Cursed Bride

Chapter 3

Ariel quietly sat on the bench in the park, looking at the childrens who were busy playing each other, she wanted to distract herself but couldn't as the scene from hours ago kept playing in her mind again and again making her anxious.

Ariel didn't knew who he really was apart from the fact that he was some biliniore and wanted to marry her but by their meeting she could tell that the person was dangerous, she had got this vibe from him.

she didn't knew if she had done any mistake by challenging him but that was necessary for him to understand, marriage wasn't only one person's decision the other person had equal say in it.

he just couldn't get anyone because he wanted to, this was not how it works and he needed to understand that she was not a proclain doll but a living breathing human being who could think for herself.

Ariel thought of sharing her problem with Ian but then decided against it as she did not wanted to make him worried and she knew if she told him then he would come back right away and she didn't want that.

Ian had always neglected his family because of Ariel, even from childhood he would spent his summer vacation with her, in the New York leaving his family back in Germany. it's not like Ian didn't love his family it's was just that he had loved Ariel even before he knew what love was. they both were inseparable from their childhood.

Ian had finished his college two years ago and instead of joining his father in his business he moved to New York for Ariel.

Ian as much as missed his family but leaving Ariel alone didn't set well with his guts. he had always been there for her and gets worried about her very easily.

Ariel knew he rarely visited his family and if she informed him about Ryan Armando, he would come back much to her dismay. she knew his parents and Emily would never complained but she could see that in their face that they also need their son and brother sometimes.

when Ariel looked at the time and found its two in the afternoon she decided to head back home. she stood up and walked upto her car and settled inside and started the journey not before checking her phone for any call or text from her parents and she felt strange when she didn't find any.

Ariel honked as soon as she reached her driveway to let her parents know that she was home, parking her car in the garage she headed towards the main door and knocked and rang the doorbell and waited but the door was never opened, Ariel tried again and again for next five minutes but the response was still the same. she pulled out her phone and called her parents but no one answered and panick started to grew in her spine.

she quickly pulled out a spare key that she rarely use and unlocked the door and steped inside.

"mama?" Ariel called "dad?" she kept calling for them as she checked each and every corner of the house, her voice started to break in the end.

"where are you mama? dad?" she asked no one in particular. her parents never leave her alone like this.

her phone rang and Ariel picked it up without glancing at the screen as she thought it was from one of her parents.

"hello"

"looking for your parents young lady?" the person spoke with his thick yet dangerous voice.

"h-how do you k-know?" Ariel pulled her phone back and looked at the caller ID that showed private number.

"because they are with me, tied up and drugged" he chuckled darkly as he heard a sharp intake of breath from other side.

"w-what? how?" Ariel couldn't believe it why would anyone would do that to her parents? what did he want from her parents?

"enough questions lady!" he slightly raised his voice making Ariel flinched "now listen to me carefully, if you want your parents safe then go to him; only he can save them"

"who are you talking about? who is he?"

"Ryan Armando" the other person spoke with a humorless chuckle.

"no! I won't go to him" Ariel shouted angrily "I will call the cops" he started to laugh hysterically.

"you have one hour either you reach his office or your parents would reach home dead" he threatened and hung up the call.

Ariel broke down in tears and fell on her knees as she kept crying and crying. she was afraid for her parents but she didn't wanted to give up without even trying.

she stood up grabbing her phone and car keys and ran to her garage and left for police station and as soon she get inside an officer stopped him.

"Ariel Petrova?" he asked and Ariel nodded at him wiping her tears.

"please help me! Ryan Armando has kidnapped my parents" she begged as she started to sob.

"you aren't supposed to be here, miss. your time is running only thirty minutes left and only you can help yourself" officer said shaking her head in negative.

"w-what do you mean?" Ariel was baffled, what in hell this officer was saying.

"we can't do anything if it's about Mr. Armando so I suggest you to leave now" he held her arm and threw out of the station, making Ariel to stumbled back and fell on the bonnet of her car.

Ariel felt humiliated but it wasn't the time to drawn herself into humiliation. she by now understood that she had underestimated the wrong person and quickly went inside her car and left for his office.

Ariel after a painfully long drive that took thirty minutes, stood before the magnificent building, she took a deep breath to calm herself down wiping her tears of frustration she stepped inside but was stopped by the security guard on the main gate.

"where do you think you are going girl?" he rudely asked.

"umm I am here to meet Ryan Armando" Ariel answered the obvious to which that guard rolled his eyes.

"many people come here to meet him anyway do you have an appointment?" he asked with a bored tone already closing the door on her face.

"no I don't have any appointment" Ariel answered and flinched back when the gaurd had closed the door already on her face.

Ariel felt humiliated, first this arrogant man had invited her in and now his guards were not letting her in. what did he want from her?

Ariel felt herself getting angry but chose to control herself as she couldn't take any chances especially when he had her parents in his grip "wait! tell your boss that Ariel Petrova is here I am sure he would let me in" Ariel tried again and to her luck the guard opened the door almost immediately "you are Ariel Petrova?"

"yes"

"I am sorry mam and sir is expecting you" he led her inside and to the lift while Ariel just followed him silently, getting inside the lift he passed fifty eight and after few minutes it was opened with a ding sound.

"here you go mam" he bowed down and left and Ariel walked in the empty hallway, she saw a reception desk just outside his office and found it empty so without thinking much she decided to barge in.

"where are my parents?" she shouted as soon as she stepped inside and found him sitting on the chair with all his glory.

"easy there sweetheart, just because I love your voice doesn't mean you get to shout on me" Ryan said irritatingly and motioned her to come and sit across him with his finger to which Ariel complied without saying anything.

"now Mr. Armando tell me where are they?" Ariel asked with clenched jaw staring at him angrily.

"they are safe, don't worry!" was all Ryan said and passed her a glass of water "now drink some water, your throat seems tired to me" he joked and Ariel scoffed at his fake act of concern.

"I am not here for any of your bullshit! do you understand now release my parents right now-" Ariel flinched back in utter horror when he slammed both of his hand on the table making it to vibrate furiously.

"if you raise your voice on me again then consider your parents to be dead" he warned with gritted teeth, glaring her murderously.

"no please" she whispered this time already scared of him. he looked like a devil to her with clenched jaw and murderous eyes.

"good" Ryan leaned down on his chair and started going through his phone while Ariel just sat there uncomfortably.

"my parents?" Ariel decided to broke the silence, she just wanted to go back home as soon as possible.

Ryan looked at her with a emotionaless face making her squirmed under his hard gaze "they will be home shortly if you do as I say"

Ariel nodded her head as she had no other option but to please him "now open this box" he pointed at the white box placed on the table between them "do it fast!" he yelled when he found her staring at the box as if he had put a bomb in it.

Ariel opened the box hurriedly and found a beautiful black dress " now wear it and look beautiful. you have thirty minutes"

"why? and for what?" she couldn't help but utter those words out, she wanted to know why she need to change or look beautiful for.

"do you think you are in any position to ask any questions to me Ariel?" Ryan asked mischeifly to which Ariel bowed her head down "we are going out for dinner"

"but I don't want to" Ariel whispered looking at him and Ryan threw the glass of water across the room and it shattered against the grey wall.

he quickly strolled towards her, grabbing her long brown hair in a tight grip and made her looked at him "say that one more time, sweetheart"

"I don't want to go" his voice held the warning that Ariel failed to notice, she was unknowingly messing with him in worst way possible.

Ryan kept looking at her, in her deep ocean blue eyes that really had the depth of never ending blue sea but he was looking for fear in those pool of emotions. he didn't liked how daringly she was looking into his eyes as if taunting him, challenging his authority.

he left her hair and picked up his phone and dialed a certain number "kill them" he said loudly for her to hear and Ariel's head shot up to his direction.

"n-no please no" she walked upto him "please no Mr. Armando" tears started to leak from her eyes as her mind imagine the dead body of her parents.

"I can save them Ariel but now I don't want to!" he stated with an evil smirk on his face.

"please I will do whatever you want me to do but please don't hurt them"

"all I want is you to marry me, Ariel" Ryan said and she felt herself getting numb, she couldn't do that. she was already engaged to Ian; the one she loved.

"tell me Ariel are you ready to marry me and if you say no then your parents body will be sent to your place by tomorrow" Ariel's eyes widened in shock, how could he say something like this her? was killing people mean nothing to him?

"answer me Ariel" Ryan urged to which Ariel nodded not having any other option for time being "use your goddamned words!" he shouted making her shiver involuntary.

"y-ess but please don't lay a finger on them" Ariel cried harder and he smiled in contentment.

"that's like a good girl" Ryan appreciated and moved closer to her and Ariel took step backwards, she didn't wanted him anywhere close to herself.

Ariel kept backing away as she was getting concious with each step he took towards her. he smirked at her when her back hit the wall and he didn't waste a single second and pressed his hand against the wall, trapping her between him and the wall.

Ariel pressed her hands on his well built chest in order to maintain some distance between them but nothing seem to work on him. Ariel eventhough was tall around five seven but still Ryan towered over her with his six two height and giant frame, she felt petite infront of him.

Ryan leaned down and she looked away and his mouth landed on the nape of her neck and he inhaled her scent calming his anger but at the same time arousing him down there.

"you smell good" he whispered huskily against her ear "as fresh as daisy"

"what are you doing! stay away please" Ariel spoke her voice was breaking and Ryan found it more amusing.

"you are so beautiful Ariel" he said biting her earlobe lightly making her hissed in surprise.

"stay away you ruthless bastard! stop touching me" Ariel yelled and tried to push him away with all her might but he didn't budge.

"what did I told you about raising your voice on me sweetheart?" his breath fanned her neck as he touched her neck with the tip of his tongue making her feel disguted.

"why the hell are you doing this to me?" Ariel shouted at him with anger in her eyes and hatred in her heart.

Ryan moved back a little and looked into her eyes "you are the one who wanted me to show the power I have sweetheart, you challenged me!" Ryan said with cold voice challenging her with his eyes to defy him once again "now bare the consequences"

"you are disgusting! be a man and accept the reality-" Ryan cut her off by letting out a humourless laugh.

"I will show you how much of a man I am on our wedding night sweetheart, where you would be screaming my name loud enough for entire city to hear you" he winked at her to which Ariel internally gagged at his dirty remarks.

"just wait for a week baby and you will know" his voice was laced with lust as his eyes travel down her entire body making her feel so exposed.

"o-one week?" Ariel asked confused.

"yes our wedding will happen within a week" he smiled cruely at her probably enjoying her agasth expression.

"now let's get you home as you have already ruined my mood for dinner" he lied, her shivering figure was making him hungry but not for the food. he knew if he go out with her on dinner, he would definitely have her tonight and he didn't wanted to do that with her before their marriage.

"what about my parents?"

"they would be home before you" Ariel nodded and stood there fidgeting with her fingers as she wiped her tears away.

she took a step forward towards the door and Ryan raised his brow at her "where do you think you are going?" she looked like a kid there, crying and sniffing.

"home" she meekly answered.

"you still don't believe me, do you?" Ryan asked her irritatedly "I told you they would be home before you"

"I don't believe strangers"

"well this stranger is going to be your husband so start believing me, sweetheart" Ariel pressed her lips together, stopping her from anything that might anger him.

"now come I will drop you home" Ryan said as he picked his phone from table.

"I will go by myself" Ariel objected and he turned around to look at her with anger filled eyes making her shut her mouth.

"don't make me repeat myself, Ariel" his tone terrified her and she nodded following him out.

"but my car-"

"leave it to me Ariel" Ryan got to know that she could really be stubborn and persistent if she wanted to which he found adorable but at the same time annoying.