Forced promises

Ball room

Yesterday was confusing.
I didn't know what to think, I was confused. is he jealous? I had to get ready for the engagement party, I didn't have time to think about it. I went into my closet, and picked out a long red dress hoping it would suit me.

After, I got in the car with Aires and left. The whole car ride was quiet. I kept peeking at him to see is he would just take a small glance at me. But he didn't. Not even a compliment I mean I'm not surprised.

Soon after we've arrived.

The scene was flawless—an opulent display of power, wealth, and prestige. But beneath the surface, tension simmered between the bride- and groom-to-be, a quiet storm hidden behind polite smiles and careful glances.

I stood next to Aries, my body stiff with tension in a sleek, red gown that hugged my curves. The evening was supposed to be a celebration, but I felt trapped, suffocated by the weight of my engagement to a man who was cold and distant. Aries kept me close, his hand firmly on my waist, a gesture that might have appeared protective to outsiders, but to me, it felt more like a chain.

Aries, tall and imposing in his black tuxedo, exuded the same effortless power that always surrounded him. His face was calm, every smile controlled, but there was a harshness in his eyes. He held me tightly, not allowing me even a moment of distance, as if i might slip away if he let me go.

As we moved through the ballroom, guests showered them with compliments and best wishes. Aries nodded politely, but his grip on my waist never loosened, a constant reminder of his control. Whenever I tried to step away for some space, he would pull me back, his touch firm and possessive.

"You're being overbearing," I whispered through gritted teeth as they paused near the edge of the room, away from the crowd.

Aries barely looked at me, his eyes scanning the room, his expression unreadable. "I'm doing what's necessary."

"Necessary?" I scoffed, trying to hide my frustration from the watching eyes. "We don't even like each other, Aries. This whole thing is—"

"—Exactly what we agreed to," he cut me off, his voice low and cold. His fingers tightened at my side, the pressure both subtle and suffocating. "You'll stand by me tonight, and you'll play the part."

I swallowed my anger, biting back the retort i wanted to hurl at him. I had no choice, not really. Our engagement was a contract, a business transaction, and nothing more. But the constant, unyielding control from Aries was pushing my limits. Every time i smiled at a guest or exchanged pleasantries, i felt his presence, his possessiveness radiating from him like an invisible cage.

At one point, a colleague of Aries' approached them, extending his hand to congratulate the couple. He smiled warmly at me, his charm evident as he complimented me. "You're quite the stunning couple, Vivian. Aries is a lucky man."

I forced a polite smile, murmuring a soft thank you, but before I could continue the conversation, Aries stepped in, his voice cutting through the moment like a knife. "We are. But we don't need any reminders of that, do we?" His tone was sharp, "isn't that right Mia Cara." Can he stop calling me that?

The man quickly nodded, stepping away under Aries' withering gaze, and my frustration grew.

"You didn't need to do that," i hissed once they were alone again, trying to shake off the heavy weight of his arm around me.

Aries turned his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "Do what? Keep you where you belong? You're mine, Vivian, and I'm not interested in sharing."

I stared at him, incredulous. "Sharing? I was just talking to him, Aries. You don't have to treat me like property."

"Property?" Aries repeated, his voice low and dangerous. "This isn't about ownership. It's about protecting what's ours—what's mine." He grinned.

I felt a surge of anger bubble up inside me. "I'm not a thing, Aries. You can't just control every aspect of this marriage, every move I make. We're not even married yet, and you—"

"I'm doing what's best for us," Aries interrupted, his grip unrelenting. "Whether you like it or not, this is what you agreed to. Tonight, you're going to stay by my side and follow the plan."

I clenched my fists, the anger and frustration building up. I hated how much control he had, how every move i made felt scrutinized. I hated this engagement, this life I was being forced into. But more than anything, i hated that there was no escape from it.

The rest of the night was a blur of forced smiles and stiff conversations. Aries kept me close, every time a guest so much as looked at me too long, he would pull me tighter, his overprotective presence a constant reminder that my life wasn't my own anymore. When someone tried to engage me in more than polite conversation, Aries would cut it short, his possessiveness wrapping around me like a vice.

By the end of the evening, my patience was worn thin. As the last of the guests filed out, I turned to Aries, my voice barely above a whisper but filled with quiet fury. "I can't do this, Aries. Not like this."

He looked down at me, his expression still cold and unreadable. "You'll get used to it." He said nonchalantly.

I stared back at him, my heart sinking. I didn't know what scared me more—the fact that he was right, or the fact that he didn't seem to care.