My Deadly Desire

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Unexpected Embrace

Isabella's POV

I stood there with a blank expression, facing the bizarre reality that Alexander, the mysteriously silent guy from my morning class, was my soon-to-be husband. It was like I had stumbled into a sitcom script gone terribly wrong. I couldn't help but wonder if Alexander knew about this impending marriage all along. Was that why he had shown up in the morning, waiting for this very moment? Was that why he uttered those cryptic words, "You are that girl," in class today?

The silence in the room was thick enough to slice with a butter knife, and I realized that Alexander probably had no more choice in this matter than I did. Our fates were sealed by an agreement signed when we were too young to understand, and now, here we were, two pawns in a strange, grown-up game.

The man, who was apparently Alexander's father, broke the ice, perhaps sensing that the situation had become unbearable. "You have such a beautiful daughter," he said to my dad, who beamed with pride at the compliment. I wished I could muster a witty response or sarcastic remark to diffuse the tension, but my mind was too befuddled.

"Alexander," my dad began with a welcoming smile, "I'd like you to meet my wife, Arabella, and our lovely daughter, Isabella." He gestured toward each of us as he introduced us. "This is my daughter, Isabella, and she's the gem of our family."

I exchanged polite greetings with Alexander, offering a polite smile.

Alexander's dad, Mr. Harrington, returned the gesture. "Isabella, this is Genevieve Harrington, Isabella's mom and myself Reginald Harrington.

With a forced smile and a pitiful "good evening" that I managed to mumble, I acknowledged their presence. Alexander's father didn't miss a beat as he continued, "And this is my son, Alexander."

Alexander inclined his head in a formal nod, his expression still as enigmatic as ever. It was as though he'd taken a master class in mysterious behavior and was now a professional in not revealing anything. But in that moment, our eyes locked, and it felt as if we were silently communicating our shared disbelief and discomfort. It was a connection, albeit one rooted in the absurdity of our circumstances.

"So, Isabella, do you have any personal wishes as to how you want your marriage to be, or have you ever thought about how you want to get married or anything else?" Mrs. Harrington asked me. It took everything inside of me not to give a sarcastic reply, and I just simply said, "No."

My mom was looking at how the situation was not going as she wanted it to go. She sighed and said, "My daughter has always been more interested in academics and hasn't really given much thought to marriage. Let us parents decide about the marriage, and we will make sure that it is a grand wedding that everyone will remember."

Mrs. Harrington beamed excitedly and exclaimed, "I'm so happy that my son is getting married to your daughter. It's like a match made in heaven!" I noticed Alexander's expression when he heard that sentence, and it looked as if he thought that both of us being the best couple was the last thing that could ever happen on Earth. I couldn't help but give a weak smile.

"Alexander, my boy," Mr. Harrington chimed in, "don't you want to know more about your future wife?"

Alexander turned his mysterious gaze toward me and finally spoke. "Tell me, Isabella, what's your favorite book?"

I blinked at the unexpected question. "Well, I love reading classic literature, like Jane Austen novels. Pride and Prejudice is a personal favorite. What about you, Alexander?"

He merely raised an eyebrow and replied, "I prefer the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, the Sherlock Holmes series."

Mrs. Harrington clapped her hands together, clearly delighted with the conversation. "Oh, how wonderful! Both of you enjoy reading, and you each have your own favorite genres. It's like you were made for each other."