جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

Ariana pov And with that final chart signed, another day of work was done and completed. I really loved my job. The patients, the rush, the tiny victories—it gave me a sense of purpose. But I also loved the moments when I could clock out, take off my scrubs, and just breathe. Those sweet, golden after-work hours? Bliss. Smiling to myself, I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder as I headed out of the clinic. “Hey, Ariana. You heading home?” Jared called out from behind the front desk. Jared was one of my coworkers—sweet, a little too charming for his own good with his long blond hair and green eyes that could make a girl swoon, and very much not someone I was mentally equipped to deal with right now. “Yes, I am,” I said, flashing a polite smile. “Would you maybe want to meet for coffee some—?” “Oh no, look at the time!” I cut in quickly, holding up my phone and faking surprise. “Gotta run,Bye!” Before he could reply, I darted out the door, my bag bouncing at my s

Ariana povI should walk out. Right now. Just turn around and leave before this gets any worse.But before I could even open my mouth, Ethan leaned in, one hand braced against the door beside my head, his presence swallowing up the space between us.His voice was low, final. “I’ll pay off all your loans and give you a hundred thousand dollars a month.”My breath caught.A hundred thousand. Every month. More than I made in a year. More than I’d ever seen in my life.I opened my mouth, but no words came out.Ethan studied me, his expression unreadable. Then, as if he were already bored of the conversation, he straightened, stepping back. “Just accept it. It’s part of the contract anyway.”He turned, already pulling out his phone. “Maria will show you to your room. We’ll talk more after dinner.”I was still frozen in place when a quiet voice spoke from behind me.“This way, ma’am.”I turned.A young woman in a neatly pressed uniform stood just outside the doorway, her hands clasped in fr

Ariana povIt had been two days since we visited my parents, and surprisingly, everything had been okay so far. I had barely seen Ethan or Jared in nearly two days.Just a blur of staff, drivers, silence, and marble floors echoing under my footsteps.The house—if I could even call this mansion that,was huge, elegant and completely lifeless. Like a museum. Beautiful, but cold with no sign of family warmth. The only sound was the soft hum of central air and the occasional polite knock from a housekeeper asking if I needed anything.I didn’t.What I needed was conversation. Chaos.I was bored out of my mind.I missed the hospital. The nurses’ lounge with its burnt coffee and overheard gossip. The adrenaline of night shifts. The quiet, sacred moments with patients. The way I felt useful.Here, I felt like a decoration.After the wedding I’ll talk to him. Ask if I can go back to work.I didn’t need his permission, not really.But if we were going to pretend to be husband and wife, we nee

Ariana povI took the cup of ginger tea to his room and knocked softly on the door.“Who is that?” His voice was slightly hoarse.“It’s me Ariana ,” I replied. “Please open the door.”There was a pause before the door creaked open. His hair was messy, and there was a flush on his cheeks—but somehow, the disheveled look only added to his charm. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.“I, um… brought you some ginger and honey tea. For your cough. Mind if I set it on the table?”His brows lifted in surprise. “You made that for me?”“Of course. I’m a nurse, remember?” I offered a small smile, trying to ignore the way my pulse picked up when his eyes lingered on me.“Oh. Right.” He stepped aside, creating space for me to walk in. “Just… put it on the table.”His room was just as I expected—simple, clean, and luxurious. Everything was black and white, sharp lines and cold tones. It looked untouched, like a hotel room. The only sign someone lived there was the open laptop and the faint scent

Ariana povThe moment passed, thankfully, when the cook announced that lunch was ready. I wasn’t used to having so much attention on me.From the second I sat down, Linda hadn’t stopped shooting glares my way. I responded with the only weapon I had—a smile. At the end of this one-year arrangement, I’d be done and out of their way. Ethan could return to whoever this Cassandra person was—the woman his sister clearly preferred. But that thought—it didn’t sit well. Why was he here with me if he promised marriage to someone else?I bit my lip, forcing the question down.Would asking him be overstepping? Or worse, would it make me sound like I cared so much about his business?I was still lost in thought when the butler appeared at the door and announced the arrival of my family.A strange smile bloomed on my face. I hadn’t wanted them to come initially—I was terrified that everything would be awkward ,but they were still my family. And I loved them. I sat up straighter as they entered th