Marrying Mr. Arrogant

He was darkness, I was light.

He was hate, I was love.

He was revenge, I was forgiveness.

Folding my arms at my chest with a painful smile over my lips, I was staring at the couple getting married before my light blue eyes followed by tears blurring my vision.

"Congratulations."

Whispering sorrowfully from afar, I tugged my auburn hairs behind my ears, releasing a low chuckle from anguish.

Why was I so sad at a wedding?

The man who was getting married was my boyfriend, Jared Raz.

The man who promised to stay with me forever, the man who made me fall deeply.

Only to leave me in the end after two years of relationship.

'I pray for your happiness but I wish we hadn't met if we weren't supposed to be one. Why did you love me when you intended to leave me in the end?'

I was staring at the delightful couple, binding in an eternal relationship with an agonizing heart.

'How easy is it to break the heart of the person you love?'I thought, releasing another tear but a smile not leaving my lips.

With my mind intoxicated with pain, another deep, dominant resonance reached my ears- speaking my thoughts aloud.

"How easy is it to break the heart of the person you love?"

I was stiff when I sensed a strong and muscular form behind me, a pair of malicious eyes upon me. A profoundly addictive scent.

Gulping hard, I glanced over my shoulder to find a tall man before me.

"Excuse me?"

Wearing a black suit jacket which was seemingly expensive. He was an aristocrat accompanied by a dark aura.

His raven hair scattered before his forehead, a scowl lingering on his face but his fury was not directed to me. A deadly and poisonous gray eyes.

I never thought I would meet the cold-hearted billionaire here. Jared's Boss.

Dariel Cannedy, the business tycoon.

He was a dangerous man, I could feel it in my bones. As ruthless- judged from his eyes- as Jared told me.

The type of man I would avoid at all cost. His eyes, they had too much resentment and darkness surrounding them but why was he talking to me?

"What did you say?" Asking innocently, I fully turned to him.

'Someone had the same thought as mine?'

Gripping the chair, I was taking support from it to compete with his assertive posture as I patiently waited for him to speak.

"I said how easy is it to break the heart of the person you love?" He repeated his question, becoming more furious.

"How can you break the heart of the person you love in the first place?" I counter-questioned. Mentally cursing myself for the response which brought a sour expression on his face.

He was undoubtedly intimidating and handsome. He took another step closer but I put my hand in between.

"Sir, Please, maintain your distance."

Becoming breathless at his powerful form, I turned my head away. I wanted to run away from him but my steps froze to the ground.

As if I wanted to know what happened to him and the answer of this question.

"Why would I?" He scoffed, folding his arms at his chest.

"What do you mean?"

Arching an eyebrow from bewilderment, I had no idea meeting him anywhere but his behavior displayed as if he knew me.

"When your boyfriend didn't halt his distance from my wife then why the hell would I?"

My breaths hitched when he slammed his hand on the chair and whispered in my ears. Sending an unwanted shiver down my spine.

"What the-"

I turned back to Jared, realizing two cheaters were getting married. Jared cheated on his girlfriend, me. And his soon-to-be wife, Veronica, cheated on her... husband.

"She... your wife?" I asked vaguely, turning back to the man, apprehending now why he was so outraged.

"Yes. 'Your' boyfriend is marrying 'my' wife."

My mouth gaped, "But, what did it have to do with me?"

"Because it irritates me to watch you smile at those cheaters who ruined both your and mine life. Why are you smiling, woman?" he growled, stopping my function for a brief moment.

His eyes were overwhelming me, I had never seen anyone looking at me with such rage and... 'hate'? But, why?

"Why are you looking at me in the first place?" I asked bravely, swallowing the lump on my throat with his intense eyes on me.

"You are standing on the way and everyone here knows he was your boyfriend. Can't you see the people?" He hissed, indicating to me to look.

"But- What do you want me to do when my love humiliates me? What was my sin in that?"

He only scoffed because I guess he had no answer to that. And he was in the same situation as mine.

"You know what?" Taking a pause, he leaned down.

I shivered slightly to feel his minty breath on my face when he pointed his finger at me.

"I hate people like you."

My jaw dropped at the level of contempt in his tone, "What?"

"People like you who act mighty and high like they forgave but deep down they hold too much detest and darkness."

I was flabbergasted when he created an assumption about me. I no longer hold bad intentions towards anyone.

"What the hell is your problem? Don't take someone else's rage on me. What and whoever I am, it's none of your concern, Mr Dariel Cannedy." I hissed back, done with him.

"Now please excuse me, I don't have time for you or your hateful talks."

With this, before he could continue he shifted his malicious aura to me as well and tainted my perception too. I walked away, accompanied by the sound of his scoff.

"Tsk."

Ignoring him for the rest of the event, I bore watching my boyfriend Jared marrying another woman.

Unable to bear it anymore, I was about to leave but Jared came to see me, increasing my ache.

"Saafia."

Taking the pain, I inhaled and turned to him, forcing a smile, "Hmm?"

"I saw my Boss near you, is everything alright?" He asked, concerned.

"Yes. It was nothing." I shook my head.

"Are you sure? He looked angry." He inquired and I didn't want to investigate.

"I told you, it's nothing."

"Stay away from him. He is a ruthless man. I have told you many times about him too." He warned me seriously, drying my throat but what I could possibly have to do with him in the first place anyways.

"I know. I am leaving now. You enjoy your event." I sighed, turning to leave this event but he stopped me for a moment.

"Look, you shouldn't have come here in the first place, finding you here I feel guilty. If possible, at any point in your life, please forgive me. I didn't want things to be like this but before I realized, it was too late."

I was utterly disinterested in his tale of apology and how much of a horrible person he is. I came on my own.

"You cannot force yourself to love someone. Stop it. I have forgiven you. Live your life however you want, do whatever you want." I explained nonchalantly to him, lifting my gaze finally and meeting him.

"But don't cross your path with mine again." I demanded seriously.

"I... understand. I am sorry once again. I pray you find someone much better than me."

"Me too."

Mocking him, I rolled my eyes off and left, not wanting to see him in my life again.

If I had forgiven that didn't mean I would willingly allow my heart to be broken. I didn't want to see his face again. It was the last time.

With a frown lingering on my face, I walked up to the parking lot, I was searching through my bag to take out my car keys and bumped into someone.

A trail of expensive scent reached my nose with a muscular and tall chest, lifting my gaze, I greeted those stern and dominant features frowning at me again.

"You?"

My mouth gaped to find the notorious billionaire standing before me with a questioning look. Taking a step back from his powerful aura, I rested my hand over my waist.

"Are you following me?" I frowned back.

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, resting his hands in his pockets, taking a step forward as he mocked, "Why would 'I' follow 'you'?"

I rolled my eyes as he leaned against my car, following my gesture, "Seems like you are still in love with him. Talking so casually with him alone too."

He started with a mutter but returned a challenging arched eyebrow in return.

"Would you please not create your own assumption? It's nothing like this." He was testing my patience.

"Then why are you talking to him in the first place?" He questioned, leaning forward to find any hint of hate on my face.

Which he failed obviously.

"And why should I disclose this matter with you? Would you please stop coming after me?" I asked as politely as I could.

"Don't you hate him?" He questioned, almost intrigued, which I didn't like.

"No. Kindly stop irritating me now." I muttered.

Opening the door of my car as he moved back and rested his hand over the roof to stop me from entering, hitching my breaths.

"You know what? Let me help you hate them." He offered huskily.

I smirked, taking his words lightly, having no idea what he was capable of.

"Really? How are you going to do that, Mister?"

Wearing his shades, he flashed an alarming, dangerous smirk which wiped my amusement instantly, drying the back of my throat. The omen of something fatal was about to occur evoked in me.

He sat in his expensive car, not removing his eyes intensely from mine, giving an unnerving response which left me in wonder what is planning to do.

"You will know 'very' soon, Saafia Blooms"

Before I knew it, a week had passed. I discarded Dariel's words, not thinking about them.

'What the hell was his ordeal anyways? What does he want from me?' I thought casually.

Jared must be living happily in his marriage and I should search for my soulmate too. I couldn't stay at one point.

Humming to myself, I was wrapping my work to return home and surprisingly Sarah, my elder sister, called. Must be to get burgers on my way home.

"Hell-"

Instead, I was greeted with her panicking voice, "Saafia, come home, quick!"

"What happened, Sarah? Is Father okay?" I asked worriedly. Our Father was in a coma and his condition was worsening day by day.

"It's not about Father. I have no idea what is going on, someone is here. Come home and deal with the mess you have created." She scolded.

"What are you talking about? What did I do?" My mouth gaped.

"Just come home, dammit." She hissed and cut the call.

"What's her ordeal?"

Mumbling, I shook my head, taking my things, completing my work and returning home as soon as I could to see what happened.

"What was the emergency, Sarah-"

My jaw dropped in utter flabbergast to find the man I least wanted to interact with at MY HOME!

"You? What are you doing here?" I hissed, throwing my things on the couch, standing before him with my arms folded at my chest.

The grimace on my face indicated I didn't prefer his presence at my beautiful home of hope. I didn't want his pessimism to ruin my expectations.

His eyes gradually shifted from Sarah to mine, the pseudo smile not leaving his lips as he rose from the couch.

Looking devilishly handsome in his suit jacket. The air around him spells his wealth, asserting his power here too.

And to increase my sensations, he called my name in a low, charming resonance.

"Saafia Blooms."

The back of my throat dried as my heart skipped a beat. My mouth was closed instantly upon hearing my name on his lips.

"Is there anything you need, Sir?" I asked, inhaling sharply to regain my posture.

To grasp the situation in his palm, he put his one hand over his chest and bowed slightly, offering his other hand to me, his smile converting into a dangerous smirk-

Proposing for the worst, mismatched couple.

"I am here to ask for your hand in marriage. With me."

What?

When he proposed to me on the spur of the moment, I merely blinked with pure confusion.

"Come again?"

I was praying desperately that I heard him wrong which I didn't.

"I would like to marry you." He repeated his words in his false enticing voice, locking his eyes profoundly with mine.

But I had seen the fire of wrath, the ocean of darkness in them. I won't be fooled with his display.

"Why?" I frowned, folding my arms at my chest.

Instead of angering me, it baffled me.

We were entirely different, two sides which shouldn't meet, which could never collide. Yet he wanted to marry 'me'- Why?

"Can I talk to her alone, please?" He asked gallantly, turning to Sarah.

She turned to me, I gave her a reassuring nod as she agreed, "Sure."

I had no intention of taking him to my room to talk alone so I made Sarah leave and the second she was out of sight, my frown deepened.

"What is this, Mr. Cannedy? What are you trying to prove and show by all this?"

I didn't like him showing abruptly at my home with this strange and unreasonable proposal.

When we were alone, his eyes revealed that malevolence again. This daunting air began to surround him again and holding his head high in pride, he declared-

"My employee married my wife and I will marry his girlfriend. Simple as that."

My mouth gaped in utter disbelief. I knew it from one glance he was darkness, one from the abyss.

But didn't expect him to be 'this' hateful.

"Do you realize how selfish you sound right now?"

"I do and I have never declined the fact I am selfish. Unlike you who can accept fate and other shit with a smile- I can't." He responded heartlessly.

"You have lost yourself in hatred, Mr. Cannedy. Do you think you can use me for your revenge?"

Frustrated at his extent of trying to use me as a tool of revenge, I moved back, holding my sides. My mind was in a state of shock, failing to function properly.

"I can and I will, woman. I want to show them what they lost. I want them to regret, to suffer and for that I will go to any extent- even marrying the person I would least prefer." He snarled, curling his hands in a fist.

"You also don't stand on top of my list too. We are so different. We have nothing in common, Mr. Cannedy. This would be destroying lives only." I scoffed, barely controlling my composure.

"So?"

"Why do you want to marry me?"

The second this question escaped my lips, he closed our distance and began to take slow, deadly steps towards me.

"Because I want you to hate those cheaters as much as I hate them."

"What...?" Gulping, I moved back, holding the hem of my shirt.

Each step I took back, he closed the gap until I hit the wall with no escape and his dominant form hovering over me.

"I hate people like you from the bottom of my soul."

My heart skipped a beat from dread along with an unwanted shiver. He frightened me by the intensity of blazes in those silver orbs.

To enhance my apprehension, he placed his one hand across my face, completing his statement with a hiss.

"I want to corrupt your heart with resentment too. I want you to release the pain and anger you have buried."

'He wanted to marry me to taint me too... How villainous.' I thought, staring deeply at him.

He leaned fatally closer to my face to the point I could feel our breaths mixing up which dried my throat as he shifted to the side.

He whispered seductively in my ears, "I will teach you how to hate them as much as I do."

Closing my eyes, I stopped myself, breathless, immobilized.

"To your dismay, Mister Dariel Cannedy, I hold no hatred for anyone. I am not that type of person so leave. I am not interested in your offer. Leave." I demanded, slowly regaining my posture and glaring at him, moving out of his space.

"Don't make pitiful choices, Saafia. I am giving you a chance to marry 'me'." He hissed, taking a step back.

"I don't need nor asked. Before I do anything, kindly leave," I requested politely, putting my hand in between to stop him.

"So you won't accept?" He asked for the final confirmation.

"No."

He narrowed his eyes in rage. I gulped, not falling weak before him as he glared at me for the next few seconds, displeased with my rejection.

"I will see you, Saafia Blooms."

He would go to an extreme, he was self-centered after all. With those words muttered under his breath, he turned to leave and glanced for the last time.

"You WILL marry me. Just watch."

Enunciating his vicious plans, he left finally.

The second the door closed, I gasped for air which restricted when he left and leaned on the wall, holding my dress.

"What the hell was it?!" Sarah yelled, coming to me while I was utterly stunned, blinking to perceive what happened.

"I have no idea. What was his problem?" I defended myself, having no idea why he chose me as a prey.

"How does the worst billionaire know you in the first place?" She frowned, not liking him too. Everyone had seen his interviews, he was not the best or desirable.

"I don't know him. We are strangers. Jared's wife, Veronica, was his ex-wife. What was my fault?" I argued.

"What?! Then why does he want to marry you?"

Sighing, I took a seat and told her everything, his eerie and nefarious intentions to make them pay and my disinterest in that matter.

"Wow, you sure are stuck, Saafia. That man won't leave you easily." Sarah breathed out.

"Like hell I will marry him." I muttered, getting up to leave for my room and then Sarah asked which pricked a needle in my chest.

"Because you are afraid you will become like him too?"

"No. He can never change me. I would never let anyone annihilate the kindness in me, the pieces of softness I have."

I declared emotionlessly before leaving to my room and praying to not see him again.

"I won't murder my soul like him."

I won't marry him. He couldn't change me, I won't let him.

'You WILL marry me.'

His words were echoing in my mind, disturbing me. I knew he wouldn't leave me until I fulfilled his demand. He was selfish and too powerful, he will get what he wants.

Shit, shit, shit, what should I do?

"What happened? You look... frustrated." My co-worker, Anne asked, noticing the scowl not leaving my face.

"Because I am, Anne." I sighed, stopping my work and hiding my face in my hands.

"Is it about Jared? I thought you moved on from him. He cheated on you after all. Why shed tears for someone like him?" She mumbled, shrugging her shoulders.

My mind already shifted from him because of a certain man who was hell-bent on teaching me how to hate.

"It's not about Jared." I sighed, rubbing my temples.

"Then?"

"Anne, what would you do if you were given a chance to take revenge on the person who cheated on you? Would you take it?" I asked expectantly to get an answer on what to do.

"Of course. I would want their heart to break like mine... and I know you are not like this. You wouldn't do this but you should."

And her response pushed me into turmoil too. Should I accept his offer? Should I hate Jared? Can I do that?

"You think?"

"Hmm. Not everyone deserves forgiveness. Cheating shouldn't be forgiven." She nodded.

"I don't know. Maybe we were never meant to be. And besides,"

Shaking my head in denial, I rose from my seat to get myself some coffee. Taking a deep breath so I could be my usual self and smiled.

"I cannot force myself to hate."

That is right, I cannot hate anyone, never. No one can force me to feel that emotion for anyone, not him too.

After being determined he couldn't change me, even if we got married, I returned from work. I was at the bus stop, tapping my foot with an empty stomach.

I wanted to go home and fill my stomach but a certain someone who adored ruining the peace of my mind came in his opulent BMW, stopping before me.

"Hey."

Folding my arms at my chest, I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, "Are you following me?"

"This time, I am. Your car is gone for maintenance, the bus will take time. Come, I will drop you." He offered nonchalantly.

I scoffed, not wanting to spend a second with him, "No. Thank you. I don't need your so-called courtesy, Sir."

"Do you think I will take no for an answer? I am not used to refusal, woman. Come..." He called sternly, turning his gaze towards the people who were whispering to see a rich man stopping for me.

"Unless you want to gain attention and act like an attention seeker."

Shrugging his shoulders, he returned a teasing smirk. With a grimace, I stared at him for the next few seconds, knowing he wouldn't be at peace.

"Call me an attention seeker then." I rolled my eyes off and sat at the station, pissing him off at my stubbornness.

"You sure are stubborn, woman. You refused a chance to sit in a BMW." He added, narrowing his eyes in irritation.

I began to use my phone while watching him from the corner of my eyes. My heart began to race when he refused to move an inch and to scare me, he honked at me, gaining attention deliberately.

"Ah!"

My mouth gaped, not believing how far he intended to go for his selfish purpose to convince me. Gulping, I tugged my hair behind timidly.

"Be grateful I am offering you politely to drop you off. I am not this generous to many people. Come." He ordered and not wanting to create a scene, I got in the car as we drove off.

"I didn't ask for it." I muttered, bringing a silence between us but soon I noticed him staring intensely at me.

Hugging my sides, I looked down with a scarlet shading coming to my cheeks. My throat dried, not meeting his gaze accompanied with thumping heartbeats.

"What?"

Growing nervous by his keen eyes observing my body, I turned to him finally. Tightening my grip on my dress, I began to feel distressed by my choice to enter this car.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you looking at me like this?" I whispered worriedly.

"Doesn't your heart hurt? Doesn't it agonize you to find the man you once loved being someone else's husband?" He asked in a serious resonance, stopping the car at the red signal.

Gritting his teeth, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, turning his head away as his large hand held his chest.

"Because my heart burns when I think about it,"

My lips parted, tilting my head to the side. Not expecting him to be this sensitive about them.

"No. I have accepted that we were never meant to be. Who knows if someone much better is written in my fate?" I breathed out, tone softening.

An eerie hint gleamed in his eyes as he raised an eyebrow temptingly. Before I could explore it, he concealed his disheartened emotions with his affectation.

"And that 'better' is me." He whispered, starting the drive again.

"As if." I scoffed.

"Excuse me, you are with your ex's boss. I am rich, good looking and kind enough to give you a ride home." He reminded me nonchalantly.

"With overwhelming arrogance and selfishness."

"Not everyone is a saint."

Growing irritated because at a certain point, I had begun to think about his proposal too and I didn't want to.

"Look, I have told you before, I don't want to marry you." I growled, curling my hands in a fist.

"Why?" He asked nonchalantly which increased my rage. Acting as if he had no idea why.

"We are different. We have different points of view on life. You and I can never live together, never be one." I hissed.

"Who says I want to be with you? I only intend to break this facade of yours and teach them a lesson. I will make you hate them too and stop acting." He remained calm.

At this point, I was infuriated, he couldn't judge me, "I am not acting. Goodness exists in this world, not everyone is heartless like you."

"Hmph, we will see." He muttered, turning his head to the side as we stopped outside my place.

With my head fuming and overflowing with distress, I quickly held my bag close to my chest and got out of his comfortable vehicle.

"Now, thank you, Sir, for dropping me off but I am leaving now." I muttered rudely, turning to leave.

The second, I took a few steps, his rough hand grabbed my arm before everyone, stopping me.

"Wait."

My breaths hitched as I turned to him slowly, averting my eyes from his stern one.

"Leave me." I whispered, breaths becoming heavy when he refused to leave and brought me close to the point I could feel his aura drowning into mine.

"Are you sure? I am giving you a golden chance, place your conditions but marry me. I would do anything, I repeat-"

My heart skipped a beat when he leaned down and whispered dominantly in my ears, " 'Anything', to teach that woman a lesson."

Controlling my feelings, I put my hand in between, hoping to escape the prison of his arms. Intimidated by his cruel intentions, I gulped.

"And then I will make you like mine."

I gasped when he was almost touching me, not leaving me with a deadly eye-contact, revealing his intentions which were scaring me.

"What are you doing...?" I whispered as he let go of my arm finally, giving me a moment to regain my posture.

"No one should be this kind and forgiving in this cruel world." He growled, bringing his hand to touch me but I pointed my finger at him to stop.

"Don't touch me again." I warned, converting my apprehension into rage.

Still I was intrigued- how could one be overwhelmed with corruption?

"You can't force someone to feel how you want. Plus this would destroy us." I hissed in a low tone so the people won't create more rumors than they already would.

"That is exactly what I want. I want to destroy their lives and when they return from that point of ravage, return to us, they will realize they closed this path too." He growled breaths becoming heavy, stilling me for a moment to register.

He was breathless from atrocity, standing too close and I failed to notice the distance because I was only bewildered.

"How hateful can a person be? What she did apart from cheating on you that you have gone 'this' blind for revenge?"

To my compassionate question, he scoffed, "You wouldn't understand nor need to know."

I took a deep breath to empty my mind and glanced at his large form. Narrowing my eyes, I pondered about his intentions and I had faith in myself.

"If you think you can corrupt me, then you are wrong. Now, before I do something, kindly leave. I have no intentions of marrying a man like you." I enunciated strictly as I pointed at his car.

"You will marry me. You are entangled in this web now." He also spoke in the same tone.

"I am not like you who is unaware of the term called 'moving on'." I taunted with a fake smile.

"She doesn't deserve it."

"Leave."

"I won't leave you this easily."

He growled, sending daggering in my direction which I ignored and rolled my eyes but the fumes emitting from him indicated he won't end this here.

"Hmph."

The second I turned my head away, his husky voice reached me, stopping my whole being as he hissed in my ears before leaving.

"Deny all you want but soon you will enter my place as my bride, Saafia."