9

"Do you have supper plans?" My inquiry is made as I show off the bag that my grandma was kind enough to provide to me. I can tell just by looking at him that he is, in keeping with his usual practice, dressed in a three-piece suit, and that he does not have any professional obligations scheduled for today. A date, perhaps?

While he does this, he is staring in my direction while simultaneously crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair. The magnetism that Colton Williams exudes is one that is tough to turn down. In spite of my best attempts to resist falling in to him, he has this habit of creating the appearance that the ladies with whom he is conversing have his complete attention. This is the case even when I am doing my best efforts to avoid giving in to him. "Dinner? When is the next time I'll be able to make dinner reservations without you being aware of them? It is no secret to you that I do not go out on dates. There is not the slightest bit of value in doing so."

I blink in amazement. Right. During the whole of the period that I've known him, he's never been in a committed relationship with a female companion. Given that the Williams family has a custom of setting up the weddings of their offspring, it is unavoidable that he would eventually wed a lady chosen by his grandmother. This is because the Williams family has always followed this practice. Most likely, some type of affluent heiress who can assist in the further building of their enterprise. As a direct consequence of this, it's not hard for me to comprehend why someone like Colton wouldn't even bother dating anymore. There is no doubt in my opinion that he thinks it a waste of his time and a fruitless investment of his resources.

I place my meal on his desk and begin to unpack it, feeling a tingle of excitement as I break open the butter jar that Ella had specifically prepared for me. When I present a taquito to Colton that has been wrapped in foil, he gives me a face that I can only describe as shocked, and I smile nicely at him. What precisely did he expect I was going to provide him in response to his question? What is that, a whole pound and a half of butter? Because it was prepared by my grandma and I don't really like dining by myself, I chose to buy it. Indulge me?"

In answer to the inquiry, he delivers a confident nod after a little gap in the conversation. I think that doesn't happen very frequently, but all of a sudden, we are in the same location at the same time, and we don't have any specific professional or social commitments to attend to.

I make the most of the chance presented to me by the fact that we are eating in quiet for a time in order to analyze him. His jaw is firm, he has a straight nose, and he has thick black hair; all of these features add to his very appealing look. However, the fact that he has no personality at all is unable to be compensated for by the fact that he is physically handsome. It seems inconceivable to me that he could ever show any kind of devotion for another person. Does he even remember how to grin, or have the muscles in his face entirely rotted away since he never utilizes them? Does he even know how to smile?

I let out a sigh and then quickly avert my eyes. I would guess that he is also very clever, extremely devoted, and loves his family more than anything else in the world. I believe that he values his family above all other things in the world. He has a tendency to be much too blunt for his own good, but other than that, he is neither harsh nor unjust. His personality might be defined as abrasive, and he has a tendency to be far too frank for his own good.

Everything that he did for me turned out to be useful in the long run, and this is despite the fact that he used a great deal of effort to persuade me to quit my job shortly after I had begun working there. This includes the many languages that he had I study, the college night courses that I was forced to attend, and even the master's degree in business administration that he insisted I get. Despite the fact that I disliked him at the time for doing it, I was not harmed in any way by it. Nothing about it was damaging to me. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but one day, he is going to radically change the course of a young woman's life who has had a difficult upbringing and make her very happy.

"Do you recognize this lady in the picture? The lady to whom you want to propose marriage? The question emerges in my lips before I am even aware that I am doing it, and the tone of helplessness that comes along with it catches me off guard. This is the one and only occasion I have ever inquired about Colton's personal life outside of the context of my job, but I simply couldn't stop myself this time and had to know.

After a break, he shakes his head and moves his head from side to side before continuing to do so. "I have no clue, but taking into account the fact that Gabriel's wedding is coming up soon, it's very possible that I'll be the next one."

As I sit back in my chair and respond with a nod, it feels as if my thoughts is going in a different direction. "What are the odds that Lisa will go through with her plan?" I inquire, my voice gentle. A week ago, Gabriel's fiancée called off the wedding, so the younger sister of the bride, who also happens to be one of my best friends, was invited to marry Gabriel in her stead. Gabriel and her sister are expecting their first child in a few months. This entails the fact that Gabriel will wed Lisa in the near future. It is the only option for both families to continue to adhere to the terms of the merger agreement that they negotiated. The newly combined firm was planned to be handed down to any children who may be born as a consequence of this marriage; but, if the Williamses do not get married, there will be no merger. The merger was meant to be passed down to any children that might be born as a result of this marriage.

I am more aware than anyone else of how passionately Lisa feels about Gabriel, but I am also aware of how difficult it would be for her to wed a man who is convinced that he is in love with her sister. Although I am more aware of how passionately Lisa feels about Gabriel, I am also aware of how difficult it would be for her to wed a man who is convinced that he

"Yes," is all that Colton says in response, and his tone remains unaltered. "It is written in the stars that Lisa and Gabriel will be together for the rest of their lives. It is only themselves who are unable of understanding it. No one else can. In the grand scheme of things, everything are going to work out for the best in the long run."

I look at him intently while getting a peculiar feeling of discomfort in the background. He has every reason to believe that his assumption that he will be the next one is right. Once Gabriel has officially tied the knot, their grandmother's attention will turn to Colton as the new center of her attention. What kind of lifestyle would Colton lead if he were to find a woman to settle down with? Who is the lucky lady who he will one day take home to meet his family and call his wife?

I can't help but wonder whether or not he will treat her with the same degree of love and care that he does his sister and his grandma. This is something that has me really intrigued. Even thinking about it gives me a queasy sensation, and I can't quite put my finger on why that is. I just am unable to put my finger on it.

The air is tight as my brothers and I take our seats at the end of the aisle, by Gabriel's side, and as we do so, we see that Gabriel is very nervous. Going through with an arranged marriage is difficult enough without adding the additional strain of not knowing who your future spouse will be until you walk down the aisle. Because I feel awful for Gabriel, I truly hope that the other lady Gabriel was intended to marry turns out to be Lisa, and not the other woman. Hannah was never anyone's favorite, and we never did like her.