A Love Match Made In Heart

"Evelina hurry up, the guests will be here soon! " I heard my aunty shout from downstairs. "I'll be down soon! ".

Today is an important day for the Ivanovitch family. My elder sister, Sana, is meeting her fiance's family today.

You may think it's going to be an exciting day for her, but it's not. My papa arranged this marriage. It's the tradition in the Ivanovitch family.

When a girl reaches the age of marriage, she gets married off to strengthen the family's influence and business. It has always been this way. I know it will be my turn one day, but that day is not coming soon.

I finished my makeup and checked myself in the mirror. I look beautiful, I took my mama's face and my papa's eyes. A round shaped face, blue eyes with caramel skin.

My mama passed away when I was just six, but I still remember what she looks like. She was a very beautiful woman and my papa loved her dearly. She died of cancer.

I double checked everything and was satisfied with how I looked, then I headed downstairs. The mansion is usually busy, but today it was very busy. I headed to the main room where my family members are.

"With how long you spent preparing, someone might think you're the one meeting her fiance today" Said aunty Marina as soon as I stepped into the room. "Let her be Marina, a woman must always look her best" my uncle Pavel quickly backed me up.

I gave them both a smile as I walked to the far end of the room. My family is pretty big. My papa runs a very large business and being the family man that he is, he took a lot of our cousins under his wings.

My papa owns one of the biggest diamond mining companies in Russia, producing a significant portion of diamonds and distributing them to many countries.

"Evelina can you please go help babushka in the kitchen" aunty Marina calls out to me "Sure aunty"

Babushka was my grandmama and my favorite person in this world. I particularly live under my sister's shadow. She has always been in the spotlight while I was left in a dark corner. My mama and babushka have always been the only ones who truly see me, but when my mama died, it was just babushka.

I entered the kitchen that was bussing with servants and babushka was at the center of it.

"Oh don't steer it like that, you'll end up burning up!" "someone get that turkey out of the oven before it turns into a charcoal briquette!"

Yeah, that's my babushka. I guess she's not really everybody's favorite.

"Hey there, maybe try toning down the volume a bit, babushka, to keep that blood pressure in check!" I joked as I neared my grandmama.

"Oh, solnyshko!" my grandma beamed as she hugged me. Solnyshko was a nickname babushka has always called me ever since I was little. "I haven't seen you all week, dear. Have you been eating well? Has anyone been giving you trouble?"

"I'm fine, babushka" I smiled as I hugged her back. Babushka was the only person who was always looking out for me.

"I wanted to come give me a helping hand here but it seems you're doing just fine" "Ah don't bother yourself with that, here my dear have something to eat" She handed a plate of pirog, a sweet pie filled with berries and meat.

"Have you seen your sister today?" "no babushka". I haven't seen my sister all week. I guess she's busy preparing for her fiance. I'm actually glad that she'll be getting married soon. Then maybe when she leaves the house then they can finally notice me.

I do the best I can to please people in this family, but it's just never enough. And they never notice. Sana can just do one minor thing and the whole family will notice and praise her. I hope when she's gone, they can finally see me.

"You should go see her, it's a big day for her. Go see how she's doing" my babushka said as she walked away to check the pot of soup.

I really don't want to see her, but I guess I should, since it's a big day for her.

I left the kitchen and went up the stairs to her door. "Sana, are you in there?" I knocked on her door, but there was no response. "Sana?" Still no response. I turned the door knob and it opened. I walked into her room, but there's no one here. "Sana?!"

"What do you want?" oh my God that scared me!!!

"Sana? I knocked but there was no answer so I just came in," she was sitting in a dark corner of her room so I couldn't see her.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT? " OK, I guess someone is in a foul mood today. "Babushka said I should come check on you since today was a big day for you" "Tell the old lady I'm fine, now leave" well that's rude.

"Are you okay, you're not even ready yet and the guests will arrive soon" I should try to see reason with her since she's not getting married out of her own choice.

"Leave me alone Evelina" alright fine. As I turned to leave, I heard her whisper "I guess you'll be happy now that I'm getting married," "What do you mean? Why would I be happy?" I asked, confused.

"You have always tried to get everyone's attention, doing things to please them and all, but you couldn't even get the slightest attention. So with me out of the way you can finally get the attention you've always wanted"

WHAT?!!!

I mean I did think about the whole thing, but hearing her say it so bluntly sounds so harsh!!!

"You're being ridiculous, Sana" "oh, am I now?" What's up with her today? "I just came to check on you, I'll be on my way now" I turn to leave but she quickly gets up and grabs my arm. How is she so goddamn fast?!!

She leans close to my face and whispers "you may think you'll finally get what you want, but trust me Evelina, you won't," she lets go of my arm and walks away, leaving me standing alone and confused.

What does she mean? And why does she hate me so much?!!

After leaving Sana's room and making my way downstairs, I couldn't shake off the feeling of confusion and hurt. I found myself thinking about what I might have done to make her hate me so much.

I have always made an effort to be considerate and mindful of her feelings. It's annoying to think that the hurtful words came from her, when I have always been the one offering kindness and understanding.

The structure of our relationship has always felt fragile, like I'm constantly walking on eggshells around Sana. This recent conversation has left me feeling unsure and questioning where things may have gone wrong.

Things weren't always like this when mama was still alive. We shared a unique bond.

We were inseparable. Often dressing in matching outfits, styling our hair in similar ways and engaging in activities together.

Our childhood was filled with experiences and laughter. Now memories I hold dear.

However, after mama died, everything changed. Sana, who was my bestfriend, began to distance and withdraw herself emotionally and physically.

Papa, consumed by the weight of his grief, buried himself with the affairs of the company. He spends all his time in his company, and when he's home, he spends his time locked up in his office. Leaving me craving for the closeness we once shared.

The absence of mama's light and guiding presence has left a void in our family.

Babushka is the only one who truly cares for me at the moment, providing unwavering love and support.

But despite that, there are moments where I yearn for love and companionship from someone else.

I've never been in a romantic relationship before. Papa made sure of that. No boys can approach me or Sana because we are always accompanied with bodyguards everywhere we go.

If a guy manages to gather courage and come close to us, our bodyguards scares them away.

And we can't sneak out of a heavily guarded mansion without being caught.

I often feel a sense of loneliness as I don't have any friends. Sana seems to have a small circle of friends, since she's the bold and confident one.

Papa occasionally permits Sana to go out, deeming her matured enough for such interactions.

Mind you, I'm twenty years old!!!! And I'm still not old enough for him to give me freedom like Sana.

And you know what's more annoying? It's the fact that Sana is just two years older than me!!!!!!!

Two years older than me is not that old, but papa just loves being dramatic.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't know when I got to the end of the stairs, until I absentmindedly collided with a wall, causing me to hit my head on the wall.

"Ouch! " F*** that hurts.

As I turned to walk away, I noticed the wall shifting. Excuse me?!! Why was a seemingly solid wall moving?!!!

I look up and surprise surprise, it's not a damn wall!!!!!

It's a person!!!!!

How can a person be that hard and also so tall. Like I just bruised my head so painfully just by hitting his back!!

Looking up, I met a pair of cold, piercing brown eyes that seemed to bore into my very soul, leaving me feeling small in his imposing presence.

The realization that this towering individual was not just any person, but someone with an aura so powerful, sent shivers down my spine.

The intensity of his gaze held me captive asif daring me to challenge him. In that moment I could help but wonder but secrets lay within those cold, brown eyes.

Oh sh** I've been staring too long.

"Oh my God, I'm so so sorry sir. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Please don't get mad sir". I just went on blabbing. But when I didn't get a response I stopped.

Does this man speak?

I had to strain my neck to get a really good look at his face. Mind you, I'm not really a short person, but this man makes me feel so small.

I look at his face and damn he is handsome!

Jet black hair, razor sharp jaw, cheekbones that cut through diamonds and brown, cold and calculating eyes.

He's like the models you see in magazines and wonder if human beings like that really exist. He's beautiful.

"Ahem" I tried to make the situation less awkward.

"I'm so sorry for running into you. I'll be on my way now" I turn to leave before I start inhaling his rich, alluring cologne and start acting like a weirdo.

Yes, he smells really good.

"Pay attention to where you going, don't be so careless" I heard a deep, cold voice say.

So this man does speak.

I turn to face him but he was already gone. What a strange beautiful man.

I should head to the main room, I've wasted too much time. I'm sure our guests will be here by now.

As I made my way to the main room I decided to stop by the kitchen to check on babushka.

The kitchen was no longer buzzing with servants. They must be done.

As I neared the kitchen, I heard babushka humming a familiar tune mama used to sing to me every night.

"Solnyshko, are you just coming down? I thought you would be in the main room by now" Babushka greeted me with a warm smile as soon as she caught sight of me.

"I know babushka, something just delayed me on the way" I responded, not wanting to tell her about my encounter with the strange, beautiful man.

The memory of his piercing gaze and captivating presence lingered in my mind, but I pushed it aside, just wanting to focus on the comforting familiarity of babushka's kitchen.

"How's your sister? Is she ready? " Babushka inquired, her eyes filled with concern.

"No babushka, she's acting really strange. But I understand her. She's getting married off to a person she has never met before. I would react the same way" I confided, not wanting to reveal the details of our conversation.

"It's natural to feel that way. I was just like that too, you know?" Babushka shared, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

"Really Babushka?" I asked, intrigued by her revelation.

"Of course, when my papa suddenly informed me that I was to get married to someone I have never met before, I was devastated. But guess what? The marriage turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

I grew to love your grandpapa so deeply, an outsider would think I married him out of pure love. So I pray Sana marriage will also give her joy and peace"

Me too, I really hope she finds happiness. Even though she acts like a bi*** She's still my sister.

"Come now, let's head to the main room. I'm done here" Babushka said, as she led me out of the kitchen with a warm smile.

"Your papa should be back by now" "Yah I'm sure he's already in the main room".

I miss my papa, he hasn't come home in a while. So this meeting will be an opportunity for me to see him.

As we made our way to the main room, we suddenly stopped as a figure came out of a room.

"Papa! " I called out as I ran to him. "Hello little sun" papa said as he hugged me back.

"I've missed you so much, it feels like ages since you were last home" I whisper softly, my voice filled with longing and relief, as I wrapped my hands tightly around him.

"I know sunshine, things have just been really busy at the company, I promise to make an effort to prioritize coming home more often" he reassured me, but I knew he wouldn't keep to his words. Nonetheless, the reassurance brought a sense of warmth to my heart.

"You should create more time for your girls, Nikolai" Babushka chimed in. "They won't be here forever. One is already leaving".

"I know mama, I'm crave out a little space in my schedule and spend time with Sana before she leaves" papa responsed.

"Good, you should do that. Now let's not keep our guests waiting any longer. Let's make our way to the main room" Babushka declared.

As we entered the main room that was already bustling with people, I swiftly made my way to the far end of the table.

A sensational feeling of being watched washed over me. I scanned the room, looking for the source.

And there he was.

The strange beautiful man from earlier, watching me with such intensity, you would think I killed the man's damn cat.

His unwavering stare stirred within me a mixture of unease and curiosity.

And those beautiful brown eyes, I'm sure they hold secrets and mysteries, waiting to be unraveled.

Who the hell was the man? And why does his presence evoke such a feeling within me.

I found myself caught in a whirlwind of emotions, a mix of unease, curiosity, confusion and excitement.

Yes, I was excited. What was I excited about? I have no idea.

The intensity of his gaze bore into me, creating a palpable tension that left me on edge.

Was he still upset about our encounter earlier? I did apologize though, so why is he being dramatic?

I couldn't break from his intense gaze no matter how hard I wanted to. I felt drawn to those cold, brown eyes, I wanted to unveil all the secrets hidden in them.

"Evelina! I've been searching everywhere for you." A figure suddenly appeared in front of me, finally breaking the spell I was under.

Looking up, I recognized the familiar face.

"Irina!" I exclaimed, leaping from my seat to embrace my cousin.

"Look at you, Evelina, you look well," she beamed as she hugged me back.

Irina was my distant cousin. Have I mentioned that my family was really big?

We grew up together, even though she was five years older than me. Irina, Sana and I were so close, you would think we were all biological sisters.

However, she and her family moved away to the countryside four years ago, due to her father's business going bankrupt.

I haven't seen her since then, it felt like it was a lifetime ago.

"I've missed you so Riri." Riri was a nickname we used to call her.

"Me too, Eve," her voice carries a hint of wistfulness.

"I didn't know you were going to come," as I pulled away from her embrace, I couldn't help but express my surprise.

"Of course I would, Sana is getting married, I had to come see her one last time before she gets married," she responded with a look of sadness in her eyes.

"Yeah, I think you should go see her, she's been acting strange lately," I answered.

"We can't blame her, she's getting married to a stranger. And, by the way, I think this family's tradition is bulls*****"

"Irina! Don't say that here!" I gasped as I covered her mouth with my hand.

"Nonsense," she retorted, pushing my hand away. "Someone needs to say it, Evelina. This is the 21st century for goodness sake, we are not in the 70s anymore. This needs to stop."

"I know, Riri,'' I sighed as I settled in my seat. "It's really not fair how the women in this family just get married off all in the name of strengthening the family's influence."

I've always felt this way, but there's nothing I can do. It has been this way in this family even before our grandmothers was born.

"By the way, who were you looking at when I came up to you? You seemed so distracted you didn't even notice me," Irina asked as she sat next to me.

"Oh...uhm, it was nobody. I was just zoned out, that's why I didn't notice you." I replied, unsure if I should tell her the truth.

"Well okay, if you say so," she shrugged, turning back to the crowd.

Having mentioned that, I glanced over to see if he was still staring at me, but he was deep in a conversation with one of the guests.

I was about to ask Irina about her life in the countryside when I overheard a woman whispering to another behind me.

"Did you hear that the man the bride is getting married to was the CEO of Innovative Artistry Creations INC?"

WHAT??!!!!

Irina and I looked at each other in shock. I'm sure my face is a mirror of her's right now. Because the CEO of Innovative Artistry Creations INC.? No way.

The Artistry Creations INC. was the biggest art studio in Russia. They supplied artworks to numerous museums worldwide. Quite a number of famous artists work under them. The studio held a prestigious reputation in the art world.

There were rumors that the CEO was an old man, with brown teeths, who couldn't walk without the help of a walking stick. Some say he had the face of an angel and the body of a demon.

Nobody knew what he really looked like. He tries his best to keep away from social media. He does everything from the shadows, he's like a really famous ghost.

If it's really true that Sana is getting married to him, then I'm genuinely concerned for her. And how did papa convince him to marry into this family?

Don't get me wrong, papa also owns one of the biggest companies, but Artistry Creations INC. is on another level.

"Do you think it's true?" Irina's question pulled me out of my thoughts.

"I don't know Riri," I admitted.

"I'm really worried for Sana if it turns out to be true," Irina said, with a concerned expression. "Let's just hope it's not." I replied.

Absent-mindedly, I looked back to the strange, beautiful man, only to find him staring back at me.

Feeling uneasy, I quickly looked away. He was starting to give me the creeps.

Just then, papa's voice rang out from the head of the table, capturing everyone's attention.

"May I have your attention please."

Babushka was sitting proudly to his right and Sana to his left, since she was the special guest for today.

I didn't even notice when she got here.

"She looks so tired," Irina whispers with a hint of sadness in her voice.

She does look tired and drained. I really feel bad for her.

"Thank you all for gathering here today," papa began once he had everyone's attention.

"Today is an important day for the Ivanovitch family. My beautiful daughter here is engaged, and will be meeting her fiance for the first time today." He announced proudly, gesturing towards Sana, who was just sitting there staring blankly at the floor.

How can papa not see that he's losing his daughter?

"Now, you may be wondering who the man is," papa continued "it's no other than the CEO of Innovative Artistry Creations INC."

So it was true.

"Oh God." I heard Irina cry from beside me. "Hey, hey, it's okay." I cooed to her, even as I felt my own heart breaking for Sana. I still love her, even though she might think I don't.

There was a lot of murmuring in the room. I can imagine how shocked these people might be to hear that the CEO of Innovative Artistry Creations INC., aka the ghost, was getting married.

"Attention please," papa's voice cut through the noise, bringing the focus back to the center. "Now, let's introduce the man of the hour. Give it up for Dmitri Petrovich." Papa announced, applauding.

So the CEO's name was Dmitri.

As Dmitri made his way to the front, my heart sank to the deepest part of my stomach.

That strange, beautiful man from earlier was Dmitri Petrovich??!!!!!!

"He's beautiful." I heard someone say, but it felt like the voice was coming from another world.

"Evelina, are you okay? Oh my God, you look so pale," Irina said, worried, as she shook me back into my senses.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, I'm great, I'm doing wonderful," oh my God, what is wrong with me?!!

"Are you sure? You look really pale." Irina kept pushing on. "I'm fine Riri, I just wasn't expecting someone like that to be the CEO." I tried to cover up.

"I know, right? He's so handsome, he doesn't even look real," Irina responded, gazing up at him. "Yeah, I'm sure he's as real as this situation right now, Riri."

Once again, the room was filled with murmurs, papa had to shout a few times to get everyone's attention. I'm sure the whole world is shocked right now. Nobody was expecting the CEO to be so young and illegally handsome.

Yes, illegally, because a person shouldn't be allowed to look that good.

Once papa had everyone's attention, he proudly announced, "It is with great honor that i introduce this handsome CEO as my future son-in-law." Papa's smile was becoming very unsettling.

Meanwhile the handsome CEO looks like he would rather be in bed than standing here.

Just as Papa was about to proceed with his speech, Sana stood up and declared softly, "Papa, I'm afraid I have a confession to make."

Oh, good, she's still breathing. I thought she might have passed away while sitting there looking like a dressed up corpse.

"Sana, what is this about? Can't it wait until after we're done?" Papa responded, his face a mixture of anxiety and anger.

"No, papa, it's important." Sana replied with that calm voice.

"Let's have this discussion later, Sana." Papa tried to dismiss her.

"Mr. Ivanovitch, please let her speak," the strange, beautiful man interjected, his voice calm yet commanding. Oh, I should probably stop calling him that, I know his name now.

"Alright Sana, what do you want to talk about?" Papa responded, feeling defeated.

"I'm pregnant," she announced.

What in the undergod did she just say?