Billionaire Bonds: Arranged in Love

“Will you be coming back for dinner?” Lily asked as Ethan sat at the table, reading the morning’s newspaper as he ate breakfast in quick bites. 

Ethan, already dressed in one of his tailored suits–it was a blue that matched his eyes, glanced at her briefly. “I have an important business dinner.” He answered flatly, getting up without another word and leaving the room.

Today was their wedding anniversary. And once again he would be spending it elsewhere. A familiar ache welled in her chest. She wondered why she bothered anymore, like she hadn’t been disappointed enough, three years of marriage and he was still as cold as their wedding day. She should be used to this by now. But somehow, every year, it hurt even more.

After breakfast, Lily told the butler to cancel the dinner she had planned since she was going out with friends. The butler–uncle Dan– watched Lily go upstairs in pity, she had been planning the dinner for weeks, and even personally baked a cake to celebrate.

“What about the cake?”  He asked quietly

Lily paused. She debated telling him to toss it in the trash, but decided against it. “Put it in the fridge.”

When she got to her room, she looked at the gift box she had left on the nightstand. Picking it up, she put it in the cupboard with the other undelivered gifts of past years. The ring she designed for their wedding. The vintage watch she spent a long time searching for. The cufflinks she designed for him, she had used Aquamarines–his month’s birthstone. The ties she carefully picked out. Lily had lost count of the number of gifts she had prepared for his birthday, holidays, and their anniversary. He never spent time with her for her to have the chance to give them to him. Now there was a new addition to the collection. She locked the cupboard and got dressed to go to her flower shop– the only place where her efforts paid off.

The flower shop had been an unexpected inheritance. Before her cousin passed away after a long battle with cancer, she had insisted–pleaded even for her to take over the business. With her cousin dying a few days after her wedding, she reopened the flower shop in her stead. Lily hadn’t imagined herself dealing with flowers. But she took the leap of faith and resigned from her position of head designer at her father’s company. As she stepped into this new world of colors and fragrances, learning about different flowers and what they stood for had filled her with a newfound purpose, she also got new inspiration for design. With her brother serving as CEO and her sending her designs on the company, her parents had nothing to worry about while they travelled around the world.

Her phone pinged pulling her from her thoughts. Multiple messages from Chloe, her best friend.

“I heard Stacy is the new brand ambassador for Ethan’s company. What is your husband thinking, flaunting his mistress in public?”

Lily’s heart sank as she opened the attached photos. Ethan stood next to Stacy—Smiling, she tried to remember the last time he had smiled at her, but couldn't. Was it high school? Or even longer before that? Stacy Peters was beautiful and confident, always attracted attention when she walked into a room. She was one of the top actresses of their generation, holding the company’s latest product in her hand as they posed for the press. Today they were a picture-perfect couple.

The last time she had taken a picture with Ethan was on their wedding day. 

Even then, after they had gotten to their new home, he had also left her. To meet Stacy. 

He had spent every one of their anniversaries with her. 

The shop door’s bell jingled, Lily stood up, thinking it was a customer, it was already past closing hour, and all the other staff had left. But it was just Chloe.

“Hey girl. It’s party time.” In a skin-tight black dress that was molded to her curves, stiletto heels, and her red hair almost the same shade as her lips under the lights, surrounded by flowers she looked a little out of place. ”Are you fine?” She asked concern all over her face. She stood in front of Lily taking in her expression.

“I’m okay,” Lily replied, shaking her head.

“This morning–” Chloe started.

“I’m fine–really, it’s not the first time.” Lily interrupted. “What we have is a business marriage, no feelings involved.”

Chloe was the only person who knew the truth about her marriage with Ethan. To everyone else–even her family, they were the perfect couple, childhood sweethearts to high school classmates, their wedding was the most talked about for years. A match made in heaven. Only she knew, in the three years of their marriage, they barely even spoke to each other.

“But you love him.”

Lily paused. Sometimes she hated how well Chloe knew her. She hated how weak she was. Hated how her heart leaped when Ethan so much as glanced her way, even if the glance was distant and cold. Hated how happy she was when he gave her a gift, even though it was always handpicked by his secretary.

“I don’t want to talk about Ethan right now.” She said shutting down her laptop. “Where are we going tonight?”

“A bar that just opened in the square, it’s the hottest spot online, took a bit of effort for me to make a reservation,” Chloe said, her face lighting up, a mischievous glint entering her eyes. “I heard the bartender is hot— and single. Lemme show you a picture.”

Chloe opened the bar’s Instagram page and turned her phone to face her. The picture was captured when the bartender was mid drink mixing. He was handsome, and had a sunny vibe around him. He looked different from Chloe’s usual type. 

“You’re interested in him?” Lily asked, arching her brow. She picked up her bag and stood up. “I’m ready.”

“No. No. No. I’m reserving him for you, since your husband has someone you should too.”

“Em, thank you but no thanks.” 

“Oh come on” Chloe whined, hooking her arm around Lily’s as they walked out of the store. 

“My best friend is the hottest and prettiest, she hasn’t even had her first kiss yet. If this continues you’ll die a virgin.” She fake cried. 

Lily shook her head with a chuckle, wondering where Chloe got all her wild ideas from.

Across the street, Linda, the owner of the bakery, was leaving with her boyfriend, and she had a bouquet of tulips in her hands. She remembered it was also their anniversary, every year– since the bakery opened–without fail they would go out hand in hand on this day. They said hello to her and Chloe when they passed each other. Watching them smile as they walked, she felt a pang of envy– she also wanted what they have, even just a little.