The sharp sound of the phone ringing pierced through the silence, dragging Ethan out of his sleep. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, reluctant to leave the comfort of his bed. Stretching out his hand, he blindly searched for his phone, fingers brushing against the cool surface of the device. Once he found it, he picked it up without bothering to check who was calling.
"Ethan! Don't tell me you're still asleep!" a sharp, female voice snapped from the other end.
He sighed in frustration, already dreading the conversation. "Mum… What is it again?" he grunted, his voice groggy with sleep.
"How on earth are you still in bed at this hour?" his mother barked. "Don't you remember you have a date with Lucia today?"
At the mention of Lucia's name, Ethan groaned and threw his head back against the pillow. Of course, his mother would be on his case about this. She'd been talking about this meeting for weeks now, making it sound like the most important event of his life.
"But Mum, the date isn't until four in the evening," he protested.
"So? What time is it now?" she demanded.
"Mum, I'm exhausted," he said softly, hoping she'd understand. "I had a long trip getting here, and I need to rest."
His mother, however, wasn't having any of it. "Ethan, get up and get ready. You don't want to keep her waiting when she arrives at the restaurant. You're supposed to receive her, not the other way around!"
he sighed, placing the phone against his ear without holding it.
"Don't tell me you're lying in bed with the phone on your ear," she scolded sharply.
"No, Mum!" He replied irritably.
"You know you can't lie to me, Ethan. Get up and get dressed right now!" she shouted.
Rolling his eyes, he let out another sigh. "What's the name of the restaurant again?" he asked, hoping to distract her.
There was a pause on the other end, followed by a frustrated exclamation. "Gosh! Have I been wasting my time all this while? It's Lu Casa! How many times do I have to tell you, ?"
"I've heard you," Ethan replied flatly.
"Good," his mother continued, her tone softening slightly. "Make sure you leave a good impression on her. You know how hard I worked to make sure the two of you meet."
Ethan shook his head, already regretting agreeing to this. "Okay, Mum," he mumbled.
"Bye, and have fun today," she said cheerfully before hanging up.
He tossed the phone aside with a sigh and stared at the ceiling. His mother had been planning this date for weeks, convinced that Lucia was the perfect match for him. Ethan, however, wasn't so sure. He didn't like being forced into things, especially when it came to his personal life.
Almost immediately, there was a knock on the door. He groaned and pulled the covers over his head, hoping the person would get tired and leave. But the knock came again—this time louder and more persistent.
Sighing heavily, he dragged himself out of bed. His legs felt like lead as he trudged toward the door. Peering through the peephole, he spotted Jason, his personal assistant, standing outside, holding a neatly pressed black suit in a transparent garment bag.
Ethan sighed again and opened the door without a word. He didn't wait for Jason to speak or come in. Instead, he turned and shuffled back to the bed, collapsing onto it with a tired groan.
Jason stepped inside, carefully balancing the suit while adjusting his glasses. He placed the suit on a nearby table before turning to look at Ethan.
"Still in bed?" Jason asked with a smirk. "Your mum will not be happy."
"You can't imagine how tired I am," Ethan muttered, rubbing his face.
Jason chuckled softly. "Well, your mum gave me strict instructions to make sure you get ready on time. You know how she is."
Ethan rolled onto his side, giving Jason a pointed look. "Tell me something, Jason. Do you work for me or my mother?"
Jason smiled, adjusting his glasses. "You, of course. But you know how your mother gets when things don't go her way. I'm not entirely in the mood for one of her tantrums… so please, get up, will you?" he pleaded.
Ethan let out a tired chuckle. He knew exactly what Jason meant. Sophia Harrington, wasn't a woman to be trifled with. Once she set her mind on something, there was no stopping her. Everyone around her was swept along in her relentless pursuit of perfection.
With a sigh, he stood from the bed and walked over to the table. His eyes landed on the suit Jason had brought, He glanced at it for a moment, then looked away.
"Aren't you going to open it up? At least have a clearer look," Jason suggested, raising an eyebrow.
Ethan shook his head. "I'm not interested. Whether I like it or not, I'll still have to wear it."
Jason smiled knowingly. "You don't sound too excited today."
Ethan scoffed. "Excited? How would I be, when my mother has sworn she won't let me rest? Of all the women in the world, she had to choose Lucia. That arrogant, self-absorbed—"
"Jeez! You really hate her that much?" Jason interrupted, surprised by the intensity of Ethan's words.
"You can't imagine," Ethan muttered, running a hand through his messy hair. "I just don't understand why I'm being forced to do all this."
Jason shrugged. "You know why. It's about alliances. Lucia's father is a powerful man. Your family stands to gain a lot from this"
"So?…I just can't wait for this to be done and over with…I feel so faustrated right now"
"You never know, the both of you might end up getting married"
"That will be over my dead body!" Ethan spat, his tone cold and final.
" I'll rather remain unmarried"
Jason stared at him, confused. "Then why did you agree to go on this date with her?"
Ethan let out a frustrated sigh as he made his way to the bathroom. "So Mum can get off my back, don't you see? I haven't had a moment of peace since she came up with this ridiculous plan."
Jason chuckled and shook his head. "You never know. You might end up liking her."
Ethan came out from the bathroom with a toothbrush in his hand, shaking his head in disbelief. "Haven't you heard what they say about first impressions?"
Jason frowned, tilting his head. "Hold on. This isn't your first meeting with her?"
Ethan paused, giving him a sly smile. Then, without a word, he turned and walked back into the bathroom. He had no energy to recount the story of his disastrous first encounter with Lucia.
Jason watched him disappear into the bathroom, still curious. "Wait… what happened when you first met her? You're not going to tell me?"
Ethan's voice echoed from inside the bathroom. "Nope."
Jason chuckled softly. He could only imagine what had happened between Ethan and Lucia. Judging by Ethan's irritation, it hadn't gone well.
As Ethan brushed his teeth, his mind drifted back to that encounter. It had been months ago, at a formal event organized by their families. His mother had dragged him to it, insisting he meet Lucia. The moment he approached her, he'd known it wouldn't end well. Lucia had greeted him with a fake smile and a cold handshake, barely masking her disinterest. Throughout the evening, she'd spoken to him with condescension, making it clear she thought she was better than him.
He hadn't forgotten how frustrating his first encounter with Lucia had been. Her smug expression and condescending tone were etched in his memory. He could still remember the way she carried herself, head held high as if the entire room revolved around her. Her face had been a picture of arrogance, her smile never reaching her eyes.
What irritated him the most was how she bragged endlessly about everything she had—her designer clothes, luxury handbags, even her earrings. It was as if she measured people's worth by the price tags of their belongings. To her, every conversation seemed like an opportunity to show off. He had found it unbearable.
The thought of sitting across from her again made his stomach churn. He could already picture her criticizing every single person in the room or boasting about her latest shopping spree.
Ethan shook his head in frustration. Right now, he'd rather endure an entire day with his overbearing mother than spend even an hour with Lucia. The thought alone made his mood worse.
He leaned over the sink, rinsing the foam from his mouth after brushing his teeth. The cool water didn't do much to wash away his irritation. With a resigned sigh, he turned and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water run over him. As he stood there, he mentally prepared himself for what lay ahead—the dreaded date that he couldn't wait to be done with.