Chapter 3: A distant music
The woman was stunned. Earlier, he seemed all gentle and kind outside but now with that indifferent tone, it felt like he took off his mask behind the closed doors, ''That's me.''
''What's your name?" He looked into her blue eyes which were gauging him.
She averted her gaze, ''Elvina.''
''I won't say it's a nice name because we have nothing to do with each other…''
She interrupted him, ''I didn't ask you for a compliment either.''
His eyelids twitched, ''Just in case you are expecting one.''
''I'm not.''
This woman was something. Shouldn't she thank him for saving her 'damsel-in-distress' self earlier?
He cleared his throat, ''The manager will tell you about your work and he will show you the servant quarters,'' he watched as her face lit up when she heard his words.
''I… really got a job here?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.
''What do you think?" he raised an eyebrow.
Elvina quickly bowed, her long hair falling in front of her head like a curtain because of her fast movement, ''I am really grateful for your help. I will go meet the manager now,'' she rushed to the door.
Archer was speechless. He could literally see her bunny ears bouncing as she dashed towards the door. What's up with this woman? ''Hey, don't go around messing around with people…'' Before he could finish his warning, she had already opened the door and bumped into someone.
Archer inwardly winced when he saw who that person was.
''You…'' The woman adjusted her glasses and combed her hair with her fingers, ''What the heck!''
Archer could not see Elvina's face, but he could sense her fear. The 'Claire Delaney' incident seems to have left a trauma in her heart.
''Emmy, calm down,'' As his fiancée stepped inside the room, he glanced at Elvina's back, ''Get started with your work.''
Elvina left the room without turning back.
He noticed how her shoulders slumped in relief and Archer quirked a brow. He did not know what special occasion it was today that he was getting to see these women with drastically colorful personalities.
For one, Claire Delaney… She had something about her… that he could not quite put his fingers on. And then this fidgety rabbit who just hopped out of his room. And now, his volcanic fiancée who was one step away from erupting.
He pursed his lips.
Three.
Two.
One.
''Archer Cardale, what do you take me for?!"
''What did I do, Emily?" Archer sighed.
"I don't like it. Your whole attitude towards this marriage. Our families are happy with it, I am happy with it but you are still… not over with that old attitude. You still go around…. getting women in your bedroom,'' Emily cried, ''Although you already told me that our relationship is not based on love, I don't accept this…''
''Emily, no matter why we are getting married, you should know that I'd never cheat on you or do anything that makes you feel humiliated,'' Archer interrupted her.
''Even that Claire Delaney, I met her outside and you two have something going on…''
''I met her for the first time today and she was invited by Dad because he is a fan of her artworks," Archer calmly said.
''I don't know. It's a woman's sixth sense,'' Claire acted like she was interested in Archer, ''I am so disappointed…''
''We can't have love or all that fairytale stuff but trust and respect are important in any relationship. You can't go around acting as if I cheated on you or such nonsense,'' Archer grabbed a glass of wine before taking a seat on the couch, "Emmy, nobody is forcing this marriage on you. There is still time if you want to back out. We can call this off,'' he took a sip of the wine.
''You… is it that easy for you to say that…?" Emily turned around and ran out of the room.
Archer glanced at her retreating back but he did not make any move to follow her.
He had made sure to discuss this with her countless times in the past when she agreed to this marriage.
…
As soon as Elvina left the room, she quickly met the manager who explained to her about her work.
She did not realize this when she ended up walking into the empty hallway while looking for the storeroom.
While she was looking around the resort, she heard some noises behind her.
''Are you lost?"
The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she turned around to look at the man who was towering over her. He looked to be somewhere in his early 40s, and he appeared familiar but she did not think she had seen him before.
''I am sorry, sir,'' she quickly bowed and turned around to leave but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer.
''Ah…'' Elvina gasped. Up so close, it suddenly dawned on her.
She spotted the resemblances between him and Archer's fiancée whom she saw upstairs. Same eyes and same hair…
As she struggled, his grip tightened on her.
''I find you beautiful. You know you won't have to do this lowly job if you are my woman,'' The man whispered beside her ear, ignoring her struggles, ''I am Andrew Hale. Anything you want, I can give it to you.''
Elvina opened her mouth to shout, but the man pressed his palm on her mouth.
At this moment, there were sounds of approaching footsteps.
Andrew frowned and turned around to check who it was.
Elvina took advantage of the opportunity and stomped on his foot.
''Ugh…'' As his grip loosened on her wrist, she ran in the opposite direction without looking back.
…
In contrast to the chaotic day, the night was pretty much peaceful.
''I didn't expect Elvina to be someone Aunt knows,'' Emir said, taking a seat beside his cousin.
Archer nodded, ''Yes, her Aunt used to take care of me when I was young.''
''Brother, are you sure about this marriage?"
Archer paused.
Emir did not know how to phrase it, ''You don't look quite excited about the whole thing."
Archer swirled the red liquid in the glass, his dark eyes focused on the movement of the wine.
Archer was 27, 2 years older than Emir.
Archer was fond of swimming but Emir dreaded water. The former loved to play basketball, and had a fondness for animals but the latter preferred books and did not prefer pets.
Archer had a reputation of being a saint. The prim and proper, hot yet 'untainted' god. But barely a few people knew that the man had quite some colorful past before he settled on this marriage decision. Emir, however, came off as a playboy but despite being 25, he was still literally 'untainted'.
While Archer seemed understanding and Emir seemed stubborn, in reality, it was the vice-versa. The former had barely anything to do with the term 'love' but the latter was waiting for the right one. Both of them had a glaring contrast in their personalities but for some reason, they were close to each other like biological brothers.
The bond that Archer shared with Emir did not exist with his own biological sister.
Emir knew that only he would be able to squeeze in some information from this hard-headed man. Having seen his parents struggling in their loveless marriage since forever, he did not want Archer to end up in such a situation that he might regret later.
''Marriage...'' Archer glanced out of the window, looking at the moon which was half-hidden behind the clouds, ''...is not what I want,'' he took a sip of the wine.
''I know Uncle and Aunt want you to get married but they won't force you. You can marry someone you like, you know,'' Emir sighed and stroked the diamond ear stud on his ear.
''I don't like anyone.''
''What about all those flings of yours?"
''None,'' Sleeping with them and liking them were two different things. Archer rolled his eyes when he felt his brother's glare at him, ''I have no special hobbies such as dying as a 100-year-old virgin. Tsk.''
''I don't have any hobbies such as sleeping with women I don't like.''
''Your hormones have dried up. You need a doctor.''
''You…'' Emir sighed exasperatedly. This man was infuriating him on purpose.
After a few minutes of silence, Archer spoke up, ''Marriage is like…'' he glanced at the glass of wine in his hand, ''…like wine. You can't judge it properly until you taste it twice.''
''So, you intend to divorce Emily later and try another marriage to get the essence of the concept?" Emir tried to joke to lighten the atmosphere but it did not help.
''If I don't marry her, they will bring another woman. It'd be troublesome,'' Archer sipped some wine, his thumb stroking the glass, ''Emily wears her heart on her sleeves and has no ulterior motives. She is childish but there is no malice in her heart. Kind-hearted. We grew up together. Works just fine for us.''
Emir sipped his wine quietly.
''And it's much better to settle with her than ending up with some wild wine,'' Archer finished.
''You still don't love her,'' Emir pointed.
''Love is a game of chemicals.''
''But bro, do you think… chemicals can be messed up at first sight?" Emir sighed dreamily, ''Like when you look into her eyes, you find yourself drowning and when she is hurt, your heart aches? Being in love… does it feel like that?" a pair of blue eyes flashed in his mind.
Archer inched away from him, ''Either you are drunk or you are possessed,'' he frowned.
This fairy tale princess brother of his never grew up.
…
The curtains swayed by a soft breeze, and the crashing sounds of the sea waves on the shore sounded peaceful.
As the moon gradually hid behind the clouds, the room turned dark in its absence.
Distant music drifted in the air.
Archer's eyes snapped open. He sat up on the bed and looked around.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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