Chapter 3 003: Emotionless Encounter

I couldn't shake of ththe feeling of unease as I lay in bed, tears streaming down my face. My mind raced with thoughts of the arranged marriage and the future that lay ahead. I felt trapped and helpless, like my life was being decided for me without my consent. My own father was willing to sacrifice my happiness for the sake of his business. Anger surged through me. How could he do this?

The next morning, I woke up feeling numb and detached. I knew I had to face my father again. As I went downstairs, I saw him at the breakfast table with his wife, lara. "Amelia, we need to talk," he said, his voice firm.

"I won't do it," I said, my voice shaking but firm. "I won't marry someone I don't know or love."

His face turned red with anger. "You're being selfish, Amelia. This is about family, loyalty, and duty."

"I'm being selfish?" I snapped back. "You're willing to sacrifice my happiness just to get ahead."

"Enough!" Lara cut in, her voice shrill. "Your father has given you everything, and this is how you repay him?"

My father's face hardened. "I've always been there for you, Amelia. And this is how you repay me? By refusing to do one simple thing?"

"It's not simple, Dad," I shouted back. "It's my life. My future."

His eyes were cold. "If that's how you want it, maybe you're not my daughter after all."

"Maybe you were wrong," I retorted, but his determination was clear. I knew I had no choice. "Fine," I whispered. "I'll do it. I'll marry him."

Leaving the house, I was overwhelmed with anger, hurt, and frustration. I couldn't believe my father was being so unreasonable. I found myself at Sophie's door, and as soon as she opened it, I collapsed into her arms.

"Oh my God, Amy, what happened?" Sophie exclaimed, concern etched on her face.

I sniffed and sobbed, unable to speak. Sophie pulled me inside, and we sat on the couch as I poured out the whole story.

"My dad wants me to marry some stranger to further his business," I said, my voice shaking. "And when I refused, he threatened to disown me."

"That's horrible!" Sophie exclaimed. "You have every right to choose who you want to marry."

We talked for hours, and I felt a weight lift off my shoulders as I shared my feelings with her. That night, we ordered pizza and watched movies, trying to forget my troubles, but as I lay in bed, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. I knew I had to face my father eventually, and I had no idea what would happen next.

The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed. I thanked Sophie for the sleepover and promised to return the favor soon. Once home, I booted up my laptop and started researching Ryu Chen. My eyes widened in shock as I realized he was the biggest mafia boss in the country, one of the richest men in the world. How could my father do this to me?

As I scrolled through the photos of Ryu, I couldn't help but notice how handsome he was, with his tattoos and piercing eyes. My father called me then. "Amelia, I've arranged for you to meet Ryu Chen tomorrow," he said.

"Tomorrow? But Dad, I don't know if I'm ready," I protested.

"You have to be ready, Amelia. This is a great opportunity for our family. Marrying Chen will secure our future."

"You're forcing me to marry a mafia boss I've never met! What if he's dangerous?"

"This is for the best," my father said firmly. "Ryu Chen is a powerful man, and marrying him will secure our family's future."

I stormed out of the room, feeling like I was living in some medieval nightmare where daughters were pawns in their father's business deals. Back in my room, I buried my face in the pillows, shaking with anger and fear.

A text came through on my phone. "Hey, it's Max. Remember me?" It was the guy I'd bumped into, the one who had saved me from those harassers.

"Hey, I'm good. What about you? Yeah, I remember you."

"I'm good, thanks! Want to grab coffee sometime?"

"Sure, that sounds great!" I agreed, and we made plans to meet at a cozy coffee shop.

When I arrived, Max was already there, sipping on a latte. As we chatted, I found myself opening up to him easily, feeling comfortable and at ease. After a while, Max offered to drop me off somewhere, and I hesitated but eventually agreed.

As he dropped me off at home, he asked, "Can we grab coffee again sometime?"

I hesitated. "I'm getting engaged soon."

"Oh, I see. Well, I wish you all the best," Max said awkwardly.

The day had arrived. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my heart pounding. I knew I had no choice; my father's ultimatum had made that clear. I picked up the address my father had sent me. This was it. The moment I would meet the man who would soon become my husband-Ryu Chen.

When I arrived at the address, a sleek, towering building, I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. The lobby was cold, all glass and marble. The receptionist barely glanced at me before gesturing toward a private elevator. My heart thudded louder with each passing second as the elevator ascended.

When the doors opened, I found myself in a spacious, luxurious office. But it was the man standing by the window, his back turned to me, that drew my attention. Ryu Chen. He was tall, his broad shoulders encased in a perfectly tailored suit. As if sensing my presence, he turned around, his sharp, dark eyes locking onto mine.

"Miss Petrov," he greeted me, his voice smooth but devoid of warmth. "You're late."

"I-I'm sorry. The traffic..."

He cut me off with a dismissive wave of his hand, moving closer. "Spare me the excuses. You're here now, that's what matters."

I stiffened, feeling my temper flare despite my fear. "I'm only here because I have no choice."

"Good," he said, his lips curving into a cold smile. "Then this arrangement will work just fine."

His words stung, but I lifted my chin. "Well, I want you to call off this marriage."

Ryu's eyes narrowed. "You're not here to barter words, Miss Petrov. You're here because your father made a deal. A deal you will honor."

My heart sank. "I'm only here because I have no choice."

"Then this arrangement will work just fine," he repeated, stepping closer. "Let me make one thing clear. This marriage is a business transaction, nothing more. You will play your part, and I will play mine. But don't ever mistake this for something it isn't."

"Believe me, Mr. Chen, the feeling is mutual."

Ryu stepped back. "You'll be given everything you need to prepare for the wedding. Make the most of it."

Without another word, I turned and walked out of the office, my head held high. But inside, I felt like crumbling. How had my life come to this?

I got into my car, my hands shaking as I gripped the steering wheel. I started driving aimlessly through the city, my thoughts a chaotic mess. I needed to clear my head, to figure out how I was going to survive the days, weeks, and years to come. But every time I thought about the future, all I could see were Ryu's cold eyes, staring at me with that emotionless gaze.

As the sun began to set, I found myself parked near a small park. I hadn't even realized where I was headed, my mind too preoccupied with the encounter. I walked over to a bench and sat down, staring at the children playing nearby, their laughter a sharp contrast to the darkness clouding my thoughts.

What was I supposed to do now? How was I supposed to face a future with a man who clearly despised me? The thought of spending the rest of my life with someone like Ryu made my stomach churn, but what choice did I have? My father had made sure there was no way out.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them away. I wouldn't cry, not over him. I made a silent vow to myself. No matter what happened, I wouldn't let him break me. I might be forced into this marriage, but I wouldn't lose myself in the process.

With renewed resolve, I got up and walked back to my car. I decided to go to Sophy's place instead of going home. I needed to talk to someone, and Sophy was the only person who could truly understand what I was going through.

As I pulled up to Sophy's building, she opened the door before I could even knock. "Amelia, what happened? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"I met him ,i met ryu chen .sophy's eyes widened with concern. "What happened?"

Taking a deep breath, I tried to steady myself. "He's exactly what I feared-cold, ruthless, and completely emotionless. He looked at me like I was nothing, just another item on his checklist."

Sophy's expression darkened as she guided me to the couch. "I knew he was bad, but hearing it from you makes it worse. What did he say?"

"Barely anything. He gave me instructions, told me we'd meet again to finalize wedding details, and dismissed me like I was an inconvenience."

Sophy shook her head in disbelief. "How can someone be so heartless? And to treat you like this, when you're the one being forced into marriage... it's disgusting."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "I don't know how I'm going to do this, Sophy. I don't know if I'm strong enough."

Sophy took my hands firmly. "You are strong enough, Amy. You've been through so much already, and you'll get through this too. I'm here for you, every step of the way."

I managed a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Sophy I don't know what I'd do without you."

She hugged me tightly. "We'll find a way through this, even if it seems impossible now. And no matter what, I'm right here with you."

We sat together for a while, her arms around me as I let myself cry. Eventually, Sophy pulled back and smiled. "How about we order takeout, watch a movie, and pretend this whole mess doesn't exist for a few hours?"

I nodded, grateful for the distraction. "That sounds perfect."

Sophy gave me a playful nudge. "Then let's do it. We'll eat too much, watch some K-dramas, and forget about Ryu Chen-just for tonight."