One Night Passion, Forever Mine

Victoria sat across from her mother at the restaurant in front of her office, her mind abuzz with unanswered questions. She tried to keep her emotions from bursting out because of the presence of her colleagues in the restaurant. “You can’t be here, mom. I-I’m busy.” Mrs Clinton smiled as she pulled out an envelope from her bag and gave it to Victoria. Curiosity piqued, Victoria opened the envelope to find a beautiful golden card adorned with elegant calligraphy. As she read the words "Save-the-date," her heart skipped a beat. But then she noticed something strange - her name was printed next to an unfamiliar one. Her eyes widened in shock as she stammered out the name on the card, "La Larryyy Smith…. Larry Smith? Who is Larry Smith?" Confusion and disbelief flooded over Victoria as she looked at her mother. "What is this? Whose wedding am I attending this weekend? And why am I listed as a bride?" Her mind raced with questions as she held onto the invitation in disbelief. “Who is he? Why are you arranging a wedding for me with a stranger?” Mrs Clinton held her hands, “Calm down. Calm down…” “I can't marry a stranger. No, No, Mom!!! I can’t marry someone I know nothing about. This must be some kind of joke.” Victoria's heart raced as she struggled to process the news her mother had just dropped on her. Her mother had made plans for a wedding in the next five days without her knowledge. Her hands were trembling, and tears dripped from her eyes. How could her mother make such a choice without her knowledge? Victoria's emotions swirled like a tornado inside her; she felt so helpless. “You are getting married to Larry Smith this weekend. This is an arranged marriage that will benefit our family greatly…” “Our family?” Victoria chuckled. “Who arranged marriage for their daughters in this day and age? I’m not interested, Mom." “I understand that you are upset by this, but I’m assuring you that it's for the very best.” "I...I need time," the words almost caught in her throat. "I think we both need time... Time to truly get to know each other, to build a strong connection. Maybe we can date for a few months before considering marriage." Glancing at the wedding invitation in her hand, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of person he was and why her mother had arranged a marriage with him. She wasn't particularly interested in him but curious about who he was, and she asked, “Who is Larry Smith, Mom?” Mrs Clinton leaned back on the seat, "I haven't met him yet, to be honest. But from what I've heard, he's definitely quite the catch. He is the sole heir of the Smith family and the founder of numerous prosperous hotel businesses around the nation. He is the real eligible bachelor." Victoria now understood the reasons for her arranged marriage. Her mother's ultimate goal had always been to find a wealthy husband for her. Her mother had often spoken about how much she regretted being married for love and how she had made the mistake of doing so. Victoria couldn't help but feel trapped like a bird in a golden cage set to be married off for financial gain. The tension between them thickened as Victoria continued to speak to her mother; tears filled her eyes. Victoria could see that her mother was set in her decision and wouldn't change her mind. She got up and walked out of out of the restaurant. “Are you walking out on me?” Her mother asked as she lifted an eyebrow and scowled. She looked back and forced a smile, “We’ll talk at home, Mom.” Victoria stood at the roadside, about to cross the road to her office. She looked at her wedding invitation again. She pressed her lips together, and her head spun with bewilderment. She couldn't believe what her mother had just said about her arranged marriage. She clasped the wedding invitation card in her fist. Suddenly, she heard the screeching of tires and looked up to see a car speeding towards her. It dawned on her that she was in the middle of the road. She looked at the traffic signal light and it was red. The car hit her in an instant and knocked her to the ground. She collapsed to the ground and was unable to stand up. The driver rushed out, "Are you all right? Oh, sorry," he exclaimed furiously. The vehicle only hit her lightly, but it was enough to knock her down and give her terrible pain. She tried to get up, but her left ankle felt as if it were on fire. The driver apologized genuinely as he lifted Victoria up. She turned red and quickly wiped herself off. She went poker-faced and limped as quickly as she could away from the scene. She didn't want any more attention drawn to herself. The driver ran after her and was quick to catch up. He swept her into his arms. Victoria looked into his eyes and couldn't help but feel a flutter in her chest, and her cheeks turned pink. "Where are you taking me?" Victoria stammered, "Are you some kind of kidnapper?" The driver let out a hearty chuckle, his warm breath tickling her ear. "No need to worry, my dear. I'm just taking you to the hospital," he said comfortingly. "You'll need a cast for that ankle." He gently placed her in the passenger seat and belted her in before taking the wheel and heading to the nearest hospital. As they waited for the doctor at the hospital, Victoria blamed him for the accident. She was angry at him for causing the accident. “Couldn’t you see I was about to cross the road?” "I'm so sorry. I didn't see you," he apologized. "It's okay, accidents happen," Victoria replied weakly. "But still, I should have been more careful," He said with a hint of guilt in his voice. After getting an X-ray done, the doctor confirmed that Victoria had sprained her ankle and would need a cast for a day. The doctor quickly wrapped her ankle in a cast before giving them some medication for the pain. As they were about to leave the hospital, Victoria turned to the driver and asked, “What’s your name? I’m Victoria Clinton.” Yes… you are Victoria Clinton. A lawyer….” He smiled and gave her the wedding invitation she squeezed in her hand before the accident."You're such an interesting girl. You are in the wrong, but you're blaming me," He said with a chuckle. "Can we hang around and get something to eat?" He asked. Victoria hesitated for a moment but then nodded. She wanted to know more about this mysterious, handsome guy.