Aria had never met him before but she hated his guts already.
Kain offered a crooked smirk as he moved to sit beside his father. "Didn't realize this was a date."
Mr. Delacroix frowned at him. "Kain, this is not the place to mess around."
The young man shrugged, finally reading the room. "Apologies." he said.
Mr. Delacroix then turned to face Aria. "This is Aria Elmont. Your… fiancée to be. Aria, Kain." He introduced.
Kain raised an eyebrow as he questioned. "Seriously? She's the one who got me out of that mess? Sheesh, a darling and more. Many thanks!" He chuckled as he bowed cautiously.
Aria crossed her arms, her hatred for this guy deepening with every second that passed with him being around. Her instincts to crush his smug acts pushed her to remark him.
" I heard little of what you did but being a 'darling', I didn't quite get to the details. Can you tell me sweetheart, I wanna know what you did exactly?" She looked him dead in the eyes as she asked, clearly playing a part in his stupid joke.
Kain paused, sensing the sarcasm in her tone. But then he tilted his head and responded. " I vaguely remember. I blackmailed some hot girl who got on my nerves. She had cameras flashing around her 24/7 and acted like the world owed her everything it had to offer. I hope you won't hate me for it, dearie?" He said, smirking as if he meant every bit of what he said.
"That was Mira. My sister." Aria replied coldly, almost instantly.
The smirk dropped from Kain's face. Mr. Harrow almost sighed and Mr. Delacroix hid his face in embarrassment.
"She cried to me, thinking her life was over," Aria continued. "But you're here feeling all swell about it. I saved your ass, Kain. I buried that story. I talked to my investigator, and made sure he kept you out of prison. And now I'm supposed to marry you?"
Kain swallowed, glancing at his father, then at the contract papers spilled between them on the mahogany glass top table.
"This… wasn't what I expected." He groaned in a mutter, rubbing his forehead.
Mr. Delacroix stood, his voice suddenly choked with emotion. "But Aria, it's what your father and I wanted. This is about more than just you two. It's about the future of our families. Think about it."
"I-its just five years in the clause, I have nothing to gain in this other than keeping a dear friend's promise. If you don't want to be together after then, so be it. I'm not a fool to not recognize this situation isn't the best to be in. But, a promise like this has to be kept. Please darling, you have to understand." The man begged.
Aria turned to the window, biting back the fury in her throat. She didn't want a marriage. She didn't want Kain roaming free, not to speak of anywhere near her or Mira. Not after what he'd done.
She didn't want to fulfill a fantasy of her father who wanted to control their future from his grave just to please his friend.
But she wanted Mira free.
She wanted the assets secured.
She wanted peace. For herself and her sister.
Amidst her contemplation, Mr. Harrow, the lawyer, cleared his throat and added. " It's true, Miss Aria. Since Mr Delacroix isn't willing to rescind. The terms remain the same. A five-year duration. After which, either party may file for divorce, and the assets passes to the family as intended. I advice you take this contract and have it fulfilled before time is no longer on your sides. You're both still quite young now, and can compromise on this. It could just be a farce, a fake marriage with each person living their lives without having to bother one another. This way, both parties won't have anything to lose."
Aria's jaw tensed at Mr. Harrow's words. It made sense, but she just hated the idea. She hated the thought of getting married to her sister's blackmailer. Who in the world wouldn't?
Kain was first to speak, across from her.
"Five years with you, and then I'll be free huh? I guess it's a price to pay." He clearly didn't want it either, but he seemed to have come to a decision. It seemed s though he struggled with the whole thing as well.
Aria didn't understand why he would? After all, he has nothing at stake.
But she couldn't be bothered about that now. She had to make a decision.
Taking the jump, or standing to lose everything?
She was past the point of negotiating now, she had to fulfill the clause of the will. But then, could she carry this burden? Is she strong enough to?
Can she even last the whole span of five years with this cocky bastard who'd tried to blackmail her sister without the guilt eating at her every other day?
How was she to face Mira after this?
But even now, seated across from the man who'd nearly ruined her sister's life, Aria refused to look away from the power she still had.
Suddenly, she made her choice. Her voice, cool and composed, broke the short silence in the room. "Let's just get it over with. This is only a fake marriage, so play your part and I'll play mine." She told Kain.
Kain's full lips broadened into a smile, "Try to keep up, darling."
He reached for the pen on the table in between them. "Let's get it over with."
Aria picked up her own. She didn't say a word afterwards.
Mr. Delacroix chuckled, as if what had just happened was a charming jest. "Five years is more than enough time for love to bloom. And if it doesn't, well, at least our families will remain bound in name."
' Bound in name? More like caged in paper!' Aria scoffed. Nothing could make her not divorce Kain after five years, this was in fact, a promise she made to herself.
After signing the marriage contract, Aria rose from her seat, head held high. "I'll do my part. But I'm not here for family bonds or nostalgia, Mr. Delacroix. I'm here to secure what's rightfully mine and protect what's left of my bloodline." She said in response to what Mr. Delacroix had blabbered about love and bonds.
This isn't romance. This is nothing but a facade, a lie that only lasts for five years. And afterwards, it'd be good bye to bad rubbish!