Chapter 3 Three

" Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That is why it is called the present. "

- Malisa -

"Aiden Evans," I read aloud, my eyes lingering on the name in the magazine article.

It was Tuesday afternoon, and I'd just finished my chores and finally decided to settle on the couch to have a nap, before my mom returned from her shopping spree, which was obviously for my wedding.

The urge to run away was becoming as strong as ever, as the day drew near. Saturday is the day, meaning in less than five days, I would be married off to the city's mayor. How saddening.

Regardless, I let the thoughts slip out of my mind as I typed the name on the magazine into Instagram. And there he was-Aiden Evans. His photos, his posts-everything about him was stunning.

I watched a video of him speaking, and I couldn't help but fall for the sound of his voice. How could someone speak so eloquently, so effortlessly?

Before I knew it, I was scrolling through his socials like a lovesick teenager, my heart racing with each photo.

Gosh, he was beyond handsome. Super-duper handsome.

The scrolling turned into a full-blown obsession, and then, in a moment of boldness, I messaged him.

"Hi, Aiden..." I cringed as I typed the words. But instead of deleting it, I hesitated and decided to leave it as is. After all, why would he ever see it? With hundreds of thousands of followers, my message would likely get lost in the crowd.

The next morning, I was in disbelief when I saw his reply.

"Hello, Malisa. How are you?"

I stared at the screen, wide-eyed. Celebrities never reply to messages. At least, that's what I'd always been told.

What had changed?

It took me a minute to gather my thoughts before replying. And when I finally did, I couldn't believe how casual I sounded.

"I'm okay. You?"

"Stressed," he responded almost immediately.

I felt my heart skip a beat. Stressed? A billionaire like him? Aren't they supposed to keep things like this under wraps?

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, stepping into territory that felt dangerously personal.

"It's nothing really. Just work."

"Okay," I replied, closing the conversation before I could say something embarrassing.

I tried to distract myself with a book, but my mind kept drifting back to Aiden. I felt like I was drowning in confusion and emotion.

Why did I feel this way?

I glanced over at my Bible, and an unexpected sense of calm washed over me as I opened its pages.

The next day, I was lying in bed, deep in thought when I got another notification from Aiden. This time, it was a photo-a young, beautiful girl smiling in the picture.

His daughter? I felt a pang of disappointment in my chest, but then I saw the caption:

"Baby Sis."

Relief flooded through me. In that moment, I knew that what I felt wasn't just a fleeting crush. It was something deeper-silent affection, maybe even love.

The girl in the photo was stunning, and I found myself wondering where the beauty came from. Her features were so similar to his... It had to be in the genes.

Without thinking, I messaged him again.

"Your sister is beautiful," I wrote.

"She is," he replied almost instantly.

"Yeah," I added, my voice trailing off in the silence that followed.

For a long while, I didn't know what to say. But then his message appeared on my screen:

"How are you?"

It hit me-this was why I was awake at this hour, unable to rest, because of the thoughts and emotions swirling in my mind. I could have easily replied with the usual "good," but tonight, I felt compelled to be honest.

"I'm... stressed."

"About?" he responded quickly.

I hesitated, torn between being truthful and protecting my privacy. But something about our conversation made me want to be open, so I typed the words that had been on my mind for days.

"Marriage."

Aiden paused before replying, his next message more thoughtful.

"Whose?"

"Mine..."

"Arranged?"

"Yeah."

"Are you happy with it?"

"No. I don't love him!" I sent, my heart racing as I hit 'send.'

His response was immediate, and for the first time, I felt a sense of compassion from him.

"Do you have plans to get out of the situation?"

I didn't know how to answer that. I had thought about running away, but I couldn't. My parents wouldn't allow it.

"I had thought about running away, but I can't. My parents don't permit me to leave the house," I confessed.

"Um... prayed about it?" he asked, surprising me with his suggestion.

"Yeah..." I responded, not expecting him to ask such a personal question. Aren't billionaires supposed to be atheists?

"Okay... Just keep your mind at ease, Kay?"

"Yeah... thank you."

For some reason, after that conversation, I felt a burden lift off my chest. It was strange, like talking to him had been a form of therapy, something I didn't know I needed.

Was this what it felt like to have a best friend? I thought about Gabriella, my childhood best friend, and the long years that had passed since we'd last spoken. But the memories of her still lingered, and I couldn't help but feel comforted by them.

Soon, sleep took over, and for the first time in a while, I felt at peace. Maybe, just maybe, everything would fall into place. I had to believe that, even if life didn't always work out so easily.

---

On the other side of the world, Aiden found himself rereading his conversation with Malisa. There was something about it that felt... different. Something he couldn't quite explain.

He had only exchanged two messages with her, yet he felt an odd connection. It was strange, especially considering how much he valued his privacy.

Her picture lingered in his mind-she was beautiful, no doubt about it. But it wasn't just her appearance; it was the way her skin tone seemed to glow in harmony with her eyes, and that smile-it was dazzling.

Why did he care so much?

Was there something more to this connection? A future? Maybe, just maybe.

---

A/N: What do you think, guys?