Chapter 10 Karina
Karina
The moment I push through the glass doors of the upscale restaurant, a fluttering sensation takes up residence in my stomach.
It’s like a swarm of butterflies are having a rave in there.
The restaurant’s decor is gorgeous; the kind of fancy place I only ever see on TV or in my dreams. Ornate light fixtures, plush velvet booths, and what appear to be linen napkins.
I realize I’m way underdressed in my simple black dress, and the feeling in my stomach doubles in intensity, turning into a full-on circus act.
I approach the hostess stand hesitantly, smoothing my hands over the fabric as I try to manage both my appearance and my nerves at once.
I look around, taking stock of the crowd.
Couples leaning in close over candlelit tables.
Servers gliding past with trays of delicate plates.
There’s a hum of muted conversation underscored by gentle jazz music, and the aroma of fresh bread and delicate tomato sauce overwhelms me.
I feel like an outsider, like everyone here can tell I don’t belong.
I give the hostess Minji’s name, feeling my voice quiver just a bit, and she smiles knowingly.
She gestures toward a table near the back, where a man sits alone, his face obscured by the menu he’s reading.
“Your date is already here, ma’am,” she says politely.
I take a deep breath and walk toward the man who will be my husband for the next three years. As I draw closer, the man lowers his menu, and my steps falter.
“Vulcan?” I question in disbelief.
I don’t—I… He can’t be. But there he sits, ruggedly handsome, the very picture of strength and poise.
His salt-and-pepper hair and smoldering brown eyes are unmistakable even from this distance.
He looks like he’s casually stepped out of one of those cologne commercials where the guy is somehow both a mountain climber and a CEO.
My shock quickly turns to anger. This is definitely a prank, I’m sure of it now. I spin on my heel to storm out, but Vulcan is already on his feet, his large hand gently grasping my arm.
“Wait, please hear me out,” he pleads. “Give me five minutes, Karina. Please.”
“Why should I?” I try to snatch my arm from his grasp, but he holds tight. Conscious of our surroundings, I don’t resist any further, desperate to escape this scene with some dignity.
“Because I’m a fucking idiot.”
“Not the word I would use, but I’ll hear you out.” I allow him to guide me into the chair across from his.
The candlelight flickers between us, casting warm shadows over the table and illuminating the sparkling silver cutlery.
I take a deep breath and muster the courage to ask the question that’s burning inside me.
“So, you text me that you don’t have time because of work, and all along you’re out scouting women to marry in a pinch?
” I scoff. “If you didn’t want to see me, that’s all you had to say. ”
Vulcan sighs, his shoulders folding in as he meets my gaze. “I’m sorry I lied,” he begins. “I never thought I’d find myself in this kind of situation. But when Minji presented the proposal, it seemed like the best way to, well—Jesus. Where do I even start?”
“How about with the truth.”
Vulcan takes a sip of his drink before continuing.
“It appears my father left me a significant inheritance. But it came with stipulations, one of which being that I get married. Apparently he thought it would help me find stability and settle down. I honestly don’t know, because he died five years ago and I only just learned of it. ”
“But why me? You clearly wanted to ghost me. You lied to me. And, fine. It wasn’t not a big deal, seeing as you didn’t owe me anything, but you could have told me you didn’t want to see me. I’m a big girl.”
Vulcan sighs and runs a hand through his hair.
“If I didn’t want to see you, you wouldn’t be sitting across from me.
And to your point: yes. I agree. It was a dickhead move on my part.
” He scrubs a hand down his face, lowering his voice.
“I am attracted to you. Very fucking attracted to you. But I found all this out on the night of the gala, and I thought it was best just to cut ties. I didn’t want to string you along knowing what I had to do.
” He pauses, holding my gaze. “But then I saw your name as one of the candidates Minji vetted. I saw this as a second chance, so to speak. I mean, what are the chances?” He pauses, stroking his beard.
“I should have been upfront with you. It was wrong to freeze you out with a text.”
“Yeah, that would have been nice.” I sigh. “But I still think you’re lying to me. Minji reached out to me months ago about this. Yet, you’re saying you just found out.”
The math ain’t mathing.
“I’m not lying about that. I’ve not been checking my emails from her office, so she came looking for me, and now I’m glad she did.
She’s been doing work in the background since before I even knew.
” He leans toward me, resting his forearms on the table.
His shirt sleeves are rolled up, revealing his toned, muscular arms and tattoos on his right arm.
I can’t help but stare, my mouth going dry.
I force myself to look back up at his face, trying to focus on the conversation at hand.
“First of all, I didn’t know it was a marriage. I thought it was a date, and then, I don’t know, curiosity, maybe?”
“Bullshit.” He raises an eyebrow.
“Fine. The financial incentive was a draw.” I know what he’s about to ask, and I’d rather beat him to it.
“You already know what I do, and I get paid well, but I have to help my family a lot. My mother—my money is really spread thin.” I stop myself from rambling. He doesn’t need to know my problems.
“I see.” He nods, saying nothing more.
I pick up the menu, letting the list of gourmet dishes serve as a temporary barrier between us.
“Let’s see if they have anything that pairs well with awkwardness,” I quip, trying to lighten the mood.
Vulcan chuckles, and I catch myself smiling—for real this time.
Maybe this won’t be so bad after all. This might be the most world’s most unconventional beginning to a relationship—not that it can be qualified as a relationship—but as I look into Vulcan’s eyes, I can’t shake the sense that maybe, just maybe, there’s a spark there worth exploring.
“Tell me, how do you see the next three years unfolding?” I ask.
Vulcan leans back in his chair, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Well, I imagine it will be a whirlwind of passion, banter, and the occasional disagreement over cuddling.”
I nearly choked on my water, taken aback by his playful response. “Is that so? I was told you’d be more of a ‘separate bedrooms’ kind of guy.”
“I’m not opposed to sharing a room with you.” He smirks, and I can feel the tips of my ears heating up. “But in all seriousness, I think we’ll need to navigate this together, one day at a time. It’s not like either of us has a manual for how it’s supposed to unfold.”
“You mean you didn’t get the memo? I hear sham marriages are all the rage these days.” I can’t help but match his teasing tone, finding myself drawn into the easy flow of our conversation, just like that night at the bar.
As the waiter approaches to take our order, I realize I’ve been so caught up in our exchange that I haven’t even thought about what to eat or drink. Vulcan seems to sense my predicament and smoothly takes the lead, ordering with a confidence that I find both irritating and oddly attractive.
Once the waiter departs, I fix Vulcan with a curious gaze. “You really want to share a room?”
“Isn’t the whole point of this arrangement to make it look like a real marriage?”
“We don’t have to put on a show for anyone. We’re grown, and I don’t see my family coming to visit your place. They don’t visit me as it is. Separate rooms will be fine.” I take a sip of my water.
Vulcan leans back in his chair, an amused glint in his eyes.
“Understandable. So, separate rooms. Anything else?”
I lean forward, resting my elbows on the table as I meet his gaze head-on. “Nope.”
Dinner goes smoothly, and somewhere along the way, I seem to have relaxed into this new reality. I’m no longer counting the minutes until I can escape. Instead, I realize I don’t want this date to end.
We transition from dessert to sipping coffee, and the world outside the restaurant’s windows fades into a blur. It’s just the two of us, caught up in a strange dance of fate and choice.
The night may be founded on a contract, but the connection? That’s all ours.
“I’m surprised you haven’t asked the big question.”
“Which is?”
“When is the wedding?”
I wave him off. “A courthouse wedding is fine with me. I already signed my NDA. We can settle on a date that works for us both, and then I’ll move in.”
Vulcan leans forward, his eyes locked on mine. “Eager to get hitched and shack up, are we? I thought you’d want to revel in the anticipation a bit longer.”
I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Please, I’m not some starry-eyed bride. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can focus on my career and pay off my family’s debts.”
“Ah, she’s pragmatic. I can respect that.” A smirk plays at the corners of his mouth. “But don’t you think a little celebration is in order? We are tying the knot, after all.”
I raise an eyebrow, refusing to let him chip away my resolve. “What did you have in mind? A quick toast at the courthouse steps?”
“Do you not like crowds? Are you on the run from someone? Is there a warrant out for your arrest?” he jokes.
“No! Nothing like that.” I laugh, but it comes out strained. “I just… I didn’t think a big ceremony would be necessary. It’s not like we’re in love.” What I really want to tell him is I don’t want my mother to find out I’m getting married.