One Night Passion, Forever Mine

Chapter2

Chapter 2

Mrs. Clinton sat on the couch, messaging her temples and reflecting on everything she still needed to do for the wedding. Her thoughts were interrupted by the ring of her phone. It was Mrs Smith, the groom's mother and a powerful figure in the Smith family.

She had high expectations for her son's future bride - beautiful, virtuous, and untouched. She had been on a relentless search for such a girl until she came into contact with Lydia, who introduced her to Mrs Clinton. She believed that a virtuous girl would be able to change Larry from his reckless playboy ways.

"Good evening, Mrs Smith," Mrs Clinton answered politely.

"The bride is doing wonderfully, and we're planning to go out tomorrow to shop for her wedding attire." But before Mrs. Clinton could finish, Mrs. Smith interjected, "I've taken care of everything.”

“I've arranged for a top designer to come to your place this morning and fix all of her wedding attire. I guarantee it will be completed within five days. She'll even be there on the big day to make any last-minute adjustments.”

Mrs Clinton couldn't contain her relief and gratitude. "Oh, thank you," she replied with a genuine smile.

Mrs Smith’s voice was filled with pride as she stated her reason for choosing Victoria as her future daughter-in-law. Victoria was one of the "good girls" in her community. A virgin who had never been touched by a man and had not yet experienced her first kiss. It was clear that her mother had been strict with her upbringing.

"And also, my driver will pick her up in the evening for a date. She needs to understand our family traditions and where we come from."

“She is a lawyer; she will need to resign, and we will cover any damages that may occur. Our women don’t work; we manage the home.”

Mrs Clinton, with excitement, kept thanking Mrs Smith profusely before ending the call.

Victoria rushed out of her room, wearing a white shirt and a black pencil skirt, carrying her leather suitcase and walked out the door.

"Where are you off to so early?" Mrs Clinton asked, noticing Victoria's rushed demeanor.

"I have a case in court this morning," Victoria replied with a polite smile. "I only have about 40 minutes to be in court."

"Oh dear, but your wedding is just seven days away. We still have so much to prepare for," Mrs. Clinton exclaimed. Just then, a shiny black Audi pulled into their driveway, and a woman stepped out. Mrs. Clinton greeted her warmly and introduced her, “Victoria, meet your wedding dress designer hired by Mrs Smith.”

Victoria stared at her mom with a confused look. Her phone buzzed with an email notification from her boss. She furrowed her brow as she read the subject line: "Resignation from Law Firm." Her heart dropped. Her hands trembled as she tried to process the unexpected news. “How could this be happening? Is this your doing, Mommy?”

She walked out of the house and walked down the paved driveway towards the street. She raised a hand to hail a passing cab, slid into the back seat and gave the driver the name of her destination – Luto Law Firm.

Victoria had been an essential member of their team for four years now, known for her sharp legal mind and ability to handle even the most difficult of cases, such as murder and r**e. However, her successful career was about to end due to her arranged marriage to Larry Smith, a wealthy billionaire.

As she entered the law firm's foyer, her colleagues flocked around her, congratulating her and greeting her heartily, holding the invitation card to her wedding. Some genuinely shared in her joy, while others couldn't help but feel envy and jealousy. Loretta, her best friend, jumped her. She boldly asked for connections or opportunities through her future husband's network.

“You could introduce me to some of his wealthy friends.”

With an excited gleam in her eye, Loretta couldn't wait to hear how her best friend had ended up with the most eligible bachelor in their community as she pulled her into their office. Victoria took a deep breath before explaining how her mother had surprised her with the news.

Her emotions were a mix of shock, frustration, and apprehension. Loretta could see the conflict in her friend's expression and drew her in for a comforting hug, noticing the tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't cry, girl," she whispered soothingly. But Victoria couldn't hold back her tears.

"I'm not happy. My mother always has a plan for me," she sniffled. "She does not think about my feelings or my happiness. I wanted to work as a career woman, not be relegated to being just a housewife. I love my job, and even though my mother chose this path for me, I still find joy in it."

As she spoke with Loretta, her sobs grew louder, expressing her frustration and disappointment at having to give up her career for marriage.

Alexander entered the office, interrupting the intense conversation between Loretta and Victoria. Loretta tensed, knowing that he and Victoria had some unfinished business to attend to. With a polite excuse, she left them alone to talk.

Victoria felt a pang of guilt as she looked at Alexander. "Vic, can we talk?" Alexander asked, trying to keep his voice calm. He could tell that Victoria was anxious; her fidgeting fingers gave it away.

In an effort to relieve the tension, he asked, "How is the preparation for the wedding ?" However, he could see the guilt in her eyes when she looked at him. She had asked him to wait while she thought about his proposal. Victoria shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "It's...going," she replied vaguely.

"Did you turn down my proposal because of Larry Smith?" he asked bluntly. He stared into her eyes as he searched for answers.

Victoria's eyes widened in shock, and she shook her head, "Oh no, it's not like that."

"Then why? Do you love him?" Alexander pressed on, his voice tinged with hurt. "We've been friends for years, Vic. I thought we were close and that you knew how much I love you."

Alexander has had a romantic interest in Victoria for the last eight years. He loved her with all of his heart. But she only saw him as a friend, even in spite of his unwavering affection. It was a difficult truth for Alexander to swallow, yet he remained understanding and patient. But Victoria has never sincerely considered his true feelings for her.

“Please just give me a chance. I love you, and I've been waiting for you to reciprocate my feelings.” He dropped to his knees and kissed the back of her hand.

With tears in her eyes, Victoria hesitated and cast her gaze downward. She said in a barely audible voice, "I can't do that."

You seemed unique to me among girls. He said somberly, "You know how much I admire and love you."

He said sadly. “Are you marrying him for his wealth?”

There was a brief moment of silence before Victoria spoke up, almost as if confessing something shameful. Frustration and confusion boiled inside Victoria as she tried to explain her situation to Alexander. "My parents arranged the marriage."

The revelation caught Alexander off guard, and he felt anger rising inside of him towards her controlling parents. "Let's run away," he suggested impulsively, unable to hide his feelings any longer.

"We can start our lives together, away from all of this pressure." He reached out his hands in an attempt to hold Victoria’s hands. She resisted and reiterated, "I can't do that."

"Why? I love you, Vic. We've known each other since our days in law school. I only have eyes for you." He reached out once more, but this time, Victoria took his hand in hers.

Victoria couldn't deny the sincerity in his words and the love in his eyes. She had always taken his understanding nature for granted, never considering his feelings towards her. Feeling torn and conflicted, she looked at Alexander with tearful eyes. “What am I supposed to do?

She looked at him with tears flowing down her face and apologized softly. "I don't want to hurt you, Alex. I’m sorry."

He wiped away her tears affectionately, "I understand." He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead before leaving the office, knowing that this might be their final moment together. But before he headed out of the office, Victoria rushed after him and gave him a back hug. "Can we stay together today? I want to spend the day with you. Let's go to your house."

His jaw dropped, and his heart swelled with excitement as he finally saw the woman he had been in love with for many years, who was reciprocating his feelings.