[Angel Ellie]
I had never been the kind of girl who questioned things. I followed rules, nodded when expected, and did what was right. Not because I lacked thoughts of my own, but because I learned early that my voice did not change outcomes. It was easier that way—easier to be the obedient daughter, the quiet one, the girl who never caused trouble.
But that didn't mean I didn't feel things.
And right now, I felt my heart hammering against my ribs as I walked down the stairs, my feet light against the wooden steps. A dull ache had settled in my stomach, the kind that came when something unknown waited ahead. Something I couldn't avoid.
The scent of dinner wrapped around me—spiced fish, warm rice, the familiar comfort of home. But the air in the dining room was different tonight. Heavy. Weighted with words yet to be spoken.
I knew.
Even before I reached the table, even before my father cleared his throat, I knew.
I pulled out my chair, my fingers brushing the cool wood. My mother was setting the last dish down, her face calm, controlled. My father sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable.
I forced myself to sit. Forced myself to pick up my spoon, though my hands felt like they didn't belong to me.
"Eat, Ellie," my mother said, placing a piece of fish onto my plate as if this was just another meal, just another evening.
But I knew it wasn't.
I swallowed hard, my appetite already gone.
A stretch of silence. Then—
"We received a proposal today."
The words landed softly, but they felt heavy.
I didn't look up. I didn't need to.
"A good one," my mother added, a small smile in her voice. "A very good one."
A proposal. I should have expected it. I had turned twenty-three last month, and in my world, that meant one thing—marriage.
My fingers tightened around my spoon.
"He's a doctor," my mother continued, scooping more rice onto my plate as though feeding me would make me accept this easier. "Well-settled. Respected. His family approached us."
A doctor.
I closed my eyes for a moment, as if that would make the weight on my chest lessen. It didn't.
"Do I have a choice?" I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.
"Of course," my father said. His voice was steady. "No one's forcing you."
No one's forcing me.
"Just meet him," he added. "See how you feel."
Meet him. Like bride-watching. Like an interview where I was the subject.
My hands felt cold.
"Ellie," my mother said gently, reaching across the table to touch my hand. "It's just one meeting. Nothing more. We won't decide anything without your consent."
Consent. Such a pretty word. Such an easy thing to promise.
I wanted to say no. Wanted to push my plate away and stand up. But I sat still, my mind whirring.
I knew my parents weren't cruel. They weren't forcing me. But they were convincing me. And wasn't that the same thing?
I forced myself to nod, though my throat felt tight.
Because what else could I do?
______________________________________
Leo Marcus didn't believe in love.
Affection was a distraction. Romance was for people who had time to waste—he had no time to waste.
He was married to his work. Long hospital shifts, emergency surgeries, and the constant ringing of his phone consumed his life. Relationships required attention, effort, and feelings—things he neither had nor wanted.
So, when his mother told him about the proposal, his response was simple.
"If you think she's a good match, fine."
No excitement. No curiosity. Just practicality.
"At least meet her first," his mother insisted.
Leo sighed. "If it makes you happy."
One meeting. If everything seemed fine, he'd marry her. Not for love. Not for interest. Just for stability.
Nothing more.
The hospital was where Leo belonged. He thrived in the cold, sterile environment where emotions had no place. Here, life and death were measured in seconds, and nothing mattered beyond skill and precision.
"Dr. Marcus, we have an emergency."
He glanced at the nurse and nodded. Another case. Another life in his hands. He scrubbed in, pushed aside everything else, and let himself disappear into the only thing that ever made sense—his work.
Later, as he pulled off his gloves, exhaustion tugged at his muscles. But he didn't rest. He never did. There was always another patient, another surgery.
His mother's words lingered in the back of his mind. Meet her first.
Leo sighed.
It was just a formality. Nothing would change.
he sat in his office, the faint hum of hospital life continuing beyond the closed door. His tie was slightly loosened, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the faint traces of a long, exhausting surgery still lingering on his skin. The moment he stepped out of the operating room, his mother's message had greeted him.
"Don't forget, the meeting is today at 7 PM."
As if he had forgotten.
He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. This wasn't how he had imagined his life. Not that he had imagined much—Leo wasn't the type to daydream about futures or possibilities. He simply lived by what was necessary.
And marriage?
It wasn't necessary. Not in the way his mother seemed to think.
But he knew better than to argue.
Leo wasn't a rebellious son. He didn't indulge in unnecessary conflicts. If agreeing to a meeting kept his mother satisfied, he would do it. It wasn't as if this meeting would change anything.
The girl—Ellie—was probably just like every other woman he had met. Polite. Soft-spoken. Hopeful.
And hope was something he had no time for.
The drive to the meeting place was uneventful. Leo sat in the backseat of his car, his gaze fixed on the city lights streaking past the windows. He didn't ask questions about the girl. He didn't care to know more.
All he knew was that she was young. A student.
And, apparently, a perfect match.
His mother had been excited, talking about how Ellie came from a respectable family, how she was raised with good values. He had merely nodded, letting the words flow over him without sinking in.
His mother wanted him to marry. He would marry.
Beyond that, nothing mattered.
When the car pulled up to the restaurant, Leo barely waited for the driver to open the door before stepping out. He adjusted his watch, ran a hand through his hair, and entered.
•°🤍°•
Ellie was already there.
She sat stiffly at the table, her hands resting in her lap, fingers loosely tangled together. A soft blue dress, delicate earrings—everything about her was… muted.
Leo studied her briefly. She wasn't the type of woman who would turn heads in a crowded room, but there was something about her that held attention. Maybe it was the nervous way she glanced up at him before quickly lowering her gaze.
"Leo," his mother greeted him warmly, standing to kiss his cheek.
He nodded in response before taking the seat across from Ellie.
Silence settled between them.
Leo wasn't a talkative person. He didn't waste words on small talk. If his mother hadn't been sitting beside them, watching closely, he probably wouldn't have spoken at all.
"So," he finally said, his tone as neutral as ever. "You're studying?"
Ellie hesitated before nodding. "Yes."
A pause.
Leo exhaled slowly. "What field?"
"Literature."
He nodded. "Interesting."
It wasn't.
Ellie's fingers tightened slightly around each other. She wasn't looking at him directly, her eyes fixated somewhere near his shoulder.
She was nervous.
Leo recognized the signs instantly—the subtle tension in her shoulders, the way her lips pressed together as if she wasn't sure what to say.
He didn't understand it.
This wasn't a life-changing moment. It was just a conversation.
"If you have any questions, ask," he told her.
Ellie finally looked up, surprised.
Then, hesitantly, she spoke. "Do you… want to get married?"
Leo blinked.
It was an honest question. A strange one.
Most women wouldn't ask that. They would assume. They would smile and talk about the future as if it were already decided.
But Ellie?
She looked like she genuinely wanted to know.
Leo leaned back slightly, studying her.
"I don't mind," he said simply. "It's practical. If we're compatible, we marry. If not, we don't."
Her lips parted slightly, as if the answer caught her off guard.
Leo had no idea what kind of response she had been expecting.
But he didn't do pretense. He didn't believe in sugarcoating reality.
Ellie lowered her gaze again. "Oh."
A beat of silence.
Then Leo glanced at his mother. "I'm fine with the match."
Ellie's head snapped up, startled.
Leo didn't wait for a response. He had nothing else to say.
He stood up, buttoned his jacket, and nodded once at his mother. "Let me know what she decides."
Then, without a backward glance, he walked out.
Leaving behind a girl who now had to decide if she could handle a man like him.
[TO BE CONTINUED]