Pov Author
The car ride was suffocating.
Not a single word.
Only the low hum of the engine and the faint tapping of nails against a phone screen. Anna's mother didn't even look up, her attention buried deep in whatever was glowing in her hands.
Beside her, Lily sat unnaturally still.
Too still.
Anna noticed it—the way Lily's fingers twisted together, the way her lips trembled slightly. And then—
A tear.
Just one.
Lily wiped it away so quickly it was as if it never existed.
In the front seat, her stepfather's eyes stayed fixed on the road, his expression unreadable, his grip firm on the steering wheel.
The mansion gates opened.
The car rolled in.
And just like that, whatever silence had followed them… grew heavier.
As soon as the engine died, her stepfather spoke.
"Anna," his voice was calm, too calm. "I want to talk to you."
Anna nodded slowly.
Her eyes flicked toward Lily—who looked away instantly.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Inside, the air felt colder.
He sat on the sofa like a man delivering a verdict. Anna, her mother, and Lily sat across from him.
A perfect picture of a family.
If you ignored the tension slicing through it.
"I love you both equally," he began, folding his hands. "You may not be my real daughters, but that changes nothing."
Anna frowned.
"But," he continued, "I've made a decision. Just this once… for your future."
Her chest tightened.
"What are you trying to say?" Anna asked, her voice steady but her eyes sharp. "What decision?"
A faint smile touched his lips.
"A decision you'll thank me for."
Confusion flickered across her face. "What have you done?"
He inhaled.
"It's—"
"Alex wants to marry you."
Lily's voice cut through the room.
Sharp. Fragile.
Final.
Anna turned to her slowly.
"What…?"
This wasn't how it happened before.
Last time, Alex had proposed publicly—cornering her into a yes she never meant. Back then, she hadn't wanted to embarrass him. Later… she had started to like him.
But now?
Now everything felt… wrong.
Lily liked Alex.
Anna knew it.
And Alex—
Her thoughts spiraled.
This is wrong .
I can't do this .
"I…" she started.
A sharp look from her stepfather stopped her cold.
"Think carefully, Anna," he said, his tone no longer soft. "This is for your family."
A threat.
Wrapped like concern.
Anna swallowed hard.
"…I understand."
But she didn't.
Not at all.
Her room felt like the only place she could breathe.
She stepped inside, reaching for the switch—
And froze.
A strong arm wrapped around her waist.
She was lifted off the ground.
A gasp escaped her lips.
"Shhh," a low voice whispered near her ear. "It's me."
Her body stilled.
"…Arin?"
He turned her around slowly.
His gaze dragged over her—from head to toe.
The deep navy satin dress clung to her perfectly, the slit revealing just enough, the soft sheen catching the faint light.
A slow smirk formed on his lips.
"Damn," he murmured. "You clean up *way* better than I expected."
Before she could react—
His lips brushed her neck.
Anna sucked in a breath, her fingers curling into his shirt.
"I— I went to a party," she blurted out.
"Oh?" His brow lifted. "What kind of party?"
"A… birthday party."
"Whose?"
"Allison's."lie
"Who's Allison?"
"A friend."
"Which school?"
She glared at him. "Stop interrogating me! How did you even get here?"
He chuckled softly.
"I have my ways… baby."
"Don't call me that."
"Why not?"
"I'm not a baby."
His eyes flicked to her hand, then to his own as he placed them side by side.
Her hand looked tiny in comparison.
He grinned.
"Relax, I've seen bigger phones than your hand."
Anna blinked.
"…Did you just compare me to a phone?"
"I'm just saying," he shrugged lightly, amused. "One wrong move and you might slip out of my grip."
"Get out," she muttered, trying not to smile.
"Arin, please," she said more seriously. "My stepfather—he doesn't—"
"What?" he cut in lazily. "Doesn't like you having a man of your own?"
His smirk turned sharper.
"Too bad for him."
Anna's heart skipped.
"But here I am."
She looked very serious —he sighs
"I'll go," he said after a moment. "But first… your number."
"No."
"Then I stay."
"…Fine."
She grabbed his phone, quickly typing her number.
"And don't share it. Don't misuse it."
He clicked his tongue.
"Do I look like those guys to you?"
Anna crossed her arms. "You sound like them."
He leaned closer, voice dropping.
"You're about to discover a very rare species, Anna… the kind most girls think went extinct."
She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah? You talk a lot for someone who climbed into a girl's room uninvited."
He laughed.
"Insult me all you want. I don't mind."
"What if I hit you?"
"I'll take it."
"What if I like someone else?"
"I'll hit him."
"What if I sleep with another guy?"
He paused.
Then smiled—dangerously calm.
"I don't think you will."
She scoffed. "You figured that out in one night?"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"You turned red when I touched your waist."
Anna's face heated instantly.
"Shut up and get out!"
---
Later That Night..
A message popped up on Arin's phone.
Alex:
Bro , look at this.
A photo loaded.
Anna.
In that same dress.
Standing under soft lights, looking… breathtaking.
Alex :
Thats the girl I am marrying and no ,I am not interested in that pillar.
For the first time—
Arin didn't smile.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Arin:
... You're getting married ? Since when , I thought it was just joke
Alex :
Family decision. Locked deal , to be honest I like her too .
A pause.
Then—
Arin:
Intresting.
But his eyes said otherwise.
Next Day
Anna stepped out of the school gates, her mind heavy.
Lily hadn't spoken to her.
Not a single word.
Not even a glance.
The silence hurt more than anything.
Lost in thought, she barely noticed—
Until she did.
Him.
Leaning against a sleek black machine.
A car that didn't belong in a place like this.
A matte black BMW M4, its body low and aggressive, sharp edges catching the sunlight like blades. The signature kidney grille sat bold and dominant, while the LED headlights glowed faintly—cold, predatory.
The rims were dark, almost blending into the tires, and the entire car looked like it wasn't built to drive—
It was built to dominate.
Arin stood beside it.
One hand in his pocket.
The other holding a cigarette.
Smoke curled lazily from his lips as he exhaled, his gaze locking onto her.
Slow.
Intent.
Unavoidable.
And then—
He smirked.
To Be Continued…