COVENANTS OF CHAOS

Chapter Ten: Meeting Isabella

The space was tranquil, interrupted solely by the soft ticking of a timepiece on the distant wall. Lucas sat rigidly in the leather armchair, his hands placed on his thighs. His thoughts were speeding, his nerves frayed. The immaculate, refined office—probably one of Silas Moretti's numerous belongings—felt constricting, the burden of uncertainty bearing down on him.

The door opened wide, and Silas stepped in, his presence enveloping the room like a tempest. A young woman followed him, walking with determination, her expression showing a calm apathy. She didn't glance at Lucas immediately, her attention set on something far off. Her lengthy dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she donned a fitted black dress that exuded affluence and authority.

“Lucas Kane,” Silas spoke, breaking the silence with his voice, “I’d like you to meet my daughter, Isabella.”

Lucas stood uncomfortably, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Um… hello there.”

Isabella's gaze finally zeroed in on him, keen and evaluative. She inclined her head a little, her lips suggesting the slightest hint of a smile. "Is this the individual?" she inquired, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

“That's him,” Silas affirmed, speaking with calm assurance. Lucas Kane. "The individual who is set to become your spouse.”

Isabella's eyebrows raised. "You're joking."

“Do I seem like I'm joking?” Silas inquired, his voice becoming more rigid.

Lucas shifted awkwardly, looking back and forth between them. “I’m, um… still here in the room, you know.”

Isabella disregarded him, shifting entirely toward her father. “You can't be kidding. *This* is the strategy? "Among all the individuals you could have selected, this is the finest option you could find?"

"He's precisely what we require," Silas stated emphatically. "He lacks connections, he lacks power, and most significantly, he lacks options." "His loyalty stems from necessity."

“Gee, thanks,” Lucas muttered, crossing his arms.

Isabella sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “So this is just another one of your power plays? Some desperate attempt to control me?”

“This isn’t about control,” Silas said, his voice sharp. “It’s about protection. You know what’s at stake, Isabella.”

“What’s at stake?” Lucas cut in, his frustration bubbling over. “Someone want to clue me in here? Because I’m starting to feel like I walked into the middle of a soap opera.”

Isabella shot him a scathing glance. “You’re not really in a place to demand answers, are you?”

Lucas stared at her intently. "I believe I deserve to understand what I am agreeing to." "I didn't precisely offer for this."

"You didn't need to," she retorted. "You're simply another piece in his strategy." “Just like me.”

“Enough,” Silas said, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. He turned to Lucas, his expression cold. “You want answers? Fine. Here’s the truth. My family has enemies—powerful ones. Isabella is vulnerable, and I need someone to protect her. That’s where you come in.”

Lucas frowned. “Why not just hire a bodyguard? Why make it… this?”

“Because a bodyguard is just an employee,” Silas said. “A husband is family. And family is untouchable.”

“"Beyond reach?" Isabella reiterated, her tone laced with cynicism. "That's amusing, especially from you." "How many 'untouchable' individuals have you betrayed, Dad?"

Silas paid no attention to her, concentrating instead on Lucas. "You requested responses, Kane." Here they come. "Are you going to perform your duties, or will we encounter an issue?"

Lucas paused, his thoughts swirling. He looked at Isabella, who was staring at her father with hardly hidden contempt, and then looked back at Silas. "And what is her opinion on all of this?"

"Why not inquire directly with her?" Silas remarked, taking a step back. "I'll let you both… get to know each other."

“Hold on, what?” Lucas remarked, his eyes growing larger. "Are you really just going to walk away?"

Silas gave a slight smile. "You sought solutions." "You might discover them alongside her." He spun around and exited, the door clicking closed after him.

The ensuing silence was thick and awkward. Lucas moved in his seat, looking at Isabella, who was now observing him with a look he couldn’t fully understand.

“So,” Lucas said uncomfortably, interrupting the silence, “this is… strange.”

Isabella snorted, crossing her arms. “Weird? That’s the understatement of the century.”

Lucas reclined, gliding a hand through his hair. "Listen, I’m not sure what your father mentioned, but I didn’t exactly volunteer for this."

“Me neither,” Isabella replied tersely. "Yet, here we stand."

Lucas made a displeased expression. "Why does he believe this will succeed?" You don’t desire this, I don’t desire this… What’s the purpose?

“The issue,” Isabella said resentfully, “is that my father is indifferent to my desires.” He hasn't ever. "To him, I'm merely another resource to handle."

Lucas observed her for a moment, his irritation easing. “That… blows.”

Isabella lifted an eyebrow, a slight grin pulling at the edge of her mouth. “Impressive.” Such profound understanding. "You certainly have a talent for soothing a girl."

“Hey, I’m trying my hardest here,” Lucas remarked, raising his hands. “This isn’t precisely my field of expertise.”

"Yeah, I'm serious," she responded plainly. She breathed out gently, running her fingers through her hair. "Hi, I’m not certain about your circumstances, but if you’re expecting a fairy tale, you might end up feeling disappointed."

"Oh, believe me, I don't anticipate anything," Lucas remarked. “I simply want to escape this chaos with my head intact.”

“Clever,” Isabella remarked, her tone becoming a bit gentler. "However, if you intend to endure in my father's world, you should brace yourself." “He has no patience for weakness.”

Lucas tilted forward, his face showing concern. “What do you think?” Are you fine with this? "With… us?"

Isabella paused, her eyes shifting down to the ground. For an instant, her façade faltered, and Lucas noticed a hint of something genuine and fragile underneath. “It doesn’t matter what I’m comfortable with,” she said softly. “What is important is what he desires.”

“That’s not an answer,” Lucas said gently.

Isabella raised her gaze, her eyes locking with his. For an instant, the strain between them appeared to diminish, supplanted by a calmer feeling, something nearly… human.

"I’m not sure," she confessed. “I’m unsure of how to react to all of this.”

Lucas slowly nodded. Sure. “Neither do I.”

The quiet that ensued was lighter this time, more reflective. Lucas reclined in his chair, his thoughts racing. He was unsure how to interpret Isabella or the chaos he had landed himself in. For the first time, however, he sensed that perhaps—just perhaps—he wasn't entirely isolated in this.

"Well," Lucas remarked after a pause, his voice more casual, "should we, you know, trade numbers now?" “Or is there a sort of ‘guide to arranged marriages’ that I should look into?”

Isabella blinked, then erupted into laughter—a clear, authentic laugh that surprised him. “Wow, you’re really foolish.”

"Hey, I'm making an effort," Lucas remarked, smiling despite his intentions.

Isabella nodded her head, still grinning. "Since we have to be together, we might as well attempt to make this... bearable."

“Think so,” Lucas replied, his smile dimming as reality returned. "However, just to clarify, I won’t refer to you as ‘Mrs. Kane’ or anything." "That's a definite no."

Isabella grinned slyly. "Don’t be concerned, Kane." “You still have much to achieve before you can claim that title.”

Lucas couldn't stop himself from laughing, even though the seriousness of the situation weighed heavily on him once more. For better or worse, his life had suddenly become far more intricate. And a feeling whispered to him that this was just the start.