Addicted to Adrian

Five

Sitting here and now, across from Adrian, I did not know what to think. I know for sure, even if I say I do not want to marry him, my parents won't allow me to object. 

"Isabel, I am sorry for just springing this information on you last night. I scared you away but that was not my intention." he says a furrow in his eyebrow, that I longed to reach and smooth out. Why am I feeling this way?

"What was your intention then sir?" I question him, distaste evident in my tone.

"Okay," he breathes. "Your mother Tallia, had your sister call you to set up a dinner with her and her fiance at Gretel's because you wanted to send your assistant to the coffee meeting the next day. That meeting was essentially where I would have told you about the marriage arranged by our parents."

"Wait, so Max and Sofia were never going to show up to the dinner?" I ask shaking my head, disappointment clear on my features. I cannot believe my own sister would betray me like this.

"No, and I was to be there and basically be your knight in shining armor and then ease you into the idea." He tells me like it was the most basic thing in the world.

"So, tricking me into a dinner with you was supposed to be a good idea right? Cause by you not making me eat alone, I would just immediately want to marry you?" I ask exasperatedly, throwing my hands around in exaggerated gestures.

"It wasn't a trick, Isabel." he tells me in a deep voice.

"Then what was it Adrian? And tell me why do we have to get married? Aren't there fifty different women interested in marrying you?" I ask him, annoyance evident in my pitch.

"It is not my place to tell you why, don't shoot the messenger miss." he tells me.

"Oh, so you're just an idiot then?" I ask him, "You don't have a mind of your own. Why would you want to marry me? You don't know me Adrian."

"It's not my choice Isabel, my company is owned by my father. I might be the CEO, however, he is the chairman of the board. I don't have an option either." he sighs.

And I realize I was only thinking about me and how I feel.

"I'm sorry, it's just that... I am not ready to get married." I tell him truthfully and his beautiful greens soften.

"I am not either but we have to make this work Isabel." he says holding his head in his hands.

A lone tear fell down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it before Adrian had a chance to see. I just don't see how I will make this work. I'm to be trapped in a loveless marriage with a beast or a troll?

"Okay." I say, stopping my protests because I know that it is pointless to argue, when I know I cannot argue with my parents because their say is final.

"We have a meeting at Alexander and Co. Headquarters tomorrow with both my dad and your parents, they will be flying in just for this meeting. It's at 10, Isabel, please don't be late." he tells me getting up and walking toward my front door.

As he walks out the door and I close it, I slide back down to the floor and sob, because this is my life now.

. . .

My best friend shortly came back from her journey to the coffee club. After drowning my sorrows in a double chocolate shot latte, I proceeded to vent to my best friend about how horrible my life is. Adrienne has always been there for me since we were kids as our parents were close. Her mom was my mom's assistant and she's been there every single time I needed her.

Tallia and Nikolai Verratti are very serious as anything they want they have to get and I'd really like to know why they chose this time to meddle in my life. Am I really that easy to control?

"Cheer up Bellie," Adrienne told me, however, I don't know how I'd be able to do that. I've always seen myself marrying Corbin, the man of my dreams. I now know that that will never happen. I wanted to heal in peace, and hopefully live the rest of my days in joyful sorrow but now I have to marry Adrian Alexander.

Nobody's ever seen him with a female. Sometimes he has the whole world wondering if he's gay. It wouldn't be far off if he was, nobody that good looking is ever truly single.

Wow, not one female the tabloids have been able to catch him with. So I for one am confused.

Adrienne decided she was going to spend the night with me trying to mentally prepare me for the conversation I had ahead. Right now the only thing that was plaguing my mind was the fact that there's no one I can truly trust.

Imagine your  sister was a pawn in our parents' game and she could not tell them yes or no... how pitiful.

Pulling me from my thoughts, I received a phone call. The loud shrill of my phone echoed throughout the household and bounced off the walls. When I glanced at the screen I saw the name Adrian Alexander in big bold letters. Why would he be calling me right now when we just had a conversation?

I let the phone ring until it went straight to voicemail. Hopefully he'll leave a message and I will know what he wanted to talk about.

Thank God he did. 

Adrian's deep, smooth voice rang out and he said, "Hello sweetheart, it's Adrian, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry you had to go through all this. It's my fault. It was my father's idea and even though I don't want to get married, I won't regret that it's you. You're beautiful, you're smart, you're strong headed and you love coffee and spilling it on other people." He chuckles, "Look how much we have in common. Don't be upset when you hear what our parents have to say, just know that you're not in this alone especially now that you're going to be Mrs. Alexander it's us against the world Isabel."
. . .