Forced Marriage: Thirteenth Wife

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Maybe in this family the real forbidden love is for the blood sister.

Eirene and Arkas share neither mother nor father. They're cousins. Relationships that are out there most do not consider marriage to each other to be off limits. But Arkas can't have Eirene. Because she is Narendra and Eirene is Narendra's daughter as well.

Narendra's marriage should only be done with women from the ranch. Own choice or parent's choice, it's up to the woman's origin from the farm. Origin is not a woman from the outside or a woman from inside Narendra.

"First Brother kept a heart on me?"

Arkas remembers the day he was caught off guard by Eirene. It was ahead of Arkas' first wedding and he invited Eirene to take a boat ride together.

"Right," replied Arkas at the time. "You're the first person to teach me what love is. Wh why? Can't you?"

Actually, Arkas thought the feeling was invisible. He never showed it. Because it's useless, right? Apart from not being able to have Eirene as his wife, Arcas also knew that Irene had accepted Elios.

"No. That's up to Brother." Eirene laughed. "Bak's face flushed. It's funny to see the Narendra Leader's Candidate turn red because of me."

"Stop flirting with your sister, you woo cat." Arkas laughed, trying to look relaxed even though he was embarrassed.

Arkas' heart was pounding hard beside Eirene. She was also the first girl whose smile Arkas missed right down to the dream. She is beautiful, gentle, intelligent, and strong. The perfect masterpiece that Arkas admired since he was still in the form of a helpless baby.

"I love Eli, Brother."

"Does my face look clueless, Sweet Brother?" Arkas stroked Eirene's head. "Trust your brother. No matter how I feel, I will never do anything beyond Narendra's terms. Including the antagonistic Elios who won me."

Eirene smiled brightly. "But I heard Eli was sleep-deprived because his job was suddenly so much. I don't know why."

Hurriedly Arkas pulled a hand, clearing his pretence. "From that, why suddenly talk about it? It's weird you're putting up a topic for no apparent reason to me."

"Don't want to know?"

"I asked if I didn't want to know?"

Eirene extended her delicate hand at Arkas. When the skin of their hands touched, Arkas knew that his feelings seemed too obvious.

He did not hold it back because Eirene already knew, but still Arkas did not expect that much of an effect. The usually charismatic face turned red, almost smoky. His eyes trembled glancing in the other direction away from the fact that he did not want to until his feelings were more clearly visible.

"It would be too much if I said 'it feels like Big Brother loves me too much'."

".... Yesterday ...." Eirene let go of her hand. ".... Eli's coming home with a wounded stomach."

"Ah, about assaulting him? I've asked Eris to confirm who's behind them. Don't worry so much. Attempted murder on Narendra is common."

"I know, Brother. And I know Eli can handle it."

"Then why?" ask Arkas, because Eirene seems to have a burden. If he does understand it means he's not burdened, right?

"Do you know why Eli was hurt?" ask Eirene.

"A mercenary used a knife to stab her in the stomach? Elios didn't tell us the details of what happened" Arkas replied hesitantly.

Eirene then bit her trembling lips. Then he muttered, "Eri likes my arm."

"What?"

"That's what Eli said. 'Eri likes my arm so I can't hurt him. Even though it was stabbed in the stomach, at least my arm could still hug Eri'."

Arkas. Of course he could imagine Elios was that crazy.

"How to love the outrageous, I'm afraid to take responsibility." Eirene smiled sadly. "It doesn't mean I'm complaining about your love for me. Brother, Father, Mother, everyone, I love you who love me."

"...."

"But if it's excessive, if one day because of love someone else has to get hurt, doesn't that mean I'm guilty?"

Arkas closed his eyes tightly. Now he could only hug Roxanne and silence the gaping wound in his heart.

"Sorry" he whispered to Roxanne and to Eirene. "I did something wrong. Sorry."

Eirene must have been disappointed in him. Arkas lets Roxanne get hurt because of Arkas' excessive love.

*