Silent Strangers

SIXTEEN

Chapter SIXTEEN:
Grace

The day of the dinner with the Archers arrived, a looming specter that cast a shadow over my entire week. As I got ready, my mother was a constant presence in my room, scrutinizing my every move, her voice a constant stream of criticism.

"That dress is too casual," she chided, her eyes narrowing. "It doesn't do your figure justice."

I sighed inwardly, tugging at the hem of the dress I had carefully selected. It was a simple, elegant number that I thought was perfect for the occasion. But apparently, it wasn't up to my mother's standards.

"Your hair looks messy," she continued, her voice filled with disapproval. "You need to do something with it."

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling a surge of frustration. I had spent hours trying to get it to look just right.

As I sat in front of the mirror, applying the final touches to my makeup, I couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. I was being forced into a marriage that I didn't want, with a man I didn't know, all because of my mother's ambition.

I wished this were all just a bad dream, a nightmare from which I could wake up. But the reality was harsh and unforgiving. This was my life now, a life that was no longer my own.

As I stepped into the private dining room, I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. The thought of meeting the Archers, of being subjected to their scrutiny, filled me with dread.

I rushed to the bathroom, my stomach churning. I tried to calm myself, to convince myself that I would be fine. But the feeling of nausea persisted, a constant reminder of the anxiety that was gnawing at me.

I splashed cold water on my face, hoping to clear my head. As I looked in the mirror, my heart beating frantically, I saw a reflection of a woman who was lost, confused, and terrified.

"You can do this, Grace. Just breathe. You're strong. You can handle anything."
Thump.
"But I don't want to handle this. I don't want to get married. I don't want to live my life according to someone else's rules."
Thump. Thump. My eyes flutter shut.
"I just want to be happy. Is that too much to ask?"
A sob breaks free.
"Be brave Grace, if not for yourself, then for Dad."
A sharp intake of breath. Dad.

As I stepped out of the restroom, the cold, hard marble floor beneath my feet seemed to reverberate with a sense of foreboding. An eerie shiver ran down my spine, chilling my bones. I braced myself and stepped into the dining room reserved for the Reeds and the Archers.

The first familiar face I saw was my mother's. I expected it to be the only familiar face I knew. But I was mistaken.

There, sitting across from my mother, was a face that I had never expected to see here. A face that had haunted my dreams, a face that had once filled me with such joy and now filled me with dread.

It was Tobias. The same Tobias I had met at the club that night, the one who had captivated me with his charm and his wit.

My heart pounded in my chest as I took a step back. How could he be here? What was he doing here?

Tobias looked up, his eyes widening in surprise. For a moment, we were locked in a silent exchange, each of us trying to process what was happening.

Then, he spoke. "Grace," he said, his voice a mere whisper. 

I couldn't find my voice. My mind was racing, trying to make sense of this bizarre coincidence. How could we both be involved in this arranged marriage?

Tobias seemed to understand my confusion and also realized the lethal undercurrent of anger simmering. "It's a long story," he said, his voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and disbelief. "But we're both in the same boat."

I nodded, unable to speak.

As I sat down at the table, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. This was a nightmare, a twisted, surreal nightmare that I couldn't wake up from. And in the center of it all, stood Tobias, a man who I had once adored, and who now seemed to be my future husband.