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“I want you to get out of my home.” I pointed to the door. “You’ve clearly lost your mind and need space to find it. I don’t care about the arrangement that you have with my brother. I don’t fear you, and I won’t be disrespected.”

The menacing glare he sent my way caused the hairs on my neck to stand, but I was going to stand my ground. I would not be bullied by this man or anyone else.

His stare never wavered toward me as mine didn’t waver toward him. He needed to know I meant every word that I’d said to him. Finally, he relented.

Pulling me into his embrace, he sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, baby. I know you don’t want this situation, and I’m not making it easier for you. I promise you… I’m going to do better.” He let me go and held me at arm’s length. “The women. My attitude. Everything—I’m going to change.”

“I’m going on vacation for two weeks, and you will sponsor it.” I crossed my arms and mugged him. “Wherever I want. I want a new wardrobe for it too.”

“One week…” He frowned and bargained. “Two weeks is too long to go without seeing the woman I’m going to marry.”

“Yet you went over a week, and I’m sure it was spent with a different woman each day.” I raised my brow knowingly. “Ten days. My final answer.”

He groaned and kissed my forehead. “Fine. I’ll wire the money first thing tomorrow.”

“Great.” I patted his arm and frowned when he walked back through my condo and located my supply cabinet. “What are you doing?” I called out to his back. “I still want you to leave.”

Saying nothing, he walked over to the mess he’d made on my floor and began to clean the shattered plate and food. As I watched him clean, I thought about the empty promises he made.

Would he really stop his ways? I didn’t know, but I had ten days away from him to get my mind wrapped around it all.

I didn’t want this man, but it was my duty to my family to see this union through.

A vacation away from all this tension was much needed.

The time away from all of the pressure is just what I need to clear my mind.

Having a ball on his dime is the least he could do.

Money has never been an issue for me, but making his pockets hurt for my troubles may help me feel a little better, even if it’s just for ten days.

“So I assume dinner and a movie would have been out of the question?” Chandler asked with his hand on my lower back as we navigated the room. “It’s not too late to change your mind, Noemi.”

After the disastrous dinner last night at my condo, Chan told me he wanted to make it up to me.

I wanted to tell him to fuck off because being near him was the last place I wanted to be, but I needed to attempt to make this situation a little more bearable for all of us.

I may never have the life I want, but this is the one that’s been laid out for me.

At the end of the day, I was doing this to stop a potential war for my family.

I would do anything to help them, even if it meant sacrificing my happiness.

“You act as if this is terrible.” I held his hand and led him over to our table for the evening.

Tonight, I decided we would try something different and attend a paint and sip event.

“If we’re going to enter a marriage, wouldn’t you say it’s only fair that we do things I like to do?

” I glanced back at him and found him frowning.

For some reason, that irritated me. Dropping his hand, I exhaled heavily and stepped around him. “You’re right. We can leave.”

Here I was trying my best to be less combatant, and it was still a problem.

Though I didn’t see a happily ever after with this man, I was still trying to put forth the effort to do what was asked of me.

However, he wasn’t making it easy for me at all to be near him.

It would be so much easier to just tell Rosier I didn’t want to marry him and go on about my life, but I didn’t want the potential fallout to be on my hands.

It was his turn to sigh as he grabbed my wrist. “Noemi, sit down. I apologize for not being more enthused.” Gesturing around us, he frowned. “This isn’t an environment I’m used to. I mean… come on, baby, they have us sitting on the floor. We could have done this shit at home.”

“It’s all about the aesthetic and experience.

” I tried my hardest not to roll my eyes.

The slow sounds of R&B were being played in the background, and a few more people were filing inside the space.

People around us were starting, and I didn’t want the attention tonight.

“I thought it would be something fun for us to do instead of sitting around, arguing and hating each other.”

Staring at me intently, the frown on his face began to fade before he pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead. “You’re right, Mi. My bad. Let’s do this.”

Giving him my first genuine smile, I grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the floor pallet.

I knew Chandler wasn’t into rap music much, so I opted to come when slower R&B music was scheduled to play.

With an eight-year age difference between us, our tastes were very different, but I figured this was something we could both enjoy.

“Thank you for giving this a chance, Chan.” I shoulder-bumped him as we began to paint.

The canvas was already outlined for us, and all we had to do was paint based on the colors matching the numbers.

“I was hoping that we could chill tonight and get to know each other a little bit better. If we’re going to be married, the least we can do is attempt to like each other. ”

Chandler and I may never love each other, but we could at least be cordial and respectful. I prayed about the situation, and as much as I wanted to be a brat, it was time for me to grow up and be the woman my family knew and needed me to be.

“Who said I don’t like you?” he asked as he sipped his wine. “What kind of cheap—” My scowl stopped his criticism, and he changed his tone, not wanting to upset me. “I mean, damn… this is good.”

“Liar!” We shared a laugh as the host walked around and asked everyone if we were okay.

Telling her we were, I continued, “To answer your question, I know you don’t like me, Chan.

If you did, you wouldn’t disregard me and talk to me the way you do.

I know this isn’t a marriage that neither of us wants, but we can both do our part to make it tolerable. ”

Sipping my wine, I swayed to the sounds of Summer Walker.

As I listened to her sing about girls needing love, I couldn’t agree more.

All I wanted was to be loved and cherished, but I knew I was not going to get that from Chandler.

I would settle for us being friends, but he would have to show me more than what he had lately.

“I know I haven’t been the easiest man, and for that, I’m sorry.” He gripped my chin and turned my face to meet his. “Let’s start over, and I promise you… I will be a better man, Mi. Just give me a chance.”

Tracing my bottom lip with his thumb, we stared at each other momentarily before he leaned in and placed a kiss on my lips.

It was our first natural kiss, and I often wondered how it would be.

Sadly, I felt nothing. Pulling back from me, I stared into his eyes and hoped to see some truth in his words.

I wanted to see any inclination that this was what he wanted.

Yet, I didn’t see hope or admiration. I saw lies and deceit.

Something told me at that moment that no matter what he said, it would never be anything more between us than business.

“Finally!” He smirked, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. “You’re just as sweet as I thought you were.”

Blushing slightly, I went back to painting.

The picture of the beautiful bouquet was coming to life before me.

As I continued to sip my wine, I noticed Chandler and the lady next to us share peeks at each other.

Her snickering began to annoy me, and I wanted nothing more than to put my hands on both of them.

Once she reached over and placed her hand on his knee, I’d had enough.

Taking my dirty paint water, I splashed it on both of them.

“Ahh!” she shrieked, hopping up from the floor, causing the room to go silent. Chandler, shocked, said nothing as he looked from me to his drenched face.

“Are you fucking crazy?” he finally spoke through a clenched jaw.

“I am.” I nodded as I peered up at her and sipped my wine. “For you to sit here and flirt with him when you see me here is nuts. Paint stains will come out of that ugly-ass sweater a lot easier than blood will. Be careful, hoe.”

Winking at her, I down the rest of my wine and stood from the pallet. By now, the music had been lowered, and we had the attention of everyone in attendance.

A now fuming Chandler glared up at me, and I could see the murder in his eyes. “Noemi, have you lost your fuckin’ mind?” He sneered as he stood to his full height. Water dripped from his face, and his Versace shirt was ruined. “How dare you embarrass me?”

“So you flirting with Aunt Ella is cool… since it was embarrassing me, it was okay?” I chuckled humorlessly as I gathered my things.

“You know what, Chandler? I’m about sick of you and this entire engagement.

You’re a fuckin’ joke and a sad excuse for a man.

Let one of your other hoes take you home. Bye, nigga!”

Placing my purse on my shoulder, I fought the tears as I held my head high.

I could hear him calling my name behind me, but I refused to give him another minute of my time.

I was beyond humiliated, and I needed to get away from him.

This vacation couldn’t come fast enough.

I needed time away from my reality before I did something bizarre.

I was hoping for clarity and praying for my sanity.

I needed the time to check my emotions because I was at the point where I’d rather be stripped of everything I had than spend the rest of my life with Chandler Gourneau.