Kapitel 8: Meeting Doran

(A few months ago)

~Marriage~

What a strange word it was and the meaning it held. To bind your entire life to a single person. To sign away your freedom. To be dependent on someone. To share the same room and bed, over and over again.

Scary! Right?

Inconvenient? So very much.

This was the belief Skyla Adams held on the topic of marriage. She was a nerd who yearned for her spirit to roam free in the realms of anime, webtoons, manhwas and books.

To dream about 2D men and their perfect abs. To roam in the halls of Hogwarts with the famous trio.

To sing the hobbit songs in the Shire.

And to be a female ninja alongside her favourite Kakashi Hatake.

She didn't want to be constrained by the shackles of marriage. To be Miss Goody Good Shoes and follow every whim of her husband.

She wanted to enjoy her life.

Skyla was enrolled in the most prestigious University of Angel City and was completing her Graphic Design Degree. She aspired to be a digital artist.

But fate had other plans. All her dreams crashed like a skyscraper tumbling to the ground during an Earthquake. The storm of dust and rubble left her panting when her father informed her in a solemn voice.

"I have terminal cancer. I don't have much time left."

Being the sole heir to Adam's Family heritage her father wanted her to get married during his lifetime. He needed her to be stable, have a sense of his export business and someone to guide her along the way.

Tears streaked her cheeks as she hugged her father and cried.

"Tell me you are lying dad, I already lost mom. I can't lose you too."

"I am not, I wish I was. Now listen to me, my beautiful girl. Listen closely and consider it as the last wish of your dying father. I want you to get married and settle down before I leave this world."

Skyla wiped her tears with the back of her hand and watched her father in a bewildered silence. Not believing what he was saying. She opened her mouth but no sound escaped her for a while before she whispered.

"Dad…"

"Skyla! Your dad is begging you. Have some mercy on his dying soul. You will need someone strong and influential by your side or the hungry hyenas of the business world will not leave you alone," the profound pain in his voice and sombre tears that glistened in his eyes saddened her even further.

She couldn't say no to him, no matter how much the idea abhorred her.

"I will do it, Dad. I will do anything for you. But promise me you will seek out the best doctors in the world. I am not ready to lose you. Don't leave me alone in this world," she lamented, and her father silently hugged her as they both cried together.

Following this revelation, a coming-of-age party was held in the Adam Villa for Skyla Adams with all eligible bachelors of the city in attendance.

"I am so nervous, I keep sweating. What if I make the wrong choice? I am not ready," Skyla exhaled while checking herself in the mirror for the last time.

"Don't fret too much, just go out there and have fun and the right man will just click," Huria gave the final touches to her luscious red curls and flashed her a reassuring smile.

"I don't know, Huria," she turned to her friend and pouted. Nervousness was written in bold letters all over her face.

"Go on, now," her friend gently pushed her out of the room and ushered her towards the stairs.

Clad in a silver and baby blue gown, Skyla descended the stairs, her father was waiting at the end of the stairs in his crisp three-piece royal blue suit.

At the age of 51, he was graceful and smart, no one could guess he had a 21-year-old daughter. He wholeheartedly smiled at his lovely daughter and placed a tender kiss on her forehead.

"You look beautiful. Let me introduce you to some fine young men," he offered her his arm and Skyla crossed hers with his. Mr. Adams led her inside the hall where the party was being held and introductions began.

Mr. Wahiln of C&W Corporation.

Mr. Rupert of Ruperia Industries.

And it continued on and on with Skyla shaking hands with everyone, having polite conversations and keeping a fake smile plastered on her face. Until her cheeks began to ache and her feet began to hurt.

Her cheeks burnt hot and her palms were so sweaty she kept wiping them with tissue. But no one caught her attention, the boys seemed too pretentious and most of them only wanted to get in her good books.

She was tired.

"Dad, I need a breather. I will be back," she excused herself and grabbed a glass of champagne from a server. She stepped outside in the vast gardens.

A gust of cold and sharp wind hit her and she shivered lightly in her dress. Taking a deep breath she let the warm glow of the moon bathe her in its soft light.

Standing by the one-winged angel fountain, she let the tiny water droplets hit her overheated face. Memories of her mother played like a reel in her mind and Skyla knew if she was alive, the situation would be different.

"Why is the lady of the night standing alone? Did all those delinquents bore her?" a deeply enigmatic voice sounded from her side. Her head swivelled and fell on Mr. Charismatic aka Doran Blackthorn aka the most eligible bachelor in the town.

He was every single girl's wet dream. She had seen him on countless magazine covers, TV and the internet. And yet the man was an enigma, people knew almost zero to nothing about his personal life.

At the ripe age of 25, he was already a successful model and a CEO. He had recently taken over his father's company after his death.

With that enigmatic smile, a perfect undercut hairstyle and intelligent but cold deep blue eyes, the man was the epitome of perfection.

"I just needed fresh air," Skyla slowly replied, as his unsettling gaze roamed her from head to toe. His left hand was in his pants pocket while his right hand held a champagne glass too.

"May I join you? I promise I won't stale your air," he asked in a clear baritone voice while offering her a mysterious smile. This made her smile in return, at least he had a sense of humour.

"Of course, Mr. Blackthorn," his gaze was penetrating and it slightly unsettled her. He sauntered over and his woodsy cologne hit her in torrents.

"Call me Doran," he extended his hand to her and Skyla shook it with her nervous one.

"I am Skyla. Glad to make your acquaintance, Doran," his hand was cold like his eyes but his grip was gentle.

"Skyla, like the vast celestial sky. You are as beautiful as your name," he dipped his head and placed a tender kiss on the back of her hand. His soft lips barely brushed her skin but his words and actions made a little heat creep up in her ears. The man was a charmer but there was a haunting quality about him and Skyla couldn't just place her finger on what it was.

"Are you here for the same purpose as the other men?" Skyla inquired, slipping her hand back. His tailored suit hugged his body with grace as he straightened up and stared directly at her.

There was no reluctance in his voice when he spoke.

"On the contrary, I am here to achieve what those inside can't. You wouldn't be outside if they had caught your interest. So what do you say Miss Skyla, we give this marriage a chance?"

"Quite a bold statement Doran, considering it's my choice," Skyla chuckled at his directness. Trying to unfold the mysteries his oceanic eyes held in their depths.

"And I am sure a lady of high calibre like you will make a correct one. Care to walk with me and you can ask anything. I am an open book," he offered her his hand, palm up. Skyla took it, irrespective of what he said she knew this man was a mysterious book and its key was something he kept hidden away. There was nothing less intriguing for Skyla to thoroughly leaf through a book.

"Let's see," she gave him a charming smile and took his hand.

This was the first time she met Doran and he won her and her father over in no time and now here she was regretting her decision. Only if she had known and had more time.

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