ARRANGED MARRIAGE (REVISED VERSION)

Chapter 5

A Moment of Peace

Win's POVThe weight of Bright's arm draped across my chest felt comforting, a familiar warmth that chased away the lingering anxieties of the previous night. I snuggled closer, inhaling the scent of his cologne, a mix of sandalwood and something else, something uniquely him.His phone buzzed, the screen illuminating his face. It was his mom, her name flashing on the screen. I picked up the phone, my voice soft.

"Hello Mom," I said, a small smile playing on my lips.

"Good morning, Win. You guys should come down for breakfast. We're leaving after lunch," she said, her voice filled with a warmth that always made me feel at ease.

"Okay Mom, I'll wake Bright up," I replied, my heart fluttering at the thought of spending a few more moments with him.

"Okay then. I'll hang up now. Take care," she said, her voice fading into a gentle whisper.I gently shook Bright's shoulder, his sleep-laden face a picture of serenity. "Wake up now, Bright. Mom called, we need to go down for breakfast."

He blinked slowly, his eyes meeting mine. "Are you okay now?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry. Let's get ready for breakfast," I said, a wave of warmth washing over me at his concern.

Thirty minutes later, we found ourselves in the resort's restaurant, our parents already seated at a table laden with a breakfast spread fit for royalty.

"Morning, sons," Bright's mom greeted us, her smile as bright as the morning sun. We smiled back, taking our seats.

"Here's your plate, Win," Bright said, pushing a plate towards me, his eyes filled with a tenderness that made my heart skip a beat. "Here's rice, you should eat rice. Also, this vegetable and meat. Eat up, okay?"

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, but I simply nodded, my heart pounding in my chest.Our parents, ever observant, exchanged knowing glances.

"Wow, Bright, you've changed," Bright's dad said, his voice laced with amusement.

"No, Dad, Win got so drunk last night," Bright replied, his voice laced with a hint of mischief. It was true, but I had sobered up before anything truly significant had happened.

"Oh, I see," his dad chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

The morning flew by in a flurry of conversation and laughter. By 10 am, our parents were ready to leave, their departure tinged with a bittersweet farewell.

"Take care of yourselves, you two," Bright's dad said, his voice filled with a fatherly warmth that made me feel a pang of longing for the family I had lost.

"We'll be back soon," Bright's mom added, her voice filled with a reassuring tenderness.They left, leaving us alone in the resort, a sense of quiet settling over us.

Third Person's POV

Win lay in bed, his body still languid from the previous night's events, a sense of contentment settling over him. Bright, meanwhile, was busy on his laptop, his fingers flying across the keyboard, a focused intensity in his eyes.

After a while, Bright sensed Win's presence beside him. "Do you want to swim?" he asked, his voice a soft murmur.

"Maybe later," Win replied, his voice a sleepy whisper.

"Okay then. The others already got back, we're the only ones here now," Bright said, his gaze lingering on Win's face.

"I know. Maybe let's use this to make some good memories together," Win suggested, a playful glint in his eyes.

Little did he know, Bright truly wanted to spend time with him, not just because he was his husband, but because he had words he couldn't utter, feelings he couldn't express.

For Win, he was still confused, but he had fallen for Bright after the previous night. He didn't want to see Bright with anyone else.

Win stood up and went to the bathroom to change. "Let's go swimming now, Bright!" he said excitedly, his voice filled with a childlike enthusiasm.

"Okay!" Bright agreed, his smile mirroring Win's excitement. He, too, changed into his swimming clothes, his heart pounding with anticipation.

Win's POV

The waves crashed against the shore, their rhythmic symphony a soothing balm to my soul. It was 4 pm, and we were still playing in the water, the sun beating down on us, our laughter echoing across the beach.

I felt the warmth of the sun on my skin, a pleasant burn that only added to the sense of contentment that enveloped me. Bright kept splashing me with water, pulling me into the waves, his laughter a contagious melody that filled the air.

We built a sandcastle, our names etched into the sand, a testament to the shared moment we were experiencing. We were like children, lost in the simple joys of the beach, our worries and anxieties forgotten.

But the reality of our situation, the weight of our arranged marriage, kept creeping into my thoughts. I was falling in love with him, I knew it. I didn't know when it had happened, but every time I looked at him, a warmth spread through me, a sense of safety and security that I had never felt before.

Wasn't this what love felt like?

I watched him, his face lit up with joy as he splashed in the water, his laughter echoing across the beach. For the first time, I heard him laugh freely, without restraint, a sound that filled me with a strange sense of longing. He looked like a child who had lost his childhood, a child who had never been allowed to truly experience the simple joys of life.

Suddenly, a memory flashed before my eyes. I remembered the little boy I had met on this beach years ago. He had been crying, scared of the waves crashing against the shore. I had held his hand, trying to comfort him.

"It's okay, kid. It's just water. Let's play here," I had said, my voice filled with a confidence that I didn't feel. He was older than me, maybe ten years old, yet he was so afraid. I, at eight years old, had tried to be brave for him.

He had promised to marry me when we grew up, a childish promise that had stayed with me all these years. Now, I was married to someone else, someone who wasn't him.

I sighed heavily, the weight of the memory settling over me like a heavy cloak.

I saw Bright walking towards me, his smile fading as he noticed the sadness in my eyes. He sat beside me, his presence a comforting anchor in the storm of emotions that raged within me.

"You should enjoy yourself now, Win. When we get back, you'll be busy with your exams. Stop thinking bad thoughts and just enjoy this," he said, his voice laced with concern.

"I know, Bright. But I think I need a rest. I'm tired of all this, from planning the wedding to now. And when we get back, I have exams," I said, my voice tinged with sadness.

"I understand, Win. Let's go back to our room. I'll order some food so you can rest," he said, his smile a beacon of warmth in the darkening sky.

He was so kind to me, so different from the cold, aloof person I had initially perceived him to be.

We arrived back at our room, and he let me take a bath first. I heard him talking to someone, probably the restaurant, ordering food.

I quickly showered and changed into comfortable clothes. As I emerged from the bathroom, my phone rang. I answered it, my heart pounding with a sense of foreboding.

"Win, please come home right now," my mother's voice crackled through the phone.