The Unwanted Arranged Marriage

Fairmont ballroom threw a warm,

o be the happiest

agemen

le was as radiant as the diamond on her finger, a ring that had belonged to my grandmother. We greeted frie

ing was

it w

om, near the bar. A ripple of murmurs

Davis, Sarah

with a mix of alcohol and rage. He swayed on his feet,

loud, cutting through the polite ch

ncertainly. My hand ti

e doing?"

"Ethan, calm down. He's j

"to Sarah. The most wonderful, beautiful, a

uld hear the clink of ice in

, his eyes zeroing in on her. "N

unspoken embarrassment. This wasn't just a drunken mistake

shutting him down,

pleading. She took the bottle from his ha

ashed across my face, or the stunned expressions of our family and friends. Her

om, her arm around his waist,

the room, the spotlight now fee

er, his face a mask

a low, firm voice. "

rty-fifth birthday-which was in three days-I would have to honor the arrangement my grandfather had made years ago.

Sarah. I had convinced my family she was the

just a pub

minutes later, her

, reaching for my hand. "He's just..

e loves yo

d," she insisted, her eyes darting arou

. She wasn't defending my honor, she was managing her ow

ooking slightly more composed

as smooth, practiced. "I drank way too much. I don't know what I was

outstretched h

abbing his hand and

, false smile. "We know you are. Ethan's just a l

She drew a line in the sand, an

embarrassment, it all just drai

mpt to smooth things over, to pretend th

I

o say goodbye to my parents or our friends. I just walked out

my pocket. It was m

. "Your father has asked me to confirm your meeting wit

The choice had been made for me

," I said,