Assigned Bride [Unrequited Love]

4

Looking up at the deep grey dimly lit ceiling, I felt heavy with unspoken words.

The soft lights cast a warm glow across the space. Photographs adorn the walls, each telling a unique and poignant story, giving life to the space without taking away from its cool, modern feel.

Simple but striking art hung on the walls, while sleek lamps beside the bed gave off a soft light. The wooden floor added a touch of warmth to the otherwise cool, moody room. A large plant in the corner was the only pop of color. It was the kind of room that made you curious about the man who lived there, someone who kept his feelings hidden but with a deep, irresistible allure.

As I lay on the mattress enveloped by the darkness, I found myself in an unusual state of mind. My eyes remained wide open, and my thoughts seemed to be adrift in a void, unaware of the passing of time. I couldn't discern whether I had been awake the entire night or if I had managed to steal even a fleeting moment of rest.

Amidst this profound silence, I grappled with an unfamiliar sense of uncertainty; for the first time, I didn't know what to do after last night.

Her resolute "no" echoed in my mind, a shock that reverberated through my very core.
No one had ever dared to refuse me, "The Francesco Romano Ricci."

Emily Brown, we had been childhood friends for over the years, my feelings for her had blossomed, a sentiment I suspected she reciprocated.

I knew that I had to join the army after high school, so Despite my feelings, I chose to postpone any romantic overtures until after my military service, I wouldn't let her hold on to a dream while I was away, and leave her hanging after I enlisted in the army.

However, upon my return, I sensed a palpable shift in those years that I was gone. What had changed during my absence?

Glancing at the ticking clock on my wall, I roused myself and embarked on my disciplined morning routine; as I hit the gym, the rhythm of my workout matched the frantic beat of my thoughts.

Amid the rhythmic cadence of my workout, my mind replayed last night's events, in frustration my long fingers went up my wet black locks pushing them back, I could feel my muscles working, beads of sweat trickling from my brow, and cause of the absence of my shirt I felt it slipping from my neck towards my chest and disappearing in my navel as I pushed harder, driving away the memory of last night.

Recoiling the stupid look of astonished expression on Katherine's face, The way her eyes had widened, the slight parting of her lips- I couldn't shake the notion that she had overheard all my exchange, I cursed the moment she had witnessed my vulnerability. For the first time, I found myself embarrassed in the presence of my employee.

I straightened, adrenaline coursing through me, and a wicked grin tugged at my lips. I wasn't just a soldier returning; I was a man ready to claim what I wanted, and I knew I had to confront her. This game of uncertainty wouldn't end here. I would make her understand the fire between us, even if it took everything I had.