I turned down the arranged marriage with the Godfather of House Soros and insisted on marrying the man I’d fallen for at first sight. But on the day we were supposed to get our marriage license, Lucas pulled up the cancellation screen for the whole room to see. Before I could even process what was happening, his friends were already doubled over laughing. “Diana, you’re that desperate to marry Lucas?” “We started a bet yesterday on how long it’d take you to figure it out.” “Didn’t expect you to not only miss it, but show up all dolled up too.” “You didn’t seriously think just because Lucas said yes, you had nothing to worry about?” Lucas smiled, careless and unbothered. “You’re too clingy. If I don’t teach you a lesson now, you’ll just keep trying to control me after the wedding. Marrying me isn’t that easy.” A clerk came over and said: “Ma’am, we close in fifteen minutes. There’s one last time slot available for reschedulinging—please hurry.” My best friend was right there laughing at me too. “Even the staff can tell how desperate you are to get married!” “Hurry up and rescheduling before our Lucas changes his mind!” I shook off the hand Lucas extended toward me, calmly rescheduling the last available slot, and sent a voice message to Edward, the Godfather of House Soros. “Get to the registry office with your documents in ten minutes, and I’ll marry you.” … After I got my queue number, I sat down far away from all of them. Three years ago, Edward and I had seriously discussed an alliance marriage. Both families had approved. But then I met Lucas. Seeing me sit so far away, Lucas quickly walked over. “Diana, stop being unreasonable.” “If we can’t do it today, we’ll do it next time. Don’t throw a tantrum at me.” I pulled my hand back and confronted him publicly for the first time. “I’m being unreasonable?” “Who cancelled the appointment yesterday?” “Who hid it from me and only told me right before closing?” “All of you knew. I was the only one kept in the dark, and now I’m the unreasonable one?” It was the first time I’d ever lost my temper. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances. I kept going. “Last month—who hid my birthday present in a bar locker and let me search for three hours?” “Who turned our third anniversary dinner into a guys’ night and left me sitting alone with cold food until midnight?” “And the trip—who gave me a fake flight number so I’d wait at the airport until dawn?” “You mess with me over and over, watching me break down—is that fun for you?” Lucas frowned, looking annoyed, as if I were the one being childish. “It was just a joke. Do you really need to interrogate me like I’m on trial?” “Everyone came here today in good spirits to celebrate with us, and you have to dig up all this old stuff?” I wrenched free of his hand and let out a cold laugh. “Came here in good spirits—to watch us get married, or to watch me make a fool of myself? You know the answer.”
Lucas’s face darkened. His friends shifted uncomfortably. After a brief silence, they all chimed in again. “Diana, at the end of the day, you obviously still care about Lucas!” “It’s not like we caused any real harm—why are you so worked up?” “Lucas just wanted to test you. You’re always so clingy—everyone was just having a bit of fun!” One of the girls sidled closer to Lucas and murmured, “Lucas, Diana’s got quite the temper.” I looked at Lucas. “So cancelling the appointment, making me a laughingstock—that was all your idea?” He nodded, utterly indifferent. “Yeah.” “You’ve been confirming wedding details with me every single day. It was stressing me out.” “I just wanted you to understand—even after we’re married, you can’t make me your whole world. It’s exhausting for both of us.” By the end, he’d already looked away. I smiled bitterly. Suddenly, the past three years felt absurd. “Don’t worry. I won’t be paying attention to you anymore.” Lucas’s brow twitched at that. His friends immediately jumped in to back him up. “Exactly, Diana. I know you’ve been scouting wedding venues, but going back and forth on the dress design and the invitation wording—you really are too eager to marry Lucas.” “He was just joking. You’re way too petty.” Lucas nodded, his lazy smile restored. “You really need to fix that about yourself. If your reactions weren’t so entertaining, we wouldn’t keep messing with you.” “And honestly—handle the wedding stuff on your own. Stop bothering me with every little thing.” I lowered my eyes. Every time they’d pranked me over these three years, Lucas would hold me afterward and comfort me. He’d say his friends meant no harm. That they joked around with me because they didn’t see me as an outsider. I thought it was because he cared. Now I understood—the comfort was just to set me up for the next time. I looked at this group of people and spoke coldly. “The only reason you dare treat me like this is because you know Lucas doesn’t actually care about me.” No one answered. The smile slid off Lucas’s face. Only Cindy, my best friend, seemed to sense the shift in me. She tugged timidly at my sleeve. “Diana, I’m sorry. I thought you wouldn’t mind…” “They said they’d rebook right away—that it wouldn’t cause any real problems.” “Lucas said you’d definitely get the license in the end. That’s the only reason I went along with it.” I brushed her hand away. “I heard your apology. But I don’t forgive you.” Cindy went pale. My phone screen lit up. Edward had shared his live location. “I’ve left the estate. Nine minutes out.” I sat back down in the waiting area.
I was still watching the registry office doors when my mother called. “Diana, how’s everything going today?” Her voice was bright and cheerful. “I started prepping ingredients at six this morning. The housekeeper offered to help but I wouldn’t let her—I made Lucas’s favorite grilled fish.” “Your cinnamon apple pie is already in the oven too, and your father prepared venison.” “Finish up quickly and come home for lunch.” I was silent for two seconds, trying to keep my voice normal. “Mom, things aren’t done here yet.” A pause on the other end. She asked carefully: “Did something come up with Lucas?” My eyes stung. Lucas’s family was never a match for ours. Edward had been the original arrangement. All these years, because I’d loved Lucas so recklessly, my mother had lowered herself again and again. It only made his family think we were pushovers. To make him treat me a little better, she was always this cautious—afraid that one wrong move would make him love me less. Our family had my brother as heir. Father was strict with him and gave all his indulgence to me. I made up my mind: I would never again let my parents lose face because of me. “Mom, it’s nothing serious. Just a scheduling issue with the appointment.” “If lunch is ready, go ahead and eat with Dad and my brother.” She paused for two seconds, then said with forced cheer: “It’s fine if you can’t make it back.” “I can always cook again.” “If he wants to be with his friends, don’t rush him—you don’t want everyone feeling uncomfortable.” “If it’s really taking too long, let Lucas go ahead with his friends. I can always make more food.” I heard my father’s voice asking something in the background. It was just bringing a boyfriend home for a meal, and still they wanted to give me the very best. Because they loved me, they loved the person I loved. Lucas had appeared behind me at some point. He took the phone right out of my hand. “It’s Lucas.” “Diana’s just throwing a little fit. It’s nothing.” “We’ve got something going on here—probably can’t make it for lunch. I’ll definitely come with her next time.” My mother said yes immediately, repeatedly. “No problem, no problem at all. Young people have their own circles.” “Do you have many friends there? Should I send some food over?” Before she could finish, Lucas hung up impatiently. If it weren’t for me, someone from his minor family would never dare treat my mother that way. Mark laughed loudly from behind. “Your mom’s really something, isn’t she?” “She’d do anything to marry her daughter off to Lucas.” “Why not just let Lucas inherit your family’s estate—how embarrassing!” Cindy couldn’t take it anymore and pushed back quietly. “Mark, that’s enough. Diana’s mom has always been good to everyone. Don’t go too far.” Mark scoffed and pointed at me. “Good to us? That’s just so she can marry her daughter off to Lucas!” “Some old woman calling to play the victim, all to sell off her daughter!” I shot to my feet and slapped Mark hard across the face. “Shut your mouth!” “Who gave you permission to insult my mother? You think your family won’t disappear from this city by tomorrow?” Mark stood there stunned. Lucas grabbed him and pulled him back, his expression completely dark. “Diana, are you done?” “Over a few jokes, you’re going to threaten my friend?” He took a deep breath, reached over to smooth my crumpled collar, and softened his tone. “Let’s end it here today.” “Don’t tell your mom about the cancelled appointment. Our family still has business to discuss with your brother. I’ll go apologize in person another day—you don’t want your mother worrying about you, do you?” This entitled, patronizing attitude was nauseating. His consideration was always built on burying my pain. Every time his friends started something, I was the one who ended up apologizing. But not once—not ever—had he made any of them genuinely apologize for what they’d done to me. The last trace of warmth in my chest went cold. My phone screen lit up. Mom had sent a photo of her prep table, vegetables and garnishes arranged neatly. Below it, one line: “No rush. Mom will wait for you to come home and eat together.” I replied, expression hard: “Don’t worry. I’ll be home on time with someone for lunch.”
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