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

on Valentina and Luca for a moment.
“Luca,” she says. His spine straightens, and he nods. “Your engagement has been decided.”
Both Valentina and Luca tense, and I watch them curiously. Their relationship has always
intrigued me. She was assigned to him by Grandma, and he’s always hated her for it, yet she’s the
only one he relies on. For years, I was certain love would bloom between them, but it never did.
“Who is it?” he asks, resigned.
“Natalia Ivanov, daughter of Nikolai Ivanov and heiress to an oil empire. Oil is an industry we
have yet to enter, and this will be our in.”
“Natalia Ivanov?” he repeats. “The socialite? She’s a spoiled materialistic airhead.”
Grandma narrows her eyes at him. “She’s your soon-to-be fiancee. She’s a sweet girl, Luca.
You’ll see.”
He grits his teeth and turns around without another word, his steps loud on the marble floor as he
walks away, slamming the door behind him. Valentina stares at his retreating back, hesitating for a
single moment before she goes after him. Grandma watches them and smiles to herself. Something
about that smile doesn’t sit well with me. Is she… is she playing some kind of game? Surely not?
“Well,” she says, sighing. “That went about as well as I could’ve hoped for.”
“Ivanov?” Zane asks. “Really, Grandma? He’s right, you know. That girl is always throwing a
tantrum in public, causing unnecessary drama. She’s in no way fit to become a Windsor.”
Lexington nods. “She’s a terrible fit for Luca,” he agrees. “He doesn’t have the patience for her
kind of behavior.”
“Yeah, Grandma,” Sierra says. “This is… this is not a good idea.”
Grandma merely smiles and holds her hand up. “I took the liberty of having dinner served,” she
tells us. “Let’s speak of this no more. Let’s eat, instead.”
We all exchange looks, none of sure what to do or say. “Aren’t you worried?” I ask Ares. He
smiles at me and shakes his head. “No,” he murmurs. “Grandma truly does know best.”
The way he looks at me makes the butterflies in my stomach go wild, and I can’t help but blush as
I smile back at him.
Yeah, she certainly was right about the two of us. Let’s hope Luca is just as lucky.