Page 61 of No Mane, No Gain

“I was desperate,” Olive explained, her words tumbling out in a rush. “I hoped Gerri could find me my true love so I wouldn’t have to marry a stranger. The idea of being trapped in a loveless marriage like my parents...” She shuddered. “I couldn’t bear it.”

To her surprise, a slow grin spread across Chaos’s face. He reached out, taking her hand in his. “Olive, you’re not going to believe this.”

She tilted her head, curiosity piqued. “What?”

“I hired Gerri for the exact same reason.”

Olive’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”

Chaos shook his head, his eyes dancing with amusement. “My family set me up too. I was looking for a way out, and Gerri seemed like my best option.”

For a moment, they stared at each other in stunned silence. Then, simultaneously, they burst into laughter. The tension that had been building in Olive’s chest dissolved, replaced by a warm, bubbling joy.

“I can’t believe it,” Olive gasped between giggles. “We were both trying to escape arranged marriages, and we ended up finding each other.”

Chaos pulled her close, his strong arms encircling her. “It seems fate had other plans for us.”

As their laughter subsided, Olive nestled into Chaos’s embrace, breathing in his comforting scent. A thought struck her, and she pulled back slightly to meet his gaze. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

Chaos raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“We need to break off our engagements,” Olive said, a determined glint in her eye. “I don’t want anything standing between us, even if it’s just on paper.”

Chaos nodded, his expression turning serious. “You’re right. We should do it together, face both our families at once.”

Olive’s stomach fluttered at the thought, but she squared her shoulders. “Agreed. Let’s set up a lunch with both sets of parents. We’ll tell them together.”

As they began planning the details of the luncheon, Olive couldn’t help but marvel at the twist of fate that had broughtthem together. She’d been so afraid of ending up in a loveless marriage, and now here she was, head over heels for a man who understood her fears intimately.

The day of the luncheon arrived sooner than Olive expected. She smoothed down her forest green silk blouse, trying to calm her nerves as she and Chaos entered the private dining room of an upscale Manhattan restaurant.

Their parents were already seated, an air of curiosity surrounding them. Olive’s father, Nicholas, cut an imposing figure in his tailored suit, while her mother, Mariah, exuded elegance in a chic cocktail dress. Chaos’s parents, Marco and Isabella, looked equally polished and expectant.

As Olive and Chaos took their seats, an awkward silence fell over the table. Olive cleared her throat, ready to launch into their prepared speech, when Marco spoke up.

“Before you two say anything,” he began, a twinkle in his eye, “we have a confession to make.”

Olive and Chaos exchanged puzzled glances.

Nicholas leaned forward, his usually stern face softened by an almost mischievous smile. “You see, we’re all old friends here. And we all know Gerri Wilder.”

Olive’s mind reeled. “What are you saying?”

Mariah reached out, patting Olive’s hand gently. “Sweetheart, Chaos is your intended partner in the arranged marriage.”

The room fell silent as Olive and Chaos processed this bombshell.

“What a minute,” Chaos said and looked at his parents, “You said her name was Brielle.”

Olive gasped. “Brielle is my first name. But my middle name is Olive after my grandmother, so I use it instead.” Her heart pounded in her ears, her thoughts a jumbled mess. She turned to Chaos, searching his face for a reaction.

His expression mirrored her own shock, but there was something else there too – a glimmer of joy, of relief. He squeezed her hand under the table, anchoring her.

“But... how?” Chaos finally managed to ask.

Isabella smiled warmly. “It was all Gerri’s doing, actually. She orchestrated the arrangement years ago when Olive was just thirteen and Chaos was eighteen.”

Olive’s mind flashed back to her teenage years, trying to recall if she’d ever crossed paths with Chaos before. “I don’t understand. We never met back then, did we?”

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