The Arranged Fiancée

The scent of lavender filled the room, a calming aroma that contrasted sharply with the tension in the air. Jack sat in his office, his gaze fixed on the woman across from him. Helene, his arranged fiancée, was a vision of elegance and poise. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and her piercing blue eyes held a determined glint.

"Why did it have to be a man?" she asked, her voice steady despite the weight of the conversation. "A woman would've been so much easier."

"Easier for you or me?" Jack replied, a soft smile on his face. The same smile he always used for his patients. A dead cold smile devoid of any real emotion. He could feel slightly emotional at the situation, something entirely unlike him.

She sighed and took a sip of her coffee, letting silence between them. It was hard for him to judge her intentions. She stayed silent, a slight frown forming.

"How... did you know?" Jack asked, dropping his guard just a little bit. He knew she was his fiancee and that it had all been arranged by their parents. But even then, they often got along quite well. He would even say that he liked her. She had seen through his facade and was one of the few people he could be himself with. So her current behavior baffled him.

Helene looked up, staring him right into his deep blue eyes. She didn't move, didn't even breathe. She looked at him and sighed once more before putting away her cup.

Jack felt slightly uncomfortable. He usually was in control of the conversation. Normally, he knew everything about the other, and now it felt like the tables had been turned. "Helena?" A soft hint of worry could be found in his slightly shaky voice, his facade crumbling, his smile gone.

Moments of silence passed. It was as if an eternity had passed before she finally opened her mouth to speak, moving a tiny bit of her blonde hair out of her face. "We live together, Jack. You mumble his name after coming out of the shower and suddenly chuckle or smile when you look at your phone or agenda. It's kind of hard to miss."

The man did his best to stay calm, to deny it. To not show any emotion. Was he talking about Ethan that much?

"You only happily tell me stories about one patient. Your usual calmness fades as soon as you have an appointment with him. You pretend, and most won't notice. But you completely forget about your guard when you're around me." A sad smile appears on her face when she utters those words.

"Ah. I... no..." Jack started to mumble. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want apologies. It would be best if you didn't mess things up," she stated, her words a little cold.

"I wasn't planning to. I just..." Jack trailed off, sipping his coffee as he tried to piece it together.

Helene sighed once more. "Our engagement party is next month, and you know many important people will be there. Our families being tied together means a lot to our parents. Van Olst and Van Derloch as one strong united front." She has this look of disappointment, a frown, and a glare. "I don't care who you love. As long as you behave and do your duty."

At those words, Jack froze slightly. He hadn't thought about his future. What would happen if he continued to chase after Ethan? He knew he had no romantic feelings for the man, as he was aromantic and did not have those desires. Yet he wanted to have him for himself. To be his and his alone. To spend his days watching the poor, defeated, and broken man. All he wanted was to fix him and to be his. Those angry shouts, those tear-filled eyes, and even that strong hand that grabs his collar. He wanted it all.

"You're doing it again."

He snapped out of it. His mind is still going in circles. But as soon as those words had hit his eardrums, he noticed. Jack could feel the smirk on his face, a smile that had formed without him knowing. A slight blush on his cheeks and an excitement going through his body. Like a hunter thinking about his prey.

Helene stood up and walked to the small kitchenette in the office, pouring herself another cup of coffee. The room was once again silent, a tension between them.

"I will eliminate him if I have to."

Words he had never expected to hear hung in the air. Eliminate? Who, Ethan? Would she do that?

"If he becomes a problem, I will. I'll destroy Ethan if I need to." She said, no malice in her voice, just cold hard facts. The woman calmly took a sip of her new coffee.

"Eliminate? Destroy? Helena, what are you talking about?" Jack jumped up, all the calmness and aloofness he usually exuded gone. "You can't be serious. Ethan is just my patient. Nothing more."

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. The silence is getting more dreadful by the minute. All she did was sip her coffee as she looked at him as if she knew every thought or emotion.

"Ethan is just my patient. I have known him for years. He lost his soulmate and was a complete mess. He barely ate and was locked up in his penthouse for weeks." Jack started, trying to convince Helena. "If you had seen him, you would've done the same. He gets angry, emotional, and even physical." the last words came out as a mumble as he put a hand on his throat, remembering the times Ethan had grabbed or pushed him.

"Go on."

"That's all he is. A patient. Someone I want to help. I want him to get better. I can't stand seeing him like this."

Helena took a deep breath in. "Jack. Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Her stoic glance made him shiver.

"You."

"Wrong." She chuckled a bit before finishing her new coffee, putting it on the counter, and walking back to the small couch before him. "You're not convincing me. I know everything already, so you don't need to. Though the one thing I did not know before was that you prefer men over women. But even that is fine if you give me what was promised. Marriage, position, and an heir."

Jack buried his face in his hands, not wanting to face her anymore. Was he feeling this for Ethan? Was he that obsessed that he talked about him even when he didn't realize himself?

"You're wrong." he eventually said. "Ethan is just my patient. I don't think you're right about everything. I promised we would get married and give you an heir. That is the least I can do. But I am not in love with Ethan. I am not obsessed."

Helena hesitated momentarily before replying and seemingly deciding how to answer him.

"Then prove me wrong. Prove to me that you are not obsessed or in love. I will hold you to your promises. Because even if you don't love me, we were brought together this way. I do care for you. Even just a little."

Jack felt a pang of guilt. He had always respected Helene and admired her strength and determination. But he had never considered her feelings. He had been so wrapped up in his world, his obsession, that he had forgotten about the woman who was supposed to be his future wife.

"I... I will," he said, lifting his head to meet her gaze. "I will prove to you that I am not obsessed with Ethan. And I will fulfill my promises to you."

Helene nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "I hope so, Jack. For both our sakes."

With that, she stood up and left the room, leaving Jack alone with his thoughts. The scent of lavender still lingered in the air, a stark reminder of the conversation that had just taken place. Jack couldn't help but feel a sense of dread creeping up on him. He had made a promise, one that he intended to keep. But as he thought about Ethan, the man who had become the center of his world, he couldn't help but wonder if he could keep that promise.

He took a deep breath, the scent of lavender filling his senses. He had a long road ahead of him and knew it wouldn't be easy. But he was determined to prove Helene wrong, to prove to her that he was not obsessed with Ethan. He had to, for his own sake and the sake of the woman, to be his wife.

And so, with a heavy heart, Jack began to plan. He would have to be careful to keep his feelings in check. He would have to be vital for himself and Helene. But most of all, he would have to be honest. He is open with himself and honest with the people around him.

Jack couldn't help but feel a sense of despair as he sat alone in his office. But he pushed it aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. He had a promise to keep, and he would do whatever it took to keep it.