1. •Δ Arianna Δ•

Start from the beginning
                                    

Everyone knows that I'm close to Mr Finley. But that does not save me from other nuisances. The most difficult of those are the occasional flirts. Do they really think I can't see their friends standing across the street or at the corner table watching their friend's every move. I hate this kind of attention, But I surely love healthy flirting.

I smile at our first customer of the day. Jennifer quickly took over the work while I busied myself with the computer doing some pending work. Jennifer's brown eyes found mine now and then, and I only gave her a tight-lipped smile in return. I could see the cafe running perfectly without me. Jenny and I are the same height, standing tall at 5'7. But these days she is the only one who uses her long legs properly while fetching orders.

Jennifer is gorgeous with her tanned skin and dark eyes, and an even darker shade of brown hair. At one glance I thought she was Indian, but when I bowed slightly to her to say 'Namaste' with folded hands. She bowed thrice in return. A few months into our friendship, she told me that her father is Indian. As far as her mother's memory goes from the drunken encounter they had one night.

The door opened again and a handsome man came in. His eyes flickered between Jenny, talking to a customer, and me in appreciation. The rumours he must have heard are true, indeed. Jenny and I both look appealing, thank you very much. All the girls do in their own way. But being beautiful doesn't make a woman an object or a trophy. Or give them the right to place a bet on me. Yes, they place a bet on me. Some guys are so determined to win. They actually offer me a share of the winning amount. Most being high school kids. A few times, Clint has given me fair warning of the storm coming my way. Since nobody knows that he helps us before school.

When that man finished his coffee, he handed me his platinum card, holding it arrogantly between his two fingers, not looking my way as he did. I accept the card, mumbling a small greeting which he didn't respond to and left. Jenny rolled her eyes, watching him leave. I sulk back and stare at the computer. I can't help but wonder if people really think I would accept a share of bet money placed on me. I am not a mercenary b*tch, the amount I am getting from my cafe's profit is enough for me. And yet, I, Arianna Bell, have agreed to marry my father's future business partner's son, Axel Knight. But I have my own reasons.

Mr Matthew Knight, a respected businessman from Manhattan, was actually my father's business rival. Anybody could tell that if they joined forces, they would be invincible. But their ego was on its way. I'm sure my father is the key problem. He is arrogant and not as skillful in business If I am being honest. But now they have decided to merge the company for the upcoming projects. Both families are selfish, something I hadn't expected from Mr Knight from what I had heard about him.

So now in two weeks' time, I am going to marry Axel Knight. I have never met him in person, but did my fair share of research on him. He is very handsome, and that's the only positive I could find in the articles written about him. For a while, I couldn't take my eyes off of my laptop screen. When I finally did, I came to the conclusion that he was everything a girl's parents dread about. The pictures I found on the internet are from several parties where he is posing with a different girl every time. The strongly muscled biceps are always on display as he poses, wrapping his arm around their slender waist. According to internet searches, he is either 5'11 or 6 feet tall. I can run a marathon on my 6-inch heels. I secretly wish him to be less than 6 feet so it will make me taller than him in height. As juvenile as it is. I need this gain from the start; I want to stand tall in front of him and look down at him. If I'm willing to survive in this marriage, I can't allow him to walk all over me. Because, if things go south. Nobody is going to come for my help.

No parent in their right mind would want their daughter to be even friends with him, let alone dating. And here my parents are going, head over heels, for our marriage. Why wouldn't they? After all, this business merger/arrange marriage would provide them with profit. Both families will finally reach their billionaire titles. Who cares if it means putting my future on the line. I maybe nothing in their eyes, but I respect myself enough that I won't allow my future husband or his family to look down upon me.

 I maybe nothing in their eyes, but I respect myself enough that I won't allow my future husband or his family to look down upon me

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I would love it if you check out my other stories, 'Aurora's Aura' 'Mafia & Miss Honey' 'Becoming Romeo' 'Violet Hues' & ''His Captive'. The story link is on my profile.  


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