The Alpha’s Arranged Bride

LAVENDER’S POV

It startled me, and her quickness caused me to instinctively move backwards, with my heart pounding in my chest. “Drop the fruit,” she commanded almost immediately as she reached where we stood. “I don’t want you to buy it,” the woman rudely said.

“Why? Did something happen?” I asked, moving closer, but she brought out a dagger, putting it toward me.

My father quickly came to me, pulling me to the side, trying to protect me from the woman who seemed aggressive for reasons I was not too sure of. I came to this market often. Whenever I headed for the hospital, I made sure to come here for a few fruits to give out to patients and staff, so why was she acting like she did not know me and I was some sort of thief?

“What is the problem?” Dad asked her, trying to understand what the aggressiveness was about.

“Do not speak to me,” the lady pointed the dagger at me. “Just leave!” she barked, Dad was about to speak, but I held his arm, stopping him from speaking.

Reluctantly, he said nothing, and we walked away. A few stalls I walked into did the same to me, and I wondered what was going on. “Are you sure they are treating you right, Lavender?” Dad asked, worried in his voice.

I nodded. “Yes, Dad. I don’t know what is going on. I…” I paused. “Let’s go to someone I buy from frequently. Maybe something is happening, and I am not aware of it. I’ll ask her,” I tried to brush off their actions.

There might be something going on, and Caramel forgot about it, or else he would have told me. The lady’s stall was deeper in the market, so we had to walk a few distances. I noticed the stares and glares I got from everyone in the market.

Before, I would never have had an issue with it, but they were glaring at me. They always looked at me with admiration, and most of them wanted to talk to me, so what was the problem? Why the change of attitude? I glanced at my attire, wondering if I had on something disgraceful with my attire.

Was I not acting ladylike? I questioned everything I did on the spot, and I was slowly giving myself a headache doing that. We eventually got to the lady’s stall, and she smiled at me, and then her eyes landed on my parents. She frowned, but unlike the others, she smiled at me.

“Who are they?” she asked, and I smiled. “They are my parents. I…”

“I cannot sell to you. I’m sorry,” and she walked into the stall, ignoring us. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words left my lips. I did not know what was going on. Why were they treating me this way? I took a step forward to leave, but instead, I took out my phone and called for a car to be brought to us.

I would not be able to walk through those angry stares back home. Maybe there was an event going on, and I might have ruined it. A car arrived five minutes later, and even though we still drove through the market, I noticed the stares. The only good thing was that we were fast, which would have not been possible.

My eyes stung as tears threatened to pour, but I tried as much as possible to hold it in. I felt Mum’s hand on mine, and I turned to her, forcing a smile, as I did not want her to worry. I know they both think I was not being treated right, but I was. Something must be going on for them to act this way.

We got back to the mansion, and Dad marched into the house angrily. I knew I had to speak to them or they might think that had been how I had been treated. “Dad,” I called as I walked into the room.

“Is that how they have been treating you? And you have been lying to us. When did you start doing that?” he questioned me.

“No, Dad. I think something was happening, and I was not aware of it. Caramel must have forgotten to tell me. I will speak to him,” I said.

“You are lying to me,” Dad said, and I glanced at Mum, who seemed not to believe me too.

“Mum, Dad, think about it. Why would I take you there if I knew they were going to do this? And did anything seem off to you aside from that? Please, it’s nothing to worry about. It’s not what you think, please,” I said.

They found it hard to believe, and it took me close to an hour trying to convince them before they eventually nodded. I knew they were only looking out for me. I left to my room and plopped on my bed, exhaling. I changed, and even though I wanted to wait for Caramel calmly without overthinking, I could not help but pace up and down in the room.

“What is troubling you?” I heard his voice behind me moments later, and my heart fell to the floor.

I smiled, trying to hide it. “I just missed you,” I said and hugged him.

He hugged me, but then pulled me away the next minute. “You are sure that’s it?” he asked, and I hummed in affirmation.

“I’m sorry for not coming back on time. I had more things to attend to,” he explained, and I helped him take off his jacket.

“Is anything happening today at the market?” I had no idea how best to ask.

He frowned, then shook his head. “None that I am aware of. Is there?” he asked. I smiled and shook my head. He then held my hand, searching my eyes. “Did something happen while you were there?” he asked, and I shook my head.

“Speak,” he said.

“No,” I quickly spoke.

“Are you hiding something from me?” he asked.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“No, everything is fine.” I folded his jacket on my arm, moving to the rack to place it there.

“If something happened, and you are refusing to tell me, I will not take it lightly,” and he left the room.

Oh dear. It’s best if he remains in the dark about this.