The Unspoken Promise

Phone Call.

Vivienne closed the door to her room, her heart pounding with frustration and disbelief. She leaned against it for a moment, letting out a shaky breath before grabbing her phone. Without hesitation, she dialed Jace's number, needing to hear his voice, needing to know that he was going through the same thing. After a couple of rings, he picked up.

"Hey, Viv," Jace's voice came through the line, a mixture of relief and warmth that made her heart ache just a little bit less.

"Jace, you would not believe the dinner I just survived," she said, trying to sound lighthearted, though the frustration was still fresh. "They brought him here. Alexander Stirling—the man they expect me to marry. Blonde, blue-eyed, charming in the most boring way possible."

Jace chuckled, though there was a bitterness beneath it. "Oh, I believe you. My parents invited over my 'future wife' too. Anastasia Harrington," he said, feigning a dramatic tone. "Tall, black hair, red lipstick... I think she rehearsed every answer to every question my parents threw at her."

Vivienne laughed, rolling her eyes. "Let me guess—gracious, family-oriented, 'understanding of tradition.'"

"Exactly," he replied with a sigh. "It was like she was reading from a script. Every answer was 'yes, Mrs. Bellington,' and 'thank you, Mr. Bellington.' I swear, I could feel myself slipping into a coma halfway through."

They both laughed, the shared humor easing some of the tension they felt. There was something comforting about joking together, about knowing they weren't alone in this.

"Well, I guess we both survived the first round," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "But seriously, Jace, I don't think I've ever felt so out of place. Alexander just sat there, smiling, like he'd already accepted his role in my life. It's like he couldn't even see I wasn't interested."

Jace let out a dry laugh. "Anastasia was the same. My parents kept talking about compatibility and a 'solid foundation,' and she just nodded along. Meanwhile, I'm sitting there, making it pretty obvious I'd rather be anywhere else."

"Yeah, I did the same," Vivienne admitted, a smile tugging at her lips. "I think Alexander picked up on it, but he didn't say anything. Probably didn't want to mess up his 'perfect future husband' impression."

"Oh, definitely," Jace agreed. "Anastasia's the same. I think she could tell I wasn't exactly thrilled, but she just kept the polite act going. But you know what? There's no way they actually think we're interested in them."

"Right? I bet they both know they have zero chance," Vivienne said, chuckling. "It's like they're just going along with it because their parents told them to, just like us."

"Exactly. They probably have some script they're following, pretending this is exactly what they want," Jace replied with a grin she could hear in his voice. "I'm telling you, Viv—neither of them have a clue who we really are."

They both laughed, but their laughter had a bittersweet edge. The shared jokes and teasing didn't change the fact that they both knew what lay ahead.

"So," Vivienne said after a pause, her voice softer now, "what's the plan, then? Just... go along with it until we're dragged down the aisle?"

Jace hesitated, his voice quieter. "I don't know, Viv. I wish I had an answer. I guess... we just keep being us, as long as we can."

"Yeah," she agreed softly. "As long as we can."

There was a pause, a heaviness settling in as they both processed the reality they'd been avoiding. Vivienne forced herself to lighten the mood one last time, knowing they both needed it.

"Hey, at least we know who we're actually interested in, right?" she said, her voice teasing. "Tall, dark, and brooding doesn't stand a chance against you."

Jace laughed softly. "Good to know. And don't worry, blue-eyed Prince Charming over there doesn't hold a candle to you."

They shared one last laugh, each clinging to the lightness they'd created for just a little longer. But as they said their goodbyes and hung up, a profound silence settled over each of them.

Vivienne lowered her phone, staring at it for a moment before placing it on her nightstand. The reality hit her like a wave—this wasn't some fleeting phase. Her parents weren't going to change their minds. She was expected to marry Alexander, a stranger she had no connection to, while the one person she truly cared about was out of reach.

Across town, Jace sat in his room, holding his phone in his hand, the echo of Vivienne's laughter lingering in his mind. But the laughter faded, replaced by a cold, sinking feeling. His future was set in a direction he had no say in, tied to someone he didn't know, while the one person he wanted was slipping further away.

And in the quiet of their separate rooms, they each felt the weight of the choice they'd never had a chance to make.