Arranged Marriage: The Lost Bet

Chapter Five

Two days had passed since Lucas left for New York, and Arianna found herself feeling surprisingly more relaxed now that he was gone. Even becoming friends with Lucas, whom she half-jokingly referred to as "the devil," had proven to be just as stressful.

Feeling the need for a carefree day, Arianna slipped into her black bikini, grabbed her beach towel, and lathered up with tanning lotion before leaving the house. After finding the perfect spot on the sand, she laid out her towel and plopped down, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin. As she lathered herself with lotion, a smile spread across her face. The sound of the waves crashing at her feet brought a sense of peace she hadn't felt in over a month, and she finally let herself relax.

Unbeknownst to her, a man with striking green eyes was watching her from a distance, and as he began to approach, Arianna remained blissfully unaware.

"Well, hello there, Arianna." The deep voice startled her, and she jerked up into a sitting position, her heart racing as she turned to see who had interrupted her moment of tranquility.

"Um, excuse me, who are you?" Arianna demanded, wrapping her towel tightly around her body and backing away from the man.

"You don't know me, but I know a lot about you. Tell me, how's your father?" he asked, his voice smooth yet laced with an unsettling undertone. Arianna felt a chill run down her spine; her body stiffened in fear.

"Fine. Who are you, and what do you want?" she replied, trying to sound braver than she felt.

The man smirked, a glint of something dangerous in his grey eyes. "My name is Eric Carter."

Arianna's mouth dropped open in shock. "C. Carter?"

"I see my brother hasn't mentioned any of his family. It's a shame, really. We would have enjoyed meeting you, but unfortunately, that's not the case. We want you gone."

Tears began to form in Arianna's eyes as the weight of his words sank in, panic rising within her. "What do you mean 'want me gone'? What have I done to you?"

Eric stepped closer, his expression shifting from smugness to something more menacing. "It's not about what you've done, Arianna. It's about what you represent. You're in the way, and we can't have that."

Arianna's heart raced as she struggled to comprehend the implications of his words. "You can't just threaten me like this! I don't even know you!"

He chuckled darkly. "You'll learn soon enough. You might want to consider leaving town while you still can."

"Please, sir, don't kill me. I haven't done anything..." Arianna's voice trembled, desperation seeping into her words. But Eric raised his hand, and she fell silent, the fear evident in her wide eyes.

"I'm sorry to frighten you, love. Clearly, you don't know the man you married," he continued, his voice dropping to a more sinister whisper. "I am not like the cold bastard, but there's something you need to know. He killed his wife and daughter."

Arianna felt her knees buckle at the revelation. Killed? The word echoed in her mind, sending a wave of nausea through her. The sun, once warm and inviting, felt distant and cold now.

"I'll leave," she muttered, her mind racing with the implications of Eric's words.

Eric smiled, but it was a smile devoid of warmth. Since Arianna's head was bent, she never saw the sinister glint in his grey eyes. Lucas had taken everything that belonged to Eric, and now, he would take the one thing Lucas cared about most: his wife, even if she had no clue about the depth of Lucas's feelings for her.

"Simply for your safety. Surely you understand. Now, how much would it take?"

"Yes, I understand," Arianna replied, looking up at him, her heart pounding. "Three million."