Title: The Rain and the Sun
Genre: Romance
Chapters: 30
Main Characters:
Emily Carter – 21, poised, elegant, intelligent, secretly longing for freedom
Ryan Bennett – 24, cold, strategic, successful, with hidden
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Chapter 1: The Initial Encounter
Emily woke up to the sound of frantic footsteps approaching her door, followed by her sister's urgent knocking. She rubbed her eyes, groggy from a restless night, and swung her legs off the bed. The room was still dim, the early morning light barely creeping through the curtains.
"Em, wake up! You need to hear this," her sister, Sarah, burst into the room without waiting for a response. "Father's having a meeting, and you're the topic."
Emily's brow furrowed as she slowly stood up, trying to make sense of her sister's words. "What do you mean? What meeting?"
Sarah looked around the room as if confirming they were alone before leaning in. "It's about the alliance. Father is... arranging your marriage."
Emily's heart stopped. She froze, unsure if the words were sinking in or if they were just some twisted dream. "What do you mean, arranging my marriage? Who would agree to that?"
Sarah's eyes darted away, clearly uncomfortable. "Ryan. Ryan Matthews. His family's been pressuring Father to secure the deal, and... well, you're the key."
The name hit her like a slap. Ryan Matthews—the arrogant, self-important son of one of their rival families. She'd heard of him, of course. The family rivalry had been brewing for years. No one in her world would ever dare suggest such a thing, but here it was.
Her mind raced. "This is ridiculous. You're telling me I have no say in this? That Father is giving me to that—him?"
"Apparently." Sarah winced. "I didn't want to be the one to tell you, but he's serious, Em. They've already started the negotiations."
Emily couldn't breathe. Her hands clenched into fists. How could her father do this to her? Her future had been carved out by someone else's hands, without her consent. The thought of being tied to someone like Ryan Matthews made her stomach turn. She hated the thought of it more than anything.
"Well, I'm not going to let this happen," she said, her voice firmer than she felt. "I won't marry him."
Before Sarah could respond, Emily stormed out of her room and down the long corridor toward the study. Her father's voice was unmistakable through the door—firm, commanding. She could hear the deep tones of his voice as he spoke to someone.
She threw open the door without knocking. Her father looked up, startled.
"Emily, this isn't the time—"
"No, Father. It is the time," she cut him off, glaring. "You can't possibly expect me to marry Ryan Matthews! This is insane!"
Her father sighed heavily and sat back in his chair. "It's not just about you, Emily. This is about our family's future. You may not understand, but this is a necessary step."
"Necessary?" Emily spat, her face flushed with anger. "I don't care about business deals or family alliances! You can't just decide my life for me."
The man she had looked up to for years now seemed like a stranger. His cold, calculating gaze met hers, and for a moment, Emily saw something she hadn't before—indifference.
"You have no choice in the matter. Your marriage to Ryan is the price for our family's survival. It's already been decided."
Her world seemed to crumble in that instant. She could feel her chest tighten with fury and helplessness. "I won't do it, Father. I won't marry him."
"You will," he said, his voice steely. "You'll do what is expected of you, or you'll face the consequences."
Emily opened her mouth to argue, but the words stuck in her throat. What could she say? The deal had been made, and there was no way out. She turned away from him, her mind racing. As she walked out of the study, she felt like a puppet with her strings being pulled by people who didn't care what she wanted.
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The next day, Emily stood in front of a mirror, staring at her reflection. Her dark hair fell in waves around her shoulders, but her face was pale, as if the news had drained all the color from her skin. She could hear her father's words echoing in her mind: "You'll do what is expected of you."
She gritted her teeth. The last thing she wanted was to be in the same room as Ryan Matthews, let alone marry him. But as the doorbell rang and the sounds of guests filtered through the house, she knew what was coming. She braced herself for what felt like an inevitable collision.
Ryan Matthews, the arrogant heir of the Matthews empire, stood in her family's foyer, the last person she wanted to meet today. His sharp jawline and cool, calculating eyes made her blood boil. The way he carried himself—like the world owed him everything—only made her more furious.
She stepped into the room, her heels clicking on the marble floor, and the moment their eyes locked, she felt a spark of something—disdain? Anger? Was it attraction? She quickly shoved that thought aside. There was no way she would let herself be pulled into his world. No matter how irritatingly handsome he was.
"Emily," Ryan said, his tone dismissive, but with a hint of a smirk. "I hear we're going to be seeing a lot of each other."
She didn't respond immediately. Instead, she studied him, her gaze cold. "I'm not interested in your family's alliances, Matthews. You can tell your father that if he thinks this is going to happen, he's mistaken."
Ryan raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her defiance. "We'll see about that."
---hope you guys like it 😊