The Chosen Bride 2

Andreas opened the door to an apartment unit he had occupied for almost six months. It was a luxurious dwelling, but sadly, it was not one of his many personal assets.

It belonged to Lucas, his friend who gladly provided a place for him to hide from his own family's eyes.

Andreas walked in with a casual stride. He took off his jacket and tossed it carelessly onto a passing sofa.

A minimalist bar filled with various bottles of alcoholic beverages was Andreas' destination. He chose a bottle of brandy to accompany him through the night.

Crystal glasses were available, with three ice cubes inside. The brandy joined them, and Andreas took a seat on a round chair.

For a moment, Andreas swirled the glass. He let the coldness blend with the distinct taste of brandy. Only then did he take a sip, savoring the richness of the sensation.

Not just a gulp, but a brief taste. It was like a first greeting for his tongue. Then Andreas truly took a deep sip.

A throaty sigh reverberated through Andreas' throat. He enjoyed the sting and the radiant flavor dancing on his tongue, while his memories wandered to something else.

Of course, it was Vlora. The woman who caught Andreas' attention from their very first meeting.

Indeed, she seemed naive and too cliché. Unfortunately, for someone like Andreas, who was used to being surrounded by women, discovering a woman who truly paid no attention to him was quite impressive.

Andreas was not foolish. Many women used the trick of pretending not to be interested to catch a man's attention. He knew that strategy, and it must be admitted that sometimes it worked. The thrill it provided was a challenge, and men always liked challenges.

But what if the woman genuinely was not interested? The answer was simple. The man would become restless. His ego would be pricked. His masculinity would be questioned.

That's precisely what Andreas felt. However, he was wise enough to realize that Vlora was the woman he had been searching for all along. All the criteria and the checklist of suitability were fulfilled by Vlora without exception.

Andreas vividly remembered the combination of work attire that Vlora often wore. A shirt, a feminine formal jacket, and basic long trousers. She seemed to be averse to wearing skirts above her knees, which was usually favored by big bosses' secretaries.

But don't think that Vlora was a woman who couldn't act gentle and graceful. That would be a big mistake. In fact, she was mesmerizing when she strutted in her seven-centimeter heels.

That's just from the appearance aspect. On the other hand, Vlora was an intelligent woman. At least her current position was undeniable proof. Everyone knew that being a secretary was never an easy position for a shallow-minded person.

Vlora was also competent. She rarely made mistakes and proved to be very helpful in all her boss's affairs.

For all these reasons, Andreas did not hesitate to draw one conclusion. Vlora was the perfect woman to fill the position as his wife.

Andreas's daydream about Vlora was shattered by the ringing of his phone. There was an incoming call from his personal assistant, Frans Patterson.

“Hello, Frans. What's up?”

Without any preamble. Andreas knew that Frans would not contact him in the evening if it was not important.

As his personal assistant, Frans was well aware of Andreas's habits, including the fact that Andreas often spent his evenings having fun. So, as much as possible, he never contacted Andreas in the evening. However, if he did reach out, there was only one possibility – something important had come up.

“Sorry to disturb your rest time, Sir, but I want to inform you that next week, your parents will be returning to Ashford City.”

Andreas reached for his brandy bottle. He refilled the empty glass while asking with little interest, “Oh, are all the matters there already settled?”

“Yes, and I don't know how they found out. But it seems that Mr. Sanders already knows about your whereabouts.”

“I often travel while I'm here. It would be strange if they couldn't find out where I am,” Andreas murmured as he enjoyed his next sip. “It's okay. I'll welcome my parents' return home.”

Besides, Andreas had not really been hiding all this time. He had just gone into hiding and happened to stay in Lucas' apartment. Not to exaggerate, but he was sure that his father had already ordered people to catch him when he ran away.

All the residences that Andreas owned, be it a house, an apartment, or a villa, were surely guarded by his father's men. Andreas could expect that if he arrived at any of his homes, he would be immediately greeted by them and eventually captured and flown back to Paris.

Fortunately, Andreas was smart enough. So, when he prepared to run away, he contacted Lucas first. He asked for a place to stay, and Lucas gave it to him without asking any questions.

Thinking back to that time, Andreas became curious. How had his father's people reacted? They had waited a long time, but they never came.

How pitiful for them.

A mischievous smile played on Andreas' face. But there was one thing that made it even more amusing. It seemed that this was the first time he had seen an attempt to kidnap the groom-to-be.

“One more thing, Sir. Madam asked me to convey a message to you.”

Andreas' hand paused. The glass lingered a few millimeters away from his lips.

“What is it?”

“She said she doesn't want to lose her face in front of Madam Lydia. That's all.”

Andreas snorted and laughed silently. He decided to finish the rest of his second glass, then spoke.

“Tell Mama not to worry. Forget about the arranged marriage because I have chosen my own bride. She doesn't need to lose her face in front of Mama Lydia. I can assure you that I'll get married before Jonas does.”

The call ended. The phone landed on the bar table, and Andreas remembered something. It was Vlora's response to his words in the parking lot earlier.

Vlora's reply was sharp, accompanied by piercing eyes and a hostile tone. The perfect combination that made Andreas' blood tingle just by recalling it. Her response was:

“I can assure you of one thing, Andreas. The moment I eat your words is the moment you won't see the world anymore.”

*