Saturday arrived too quickly.
By six o'clock, I was standing in front of my mirror, staring at a woman I barely recognized.
My mother had chosen my dress.
My father had chosen the man.
Apparently, all that remained was for me to smile and pretend I had chosen both.
I wore a long burgundy dress that hugged my body modestly, with my hair falling over one shoulder. My hands trembled as I fastened a pair of earrings.
My phone vibrated on the bed.
Adrian:I'm thinking about you.
I stared at the message until my eyes burned.
I wanted to reply.
Instead, I turned my phone face down.
A knock came at the door.
"Come down," my father called.
My stomach tightened.
I walked downstairs.
The dining room had been transformed. Candles flickered across the table, expensive dishes filled the center, and two unfamiliar men stood near the entrance.
Then I saw him.
Daniel Morgan.
He was exactly what my father had promised.
Tall. Handsome. Impeccably dressed.
And completely unfamiliar.
He stood when I entered.
"You must be her."
I forced a smile.
"And you must be Daniel."
He smiled back.
"Finally."
My father laughed.
"I told you she'd be shy."
I lowered my eyes.
Nobody asked whether I wanted to be there.
We sat.
Dinner began.
Daniel talked about his business, his travels, his plans for the future. My father listened proudly, occasionally adding something about how well our families would fit together.
I barely touched my food.
Then Daniel leaned toward me.
"Can I ask you something?"
I looked at him.
"Sure."
"Do you love someone?"
My heart stopped.
My father was sitting only a few feet away.
I forced myself to laugh.
"No."
Daniel studied me.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
He smiled.
"Good."
I didn't like the way he said it.
After dinner, my father called me into his study.
I knew immediately that something was wrong.
He closed the door behind me.
"You behaved well tonight."
"Thank you."
"I want this marriage."
My throat tightened.
"Father—"
"No."
He raised one hand.
"I don't want excuses."
"I barely know him."
"You will."
"What if I don't want to marry him?"
Silence.
My father's expression hardened.
"You will."
I looked down.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
That was his answer.
Four words.
Four words that reminded me why I had never dared to tell him about Adrian.
My father walked toward his desk.
"The wedding will be in six weeks."
Six weeks.
My vision blurred.
"That's too soon."
"Six weeks is enough."
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I nodded.
"Okay."
As I turned toward the door, he spoke again.
"And one more thing."
I stopped.
"I've heard rumors that you've been meeting someone."
My blood went cold.
I slowly turned around.
"What?"
He watched me carefully.
"Be careful who you associate with."
I forced myself not to react.
"There's nobody."
He smiled.
"I hope you're telling me the truth."
I left the study with my heart pounding.
Outside, I immediately reached for my phone.
There was another message from Adrian.
Please call me.
I stepped into the hallway and called him.
He answered on the first ring.
"Are you okay?"
"No."
"What happened?"
I closed my eyes.
"My father set the wedding date."
Silence.
"When?"
"Six weeks."
I heard him breathe heavily.
"Don't marry him."
Tears slipped down my cheeks.
"I don't know how to stop this."
"Then I'll come to your house."
"No!"
My voice came out louder than I intended.
I looked around nervously.
"You cannot come here."
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"I don't know."
"We can't keep hiding."
"I know."
I pressed my hand against my mouth.
"I love you."
His voice softened.
"I love you too."
For a moment, everything went quiet.
Then I heard a sound behind me.
I turned.
Nobody was there.
But at the end of the hallway, the door to my father's study was slightly open.
I stared at it.
My father wasn't inside.
I slowly lowered the phone.
Someone had been listening.
And suddenly, I wasn't sure our secret was still a secret.