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- Mom, I'm not going to marry him. I don't know him at all! - You'll have a lifetime to get to know him. Let's not get into this character stuff. Frankly, I don't care about your whims. - They're not whims! I don't love him! - In your situation, love is an unaffordable luxury. Your father has left us with debts that we will never be able to pay off. You should be grateful that Christopher agreed to help us out of old friendship. After my father's sudden death, I am being forced to marry a powerful man who will help me pay off my debts. I am almost ready to make this sacrifice, but a chance meeting turns everything upside down in my life. If only I had known that the man I would fall madly in love with would leave me without ever knowing that I was carrying his child...
Chapter 1
Apr 11, 2025
Everything can be settled. I'm confident that any problem or disagreement can be resolved, especially if it’s just a banal misunderstanding and I'm negotiating with my own mother.
She won't force me, right?
Having parked my bike in the parking lot, I entered the office building that belonged to my father just a few weeks ago. Now everything hangs by a thread: Mom is trying to get up to speed, take control, but it turns out Dad has a lot of debts and the shareholders are trying to protect their investments. No one wants to inject new funds, believing that my mother won’t be able to manage the business on her own.
Mom found a solution. She found someone who agreed to help. Only I have to become the guarantee of their agreement.
What nonsense, and I’m about to discuss this with Mom. Why would I be interested in a man that I don't know at all? But what troubles me even more — why would he need me?
I always dreamed of marrying someone I fell in love with, marrying who I want, not who my parents point me to. And although I currently don’t have anyone in mind, I’m only twenty one.
At the reception near the entrance, the secretary looks at me with a bewildered expression before exclaiming that I can’t see the director without an appointment. Only then do I remember that I forgot to take off my helmet.
I’ve visited Dad a few times, and she recognizes my face, but then I came in different attire, not in biking gear, which I practically live in after Dad's death. Speed helps me forget, distract…
“I’m here to see my mom,” I say, pulling off my helmet.
“Oh!” the secretary exclaims in surprise. ”Sorry, I didn’t recognize you at first, Miss Aurelia. I’ll let her know you’re here.”
“I’ll go in myself,” I say preemptively, knowing she won’t dare stop me. But Mom might say she’s too busy.
Ignoring the secretary's helpless sigh, I decisively open the door and step into my mother's office.
“I told you not to disturb me without warning!” Mom says irritably, then stops looking at her monitor and lifts her gaze to me.
Her expression shifts from annoyance to displeasure in an instant. After giving me a quick once-over, Mom grimaces. She was never too bothered by my riding a motorcycle before. Although I didn’t ride it every day back then, just on the weekends. The rest of the time, I had a personal driver and a car. Now I had to give that up.
“You’re back in this thing of yours…" She runs her eyes over me from head to toe with full irritation once more. "It needs to be sold.”
“No! It’s Dad’s gift!”
"It’s a coffin on the wheels, that’s what it is.”
“I ride carefully,“ I mumble in my defense, just hoping she doesn’t actually decide to sell it. “I’m here to talk to you, actually,“ — I quickly change the subject before the idea of selling my beloved bike settles in Mom’s mind. “My friends and I are having a party this weekend; I won’t be home.”
That’s not exactly what I wanted to discuss, but it’s important too. Besides, I can’t gather my thoughts enough to move on to the main question.
It used to be easier to talk to Mom when Dad was alive. Now she’s always irritated, and I don’t know how to approach her without getting on her bad side.
But eventually, Mom herself brings up the subject that troubles me the most with her abrupt statement:
“No. No overnight stays or partying.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re getting married soon. We don’t need any extra gossip, and believe me, Christopher won’t like the idea of his future wife wandering around who knows where doing who knows what.”
“Mom…“ I exhale, then take a deep breath to say the most important thing, “I won’t marry him. I don’t know him at all, — and that’s putting it mildly. I’ve only seen this man a few times. What talk of marriage could there be?”
“You’ll have a whole life to get to know him. Now let’s not have any stubbornness. Frankly, I don’t have time for your whims.”
“Mom! These aren’t whims! This is my life. Why should I spend it with someone I don’t want to? And besides, I have my studies…“
“There will be no studies at all,“ she retorts sharply. “There will be nothing if you don’t keep your temper in check and start using some common sense.” Mom sighs, covering her forehead with her palm, rubbing her temples. Then she turns her tired gaze on me and continues in a conciliatory tone. “I’m sorry, daughter, but you have to marry him.”
“But I don’t love him!” I say almost in tears, pleading.
“In your situation, love is a luxury you can’t afford. Your father left us with debts we can’t pay off in a lifetime. Be grateful that Christopher agreed to help us out of old friendship.”
Christopher… Maybe I wouldn’t feel such a strong internal resistance if he had introduced himself to me properly, invited me on a date, shown any interest in me at least. But as it is… I feel like a piece of merchandise bought for money — and he won’t lift a finger to win my affection.
This isn’t the kind of man I dreamed about.
“Well then why don’t you marry him yourselves!” I shout out of frustration.
Mom smiles strangely. She looks right through me, as if remembering something rather unpleasant.
“Aurelia, he’s thirty-two, what are you talking about?”
“Exactly! Thirty-two! He’s closer in age to you than to me. What’s wrong with that option? If, as I understand it, he needs guarantees, let him marry you. You're a beautiful young widow; why not?”
“Shut your mouth,” Mom hissed. “At least for the memory of your father, whom you supposedly loved so much, think about what you're saying.”
I fall silent, feeling a flash of shame. I overstepped, but isn’t she overstepping too?
“And what about me? Now I’m like a mare for sale. I don’t get it, Mom. Why does he even need me?”
Mom shakes her head, sighs wearily, looking at me like I’m an annoying merchant she can’t get rid of.
“You’re not a child, you just talked about studying. So think for yourself. Think and draw conclusions about what’s better: a man you don’t love but who will take care of you and love will come with time, or end up on the street without a future. At least think about yourself if you don’t care about others.”
I remain silent, looking at her sideways. Maybe it really is worth a try? What if he’s not so bad if he agreed to help?
“That’s right,” Mom nods, interpreting my silence in her own way. “And stop riding around on that machine. You’re a girl, you should dress and behave accordingly, not tearing up the streets on a motorcycle. And no parties.”
It’s clear that the conversation is over. I won’t get anything more from her. But I also don’t intend to be a coddled little girl.
If this Christopher wants me to be his wife, he will have to accept me as I am. I’m not going to pretend.
And I’m going to the party anyway.
Lost in thought as I hurry to get out of the stifling building, I practically collide with a man at the exit, and when I look up, I realize fate is perhaps playing a cruel joke on me. My breath catches, and I stand there staring at him, unable to look away.
There’s no such thing as love at first sight, right?
But with my luck…

I'll Take You Away From Him
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