Chapter 2

"Are you feeling nervous, dear?" Clarissa asked Celeste with a sympathetic smile. She could understand her uneasiness. She, too, had had an arranged marriage, but they fell in love after being engaged for almost a year. She knew Celeste wasn't used to that type of environment. Everything was new for her.

"A bit," Celeste replied with a soft smile on her face. She was wearing a light green dress with a cardigan; she had left her hair down. Clarissa shook her head at her with a soft smile of her own.

"That's normal. You'll get used to it. I felt the same way when I was getting married to Andrew. Everything was so new to me," Clarissa said with a smile while they walked through the hallway towards the dining room. Clarissa had personally come to retrieve Celeste so that she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable or unwanted.

"Really?" Celeste asked, a bit shocked. She didn't expect Clarissa to be in an arranged marriage with Andrew. She had noticed how much they loved each other; it showed in their actions. Clarissa nodded.

"Yes. Don't worry, Liam will take good care of you. Though my son is a workaholic and gets angry easily, he isn't overbearing," Clarissa said with a soft chuckle as they reached the dining room where everyone was seated.

Celeste again nodded nervously. She wasn't sure how to respond to this. Though she wanted to meet and know more about her future husband, she didn't say it aloud, fearing what others might think of her.

"Come on, dear, take a seat," Clarissa said to Celeste in a warm, welcoming voice when she noticed that Celeste was still standing at the entrance.

"Come, Celeste. Sit beside me," Andrew said in a warm voice to the poor frightened girl. Celeste nodded with a smile and went to sit on his left side. Clarissa sat to his right. Clarissa noticed there was also another couple sitting opposite her, and they were stealing glances at her.

"Rafael, Amy, this is Celeste, Liam's fiancé. Celeste, this is my son, Rafael, and his wife, Amy," Andrew introduced them.

"Hello," Celeste mumbled softly with a shy smile.

"Hi. It's nice to meet you, finally," Rafael said with a grin while Amy just gave her a polite nod.

"Same here," Celeste replied with a smile. She could tell Rafael took after his mother, with the same green eyes, blond hair, and fair complexion. He was a good-looking young man in his mid-twenties, and his wife, Amy, had black eyes, black hair, and fair skin. She looked to be of Asian descent.

"Where is Liam? Why isn't he here yet?" Andrew asked, noticing Liam's absence, which had also caught Celeste's attention.

"He's coming. He just returned a few minutes ago; maybe he's freshening up," Clarissa replied while serving her husband some food. Two maids were also helping serve everyone else.

"Celeste, dear, please don't hesitate to eat whatever you like," Clarissa said, turning towards Celeste when she noticed her hesitation.

Celeste nodded and piled some food onto her plate.

"Sorry I'm late," A deep husky voice rang throughout the whole room, making Celeste freeze in her seat. His presence was so intimidating and powerful.

"Oh, Liam! Come here, honey, have a seat," Clarissa said warmly. Liam nodded and moved forward to take a seat beside an unfamiliar girl, whose identity he had already guessed. She was staring at her plate quietly, making him a bit curious about how she looked.

"Liam, this is Celeste, your future wife, and Celeste, this is my first-born son, Liam," Clarissa introduced them. The words 'future wife' sounded ridiculous to Celeste's ears.

"Hello," Liam's deep voice shook her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him so as not to be rude and froze.

Oh. My. God!

So handsome!

He had deep smoky grey eyes with long lashes, a sharp nose, high cheekbones peppered with stubble, plump lips, and black hair. He was the definition of a runway model. When Celeste realised she was staring without replying, she averted her gaze.

"Uhm, hi," she mumbled softly while looking down at her plate. She could still feel his eyes on her, but she didn't dare look up. She could feel her heart jumping irregularly. She was afraid that everyone else in the room could hear it.

"Liam, set aside some time tomorrow to show Celeste around the city and get to know each other," Andrew proposed cleverly. He knew his son wouldn't disobey him.

"Okay, I will inform you when I'm free," Liam replied nonchalantly as he picked up some food to eat. He didn't reject the idea instantly, which eased some of Celeste's anxiety. At least he was polite, which was a good sign.

"So, Celeste, tell us about yourself," Rafael prompted, trying to start a conversation. She could feel Liam looking at her, waiting for her reply.

"I just recently graduated from college with a degree in economics. I applied to a few companies and am waiting for their answer. Before that, I used to work in my grandma's gift shop in Elora," she replied softly with a smile. She was glad her voice didn't shake.

"That's nice. I've been to Elora a few times. It's a wonderful place," Rafael said with a smile. He already liked the beautiful soft-spoken girl. She would indeed be a marvelous match for his brother.

"It is. With its amazing culture and heritage, limestone architecture, and mountains, it always attracts a lot of tourists," Celeste replied happily. She always felt happy talking about her beloved hometown. It was so beautiful.

"Then we should all plan a day trip to visit it together as a family. What do you say?" Andrew declared with a smile. Everyone nodded happily.

"I'm finished, so I will be heading out. I still have some work to do. Good night," Liam said as he stood up. Everyone nodded at him. Celeste could feel his eyes on her for a few seconds before he eventually left.

She sighed in relief.