'I'm getting married.'
Those were the last words Raven told TaeMin. There was no better way to put it, and no words could express the pain she felt saying them. Seeing the hurt on his face nearly shattered her heart when she said them.
"You don't look happy to see us." Raven's sister, Annie slightly budge Raven's shoulders, gaining her attention.
"It's been five years, Raven. At least pretend you're glad to be back. It's not like you were dragged here." Iris added, dragging Raven's suitcase to her walk-in closet.
'Except I was actually dragged here'— Raven wanted to snap back at her best friend, but she held herself. She knew better than letting her feelings take control of herself.
The last place she wanted to be was back in Chicago, on the brink of a life she didn't choose. She wanted to be back in TaeMin's arms, where things made sense. She had gone to South Korea with a wild, reckless idea to experience life before being forced to a loveless marriage. But now, the guilt of breaking TaeMin's heart was suffocating her.
"Raven, welcome home." Her father, Adrian, stood waiting in the entrance of her room, his smile as thin as paper.
"Dad." Raven stood from her sheetless bed, managing only a small, sad smile in return.
She could see the effect of time on her dad's face, but the years hadn't softened his sharp gaze, which now looked at her from her hair down to her toes like a prized possession.
"Prepare yourself," he said, dismissing any further reunion. "The Silver family will be informed of your arrival. We need to finalise the arrangements." Adrian said, already turning to leave.
"Dad, wait!" Raven blurted, before she could think. "Do we really have to go through with this?"
Adrian paused, barely looking at her. "This has been in the works for years, Raven. There's nothing to discuss." Adrian replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Isn't there some other way? I- I can't do this, dad. Please, there has to be something else we can do."
"What are you saying?" Annie asked, stepping forward. Her sister's eyes were wide, searching Raven's face for answers.
"I'm in love with someone else," Raven confessed, her voice trembling and tears threatening to spill. "I didn't even get to tell him—"
"Raven!" Adrian snapped, grabbing her arm with a grip that sent fear through her body. "Tell me you haven't been reckless."
Tears began streaming down her face as she shook her head. "I'm still a virgin, if that's what you're asking."
"Good. Then there's nothing stopping this marriage. You're not going to ruin everything I've built for a fleeting infatuation."
"This isn't just about you! What about me?" Raven shouted, her voice echoing in her empty room. "I'm your daughter!"
"Wake up, Raven. You're marrying into wealth and influence. You'll have power beyond your imagination. Don't throw it away for some boy."
"I told you she'd resist. Typical Raven." Aisha, Raven's stepmother, appeared at the doorway, her voice dripping with disdain.
Raven barely glanced at her. The woman had never been anything more than a pain her side.
"You can't force me into this," Raven whispered, her voice breaking.
"It's already decided," Adrian said, his voice cold and final.
As he and Aisha walked away, Raven stood rooted to the spot, her tears falling silently.
She didn't know what she was thinking, when she thought her dad would give two damns about her feelings. Who was she kidding? Her father was Adrian Miles. He was known as a ruthless businessman. Her father had long ago traded his humanity for ambition after her mother's death.
"Damn it," Raven muttered, wiping her cheeks. "I won't let this happen."
"You're going to fight this?" Annie asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and hope.
Raven was the good, obedient daughter out of the Miles sisters, and her questioning her father's decision looked out of character to Annie.
"My virginity is the only thing keeping this sham alive," Raven said, determination hardening her voice. "I'll lose it before they can lock me into this."
"Lose it? Just like that?" Iris asked, incredulous. "To some random guy?" Iris chuckled, thinking Raven made a joke.
Raven gave them a stern look.
"Oh, I know that look. You can't be serious, Raven. Are you crazy?" Annie stood in front of her, hands on her hips.
Raven nodded, pacing the room, her mind clearly thinking if she was crazy enough. "Yes, Annie. Yes, I'm crazy. I'll stop this marriage, no matter what. I'll find a way back to TaeMin."
"Think it through, Raven. You're acting out of fear. You were literally okay with this marriage before you traveled out. You don't want to do this." Iris warned gently, trying to change her mind.
"No. I'm done letting them control my life. I have to do this."
←——---——---——---——→
The dimly lit bar was bustling with conversation, laughter, and occasional glass clinking. Raven sat at a small table with Annie and Iris, attempting to push away the growing unease in her stomach.
She glanced at her phone, its screen lighting up with a reminder that left her heart racing: "Engagement in 1 day."
She had given herself enough days to plan out how losing her virginity would go, but turns out she's not as crazy as she thought she was.
"Are you okay, Raven?" Annie asked, leaning closer to be heard over the music. Her eyes searched Raven's face for any sign of hesitation.
Raven nodded, though her heart was racing. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just need a drink."
Iris flagged down a waitress and ordered a round of cocktails. Raven took a deep breath, glancing around the room, searching for someone she could have chosen to have a night stand with if she had the balls, but all she was surrounded by people who weren't close to being called attractive. Having TaeMin as her boyfriend has set her standards for men.
The drinks arrived, and Raven took a sip, the alcohol burning its way down her throat. She hoped it would dull the noise in her head, but instead, it only increased.
'What am I doing?' She thought, her heart pounding. 'I can't go through with this'.
She pushed her chair back abruptly, causing it to scrape against the floor. "I need some air," she mumbled, taking her phone from the table not meeting Annie or Iris's eyes.
"Raven, wait—" Iris called after her, but Raven was already in the crowd, heading for the door.
She pushed outside into the cool night air, taking deep, steadying breaths. Her mind raced as she began to think of TaeMin.
Maybe if she hadn't kept herself pure when she was with TaeMin, she wouldn't have been here.
Maybe if she had been a little rebellious, this marriage wouldn't be happening.
Raven sighed, she wasn't that kind of person. She didn't even have the balls to have sex with TaeMin, how much more with a complete stranger. What was she thinking?
Just as she turned to head back inside and grab her purse, she collided with someone. She stumbled back, her apology dying on her lips as she looked up into a pair of striking blue eyes.
"Whoa, careful there." The man with the blue eyes steadied her with a firm grip on her arms. Raven felt a rush of heat shoot up her arm like flames licking her skin.
She pulled back immediately from him, taking her chance to take a good look at him. He was tall, with dark hair and a confident smile that made Raven's heart skip a beat.
"S- Sorry," she managed to say, feeling flustered and suddenly self-conscious.
"No harm done." He smiled, his gaze was lingering on her face. There was something about him—an intensity in his eyes—that made Raven's pulse quicken.
Raven remained rooted to the spot, her feet refusing to obey the command to move. Her heart raced, but her eyes stayed locked on the man in front of her.
His piercing blue eyes searched her face, a mix of curiosity and concern crossing his features. "Can I buy you a drink?"
Raven gasped, thinking about the pros and cons of saying yes in her head . She knows the last thing she needed was to go back in to get any more alcohol, but something about him made her want to.
It's just a drink. She tells herself. Maybe, just maybe it's okay to stay a little longer.
She nodded her head as she spoke "Sure, why not."
The man smiled yet again, gesturing back into the bar. They returned to the bar, right after taking an order of drinks, the man led her to a quieter corner, where the noise was less overwhelming.
Raven found herself weirdly relaxing slightly, as she took out her drink. For a moment, she forgot how anxious she was a few minutes ago.
"Crazy night, huh?" he said, his easy smile lighting up the dim corner as he leaned back in his chair. This man has a smile that could make you melt to your toes.
"Yeah, you could say that," Raven replied, letting out a nervous small laugh. "I needed a break from everything."
"Everything?" he echoed, raising an eyebrow. "Sounds like quite a story."
Raven shrugged, feeling strangely at ease. "Just life, you know? Family, expectations… all the fun stuff." Raven bit down her lower lips, remembering the duty waiting for her at home.
He nodded in understanding, his gaze steady on hers. "Sometimes it's good to just escape for a while."
She nodded. "Exactly. I'm just trying to figure things out."
'You're not ready right now!' Her inner voice screamed, but she ignored it, not to let her anxiety spoil the moment.
"Aren't we all?" He laughed softly while having his drink. "The world is big. Some times, you should let go and see where the night takes you."
Raven squinted slightly as she found his words intriguing. What did he mean saying that? She was about to ask about his story before she noticed something that grabbed her attention - a dark bracelet on his wrist with the word "ARMY" boldly printed on it. She felt a flutter in her heart. Did he also like BTS?
Unable to resist, Raven leaned over to him, her curiosity piqued. "Hey, is that an ARMY band?"
The man glanced down at his wrist and then quickly tried to cover it with his sleeve, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips. "Uh, yeah. Kind of embarrassing, I guess."
Raven laughed, feeling a connection spark between them. "Are you kidding? I'm a huge fan too! It's awesome to meet another ARMY."
His face lit up with surprise and delight. "Really? That's rare. Most people just roll their eyes when I talk about them."
"Well, not me." Raven smiled, taking another proper look at him under the dim dark light. His bright ocean eyes sparkled at Raven as they smiled at her.
"Who's your bias?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"J-Hope," he replied without hesitation. "And yours? Wait, let me guess—V?"
Raven's mouth dropped open. "How did you know?"
"You just give off that vibe," he said, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Oh, wait, that came out wrong. I mean, attractive people are drawn to each other. Not that the others aren't attractive, but you get what I mean, right?"
Raven blinked, her heart skipping a beat. Had he just called her attractive? She felt a warm flush creep up her neck and quickly downed her drink, trying to shake off the unexpected thrill she felt around this stranger. It felt wrong- she shouldn't feel that way, not when her heart had been aching just moments ago. Not when she still tasted the bitterness of breaking TaeMin's heart.
But as she set her glass down, her pulse quickened, a dangerous thought creeping into her mind. Maybe this was a chance, She had indeed come here with the hope of leaving with a man, with the hope of stopping this scum of a marriage and travel back to Taemin.
Raven glanced up at the stranger, her breath catching as their eyes locked. She knew she was standing on the edge of a decision that could change everything.
What the hell was she about to do?