3 broken Hearts

Stuck in an Arranged Marriage with the Popular Playboy

.

Chapter 3: 3 broken Hearts

.

Present day

.

As soon as the applause had died down and the guest had sat down again, Lori excuses herself, quickly running out of the big hall to get some fresh air. Not that anyone would have minded. Deep down they all knew that this was nothing more than a business marriage. They still liked to play pretend however. It’s the only entertainment those sick voyeurs got.

Lori take a deep breath once outside, closing her eyes for a moment. They are burning. Burning so much that all she want to do is cry to get them to stop.

“You look beautiful”, a familiar voice startles you.

She quickly turn to her right.

Jordan is sitting at the end of the stairs with his hands folded between his legs and his cheeks obviously wet from tears.

The tip of his nose is bright red, his lips are swollen from biting them to keep them from trembling.

It feels like someone had forced a dagger right through her heart. Seeing him here and now, all dressed up but crying, it breaks her heart.

“Why are you here? Didn’t I tell you to stay home?” Lori ask as she quickly make her way to him.

“I couldn’t. My parents told me to come, they said it would be rude otherwise”, he retorts with a shaky voice.

“Jordie god I’m so sorry”, She breathes, breaking the distance between the two of of them.

Lori is in the midst of sitting down when he stops her with a warm hand on her back.

“You’ll get your dress dirty. Sit on this instead. It’s not like I will ever wear this suit again. With all the bad memories attached to it”, he says, already slipping out of his suit jacket to put it on the cold stone for her to sit on.

Lori sits down. Their legs are touching, the feeling so warm and familiar it makes you ache.

“Did you watch?” Lori asks, not daring to look at him.

He doesn’t either, they keep staring at the wet concrete with their hands itching to hold the other.

“No. I, I couldn’t”, he whimpers, “I’m sorry. I know I should have stayed, it’s your big day after all.”

“Stop”, Lori warns with a firm hand on his knee.

She can feel his muscle tense under her touch as his legs open further to get closer to hers.

“You know that I don’t want this, so stop calling it my big day”, She spit, finally looking at him with dark eyes.

He turns his head to her slowly, already teary eyed again.

“I know. I’m sorry I just-“, he swallows, “-can’t help it.”

His hand comes to rest over hers, giving her a soft squeeze.

“I’m so sorry”, Lori force out before the first of many tears streams down her face.

Lori don’t even get to lower her head before Jordan’s hand, cupping her cheeks, supports her head instead. It had come natural to him, cupping her cheeks.

He always did so when she was crying.

“I know. Don’t cry, people will ask questions why your makeup is all ruined all of a sudden”, he says, brushing her tears away.

“I’m sorry I just-“, Lori sobs, “-can’t help it.”

She leans closer to his body, silently signaling him to take her into his arms. But before his arms can wrap around her tired body, someone steps out of the doors behind them and calls her name.

Jordan quickly pulls away, clearing his throat awkwardly.

Footsteps get closer to them, stopping for a moment before a tall shadow squats down beside them.

“There you are ma’am. Oh Mister Jordan? We missed you inside when the ceremony started”, Lori’s assistant says, bowing his head at Jordan beside her.

“Yeah I didn’t feel well, far too many people for my taste”, Jordan grumbles with a clenched jaw.

Lori’s assistant hums in understanding before his attention falls back to her.

“Everyone is looking for you ma’am. You and your husband are supposed to have your first dance together in less than ten minutes.“

“Give me a moment Hal I’ll be inside in five”, Lori tells her assistant, trying her hardest not to sound like she had been crying.

“Okay, I’ll tell the band that they should start in exactly five minutes”, he says.

“Yes thank you”, She mumble.

And with that he gets up again and rushes back inside.

“Guess responsibility is calling again”, Jordan states coldly.

“I guess”, Lori say just as coldly as him.

Jordan stands up, offering her his hand to take.

“Let’s get inside then”, he says, helping her stand up.

He doesn’t let go of her hand even after she had stood up already. His eyes are locked on the intertwined fingers, his lower lip is between his teeth. Lori’s own eyes can’t stop staring at his face, burning his beautiful features into her memory.

“I want nothing more in this world right now than to kiss you, but I know that if I give in I won’t be able to stop myself from throwing you over my shoulder and running off with you”, he confesses.

He rests his forehead against hers, closing his eyes.

“Kiss me then, kidnap me, please take me away from here”, Lori chokes out, holding onto his shirt with shaking fingers.

He leans closer. The feeling of his soft lips on hers is within your reach, burning on her lips already. But it never actually comes.

“I can’t. I’m sorry”, he whispers, squeezing her hand one last time and then his body is gone from hers. “it’s been five minutes, let’s get inside before Hal loses his mind over you missing”, he tells her.

It hasn’t even been a minute.

But Lori gets his urgency. He is just as heartbroken as she is.

“Okay”, She say, turning around and rushing back inside. If she didn’t rush, she would just turn back and throw Jordan over her shoulder instead. It would be a struggle but at least they could run away from here.

She don’t wait for Jordan, knowing fully-well he won’t be following her for a long time.

The dining hall with a dance floor next to the tables is located right next to the ceremony hall. Dozens and dozens of tables were scattered around the ridiculously big hall. They were round of nature, decorated with big bouquets of white and pink roses in golden vases.

Ten people were seated on each table, five from Elijah and five from her guests.

Lori’s parents are currently chatting with Elijah’s and her sister-in-law is chatting with two men, she assumed to be Elijah’s brothers. They have the same stance, so she noticed.

“Mr and Mrs Kim I am so happy to meet you”, Lori say as soon as she had arrived at the parents’ table. She bow her head respectfully, smiling at the both of them just like she had been taught. Elijah’s father stands up, shaking her hand with a firm squeeze. He smiles at Lori, relaxing her all to her surprise. He has a really boxy mouth when he smiles.

“I am glad to meet you too my dear”, he says, still smiling.

His mother gets up next to shake her hand as well. She has an even firmer handshake than her husband.

“You look beautiful today. Our Elijah can be happy to have such a beautiful wife”, she says, never letting go of Lori’s hand.

“Thank you so much Mrs. Kim”, She smile at her before turning to the two men now standing next to her.

“And you have to be Noel and Sangrid, his brothers”, Lori say, accepting the handshake of Kim Sangrid. His hands feel terribly soft in hers.

She knows who Kim Sangrid was, his face was all over the billboards in the city. Sangrid, the oldest son of Kim Enterprises and hottest man of the country.

Apparently, if one could believe the news, he managed to bring in two percent of their country’s wealth in the last trimester, hence why his face was all over billboards.

“I am happy to meet you”, Sangrid has a sweet voice, not too deep and not too high, it makes her comfortable.

Kim Noel, middle child of the three brothers and the fourth biggest shareholder in Kim Enterprises, has a comfortable handshake. Not too tight, but also not too soft. He smiles, showing off deep dimples on his cheeks.

“It is an honour to meet you Miss. I read about the work you did with the schools in Africa, I must say I was thoroughly moved”, he says, voice deeper than that of his brother.

“Oh that”, Lori laugh shyly, “thank you so much.”

Why does his family have to be so sweet?

Lori had hoped they would turn out to be complete monsters, but instead she was met with good-hearted people and a terribly guilty heart. She had wanted to hate them so badly, but now it would be cruel to do so.

“Now if you would excuse me for a moment. My assistant told me the opening dance is due to happen and I have to find my husband”,  Lori excuse herself, bowing at her parents-in-law and her own family before walking off to find Elijah behind the stage.

He is currently sitting on a pillowed chair, sipping on a cocktail - a Piña Colada as much as she could tell – and frowning with dark eyes. He watches Lori walk up to him, never letting go of the straw inside his mouth.

“Hey, I heard the opening dance will begin now”,  Lori tell him, studying his face.

He is slumped over on the chair, his right leg nervously bouncing up and down. He lets go of the straw with a loud smack of his lips before standing up. He wavers for a second before regaining his balance.

“Let’s go and get it over with so I can return to drinking my brains away”, He speaks, his words coming out lulled from the alcohol.

He grabs Lori’s wrist rather forcefully, dragging her out to the dance floor.

.

TBC 

Written by me