Chapter 2
While we waited for the food, I asked, "What exactly is this marriage arrangement about?"
He corrected me. "It's a will. We don't have an engagement."
I pulled out my phone and checked the message he'd sent earlier. He was right, it never mentioned any engagement.
That only made it stranger.
"Then why are you willing to marry me, Mr. Bennett?"
If there had been an engagement, I could have said he was honoring it. Without one, what was this supposed to be?
"My family is pushing me," he said.
I gave him a doubtful look. Who could possibly pressure him? And with his status, he could have anyone he wanted.
Seeing that I didn't believe him, he added, "My grandfather likes you very much."
"I've never met your grandfather."
"He's seen your photo. You look a lot like your grandmother."
That sounded like there was more to the story.
"My grandfather was close friends with your grandparents when they were young."
I nodded. That explained it.
"So, Mr. Bennett, are you suggesting a contract marriage?"
He was known as a workaholic, and I had never heard any rumors about his personal life.
It seemed likely his grandfather, Cornelius Bennett, was pressuring him, so he had come up with this idea. That made sense.
Charles' expression turned serious.
"Ms. Sterling, let me correct you. Marriage is marriage. It's not a contract arrangement. I'm a traditional person, and I'm not interested in that."
He looked straight at me. "So please think it over carefully."
His tone caught me off guard.
It was hard to reconcile that with the same man who had just suggested I could deal with a breakup after getting married.
"Alright, Mr. Bennett. I'll give it serious thought."
I asked him a few more questions after that, and he answered each one patiently.
By the end of the meal, I had a much clearer picture of my background.
That night, I received another message from Charles.
"If you really want a contract marriage, I can help you with that."
I decided to marry Charles.
The first thing I needed to do was break up with Ryan Linwood. I sent him a message.
[Where are you? I need to talk to you.]
We hadn't been in touch for over half a month.
As far as I was concerned, we were already over.
Still, this was the kind of thing that should be said face to face.
He replied instantly and sent me his location. It was the bar he always went to.
The private room was loud with laughter. Ryan lounged on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other.
Sitting beside him was Sophia, who had only recently returned to the Carter family. She looked at me with open disdain.
I couldn't help thinking back to the day Ryan and I got engaged.
The room had been full, and the host was about to make the announcement when Sophia suddenly rushed onto the stage, eyes brimming with tears.
"Ryan, are you really going to get engaged to her? She took more than twenty years of my life, and now she's going to take you?"
She had come just as suddenly as she left.
After saying that, she ran out of the hall.
Ryan chased after her, leaving the host standing there, not knowing what to do, and me.
The crowd buzzed with whispers, all saying Sophia looked exactly like Eleanor did when she was younger.
After that day, I became the joke of the entire circle.
"Ava, you're really keeping a close eye on Ryan. It's just a casual get-together with friends, and you came running over."
Sophia leaned against him, looking at me with disapproval.
I ignored her and looked straight at Ryan. "Can we talk somewhere else? Just two minutes."
He stood up, walked over with a drink in his hand, and stopped in front of me.
"Drink this, and I'll listen."
What a show-off.
Sophia got up as well and slipped her arm through his. "Ryan, don't make things hard for Ava. My parents are strict with her; she doesn't drink."
"Really? You don't drink?" Ryan looked at me with a teasing smile.
Please. I'd drunk him under the table before.