Twisted Vows, Hidden Desire

Ethan sat on the edge of his bed, his face buried in his hands. His phone lay next to him, the call with Claire still fresh in his mind. Her final words echoed in his head like a haunting melody:

"No more waiting, Ethan. I've waited enough."

He let out a deep, shuddering breath, his heart aching in a way that felt almost unbearable. Guilt clawed at his chest, and for the first time in a long while, he felt completely lost.

The vibration of his phone startled him. He glanced at the screen and saw Amelia's name flashing across it. His first instinct was to ignore it, but something inside him urged him to pick up.

With a tired sigh, he swiped to answer. "Hello?"

"Ethan," Amelia's voice was steady but firm, cutting straight to the point. "I've been thinking."

He rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze distant. "About what?"

"About this marriage," she replied, her tone as cool as it was practical. "It's clear that neither of us wants this, but I've realized something."

"Yeah?" Ethan leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

"There's no use fighting it anymore," Amelia said bluntly. "Our parents have made up their minds, and I doubt they'll change them no matter how much we resist. So, I think we should just go along with it."

Her words hit him like a jolt. He sat up straighter, his brows furrowing. "Go along with it? You mean… accept it?"

"Exactly," she replied, her tone sharper now. "But on our own terms."

His confusion deepened. "What do you mean by 'our own terms'?"

"Simple," she said with clarity. "We agree to get married, but it won't be a real marriage. No romance. No love. Just an arrangement. We'll play the role of husband and wife for the sake of our parents and society, but once the dust settles, we can both walk away."

Ethan went silent, her words sinking in. It was bold — audacious even — but it wasn't a terrible idea. It was, in fact, the most logical option he'd heard so far.

"You're suggesting that we… divorce?" he asked carefully, as if testing the weight of the word.

"Yes," Amelia replied firmly. "After some time has passed, we file for a divorce. But until then, we'll live as friends — not lovers, not partners, just two people doing what needs to be done to keep our families happy."

He let out a short, bitter laugh. "And you think our parents will just accept that?"

"They won't know," she replied smoothly. "They'll believe it's a normal marriage. We don't owe them an explanation about what happens behind closed doors."

Her calm logic was unsettling, but Ethan couldn't deny it made sense. He ran a hand through his hair, thinking it over. "So, that's your plan? We go along with it, put on a show for everyone, and then quietly end it when it's convenient?"

"Exactly," she confirmed. "No drama. No mess."

Ethan leaned back, gazing up at the ceiling, the weight of everything pressing down on him. It wasn't what he wanted. None of this was what he wanted. But after everything that had happened with Claire, after how broken she'd sounded on that call, maybe it was time to face reality.

He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "Alright, Amelia. I'm in."

"Good," she said, her voice firm with satisfaction. "But let's be clear about one thing, Ethan."

His eyes opened. "What's that?"

"I'm not your enemy," she said softly but firmly. "I'm not here to make your life difficult. If anything, I'm probably the only person on your side right now. So, I expect you to treat me with respect. Not as a rival, but as a… friend."

Her words caught him off guard. He rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment. "Yeah, I can do that," he said quietly. "If we're doing this, then I'll treat you like a friend, Amelia. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Good," she replied, her voice losing some of its sharpness. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

They sat in silence for a moment, neither of them rushing to end the call. It was a strange calm, like the eye of a storm. They both knew what lay ahead would be messy, but for now, this moment of clarity was enough.

"There's one more thing," Amelia said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"What is it?"

"We need to tell our parents," she said firmly. "They need to believe this is our decision, not something they forced us into. If we make it seem like we're doing it willingly, they'll back off."

Ethan scoffed lightly, shaking his head. "You really have this all figured out, huh?"

"I have to," she replied. "I'm not about to let them control every part of my life."

He respected that. Deep down, he knew she was right. "Alright," he agreed. "How do you want to do it?"

"Dinner," she said without hesitation. "At my parents' house. Both families. We'll sit them down, and we'll tell them we've both decided to accept the proposal."

"Won't they get suspicious if it sounds too easy?" Ethan asked, his brow raised.

"Leave that to me," Amelia replied. "I'll handle it."

He let out a tired chuckle. "You're something else, Amelia."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she shot back.

There was a pause again, but this time, it felt lighter. For the first time since this whole ordeal began, Ethan felt like he had someone on his side.

"Alright," he said with a nod, even though she couldn't see him. "Let's do it. Dinner with both families. Let's get this over with."

"Perfect," Amelia said, her tone lighter, almost relieved. "I'll set it up. Tomorrow night at 7 pm, my parents' house."

"Got it," Ethan replied. "I'll be there."

They lingered on the line for a moment, neither one quite ready to end the call. It was odd, this sense of partnership between two people who were being forced into something they didn't want.

"Goodnight, Ethan," she said finally, her voice softer now.

"Goodnight, Amelia," he replied, just as softly.

The call ended, and Ethan sat in the quiet of his room. His gaze dropped to his phone again, but this time, he didn't feel the urge to call anyone. There was nothing left to say.