la douleur exquise🌙

1• The Arrange Marriage

|Debbie

Four months earlier. . .

The house was dark, deathly silent. It was 1:30 am when I got home. Home to Lou, my Lou. She's my best friend. My safe place. We've been best friends for years now and I'm staying at her place.

Why? Well to make the story short. I accidentally saved her five years ago. I got hurt and she asked me to stay with her while I'm recuperating and tends to me till I'm fully recovered. And I'm living with her since then. We're comfortable around each other and sleeping in each other's arms became a natural thing. But our relationship is purely platonic, and we respects each other's boundaries.

I opened the door and made my way inside. The curtains are open and the only light illuminating the room comes from the moon outside the glass wall. She's probably watching the moon before she falls asleep.

I could make out a silhouette of Lou on the couch. My daredevil sleeping peacefully, like an angel. She loves sleeping here more than her bed.

I put down my bag and sat at the corner of the couch beside her. With each breath, her chest rises and falls. Smells alcohol, she's clearly drunk. I carefully brushed the couple strands of her platinum blonde hair covering a bit of her face and tucked it behind her ear, but those fringe covering her eyes are too stubborn, just like her. Her lips lightly parted. I sigh looking over at the elegant sleeping beauty in front of me. Was it possible for someone to be so alluring even in her sleep, without even trying?

There was a rushing feeling going through her, a breathlessness. She knew it was different, this buzz she's getting everytime she watch the blonde on her sleep, but she always pushed the knowledge to one side of her brain. She never deal with it. The feelings she never acknowledged.

The corner of Debbie's lips pulled up into a smirk as she slowly stood up from the side of the couch. She moved quietly and headed upstairs. Debbie grabbed a pair of clothes and decided to take a shower.

As soon as the water droplets touch her skin, she's reminded of the conversation she had with her father few hours ago.

"Deborah, it's time for you to pursue a serious relationship and settle down with someone. I already made an arrangements. You'll be meeting him tonight."

Debbie pushed her hands into the pocket of her coat and rested her back against the wall. "I'm not a child anymore. You can't just ask me to marry someone you chose for me," She chuckled sarcastically and continued. "And I definitely won't marry anyone for the sake of our business Dad."

"You know him, and this marriage can definitely help you and the company," he explained.

"Who exactly are you referring to?"

"Alex Wyler."

Debbie was like a statue frozen into place. Staring blankly at the wall. She glanced off to the side to hide the shock from her father.

Of course I remember him. Alex Wyler, the person who made me want to believe that there's a happily ever after. The person who made me dream of a family with him. The same person who shatters that dream. He's someone I never want to see again.

After having a moment to recollect herself, she slowly turns her head to look at her father. "Dad stop this, I'm not interested in getting involved in your deal with him. And I won't be seeing him tonight."