003

Sofia’s P.O.V

Seconds had turned to minutes and minutes into an hour yet we were still here.

I couldn’t understand a thing, mainly because every now and then I felt Romane’s gaze on me.

Even when I looked back at him, he wouldn’t look away. His face didn’t hold a single expression.

His lips were pressed into a thin line, his bushy eyebrows knitted slightly. His gaze was the same as earlier in the hallway, holding emotions I couldn’t understand. I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to know.

“So, Sofia you have to sign this to bound both our families,” Mr. Julius revealed. He closed the document and held it up.

A maid rushed froward, grabbed it and moved to me. She handed it to me and I took it. I flipped the document open and the pen fell beside me.

The maid reached down and I did as well.

“It’s okay,” I told her in a faint voice so of course she couldn’t hear me.

We almost bumped heads if I hadn’t pulled away.

My hand flew to my chest, covering my boobs that was practically attempted to fall out of the dress. 

To make it worsez Romane’s gaze was still on me.

I pulled myself up, readjusting my posture; letting my chest face the wall while I took the pen the maid handed to me. I signed the document without reading it. My mind was clouded so I couldn’t read the words even if I wanted to. 

I placed the pen carefully between the pages of the document before closing it and handing it to the maid. 

I avoided Roman’s gaze as my cheeks flushed. 

Suddenly the sleeve of the hand slipped and my eyes grew wide.

My mind then shifted from my cleavage to the bruise on my shoulder. I couldn’t let him see it. I couldn’t let anyone see it.

It would ruin everything and my parents would kill me before he kills them. I avoided everyone’s gaze entirely as I fixed the sleeve. 

“Okay, this is great. We will be glad to welcome you to our family,” Mr. Julius said. 

I scoffed.

My eyes grew wide realizing I had made the noise aloud. I turned to face them but they had already began clapping. They hadn’t heard me. I sighed. 

“The marriage would be the day tomorrow,” Mr. Julius announced. 

“What?” The word left my lips. 

My father shot me a look. “Shut up,” he said through gritted teeth. 

My mother laughed. “She’s just joking, we are glad that our family will be joined together immediately”.

I thought weddings took a little time. Weeks. Months, sometimes but we were getting ed tomorrow. No. That isn’t enough time for Lucia to come back. I’m just meant to cover up for the engagement not the main wedding. 

“Do you have any objections?” Mr. Julius called my attention. 

“Hmm?”

“Don’t be afraid, we are all ears. We will be glad to hear your suggestions, after all you’ll be family soon,” he pointed out.

“Or do you not want this? Do you want to cancel this engagement because it’s too quick? Look, my family loves being organized and straightforward situations.”

I shook my head. 

His grimaced expression changes; his lips spread into a smile and his eyebrows relaxed.

“Good, but be careful with you words next time. If there’s no other blatant expression of one’s opinion, let’s end our meeting here to give the bride time to prepare for tomorrow”.

Roman didn’t waste any time. He shot to his feet, his hands shoving into his pockets and walking out. 

“Roman,” Mr. Julius yelled, his voice stern. 

Roman stopped in his tracks. I could see his jaw clench. 

“Escort your bride out of the house or do you not have any manners? I didn’t teach you that,” His father’s tone resembled that of my parents but only that my parent’s words matched actions. 

We were alike in that sense. 

“it’s fine,” I tell Mr. Julius before standing up. 

“Nonsense, you’ll be married soon,” he objected. 

I gulped and shuffled to Roman’s side. Almost immediately, he grabbed my wrist, his grip tight.

He began moving on the halls. I quickened my steps to match his. I looked lime a running rabbit that was held captive by his prey. My expression was filled with both irritation and fear. 

Was this the man I was going to live with?

In front of the building, there was already a car waiting. He pulled me with him, reaching and grabbing the car door. He pulled it wide open before letting go of my wrist.

His fingers curled into a fist. He waited for me to climb in but I didn’t understand that that was hat he wanted till he huffed.

I rushed and planted myself on the seat. He slammed the door before turning to the other side of the car and climbing in.  

The car roared and the driver wasted no time.

This time, at the gate, the gateman didn’t give us a suspicious look.

Instead, he hurried to get the gate open. he even rushed to the gate and attempted pushing it himself. He got it half way open before it automatically moved the rest of the way.

The driver zoomed off. The trees sped past till they were replaced by cars and horns. 

At a point, I had shut my eyes. I hadn’t felt less tense before. After all, my parents weren’t there to critique my every move made me less afraid.

He didn’t speak to me and I was glad he didn’t I didn’t want to decipher his emotion or actions. I couldn’t regret any further so I simply accepted it and let the breeze wrap around me. 

“We’re here,” the driver revealed when we came to a stop. 

I snapped my eyes open and reached for the door. I wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Get to my room, lock the door and rip these clothes off me.

Before I could get the door, hands gripped mine. My gaze shifted to see him inches away. He was now sitting beside me and inching forward. I ripped my hands from the door handle. 

His lips closed in on my ears, his body resting lightly against mine so much that my chest raced. He probably heard how hard it thudded but it couldn’t be helped.

“Make no mistake, I have no intention of creating any romantic feelings between us and I will not reciprocate any feelings you have. I hate this ore than you can imagine”. 

I nodded. 

“I do not belong to you and nor do you. Do as you please but don’t get caught not even by me”.

I nodded again.

He finally pushed the door open and I slipped out. I rushed inside my house, up the stair and into my room.

I locked it tightly before dropping onto the bed. I realized a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Now I had another feeling to top up to the others he evoked in me. Uncertainty. 

Hmph. 

Do I plan my escape? Leave like Lucia did.

I had to decide before tomorrow.