Chapter 1 Sudden Announcement

Alicia Davenport I couldn't believe my ears when my parents dropped the bombshell on me. Sitting in the cozy living room of our family home, surrounded by the warmth of the crackling fireplace, I felt like I was in a nightmare. “Alicia, darling,” my mother began, her voice overly sweet, which usually meant trouble. “We have something important to discuss with you.” My heart skipped a beat as I looked from her to my father, who wore a solemn expression. Something in their demeanour told me this wasn't going to be good news. “We've arranged for you to be engaged to Nicholas,” my father announced as if he was discussing the weather. “Nicholas? Which Nicholas are you guys talking about?” I asked, slightly confused but also nervous. “Nicholas Andrieux. I’m sure you remember him.” Dad said. My eyes widened, and at that moment, I couldn’t breathe or think. This is really a nightmare. My mind screeched to a halt. Nicholas Andrieux? That insufferable, arrogant man I'd had the displeasure of meeting at some charity event a few months back? The memory of his condescending smirk and dismissive attitude made my blood boil. “What? Is this some kind of a joke?” I sputtered, unable to find any other words. My mother placed a comforting hand on mine. “We understand it might come as a surprise, dear, but Nicholas comes from a highly respected family, and this alliance would be beneficial for both of our families.” Alliance? Did they think we were living in medieval times? “But I already have a boyfriend,” I blurted out, my voice rising in panic. My parents exchanged a glance, and my father sighed heavily. “We've already discussed this with your boyfriend, Alicia. They understand the situation and are supportive of our decision.” Supportive? My boyfriend, supportive of me being forced into an engagement with another man? It made no sense. I stood up abruptly, feeling the need to distance myself from this absurd conversation. “I can't believe you're doing this to me,” I whispered, feeling betrayed. “We're doing what's best for you, Alicia,” my mother said softly, her eyes pleading for understanding. “Y-you can’t just…do this to me. It’s my life, not yours. You don’t have rights telling me what to do.” But all I felt was anger and frustration. How could they decide my future like this? Tears threatened to spill over as I stormed out of the room, unable to bear another moment of their rationalizations. As I made my way up the stairs to my room, a sense of suffocation engulfed me. How could they expect me to marry someone I barely knew, let alone someone as obnoxious as Nicholas? And what about my boyfriend? How could he stand by and let this happen? Flopping onto my bed, I buried my face in the pillow, trying to block out the overwhelming emotions swirling inside me. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled in the pit of my stomach. Hours passed, the sun sinking below the horizon, casting long shadows across my room. I hadn't moved from my spot, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. What was I going to do? Just as I was about to drift off into an uneasy sleep, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. With a heavy sigh, I reached over to check the notification. It was a message from my boyfriend, Daniel. “Hey, Alicia. Can we talk?” My heart sank as I read the words. Did he already know about the engagement? Was he going to break up with me too, just like my parents had betrayed me? Feeling numb, I typed out a response. “Sure. What's up?” The minutes dragged on like hours as I waited for his reply. Finally, just as I was about to give up hope, another message popped up on the screen. “I need to see you. Can we meet at our spot?” Our spot. The small, secluded bench overlooking the lake where we'd shared countless memories together. It was where we'd confessed our love for each other, where we'd dreamed about our future together. Nerves churned in my stomach as I replied with a simple “Okay.” Dragging myself off the bed, I quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes and slipped out of the house, careful to avoid running into my parents. The night air was crisp and cool as I made my way to the lake, the moon casting a soft glow on the path ahead. My heart pounded in my chest as I approached our spot, anticipation and dread warring inside me. Daniel was already there when I arrived, sitting on the bench with his head in his hands. He looked up as I approached, his expression pained. “Alicia,” he began, his voice trembling slightly. “I don't know how to say this...” My heart dropped as I braced myself for the inevitable. “I... I can't do this anymore,” he continued, his words like a dagger to my heart. “I can't be with you.” Tears welled up in my eyes as I struggled to comprehend what he was saying. “What do you mean?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of my own heartbeat. “I'm sorry,” he said, his eyes filled with sorrow. “But I can't stand by and watch you marry someone else. It's not fair to either of us.” Marry someone else. The words echoed in my mind, sending a fresh wave of pain crashing over me. Daniel knew about the engagement. He knew, and he was breaking up with me because of it. Anger bubbled up inside me, hot and fierce. How dare he? How dare he walk away from me when I needed him the most? But before I could give voice to my rage, Daniel reached out and took my hand in his, his touch gentle and comforting. “I'll always love you, Alicia,” he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. “But this is goodbye.” And with that, he stood up and walked away, leaving me alone on the bench, my heart shattered into a million pieces. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I sat there in the darkness, the weight of my loneliness crushing me like a ton of bricks. How had everything fallen apart so quickly? And what was I going to do now? It shouldn’t end like this. Does our three-year relationship mean nothing to him? I’m hurt. I wanted to scream but I couldn’t. With a heavy heart, I wiped away my tears and stood up from the bench. As I turned to leave, a figure emerged from the shadows, a familiar smirk playing on his lips. Nicholas. My stomach churned as I realized he must have been watching the whole time. I wanted to scream at him, to lash out and make him feel even a fraction of the pain I was feeling. But all I could manage was a bitter laugh. “Congratulations,” I spat, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “You got your wish. I'm all yours.” And with that, I stormed off into the night, leaving Nicholas standing alone by the lake, his laughter echoing in the darkness.