Sentenced to Marriage

Chapter 24

Furious girlfriend I kept staring at the photos in disbelief. How could I be such an idiot?! I allowed myself to get lost in the moment. I let Aren charm me, and I wanted to trust the warmth I felt from him. In each of those pictures, I saw myself looking at Aren like a woman in love, and I hated myself for showing him this vulnerable side of me. He manipulated me, and I let him.

“Are you angry?” Monique worriedly patted my shoulder.

I smiled wryly. “It‘s just... you know... It was our private moment and those photos...”

Monique nodded sympathetically. “I get you. You are not used to being in the spotlight, but since you are dating New York‘s most wanted bachelor, you will get a lot of attention from now on.”

“I guess you are right...” I sighed, lowering my head so that my eyes wouldn‘t betray my inept lie.

I was pissed, and I could barely keep my composure. The blood was boiling in my veins and holding a smiling face became unbearable.

“So, tell me everything! How did it happen?” Monique grinned, leaning on the counter.

I forced a laugh. “Girl, I promise that I will tell you everything, but not today. I‘m here to drop the documents and I have to run.”

I excused myself with an abrupt hand wave and a thin smile and then darted toward the office to leave my signed resignation form. Thankfully, I managed to run away before Marco came back. Monique was certainly too excited about the news to notice all the dishonesty in my words, but Marco had always been a walking–talking lie detector.

It took me a minute to finish the formalities. Then I rushed out, fury fueling my strides. Even Benjamin became pale as he saw my frowning face and blazing angry eyes.

>“Where to?” he asked quietly, sitting behind the wheel. Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

“Lan Diamond Tower,” I squeezed through my teeth.

He nodded and pulled the curb. He didn‘t say a single word. I guessed he expected that if he did, he would become my anger‘s collateral damage. He wasn‘t entirely wrong. I was consumed by rage to the point where my decisions weren‘t absolutely rational. Fine, they weren‘t rational in the slightest!

I stormed through the revolving door and went straight to the reception. A busty brown haired receptionist looked me up and down as I walked closer.

“Can I help you? Are you lost?” She raised one eyebrow. I swear I wanted to punch her, but I decided to keep my anger entirely for my discussion with Aren. I took a deep breath and glued composure to my face. “I‘m here to meet Aren Lan,” I said with a grimace–like smile. “Do you have an appointment?” She scanned me again, giving me a judgmental pout.

Furious girlfriend

“No, I don‘t, but I‘m sure he‘ll see me. My name is Cora Bell,” I claimed with confidence.

“I‘m sorry, I don‘t have you on the list. I‘m afraid that I cannot let you in.” The receptionist shot me a mocking grin.

I was about to explode, but fortunately, my logic broke through my rage. I stepped away from the receptionist‘s desk and pulled out my phone. I picked up Neil‘s number because I thought that he would answer quicker than his boss. “Hello, Neil. Is Aren in his office?” I asked, trying to fake a smile in my voice.

“Yes, but he‘s in the middle of a video conference. Shall I pass him a message from you?”

“No. I‘ve got something to tell him personally. I‘m standing by the reception desk and

”

“Wait there,” he said and ended our call...

I heard the receptionist snicker as she saw me putting down my phone with a confused expression. I bet that, from her perspective, I must have looked like a dumb chick who had mistaken a one–night–stand for a marriage proposal. I would also think that my situation was funny... if I weren‘t so pissed!

“Ms. Bell!” Neil shouted from the length of the hallway, making all the receptionists‘ jaws drop.

“I apologize for disturbing your work.” I gave him a little bow.

Neil nonchalantly waved his hand as he walked closer. “Not at all. But why didn‘t you just tell the receptionist to let you in?” he said it loud enough for all three ladies behind the desk to hear.

“Well, I did... but this NICE lady said that my name wasn‘t on some kind of list...” I pointed, innocently blinking my eyes.

“Nonsense.” He walked over in front of the reception desk and glared at the one I pointed at.” I suggest you check that list again... or better yet, give that list to me.”

The woman gulped and handed over a document with around ten to fifteen names on it. Neil glanced at it and smirked.

“Ms. Bell, can you see your name here?” he asked, gesturing at me to come closer.

I smiled wryly and leaned over the document. There were a few people named Winton and Lan on that list. The last name written on it was mine. Was I truly allowed to come inside Aren‘s office whenever I wanted to?

“There‘s my name,” I said, placing a finger on the final position in the document. “This must be a new list! I remembered the old one and there was no one named Bell on it!” the receptionist exclaimed, pointing

her finger at me as if it was my fault that she didn‘t care to check it properly.

She certainly made my temple vein throb, but she didn‘t annoy me as much as she infuriated Neil. As I saw his expression turn icy cold, I stepped back away from the desk. His lips twitched, forming a freezing smirk “You are fired.”

“B–but Mr. Edmond! You can‘t do it! Only Mr. Lan can–”

“You can call him and discuss the issue of your complete incompetence with him if you want to. You can also save some mere shreds of your dignity and go to the HR department now.” Neil‘s words were confident and sharp as the smoothest blade.

I stared at him in awe. What he did was wicked, incredible, and absolutely perfect. At that moment, I wanted to drop down to my knees screaming, “Teach me, Master!” Stepping away from the reception drama, Neil gave me a warm smile and offered his arm.” Follow me, Ms. Bell.”

1 grinned and nodded, letting him lead me to the elevator. I had to say that his words and actions had almost defused the rage I had for his boss... almost. As soon as the elevator started riding to the top, I recalled the events of last night and the photos of us taken by the reporters. I fisted my hand and slowly let out the air, trying not to explode.

“Are you all right, Ms. Bell?” Neil leaned closer, examining my frowning face. “No, I‘m not,” I replied, avoiding his gaze. “Is that why you want to talk to Mr. Lan?”

I didn‘t respond. I treated that question as a rhetorical one. As we exited the elevator on the top floor, I started walking toward Aren‘s office, not caring whether Neil would keep up with me.

“Wait.” He grabbed my hand before I opened the door to Aren‘s office. “I will check if he finished the videoconference first.”

I nodded and stepped away from the door. My fury blinded me completely. I was so mad that I forgot that Aren was in the middle of something important. After less than a minute, Aren asked me to enter his office. As I walked inside, he was sitting at his desk, writing something on his laptop

“I heard that my fiancée had something to discuss with me,” he said with slight amusement in his tone.

My blood began to boil again, yet I forced myself to hold back my anger and ask questions first. “Those photos of us taken in the restaurant... you planned those situations between us, did you not?”

“Yes.” His indifferent answer felt like a slap. He didn‘t even bother to look me in the eye while saying it. He just kept working on his computer.

“How could you do something like that?” I took a step closer to his desk, struggling to pull another breath into my lungs. “You could have just told me, but instead… you manipulated me! “I burst out.

He stopped writing and finally shifted his eyes to me. “It had to look natural, and it did,” he said coldly.

“You used me, and you used my emotions!” I snapped.

He stood up and walked over toward me. “You signed a contract. You wanted me to use you.

You wanted to be involved in my plan. It was the best way to achieve what I wanted.”

I read his face and couldn‘t believe the emotionlessness I received from him. “Are you even human?” I choked out, barely controlling my swirling emotions.

He laughed. “I thought that you were more intelligent than that, Cora. I told you before, didn‘t l? This will never be a romantic relationship.”

If I was standing on the edge before, he had just given me a push. I stepped closer and slapped him hard. “I agreed to act. I agreed to play the role of a perfect fiancée, not to be played!” I hissed.

He glared at me, rubbing his cheek, swollen from my hit. “Don‘t forget that you are not doing this for free, and it‘s not the worst way to get the money for your Grandma‘s operation.”

I smiled coldly at him. “I would never trade my emotions for money, just like I would never sell my body. I promised to follow your plan, and I will. I can act however you want me to, and I can be very persuasive. However, use me again like that and I promise that you will regret it.”

He chuckled. “Is that supposed to be a threat?”

“An angry woman is capable of many things. Now you can add my abilities to that and double it.” I grinned wickedly before turning around to walk out of his office.

As I was about to exit, his hand slammed the door shut, hitting right above my head and blocking my way out. I flinched. He was an inch behind me, his body nearly leaning against my back. I could feel his breath brushing the crock of my neck as he lowered his head.

“The situations were planned, but I didn‘t predict your reactions... I couldn‘t even predict my own. This is something you cannot fake,” he said quietly, breathing against my ear.

I swallowed hard. I didn‘t move or breathe. My heart wildly hammered against my chest. He took his hand away from the door surface and opened it for me instead.

He stepped back and added calmly. “I‘ll see you in the evening. I‘ll be home around nine.” I nodded hysterically and darted out into the corridor.