𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 | ✓

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩 𝟑

"Ryder Forbes, how are you son?" a few more greetings are exchanged until my father grows impatient and calls my name again, except I'm already at the top of the stairs, "Yes, sorry," I say, suddenly capturing everyone's attention at once.

They're all looking up at me from the foyer, but the only person I'm looking at is Ryder, my supposedly future husband. I smile, but all I receive is a head nod in return before he brushes passed my father and further into the house.

dick.

He doesn't seem very interested, which is reassuring, knowing the feeling is mutual. I exhale before making my way down the stairs and joining my father. He smiles at me, and we make our way into the dining room.

Boring conversations filled the dining room as we all sat around for dinner, except I had barely spoken, and hardly touched my food at all. I'm feeling far too nauseous to eat, so I've been pushing it around my plate all evening.

Though I have been drinking champagne like a fish, I believe I've gone through half a bottle to myself. It's probably the only thing holding me over right now. My father will definitely have something to say later, that's even if he has noticed at all. He's been far too busy talking business.

The only time Ryder has spoken is when my father has asked him questions, mostly about his career; which is funnily enough, business, and whatever his other interests are. I don't care to know them.

He's sat opposite of me, with my mother to my left and Lloyd Forbes across from her, my father sitting at the end, in between them.

I take a look at Ryder in front of me, but he's too busy participating in the conversation between the parents. I take this time to check on my phone in my lap, I've been thinking about Luka this whole time, but he hasn't texted me once.

My phone has nothing appeared on the screen, which disappoints me yet again, but I'm sure he's just catching up on missed work. I sigh and drop my phone on my lap and look up at the table, but this time my eyes catch on Ryders. He gives me a small smirk, and a slightly noticeable dimple, appears on the top corner of his lip before looking away again,

He's attractive — never less — dark black hair, that seems to curl in every direction, deep dark eyes that you could most definitely get lost in, full pink lips and a jawline sharper than any knife on this table. Though, he is quite intimidating, the type of intimidating attractive that gives the the sudden uncontrollable urge to drop to your knees in front of him but also want to run in the opposite direction, it's quite powerful.

I'm not going to lie and say he's ugly, although I probably should, but there is no harm in being honest, I mean, I'm still a woman with eyes. He has the undeniable beauty, where no matter where or when, it'll always follow him everywhere, people will always turn their heads and follow with their eyes, but of course, being the type of person he is, he'll continue walking as if he's the only person around, never sharing an ounce of attention to anybody that notices him.

He looks almost completely different to Luka, and he's not Luka, so it doesn't really matter to me.

I scan the table again, taking yet another chance to go on my phone. But before I can worry any further, my name gets brought up at the table, which draws me back into reality. "We're moving into the living room, would you care to join?" I take a quick glance over at my father who is looking at me with a stern look, almost like he's scolding me for my lack of manners and table etiquette. If it's not for the amount of alcohol I've consumed, it'll be that I was on the phone, that he'll be talking to me about later on.

A small, yet fake smile crosses my face as I stand from my chair like everyone else, before we make our way into the living room, but not without forgetting my flute of champagne. I'll certainly be needing it for this.

The parents exit the room first, and Ryder holds out his arm, gesturing me to exit first. I take it, giving him a genuine smile and walking in front. I take a seat on the leather couch, next to my mother as the chatter picks up again. Except this time, the conversation involves me and Ryder, and— our wedding?

I can't help but have an unpleased expression on my face, but I'm quick to correct when the attention turns to me. "We're pleased to welcome you to our family, both you and your parents, it'll be a pleasure." Another forced smile crosses my face, as well as my fathers face. Suddenly, they're shaking hands across the oak coffee table as if they've just closed a deal, which quickly reminds me that they did in fact, just do that.

A few more conversations take place, in which I pretend to be interested in, before they eventually wrap it up and we're all collectively together in the foyer again. We say our goodbyes, and for the first time, I shake hands with Ryder. His hand is big compared to mine, and for the first time, I've noticed that tattoo that goes from his hand, and trails all the way up his arm, though his folded shirt sleeve cuts off.

And all within five minutes, they've left the house, my mother is nowhere to be seen, and my father is now one happy man. He hasn't stopped smiling, and even patted me on the head as if I'm being a praised dog, before disappearing off to his office.

The alcohol has suddenly hit me all at once, now that everything has gone back to quiet and lonely. So I make my way back up the stairs to bed, in hopes that I can sleep this off and forget everything that has happened in the past forty-eight hours.

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AN/word count - 1600