In Just One Year

It was the middle of January, and all of Elora was covered in thick, white snow. A few middle-aged people with their children could be seen roaming the streets while enjoying the soft snowfall.

Celeste, who was standing by the window, sighed as she gazed at the scene in front of her. She wanted to go out and enjoy the snowfall, but her grandma wouldn't let her because they were expecting some important guests.

"I don't think they’re coming today, Grandma. It's already so late. Don't you think?" she asked, turning towards the old woman, who was leisurely sitting on the sofa with a patient look on her face. She put the book she was reading aside and took off her thin glasses. She wiped them with the corner of the thick brown sweater she was wearing before putting them back on again.

"Don't worry. They will come," Brielle, Celeste's grandma, replied as she got up from the sofa. She sighed, looking at her impatient granddaughter. She'd always been this way, even though she had grown up and turned into a wonderful lady.

"But I still don't understand why they would choose me to be their son's bride. Do they know me somehow?" Celeste asked in a soft voice, looking towards her grandmother. She was still in shock at the fact that soon she was going to get married to some stranger. It was truly distressing her fragile heart.

Eleven days ago, a man dressed in an elegant suit and a woman in a sophisticated dress came to their house and talked to her grandma about something. They asked her a few questions, like how old she was, where and what she studied, her future plans, etc, etc. It kinda creeped her out, but she managed to stay calm and answer all of their questions. That year, she was going to turn 24. She had recently graduated with a degree in economics and was looking for a job while taking care of her grandma. Her parents died when she was just a child, leaving her in the care of her grandparents. They were her mother's parents. She didn't know anything about her father's family as he was an orphan. Her parents met each other in high school, fell in love, and got married. She didn't have any memories of her parents. She was just four years old back then. Her grandfather died of heart disease a few years back, and since then, it had been only her and her grandma.

"Andrew loves his mother a lot, so he will definitely fulfil her last wish. Your father once saved Rosemary's life in an accident, so she wanted to repay him by taking care of his daughter. That's why she asked her grandson to marry you, so he could take care of you for the rest of your life. I do not have many days left to take care of you. So when I'm gone, I want someone I trust to take care of my darling," Brielle told her granddaughter in an emotional voice, making Celeste a bit upset. It was true though.

"Oh, Grandma! Don't say things like that. You're so strong and healthy that you'll live at least 30 more years," Celeste said while hugging her grandma tightly. Brielle chuckled at her antics. All of sudden, they heard a car honk outside. They immediately knew it was the Rodriguezes.

~*~

"This is your room, dear. You will live here until the wedding. You can rest now. We will meet again at the dinner table," Mrs. Rodriguez said while showing Celeste to a big room; it was twice as big as her previous one.

She nodded softly, and Clarissa smiled before exiting the room. Celeste examined the room closely. It was luxurious, with a huge bed, a huge closet, an attached bathroom, a big-screen TV, and some other fancy furniture. It turned out that Rodriguezes were really rich. She sighed before pulling her luggage aside and sitting on the bed. The whole room was painted in white and purple, giving it a warm colorful vibe.

Celeste freed her hair from her ponytail and laid down on the bed, letting her legs hang off the edge.

In just the span of a few hours, her whole life had changed dramatically. She had been brought to Toronto, away from her beloved Elora, to marry some unknown man. Though Elora was only a two-hour drive from Toronto, she still felt it was too far. She didn't want to leave her grandmother alone. But it was her grandma who wanted her to marry so she could live out the rest of her life in comfort and safety. She had been raised to be an obedient girl, so she couldn't just argue with her grandma and say no. In the end, she agreed meekly. She'd never left Elora before. This was the first time she had traveled beyond the borders of that small town of hers.

Earlier that day, when Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez arrived to pick her up, she didn't know what she was getting into. It wasn't until her grandma told her to pack her luggage that she learned she was to be married to Liam Rodriguez in seven days.

She was a bit shocked. She knew she was going to get married, but she didn't expect it to be so soon. Both Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez were good people, so they comforted her as if they were her own parents. She felt a bit relieved that they weren't snobby like other rich people. They were polite and warm. They didn't make her feel unwanted or low. She was sure they would treat her well.

But she didn't know anything about her future husband. It scared her a bit. She had no way of knowing if he was happy with this marriage or not. What if he didn't like her?

Sighing, she pushed her thoughts aside and stood to freshen up. It was already getting dark outside. She quickly picked out some clothes and went to get changed in the attached bathroom.

"Are you feeling nervous, dear?" Clarissa asked Celeste with a sympathetic smile. She could understand her uneasiness. She, too, had had an arranged marriage, but they fell in love after being engaged for almost a year. She knew Celeste wasn't used to that type of environment. Everything was new for her.

"A bit," Celeste replied with a soft smile on her face. She was wearing a light green dress with a cardigan; she had left her hair down. Clarissa shook her head at her with a soft smile of her own.

"That's normal. You'll get used to it. I felt the same way when I was getting married to Andrew. Everything was so new to me," Clarissa said with a smile while they walked through the hallway towards the dining room. Clarissa had personally come to retrieve Celeste so that she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable or unwanted.

"Really?" Celeste asked, a bit shocked. She didn't expect Clarissa to be in an arranged marriage with Andrew. She had noticed how much they loved each other; it showed in their actions. Clarissa nodded.

"Yes. Don't worry, Liam will take good care of you. Though my son is a workaholic and gets angry easily, he isn't overbearing," Clarissa said with a soft chuckle as they reached the dining room where everyone was seated.

Celeste again nodded nervously. She wasn't sure how to respond to this. Though she wanted to meet and know more about her future husband, she didn't say it aloud, fearing what others might think of her.

"Come on, dear, take a seat," Clarissa said to Celeste in a warm, welcoming voice when she noticed that Celeste was still standing at the entrance.

"Come, Celeste. Sit beside me," Andrew said in a warm voice to the poor frightened girl. Celeste nodded with a smile and went to sit on his left side. Clarissa sat to his right. Clarissa noticed there was also another couple sitting opposite her, and they were stealing glances at her.

"Rafael, Amy, this is Celeste, Liam's fiancé. Celeste, this is my son, Rafael, and his wife, Amy," Andrew introduced them.

"Hello," Celeste mumbled softly with a shy smile.

"Hi. It's nice to meet you, finally," Rafael said with a grin while Amy just gave her a polite nod.

"Same here," Celeste replied with a smile. She could tell Rafael took after his mother, with the same green eyes, blond hair, and fair complexion. He was a good-looking young man in his mid-twenties, and his wife, Amy, had black eyes, black hair, and fair skin. She looked to be of Asian descent.

"Where is Liam? Why isn't he here yet?" Andrew asked, noticing Liam's absence, which had also caught Celeste's attention.

"He's coming. He just returned a few minutes ago; maybe he's freshening up," Clarissa replied while serving her husband some food. Two maids were also helping serve everyone else.

"Celeste, dear, please don't hesitate to eat whatever you like," Clarissa said, turning towards Celeste when she noticed her hesitation.

Celeste nodded and piled some food onto her plate.

"Sorry I'm late," A deep husky voice rang throughout the whole room, making Celeste freeze in her seat. His presence was so intimidating and powerful.

"Oh, Liam! Come here, honey, have a seat," Clarissa said warmly. Liam nodded and moved forward to take a seat beside an unfamiliar girl, whose identity he had already guessed. She was staring at her plate quietly, making him a bit curious about how she looked.

"Liam, this is Celeste, your future wife, and Celeste, this is my first-born son, Liam," Clarissa introduced them. The words 'future wife' sounded ridiculous to Celeste's ears.

"Hello," Liam's deep voice shook her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him so as not to be rude and froze.

Oh. My. God!

So handsome!

He had deep smoky grey eyes with long lashes, a sharp nose, high cheekbones peppered with stubble, plump lips, and black hair. He was the definition of a runway model. When Celeste realised she was staring without replying, she averted her gaze.

"Uhm, hi," she mumbled softly while looking down at her plate. She could still feel his eyes on her, but she didn't dare look up. She could feel her heart jumping irregularly. She was afraid that everyone else in the room could hear it.

"Liam, set aside some time tomorrow to show Celeste around the city and get to know each other," Andrew proposed cleverly. He knew his son wouldn't disobey him.

"Okay, I will inform you when I'm free," Liam replied nonchalantly as he picked up some food to eat. He didn't reject the idea instantly, which eased some of Celeste's anxiety. At least he was polite, which was a good sign.

"So, Celeste, tell us about yourself," Rafael prompted, trying to start a conversation. She could feel Liam looking at her, waiting for her reply.

"I just recently graduated from college with a degree in economics. I applied to a few companies and am waiting for their answer. Before that, I used to work in my grandma's gift shop in Elora," she replied softly with a smile. She was glad her voice didn't shake.

"That's nice. I've been to Elora a few times. It's a wonderful place," Rafael said with a smile. He already liked the beautiful soft-spoken girl. She would indeed be a marvelous match for his brother.

"It is. With its amazing culture and heritage, limestone architecture, and mountains, it always attracts a lot of tourists," Celeste replied happily. She always felt happy talking about her beloved hometown. It was so beautiful.

"Then we should all plan a day trip to visit it together as a family. What do you say?" Andrew declared with a smile. Everyone nodded happily.

"I'm finished, so I will be heading out. I still have some work to do. Good night," Liam said as he stood up. Everyone nodded at him. Celeste could feel his eyes on her for a few seconds before he eventually left.

She sighed in relief.