A Secret Affair with the Billionaire

07

In a navy blue off shoulder satin dress that ends on my mid calf, I stare into the mirror, checking myself in there. I look so clean, so elegant, and so presentable yet I don’t feel like one.

The light makeup I have on with my hair styled down is probably the only reason why I have been looking much brighter for tonight. Even the silver necklace I have on with a diamond pendant given by my mother feels like it is choking me before I could even go down there and join the party with everyone else. It’s insane!

No matter how good I look like tonight, the feeling I have deep inside can never be taken away.

I feel nervous, agitated and scared yet I also feel a bit happy, relieved, and comfortable. I wasn’t exactly sure what to feel anymore once I face those people downstairs and announce what will change my life forever without having any assurance if that announcement will actually do me good. Maybe it will make my father happy about what I did for the first time, but it will make me feel anxious no matter what.

“Ciara?” I heard countless knocks echoing in the room as it opened, revealing my mother in a champagne colored floor-length dress with her hair tied up. “Are you ready, dear?”

Instead of giving her an answer, I only look at her in return, obviously showing the anxiety in my face. I am not ready at all. It was never in my vocabulary since the very moment they told me that they will be helding an engagement party just days after Elijah and I talked about how we were just forced to do all of this. It was too soon for me, and I don’t think that I will ever be ready to face that fact now.

I heard a sigh escape her lips while coming forward to approach me with a small smile plastered on her lips. She stands next to me in front of the mirror, staring at me in there as if she was checking me out from head to toe. Suddenly, she forms a wider smile compared to the one she has when she walks towards me.

“Seeing you in this kind of color and dress with that necklace I gave you, it reminds me of the time when it was me who was on your stand.” She exclaims while admiring me in the mirror. “Decades ago, I was feeling the same way to you at the night of my engagement party after your grandfather told me that I will be getting married to a strange young man who came from a wealthy family. At first, I was hesitant and didn’t want to do it at all, just like what you are probably feeling right now. However, when I saw your father waiting for me at the party, I felt more relieved and it was enough for me to think that our future can be possible together. And now… look at where we are!”

She made me face her gently before tucking the escaped strands behind my ear. “Did you ever regret it?” She raises her eyebrows in confusion. “Getting married through an arranged marriage?”

She let out a hum first before shaking her head. “If you ask the younger me who was in the first week of her marriage, I would say that I do. But now, I don’t.” She confessed, placing hands on each side of my arm. “You might think that arranged marriage is ridiculous with only the main purpose being to bring two people together for business matters, then you are wrong, dear. It can also be a way to find the person you will end up loving spending the next years of your life and having a family with. So, you and Elijah, I know it wouldn’t be that hard to form that love between the two of you as well.”

“You really think so?” I ask, keeping my hopes up even though it is almost impossible.

She nods her head, reassuring me. “The two of you have a long history to look back to. You both know each other so well and have been there for one another since you were kids. It won’t be easy to fall in love, dear.” She leaned in and gave me a soft peck on my forehead before giving me another look. “This arranged marriage will only bring you happiness and love, and never pain and sadness.”

I always tell myself that in this family, I can only completely trust my brother because he is the one who puts his trust in me equally. However, at this moment, I want to trust my mother as well. She showed me that it is still possible to build love in an arranged marriage through her and Dad, even if Dad is someone who only sees my faults.

Mom left me there in the room for another time to make some time to retouch once again before I could head out. Minutes later, I went down alone with my heart racing so fast as if it could jump out of my chest already the closer I got to the venue hall. I can only stand forward while gripping into my silver purse to keep myself calm while breathing heavily so I will be ready once I arrive in the hall.

As soon as the two large doors opened, revealing myself and the ongoing party inside the huge hall, I instantly felt everyone’s eyes slowly switching their directions to my side. I only stood there, unable to move because of the people's attention. It wasn’t my first time, but today feels like the whole party is solely for me and everyone will watch my every move until the party ends.

I looked around, looking for someone who can help me escape such a frozen state until my eyes landed on that one man dressed in a cream colored suit with a white polo underneath, with two buttons unbuttoned. His hair is styled pushed back and he looks rather gorgeous today than those normal days. He dressed in suits so many times, but he somehow looks different in my eyes right now.

“I know that this marriage is not what you wanted, but at least give me a heads up if you are planning to not attend the engagement party.” He teases with a small grin. “I thought you would leave me hanging already, Ciara.”

I swallow hard and bring myself back to senses before forcing a smile to hide my shyness. “You know that’s impossible when my parents are staying in the same hotel as I am, right?” I exclaimed, making him chuckle softly.

“Well, you got a point.” He smoothly went to my side and extended his arm for me. “Our guest have been waiting for so long now, Ms. Montellero. How about we get this done so we can go and rest as well?”

A part of me didn’t want this night to end because once we do, then it would mean we will be getting closer to that wedding day. However, he was right. It will be too much to keep the guests waiting when they already have all of their eyes on us. So, I nod my head and slowly clings my hand to his arm, ensuring not to ruin his suit.

Every single guest we passed by, we didn’t forget to greet them properly with a wide grin. This is how it always is. During parties, no matter how much we didn’t want to be there and how much our parents just forced us to attend, we still need to look like we are ecstatic to have our presence felt. Our goal was to always look presentable, and if I object to that, I will have to deal with my father’s endless scolding over and over again, calling me useless and a disappointment.

“It looks like you two are getting used to it?” I turn around, only to see my brother, walking his way towards us. He gave me a small peck on the cheek before shaking his hand to Elijah. “Should I say welcome to the family now?”

“If I have a chance to reject your welcoming, I will, but I don’t. Thank you, Francis.” Elijah exclaims with a small smile.

“Well, I certainly hope you wouldn’t reject the wedding too, especially now that the whole preparation is on going.” Francis pointed out, jokingly, earning an awkward laugh from Elijah in return. My brother turned to me instead when Elijah didn’t respond anymore. “I thought your best friend will be coming? I still haven’t seen her around.”

“Hailee’s coming?” Elijah butted in before I could even answer my brother.

I nod my head instantly. “I invited her for tonight since I also need her support. But… I don’t know if she will be attending. She said that she will try, but she hasn’t given me a call yet.” I explain as he nods.

“I doubt your friend will come considering that she knows how much Dad didn’t want you to be friends with her.” Francis sarcastically pointed out, earning glare from me. “Okay! Okay! I’m sorry. I’m just one of the people who is not really fond of her.”

“Why so? Have you met her already?” Elijah butted in once again, making me silent.

“I did, many times actually. Ciara took her with her when she visited me weeks ago and that woman didn’t even hesitate to hide the fact that she wants me to talk to the international brands so she could get more work.” Francis shakes her head. “She looks so eager to make connections so she can call herself a supermodel, I think.”

“Francis!” I raise my voice a little to give him a warning. He gave me a questioning look, shrugging his shoulders innocently. I look at Elijah once again, apologizing. “Just don’t mind everything that my brother said. He is narcissistic at times like this.”

I glanced at my brother again, glaring at him once more. Since then, even when he first met Hailee, he already told me that he has the same opinion as Dad about me becoming friends with her. I can’t blame him if he thinks that way, especially when he said that she doesn’t look so trustworthy, but he shouldn’t judge me so quickly. Hailee and I have been friends for years, yet nothing bad even happened to me at all.

“Maybe try to be careful of your words next time, Francis. You never know, you might be offending someone already.” Elijah warned in such a cold tone yet he has that small smile plastered on his lips still.

“I doubt that. Why? Were you offended?” Francis argued back, making me close my eyes.

Before they can even talk back to one another, I release my hold from Elijah’s arm and switch to my brother. I widen my eyes to him so he will stop arguing already before I formed a forced smile to look at Elijah.

“How about you go to our seat first? I think I need to knock some sense into my brother.” I insisted before pulling my brother away from Elijah right away.

I pulled him into the balcony, away from the people who might hear us. He stands in front of me, timidly and acting like he didn’t do anything to offend my supposed fiance seconds ago. I cross my arm to my chest, looking at him with a raised brow.

“What just happened out there?” I questioned right away.

“I was just telling the truth, Ciara! I didn’t even know he would look so offended when it wasn’t even him we were talking about.” He annoyingly said.

“Well, you did use some foul words. Also, he knows Hailee too so of course he will feel offended.” I pointed to myself. “I did feel offended too while you said those words to my best friend, Francis.”

Instead of arguing back, he just let out a sigh in defeat and just looked away already. I understand his disagreement with me in some things, but he didn’t need to speak it out loud. If he still thinks that Hailee is not a good friend for me, then he should have just kept it to himself instead of telling it to others.

“Fine. I will apologize to him for what happened. Will that be enough, my sister?” He said as I nod right away.

“Thank you, brother.”

I watch him walk away, leaving me here on the balcony. I stayed there and just watched him approach Elijah as they talked and shook hands. They must have made up already considering how they started laughing a bit and they look more comfortable now than earlier when Francis started talking nonsense.

“I guess I wasn’t the only one worried.” I turn around to my left, only to see a familiar man standing just near me in his black suit with hands inside his pant’s pocket. “Your brother seems worried too.”

I look at him closely, and only recognize him when he forms a smirk.

“It was you from the bar!” I exclaimed, pointing at him, making him smile.

“I’m honored that you still remember, Ms. Montellero.” He extended his hand and smiled widely. “It’s nice seeing you again.”