The Beast of Stornoway

Chapter 46: Van

Van stared at his mother and Rebecca.

The reason they wanted him there today was to stage their bloody engagement. They planned everything down to what he was going to say in the proposal. The bloody thing was full of words about his utter devotion to her. How he couldn't live in this world without her. It made him sick to his stomach.

He just planned to ask her to marry him and be done with it. Of course, that wouldn't be good enough for Rebecca or his mother. They needed the drama and theatrics of the moment.

"So, we'll do it in the gardens and then we'll have cocktails with some press and influencers," Rebecca chattered on excitedly. "And then the whole world will know by this evening."

His mother nodded in agreement. "Yes, then tomorrow you'll do more engagement photos and Mionlach magazine wants to do an interview with the both of you."

Mionlach magazine as if one of those snobs turned the one percent into a high-end gossip magazine. He couldn't believe the bloody thing did so well either. He never understood why the public craved to know how the rich lived. Everything in that magazine was a bunch of click bait garbage.

"Then it's the engagement party!" Rebecca exclaimed. "Did you bring your costume, darling?"

He stared at her bubbly smile. How could she act like this was normal? Like this relationship was real. "Yes, I brought it."

She squealed, clapping her hands. "We're going to look so good together." Her blue eyes filled with a lustful gleam. "But we've always looked good together."

He wanted to vomit. He took a deep breath and pushed down the bile. He just had to get through this weekend and then he could hide away from her. Dear God, he wasn't going to get through a marriage with her.

Come on, Blarcum. Just get through this part first.

"Are you alright? You're not getting cold feet, are you?"

His mother glared at him. "You better not be."

He rolled his eyes at both of them. "I'm fine. Can we get this over with?"

Rebecca raised her eyebrows and checked her watch. She tilted her head in contemplation and shrugged. "Yeah, it's close enough. Some paparazzi should be here soon." She stood up and held out her hand to him. "Let's go, my hubby-to-be."

He wished the ground would swallow him whole. He felt so nauseous at the sound of her calling him 'hubby-to-be.' He didn't even know why he wanted to marry her the first time. He took her hand and smiled through gritted teeth. "Let's go, darling." He couldn't stand the feel of her hand in his, her high-pitched laughter or the deceitful look in her crystal blue eyes. She was just like his mother.

He followed her around the garden and adhered to the scripted routine while the incessant clicks from the photographers hidden in the hedges could be heard all around them. Van turned to Rebecca and slowly bent to one knee. He took her hand in his, heaved a deep sigh and recited the flowery phony words she and his mother wrote for him. He held back the bile threatening to spew from his mouth at the sickeningly sweet speech.

I hate this.

He clenched his hand in his pocket and slowly pulled out a black velvet box. Rebecca gasped as little tears pricked the corners of her eyes and he fought the urge to roll his. She was such a good actress. He opened the box and forced a smile on his face. "Rebecca Fife, will you marry me?"

An angry tear rolled down her cheek as she looked at the ring, but she kept a smile on her face for the cameras. "Yes."

Van slid the ring on her finger and brought her hand to his lips. He chuckled softly as he kissed her hand. "Thank you."

That frustrated look on her smiling face made that moment just a little less dreadful.

"What the bloody hell is that on her finger?" his mother hissed at him.

Van took a sip of whiskey and shrugged. "An engagement ring."

"I know I said I'd be happy as long as you're engaged, but Van..." She scoffed. "You could've done it with a better ring. Why didn't you just use your grandmother's?"

"I told you, I don't love her, mother. She doesn't deserve that ring," he growled. "Excuse me." He snatched another glass from a passing waiter and walked away from the crowded courtyard. He followed a path to the gardens and sat on a bench in a secluded corner far from the commotion.

He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees as he stared into his glass. At least that shite was over with. He just had to get through the rest of this bloody weekend. A smile tugged at his lips. Rebecca wasn't pleased with that miniscule ring he gave her.

Good. She doesn't deserve anything more than that.

He pulled out his phone and his smile fell when he saw a notification from Rebecca. It was a link to an article announcing their engagement.

Bloody hell.

They just got engaged five seconds ago. He ignored the notification and typed a message to Amani instead. She'd see the humor in all of this.