Liana’s POV
I was sitting in the parlor when I heard a car pull up outside.
I looked through the window and saw a black car stopping in front of the house.
A moment later, the front door opened.
A man walked inside.
He was tall, dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit with short black hair and a cold expression on his face.
I stared at him, I didn’t need anyone to tell me who he was.
Adrian Vale, the man my sister was going to marry.
He walked into the parlor like he belonged there.
My father immediately stood up.
“Mr vale”
Adrian shook his hand.
“Mr Rossi”
His voice was calm and confident.
My eyes moved over him again.
There was something about him that irritated me before he had even said anything to me.
Then his eyes landed on me, he looked at me for a moment.
“Who is she?”
I raised an eyebrow, I was sitting right in front of him.
My father cleared his throat.
“My young daughter, Liana.”
Adrian looked at me again.
“Liana”
“Adrian”, I replied.
He gave me a small nod before taking a seat.
My father nodded his chin towards the empty seat beside him.
“Liana, come sit with us”
I got up from the sofa and sat down.
Adrian placed a black leather folder on the table.
I looked at it.
“What is that?”
“The contract.” My father answered.
I looked at Adrian.
“You really have a contract.”
Adrian’s expression didn’t change.
“Yes.”
“For your marriage?”
“Yes”
I leaned back.
“That’s strange.”
My father gave a warning look.
“Liana.”
“What?” I asked, “I’m just saying”
Adrian didn’t seem offended instead, he looked amused.
“There is nothing strange about it.”
“There isn’t?”
“No.”
He opened the folder.
“Both parties agreed to the terms”
I looked at the papers.
“And Vivian agreed to this?”
“She did”
I glanced toward the staircase.
Vivian wasn’t in the room and that bothered me.
This was her marriage they were discussing, yet she wasn’t even here.
My father noticed me looking.
“She’ll be down soon.”
I nodded.
Adrian continued looking through the contract.
“The arrangement is simple.”
He spoke like he was discussing a business transaction.
“Vivian becomes my wife, her family receives the agreed financial support and after the agreed period, the marriage ends.”
I stared at him.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“You don’t even care about love?”
His eyes lifted from the papers.
“Love isn’t part of the agreement.”
I couldn’t help myself.
“That’s a very romantic answer.”
My father sighed.
“Liana.”
Adrian actually smiled, though it was brief.
“You have a lot to say.”
“I usually do.”
“I noticed.”
I crossed my arms.
“And why are you marrying Vivian if you don’t love her?”
His expression became serious again.
“Because I need to.”
“Need to?”
“My father has made it clear that I won’t take over the company until I’m married.”
I frowned.
“So you need a wife to become CEO?”
“Yes” he continued, “And Vivian needs the money.”
“My understanding is that her family does.”
I looked at my father but he didn’t say anything.
I knew the Rossi family business had been struggling.
My father has spent months trying to keep it running.
There were debts, unpaid bills and employees who needed their salaries.
The contract with Adrian’s family could solve most of those problems but something about the whole arrangement didn’t sit right with me.
“Does Vivian actually want this?”
The question came out quietly.
Adrian looked at me.
“She agreed to it.”
“That’s not what I asked l.”
Silence filled the room.
My father shifted in his seat.
Adrian studied me for a few seconds before answering.
“She knows what she is agreeing to.”
I didn’t like the answer.
Before I could say anything else, footsteps came from the stair case.
Vivian walked into the parlor.
She looked beautiful, as always.
Her hair was perfectly styled, and she wore a simple dress that made her look effortlessly elegant.
But there was something wrong with her, her smile was forced and her eyes looked tired.
“Adrian.”
She walked toward him.
He stood.
“Vivian.”
They exchanged a brief hug.
I watched them carefully.
There was nothing between them that looked like love.
Nothing warm, nothing intimate.
They looked like two people who had already agreed to a business deal.
Vivian sat beside me.
I leaned towards her.
“You okay?”
She gave me a smile.
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“I’m just tired.”
I didn’t believe her
Adrian sat across from us.
“The contract is ready.”
Vivian looked at the papers.
“I know.”
“Do you still agree to the terms?”
She stared at the contract.
Her fingers moved slightly against her dress.
For a moment, she said nothing then nodded.
“Yes.”
My eyes stayed on her.
She didn’t look happy.
My father smiled with relief.
“Good, then everything is settled.”
Vivian forced a smile.
“Yes.”
Adrian closed the folder.
“The wedding is in two days.”
My sister nodded.
“Okay.”
He stood.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Vivian nodded again.
“Okay.”
Adrian turned toward the door, as he passed, he stopped.
He looked down at me.
“Liana”.
I looked up.
“Yes?”
“Try not to worry so much”
I frowned.
“About what?”
He didn’t answer.
He simply walked away.
I watched him leave then I looked at Vivian.
“What was that about?”
She shook her head.
“Nothing.”
“Vivian.”
“I’m serious.”
She stood up.
I grabbed her hand.
“Are you sure you want to marry him?”
Her smile disappeared.
For a moment, she just looked at me.
Then she looked away.
“I don’t know.”
My heart sank.
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
She pulled her hand away gently.
“Liana, sometimes we have to make choices we don’t want to make.”
“Why?”
“Because people are depending on us.”
I stared at her.
“You’re talking about Dad”
She didn’t answer.
“Vivian, if you don’t want to marry him, you can say no”
She looked at me.
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
She shook her head.
“I just can’t.”
Then she turned and walked towards the stairs.
“Vivian.”
She stopped.
I waited for her to turn around.
She didn’t.
After a few seconds, she continued upstairs.
I remained in the parlor, staring at her.
Something was wrong with my sister, I just didn’t know what she was hiding.
