Chapter 11 How Marriage Works
“Three months.” Aiden’s voice sounded far away, like it belonged to someone else. “You’ve known for three months that you’re dying and you didn’t tell me.”
“I needed to have a plan first. I needed to…”
“You needed to control it. Like you control everything else.” Aiden’s hands were shaking again. “What is it? How long?”
“Pancreatic cancer. Stage four. Six months, maybe less.” Richard’s voice was steady but his eyes were wet. “I’m sorry, son. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“Don’t call me that.” The words came out broken. “Don’t call me son and then tell me you’re dying in the same breath like it’s just another business problem to solve.”
“It is a problem to solve. I have to make sure you and Lily are protected…”
“We don’t need protection! We need our father!” Aiden was crying now, hot angry tears he couldn’t stop. “Lily needs her dad. I need…” His voice broke completely. “I already lost Mom. I can’t lose you too.”
“You won’t. Not yet. I have six months to make sure everything is in place. To make sure the company is secure. To make sure you have someone…”
“Someone?” Aiden wiped his face roughly. “You mean that girl? Ariella?”
“Yes.”
“You want me to marry her because you’re dying.”
“I want you to marry her because you’ll need someone after I’m gone. Someone who understands loss. Someone strong enough to stand beside you when things get hard.”
“That’s not…” Aiden couldn’t even find the words. “That’s not how marriage works. You can’t just assign me a partner like she’s a business arrangement.”
“In our world, that’s exactly how marriage works. Your mother and I…” Richard stopped. Started again. “Your mother and I had an arranged marriage. My parents introduced us at a company dinner. We dated for six months, got married, and then…” His voice softened. “And then we fell in love. Real love. The kind that lasts.”
“Until a drunk driver killed her.”
Richard flinched. “Yes. Until that.”
“And you think I’m going to have the same fairy tale? You think you can arrange my marriage and I’ll just magically fall in love?”
“I think you’re lonely. I think you’ve been drowning since your mother died. And I think Ariella Hayes is drowning too.” Richard pulled out another document. “Maybe two people drowning together can figure out how to float.”
“Or maybe we’ll just pull each other under faster.”
“Maybe. But at least you won’t be alone.”
Aiden stared at his father. At this man who’d always been larger than life. commanding, brilliant, terrifying. Now he just looked small, Sick, and Desperate.
“I can’t do this,” Aiden whispered. “I can’t marry someone I don’t know just because you’re afraid to die alone.”
“I’m not afraid to die alone.” Richard’s voice cracked. “I’m afraid you’ll live alone. I’m afraid Lily will lose both parents and only have you, and you’re so broken, Aiden. You’re so broken and I don’t know how to fix you.”
The words hit like a physical blow.
“Thanks,” Aiden said bitterly. “Good to know what you really think.”
“That came out wrong. I just meant…”
“You meant I’m too damaged to take care of myself. Too fucked up from Mom’s death to function without constant supervision. Too broken to ever be whole.”
“No. God, no.” Richard stood, came around the desk. “You’re not broken, son. You’re wounded. There’s a difference. And I’m trying to help you heal.”
“By forcing me into a fake marriage?”
“By giving you a reason to keep going, A purpose. Someone who needs you as much as you need them.”
Aiden laughed, hollow and bitter. “You don’t even know her. You don’t know if she needs me. You’re just guessing.”
“I know she’s about to lose everything. I know her brother died six months ago in a car accident. I know her mother tried to commit suicide in February. I know…”
“Stop.” Aiden held up a hand. “Just stop. You’ve been stalking her. Researching her. Looking for the perfect candidate to manipulate.”
“I’ve been looking for someone who might understand you.”
“That’s just manipulation with better words.”
Richard was quiet for a long moment. Then he nodded.
“You’re right,” he said simply. “I am manipulating you. And I’m going to manipulate her too. I’m going to use every tool I have money, guilt, fear, desperation to make both of you agree to this. Because I’m dying and I’m terrified and I don’t have better options.”
The honesty was worse than the lies would have been.
“I hate you,” Aiden whispered.
“I know.” Richard’s voice was gentle. “But will you do it anyway?”
“Why would I?”
“Because if you don’t, Winters wins. The company collapses. Ten thousand people lose their jobs. Hundreds of families lose their housing. And that girl Ariella loses the only home she’s ever known.” Richard paused. “Can you live with that? Can you carry that guilt on top of everything else?”
And there it was. The knife between the ribs.
Because Aiden couldn’t carry one more death. One more failure. One more person he could have saved but didn’t.
His mother’s voice echoed in his memory: I’m coming home, baby. I know you’re scared. Just hold on. I’m coming.
But she didn’t come home. She died on the way. Because he’d been weak. Because he’d needed her.
“I need to think,” Aiden said finally.
“You have until tomorrow afternoon. I’m meeting with Ariella and her mother at two p.m.” Richard returned to his desk. “If you decide not to do this, I’ll cancel the meeting. I won’t force either of you.”
“Yes, you will. You’ll make her the offer anyway. And she’ll say yes because she’s desperate. And then I’ll feel guilty and say yes too. And you’ll get exactly what you want.” Aiden’s voice was hollow. “That’s how you work, Dad. You create situations where people have no choice and then pretend you’re giving them one.”