Chapter 3
That night, my father took my driver's license and phone. He said he was afraid I might do something impulsive.
I signed into Messenger on my spare tablet and contacted Nathan immediately.
“Cancel the dinner.”
He answered quickly.
“I promised to respect your decision on day seven. It isn't day seven yet.”
I stared at the screen.
“My family has locked me in.”
The typing indicator appeared. Half a minute passed before his reply arrived.
“Your father doesn't want you running away from this. I'll remind them they can't keep you there too long.”
I tightened my grip on the tablet.
“Not ‘too long.’ I don't want this now.”
He didn't reply right away. Ten minutes later, he sent a voice message. Olivia was talking in the background, apparently trying on her engagement dress.
Nathan sounded tired.
“Don't pick a fight with your family right now, Claire. Evan arrives tomorrow afternoon. Meet him before you decide. He's put a lot of work into getting things ready for you. Canceling now would be disrespectful to everyone involved.”
I listened to the end and felt my hope sink.
Everyone involved still didn't include me.
“What if I meet him and still say no?” I typed.
“I'll cancel it myself. I won't let anyone pressure you again.”
I saved screenshots of both messages.
Nathan came to my parents' house the next morning.
I thought he had finally come to get me out.
When he entered the bedroom, I was trying to reach the Worcester clinic. My father had turned down the job offer on my behalf. The director had given me three days to explain.
Nathan frowned at my pale face. “Didn't you sleep?”
“Where's my license?”
He didn't answer.
I stood. “Are you here to take me out of this house?”
“I spoke to your father. They won't stop you from leaving once the dinner's over.”
I stared at him. “So keeping me here until then is acceptable to you?”
“It's only two days.”
“As long as it doesn't interfere with Olivia's engagement party, two days is nothing. Right?”
His face hardened. “Don't drag Olivia into everything. This dinner is for you.”
“I don't need it.”
“But Evan's already on his way.”
“Then tell him the truth.” I held out the tablet. “Tell him I never agreed to date him. Tell him you and my family arranged this without asking me.”
Nathan didn't take it.
“Evan isn't the kind of man who would force you into anything. He just wants to talk in person.”
“Then bring him here now. I'll tell him no to his face.”
“He's still traveling. You can wait until tomorrow.”
Wait. Again.
“Why do you need me to wait until day seven, Nathan? You could cancel a dinner with one phone call.”
“Because the invitations have gone out. People from both families are already here.” He kept his voice under control. “Olivia's engagement party is at the same hotel. If the downstairs event gets canceled at the last minute, what do you think people will say about her?”
At last, the real answer.
It wasn't Evan. It wasn't my future. Nathan didn't want my refusal spoiling Olivia's celebration.
“So you can accept me being locked up. But not Olivia being gossiped about.”
“I won't let anyone hurt you.”
“You're hurting me right now.”
He started to speak, then stopped.
I pulled up my sleeve. When I'd tried to keep my phone the night before, Daniel had grabbed my wrist. A dark ring of bruises showed where his fingers had been.
Nathan's expression changed instantly.
“Who did that?”
“Daniel.”
He turned toward the door. I stopped him.
“What are you going to do?”
“Tell him never to touch you again.”
“And then?”
“What do you mean?”
“Will you cancel the dinner?”
He fell silent.
The last of my hope went with it.
“You'll get angry about the bruises, but you won't stop the arrangement that's getting me hurt. You're no different from them.”
He looked back. “I'm trying to handle this with some dignity.”
“Whose dignity? Evan's? My family's? Olivia's?” I stepped closer. “Why, every time it's my turn to matter, do I only get told to wait?”
He reached for my wrist. I stepped back before he could touch me.
Nathan froze.
In seven years, I'd rarely pulled away from him. Even when he woke in the night calling Olivia's name, I had quietly brought him water. Now I'd moved barely half a step, and he looked visibly unsettled.
“Claire.” His voice softened. “Tomorrow afternoon, I'll come downstairs myself. If you still say no, I'll end it in front of everyone. One more day. That's all.”
“I've said no over and over. Why do I have to say it again in front of an audience?”
“Because you're upset right now. Tomorrow, when you've calmed down, you may feel differently.”
I laughed once. “You don't believe my answer at all.”
He frowned. “I don't want you to regret this later.”
“What I regret is ever believing you'd protect me.”
The room went quiet.
Nathan stood there for a long time. Before he left, he took a tube of ointment from his pocket.
“Put this on your wrist.”
I didn't take it. He set it on the table.
“I'll come tomorrow. Wait for me.”
After the door closed, I picked up the tube and dropped it straight into the trash.
I'd waited seven years for him. I didn't want to wait one more day.
