The-Wrong-Bride-Ares--Raven’s-story-(Maura,-Catharina)_bibis

I giggle. I can’t help it. Being around Grandma always makes me feel so… free. I wish I felt this
way around my own family.
“Come on,” Grandma tells us. She has us sit down, and then she hands each of us a box. “I
suppose it’s too early to give you yours, Sierra, but I know what you’re like, and I didn’t want you to
harass Raven about hers, so you get yours early. Open it.”
We both open our boxes and gasp simultaneously. Each box contains a priceless Windsor
heirloom jewelry set. They’re iconic pieces that are often lent to museums, and I never thought I’d
own one myself.
“You, my sweet Raven, will inherit all of the Windsor jewelry. You’ll become this family’s next
matriarch, and there’s no one else I’d rather have at the head of this family.” She turns to Sierra then.
“And you will, no doubt, become the matriarch of the family you’ll marry into.”
Sierra grins. “Want to give me a clue about who you chose for me?”
Just like the rest of her siblings, Sierra has always known she’d marry someone Grandma chose
for her. Unlike her brothers, though, Sierra is not all that opposed to it. Courtesy of her romance
novels, I suppose.
“You’re not ready,” Grandma says. “And I don’t think I am either. Do you want to leave Grandma
so soon?”
She shakes her head and moves over to sit next to Grandma, her arm looping through her
grandmother’s. I watch with a full heart as Grandma presses a kiss on top of Sierra’s head. This is
what I’ve always wanted — to be part of this family, truly.
“Tell me, Raven. How has marriage been treating you so far?”
“Oh,” Sierra says. “I’d say it’s treating her real well.”
I throw her a wide-eyed warning look, but the way Grandma smiles tells me she definitely
understood Sierra’s insinuation. “It’s been good. Thank you for asking, Grandma.”
She nods. “You two got one month of no interruptions or family obligations, but your time is up
now. You must make a formal announcement, which will result in increased media attention for you.
Considering your job, I think you’re uniquely equipped to handle that. With it, will also come formal
engagements. There will be many events you must attend as a Windsor, even if it’s just to make a
quick appearance. I know how hard you work, Raven, but your schedule is about to become even
busier. I will not even allow you to miss our weekly family dinners going forward, much less anything
else. The family’s reputation is important, and many of our businesses have thrived because of our
network. We must maintain that.”
“I know, Grandma,” I reassure her. “I’ll be fine, I promise. I’ve attended so many charity events
with you that I’m not at all concerned about it.”
Grandma nods. “Nor am I. Ares and you make a great couple.”
Grandma hesitates for a moment, as though there’s something she wants to ask, but then she seems
to think better of it and shakes her head. “Wear that to the next formal event you attend,” she says, a
smile on her face. “It’ll send a strong message to anyone that knows us.”
I stare at the diamond necklace, my stomach fluttering. So far, Ares and I have existed in our own
little bubble. What will it be like to walk on his arm, to be widely known as his wife?
I bite down on my lip nervously. The first event we’re scheduled to attend together is a movie
premiere… in which Hannah was the lead star. I’m not looking forward to it, but I think I’m ready.