Chapter 9 GRAVITY OF OPTIONS

As the sun streamed through the trees outside, Arnold sat in the library and stared out the window as he failed to appreciate the morning's beauty. His head was full of Ivy, and the engagement, and the oppressive expectations his family had on him. Her laughter, her smile, the way her eyes contained a spark of warmth even in the midst of a frigid world-her face flashed across his head every time he tried to concentrate on anything else.

But his thoughts were not limited to her. It was everything about it-the mounting pressure from his father, the relentless engagement preparations, and the internalized guilt. Nor had his mother's piercing looks gone missing. Lady Wellington was not an idiot.

She could sense his growing withdrawal, and even though she had not said anything, Arnold knew it was only a matter of time before she confronted him.

Arnold tried to shake the weight that was hanging on to him by rubbing his fingers over his face. It was getting too much. Questions would come up more and more the longer he ignored Isabella. And he was being crushed by the weight of the inevitable, much as he wanted to ignore it all. Ivy had a right to know the whole story of what was going on. But when he wasn't even sure himself, how could he tell her? His family, his future, and most of all, her, were all things he worried about losing.

A soft knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. Sarah stood in the doorway, her expression one of gentle concern.

"Master Arnold, your mother is asking for you. She's noticed you've been distant these past few days."

Arnold sighed. "I've just had a lot on my mind."

Sarah stepped further into the room, closing the door softly behind her. "If you need to talk, you know I'm here, right?"

He nodded, yet in actuality, nothing would change if they spoke. Though her words of encouragement were comforting, she had already heard about Ivy from him, and that didn't change the fact that he was in a desperate situation. He was aware of the walls encircling him, and he was clueless about how to escape.

Ivy was sitting at her easel across the city, brush in hand, but her passion wasn't in her work. The picture she had been drawing became jumbled, much like her thoughts, as the colors blended together. Arnold ate her up. Her heart bore witness to every memory they had shared-every look, every touch. However, the truth of his engagement hovered like a threatening cloud over her.

Leaning away from the canvas, she let out a sigh. How had she let herself become enmeshed in this? Arnold was not just any man, though; he was betrothed to a member of the royal family. What chance was there for her? However, each time she attempted to distance herself, the recollection of his lips on hers and his gaze on her from the charity function to the ball, pulled her back in.

Arnold reached breaking point. He needed to express to Ivy all that was going through his head. He was unable to continue acting as though nothing was wrong while his heart was pounding. So, he reached out to her through his personal aide, requesting that they meet.

Ivy hesitated when she received the message. Part of her wanted to ignore it, to walk away before things got more complicated. But she knew she couldn't. She needed answers just as much as he did or maybe an excuse, of course, also as much as he did. She agreed to meet him at a secluded spot on the edge of the city, a quiet park hidden away from the hustle and bustle.

When she arrived, Arnold was already there, pacing nervously by the fountain. His face lit up when he saw her, but there was also a heaviness in his expression that matched her own.

"Ivy," he breathed, taking a step towards her.

"Arnold," she replied, her voice soft but guarded.

They stood in silence for quite some time, with the tension between them palpable, and then, finally, Arnold spoke.

"I've gone crazy these past few days," he admitted. "I can't stop thinking about you, about us. It is really unlike me but this engagement... with everything happening I don't know what to do."

Ivy tried to keep her emotions in check. "You're engaged, Arnold. What are we doing? Where is this going?"

"I do not know why I feel this way," he said, his voice pained. "I never expected to feel this way. I was just going along with what my family wanted, but now...now everything is different."

"Different how?" Ivy pressed. "Different cause of you" Arnold swiftly responded

"Do you love her, Arnold?"

Arnold hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground. "No, of course not. But my family... My father expects this. They've planned everything. I don't know how to walk away."

His remarks caused Ivy's heart to ache. She desired to accept that what they had was genuine and to believe him. But there was no denying the truth of his circumstances. You can't continue this charade, she muttered. "You can't continue to play games with me while you're to be wed to a royal. It's unfair to every one separately."

Arnold looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mix of desperation and regret. "I don't want to hurt you or disappoint my father," he said softly. "But I don't know how to fix this."

At his words, Ivy's heart broke. She observed the tension in his gaze, the burden of his obligations pressing down on him. But she could not keep putting herself in this vulnerable situation while she waited for him to decide on something that might not happen.

"I think you need to stop seeing me. Do not send your aide to me, stop thinking about me, you need to forget me," she said, her voice trembling. "Before it gets worse."

Arnold reached out, grabbing her hand. "Please, Ivy. Please don't go yet."

But she shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I can't do this, Arnold. Not like this." "Goodbye Arnold."

The engagement celebration preparations were well underway back at the Wellington estate. Lord Wellington was becoming more and more irritated with Arnold for his lack of participation. He had always been the stern head of the family, willing to do whatever it took to ensure their future.

"Where is Arnold?" Lord Wellington barked as he reviewed the guest list for the engagement party. "He should be handling these details!"

Lady Wellington sighed, her gaze softening as she looked at her husband. "He's been distant lately," she said. "Something is bothering him."

Lord Wellington scoffed. "He needs to focus on the task at hand. This engagement is too important to be derailed by whatever nonsense is going on in his head."

But Lady Wellington wasn't so sure. She had always been more in tune with her child's emotions, and she could sense that something was deeply troubling Arnold. She just didn't know what.

Isabella was talking about the impending engagement celebration while she sat with her chaperon and drank tea. Isabella, meanwhile, couldn't get rid of the uneasy sensation she had in spite of the event's enthusiasm.

"Do you think Arnold is fully committed to this?" Isabella asked, her voice uncertain.

Her chaperon raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't he be?"

Isabella sighed. "He's been distant lately. I know he's under a lot of pressure, but... I can't help but wonder if there's something else going on."

Her chaperon smiled reassuringly. "You're just nervous. It's a big event, and everyone's stressed. I'm sure Arnold is just overwhelmed."

But Isabella wasn't convinced. She had a persistent suspicion that something wasn't right-that is, something Arnold wasn't telling her.

Arnold felt the pressure of his decisions mounting as the day went on. He was getting attached to Ivy and too conflicted with his family's expectations to continue leading this double life. Something had to give.

He knew what he needed to do.

With a deep breath, Arnold made his way to his father's study. This time, he wouldn't back down. This time, he would stand his ground.

Arnold's heart raced as he entered the door to his father's study. Would he ever be able to escape the course his family had set for him? Or would the pressure prove too much to bear?