband to get bruises all over his face from this unnecessary fight," Arabella added, before dragging and pushing Liam toward the door of the bridal car.
Liam was too shocked to react. This woman just admitted that he was handsome in her eyes. Her honest statement rendered him speechless. Surprisingly, he obediently entered the car together with Arabella.
She heaved a sigh of relief when Liam didn't argue further.
"Where are we heading, Madam?" The chauffeur asked Arabella.
"To Crown Royal Hotel please," she replied.
The journey to the hotel was marked by a tense silence. Liam and Arabella sat in the backseat, each lost in their own thoughts. No one spoke a word as if there was an invisible wall between them.
Liam stared out the window, watching the other vehicles passing by, while Arabella fixed her gaze on the greeny scenery on her side, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting feelings.
'Am I doing the right thing? I can feel his hatred toward me. My husband resents me on our first meeting! Damn!' Arabella exhaled deeply, stealing a glance at Liam.
Moments later, at the Crown Royal Hotel.
Arabella entered the VIP suites reserved by Michael Smith. Liam reluctantly followed her inside. The room was elegantly decorated suited for a honeymoon. A sumptuous spread of gourmet food was laid out on the table, but neither of them showed any interest.
'Uh-oh, What should I say? Talk to him, Ara!' Arabella encouraged herself wanting to break the awkward silence between them.
Taking a deep breath, Arabella walked over to the table, picking up a bottle of wine. She poured herself a glass, her hands trembling slightly.
'I need to calm my nerves.'
"Maybe a little wine will help cool your head. Want some?"
She offered the glass to Liam, who hesitated before taking it. He poured himself a glass as well, hoping it might ease the tension in his head.
They sat down on opposite ends of the couch, the distance between them evident. Arabella took a sip of her wine, the rich taste momentarily distracting her from the anxiety gnawing at her heart. Liam followed suit, taking a long drink.
They drank in silence, unaware that the wine had been spiked with an aphrodisiac.
"Now, talk. Explain what this is all about." Liam demanded, his face twisted in annoyance. "I can't be married to you. I have a girlfriend. I don't even know you."
"Hey. Don't blame me. I'm also a victim here. My family forced me into this marriage with your father. I was against it from the start. I was just as shocked as you when the groom changed at the last minute."
"But honestly, I'm relieved it wasn't your father. If I had married him, everyone would label me a gold digger. My family is blackmailing me, and I had no choice." She feigned ignorance, trying to convince Liam that she was innocent and unaware of Michael's scheme.
Liam fell silent for a moment, trying to assess her expression. He didn't trust her completely but she had a point.
"If you still don't believe me, you can also ask my family. They are also unaware that I will end up marrying Michael's son, instead of him," she added, still convincing him.
In the middle of their conversation, they began to feel a strange warmth spreading through their bodies, their senses heightened.
Liam frowned, feeling flushed. "Is it just me, or is it really warm in here?"
Arabella who was slightly breathless nodded. "No, it's not just you. I feel it too."
Their gazes locked, the tension between them shifting from awkwardness to something more intense. Arabella's heart pounded harder, the nervousness giving way to a different kind of excitement while Liam's eyes darkened, his breathing growing heavier.
"Liam... I…" her voice trembled.
Liam moved closer, his hesitation melting away under the influence of the spiked wine. On the other hand, Arabella felt herself drawn towards him, the aphrodisiac taking full effect.