(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

“According to you?” Ariana replied, her tone ambiguous. “Just answer,” Gerald grumbled.

Ariana chuckled. “I see him as a big brother. That’s all. Nothing more,” she replied honestly.

“Is there no man you consider a man, someone you could fall for?” Gerald asked again.

“Why? If I say there is someone like that, will you go digging for information about him?” Ariana asked again. Gerald seemed to shrug his shoulders again.

“Perhaps,” he replied. Ariana laughed. “In that case, I prefer to remain silent.”

“Why?” Gerald asked again.

“I don’t want you to do something unreasonable. Disturbing someone’s life who may not even be aware of my existence,” Ariana replied flatly.

“So, there is someone. Your first love?” he asked again, his voice tense.

“I’m human, Gerald. I’m a woman who went through adolescence. I experienced puberty like any other kid. If not, maybe I wouldn’t be a normal woman now, would I?” Ariana retorted.

Gerald fell silent. What Ariana said was true. But for some reason, he still felt jealous of someone whose name and face he didn’t even know. Was he that irrational because of Ariana? He asked himself.

“Why didn’t your relationship with him work out?” Gerald asked again. He was still curious about Ariana’s past.

Ariana shrugged. “Because if my relationship with him had worked out, I wouldn’t be here now, would I?” Ariana replied.

Gerald tapped his chin against her head. “I already knew that. What I want to know is why it didn’t work out back then.”

“We never succeeded because we never tried. We never tried because I didn’t attempt. I didn’t try to get close to him. I didn’t try to be his woman. And if you want to know why, it’s because I refused. Because I didn’t want to try. Because I didn’t want to start something I knew would eventually end. Especially end in pain. I don’t like that. I don’t like goodbyes,” Ariana explained at length.

“Why do you know something will end before you even try?” Gerald asked again.

“Because my feelings tell me so,” Ariana replied flatly. “I know I’m not easy to control. I’m someone who doesn’t like to be dictated to. I’m someone who doesn’t like to be jealous. Being a compliant woman, especially someone who has to change to follow the desires of the person we like, that’s not my type. Accept me for who I am or not at all,” Ariana stated firmly.

“Is he the type of man you think would always restrain you like that?” Gerald asked again.

Ariana shrugged. “Not like that. But I know that all relationships end up like that. Slowly, gradually, we transform into the person our partner wants us to be, just to make them stay by our side. And I don’t want that to happen. I fear losing my true self. I’m afraid of becoming weak and dependent on someone else labeled as a partner.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Is that why you reject all of this? Marrying me?” Ariana smiled. “Yes. And one other thing that follows.” “Why? Are you afraid I’ll restrain you?” Gerald inquired.

“Don’t you realize that, Mr. Aarzu? Even before you became my husband for barely twenty-four hours, my world has already completely changed. You, who are used to controlling everything with your finger, want me to be a part of it. Am I wrong?” Ariana challenged.

Gerald smiled above her head. “No. You’re not wrong. In fact, you’re absolutely right.” Gerald released their linked hands. He slowly placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder, urging her to turn and face him. Ariana complied with the man’s wish. She turned to look at Gerald. Her head tilted up, locking eyes directly with his.

“You’re right about everything. That I always want to control everything. Even you’re not wrong if you think I’m trying to monopolize this marriage. Forcing you to enter and engage when you know nothing and clearly don’t want it. In fact, I don’t know you, and you don’t know me either.

“But I’m forcing myself to make you stay here. But now, my thoughts are changing slowly. I want to make you comfortable with this marriage. I hope we can negotiate everything. Discuss it all properly before making decisions. Because honestly, I don’t want to make what’s in your mind come true.

“That all of this will end someday. Clearly, I want my thoughts to become a reality. That this marriage will last forever. I won’t deny that eventually, I will ask Ariana to be what I want. But I will try to do the same for you. That slowly, I will change into what you want.

“But it won’t be coercion. Because you will still be yourself, just as I will be myself. We’ll call it a reciprocal relationship. When you want me to do something, don’t get angry when I ask you to do something I want. Fair, isn’t it?” Gerald still gazed at Ariana, as did Ariana at him.

Ariana fell silent for a while, seemingly digesting all of Gerald’s words. Slowly, her head lowered. But then, she moved closer, laying her head comfortably on Gerald’s chest. “I’ll try,” she whispered. “As long as you don’t force me and still allow me to do what I want, I think I can give it a shot,” she murmured again on Gerald’s chest.

Gerald smiled. He held the girl even tighter to his chest, knowing that at least Ariana wasn’t outright rejecting what he had said. It warmed Gerald’s heart to think that this relationship would end beautifully. That slowly, Ariana’s heart would belong to him, just like his heart already belonged to her.

Gerald kissed the top of her head with a gratitude he couldn’t express in words. “Sleep, Mrs. Aarzu. Sleep soundly in the warm embrace of your husband,” Gerald said playfully.

Ariana pinched his waist quite hard, making him wince. “And what about you?” she asked, tilting her head up again.

“What’s up with me?” Gerald asked, puzzled.

“You’ve asked me about Chris. You’ve asked about my teenage crush. So what about you?” Ariana inquired again. “What about your teenage crush and your first love? Don’t say you won’t tell me. That’s not fair,” Ariana grumbled.

Gerald laughed and hugged her shoulders even tighter. “Whatever you want to know, just ask me,” he challenged.