Author's Pov...
The heavy rain tapped relentlessly against the windowpane as if the sky itself mourned the misfortune soon to be revealed.
In the Whitlock family's modest living room, the scent of fresh tea mixed with the thick, suffocating tension that clung to the walls like a ghost that refused to leave.
Ren Whitlock sat stiffly on the old floral couch, his fingers tightly gripping the hem of his sweater, knuckles turned white from the force. His usually calm, unbothered expression faltered as his parents sat across from him, their faces pale, weighed down by shame and helplessness.
Daniel Whitlock, Ren's father, cleared his throat, his voice low and strained. "Ren…son…we-we have hit a dead end".
The clock ticked obnoxiously loud, each second stretching painfully long, as if time itself pitied them.
Marie Whitlock, his mother, wrung her hands, her voice trembling. "We… we are bankrupt, Ren".
Ren's heart skipped.
The soft rain outside turned heavier, loud enough that it drowned out the faint radio murmuring from the kitchen.
"We have been borrowing from the Vallen family for years…Gregory and Clarisse always helped us" Daniel continued, his voice thick with regret. "They are… they are kind, but this time, the debt… is too big".
Ren's brows furrowed. "So what do we do?" His voice was calm, almost mechanical, but his stomach twisted violently.
Marie hesitated, her gaze falling to the untouched cup of tea on the table. "They proposed… a solution".
Ren's gut dropped.
His father's words stabbed the silence.
"They offered marriage".
The words echoed in Ren's ears, bouncing off his skull like a cruel joke.
"To….to their son, Evan".
Outside, thunder cracked, a perfect dramatic beat as if the world itself had turned into a stage.
Ren blinked, still processing.
"That's insane" He shook his head, forcing a laugh. "Isn't Evan Vallen the world's top actor? Isn't he ridiculously famous? He wouldn't...."
"They suggested it" his mother whispered, barely audible. "They said Evan… he agreed".
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Ren"s throat tightened. The familiar name now felt foreign, dangerous.
Evan Vallen.
The next thing Ren knew, he was standing in front of the rain-soaked window, his palm pressed against the cool glass, watching droplets race each other to the bottom.
His childhood neighbor. The boy from next door who used to share snacks, who disappeared into the spotlight, who now…..was waiting to become his husband.
Ren closed his eyes.
What kind of story am I about to be dragged into?
The author-me....smirked behind the pages.
Oh, dear Ren. You have no idea how many husbands you are about to marry in one body.