An Inevitable Fate?

After shopping, they had gone to a nearby restaurant for dinner. When they reached the mansion, it was already late.

Darren pulled the car in front of the gate and waited for the girls to get down. Jane and Crysta got down from the back seat and said goodbye to him. Now that they had left, it was just Rachel and Darren in the car. Rachel broke the silence.

"Would you like to come in?" After all, he had accompanied them the entire evening.

"I would love to but, it's late. Next time!" He replied.

Rachel nodded as even she felt that it was late. It was almost 10 pm.

She reached for the car door handle but suddenly, Darren reached out his hand to hold her wrist. Rachel swiftly turned her head in shock and saw his hand, frowning. She wasn't used to his sudden touchings.

"Sorry," Seeing the change in her expression, Darren let her hand off as if he had touched fire.

Rachel sat back in her place and waited for him to continue.

Darren shifted in his seat, his palms sweating. The hand which was holding the steering had now gone rigid. His knuckles had turned white due to the tight grip.

"Today was one of my best days. Do you know why?"

Rachel shook her head.

"I got a chance to go out shopping with you. I got to dine with you. And, I will get to wear a couple's outfit with you. Though we have got engaged, we haven't gone on dates, have we?"

After a few seconds, Rachel again shook her head. Darren chuckled.

"You look cute when you are clueless." The words came out of his mouth automatically.

"Oh,"

Darren chuckled again for her response. Who answers like that? Nevertheless, he continued.

"It was a perfect date for me if we neglect Jane and your friend. Not that they bothered anyway. Still, the best one. Do you know what really, really made me happy?"

Rachel, as usual, shook her head.

"You didn't resist when I held your hand in the parking lot, the public area. You didn't resist when I looked into your beautiful eyes. You didn't keep any distance between us, today. That's gonna be my biggest achievement and my first success in our relationship. It made me very happy, Rachel. "

Rachel was at loss for the words. She was completely speechless.

'He's happy because I let him hold my hand? How could a guy be so sweet? What am I gonna do now?'

She slowly reached for his hand which was resting on his l.a.p and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Good night." She gave a smile before climbing out of the car.

With an unsettled heart, she entered the mansion.

Inside the car, Darren couldn't stop smiling. He bumped his fist in the air and chuckled.

"Dammit, I feel like a teenager who's wooing his girl. But, she is not that difficult to win. After all, she is a girl."

He smirked and drove his car away from the mansion.

Rachel silently made her way to her bedroom. Just as she opened the door, a loud voice greeted her.

"Bhoo!" Crysta shouted from behind.

"Goddammit!" Rachel cursed, holding a hand to her c.h.e.s.t. Crysta laughed and moved towards the bed. She had already changed to one of Rachel's nightwear as she wasn't going back to the hotel.

"Who am I speaking to now? A dream-girl Rachel or a real-world Rachel?" Crysta teased her friend.

"Can you be serious?" Rachel questioned as she threw her handbag on the nearby chair.

"I am serious. So serious that you need to call an ambulance."

Crysta said with a straight face. Rachel rolled her eyes and walked into the walk-in closet to get changed.

"Spill the beans!" Crysta shouted, sitting at the center of the bed.

"What beans?" Rachel shouted from the closet.

"About you and Darren."

Rachel walked out wearing baby blue colored pajamas, her hair tied up into a messy bun. She had removed her everyday make-up.

"What about us?" She went to join her friend who was now lying on her bed.

"I thought you didn't like him?"

Both were facing the ceiling, side by side, with hands, tucked on their stomachs.

"Mm, I didn't."

"Now, you do?"

"I don't." Crysta turned her head to see Rachel's face.

"Then?"

"For once, I need to repay my parents. For everything, they have done to me. Everyone won't get a chance to do it. But now, I have got one. If me getting married to him makes them happy, then I will do it."

Crysta hugged her friend tightly from sideways.

"I am so proud of you, girl." She really was. Who would sacrifice their life and happiness for the sake of others'?

"Yeah, you should be. I am a great person, you know!" Rachel answered just like Crysta would to ease up the atmosphere.

Crysta hugged her friend even more tightly and drifted to sleep.

She envied Rachel's parents. Though she had adopted parents, the story was different. Everyone knew she was taken in by a foreign couple but no one knew what happened there.