Maybe?

I’ve only seen Dad really angry once or twice. It’s always been when someone betrayed him, sabotaged him, went over to the other side. It’s lucky that Ana didn’t tell anyone other than Me and George that she’s a Rhodos, and even luckier that George isn’t a snitch by any means. If it were any of our other cousins, I’d be dead by now. Still, I’ve been uninvited to literally everything for an undetermined amount of time. I’m basically locked in the house, staying within the confines of my room until the withering glares withdraw and refocus on some other scandal. I’m also lucky that I’m not particularly well known, unlike George, as the firstborn and heir to Dad’s fortune. I still get some, of course, but in the same way my uncle gets some. The same way any closely-related alpha gets some. Leeches.
I messed up big time. And I know it. If I ever leave the estate again, no way in hell I’ll ever see her. Good riddance, too. She tricked me.

But I can’t stop thinking about her. It became a problem. I told Dad I was just impatient, that I wanted to be let out again, and eventually he caved, and said I could go out for two days a week. Now, I’m walking to the postbox in town, a ‘letter to my great-aunt’ in hand. It’s really addressed to Ana, though. The gist of it is: tomorrow 3 o’clock, at Jamie’s. Jamie’s is a chain diner, but there’s only one in the area that hasn’t been shut down for food hygiene reasons. I rush back to where George can see me. I won’t trust even him with this.

[A/N: No idea how to do a time skip. Pretend it’s like, 2:50 or something.]

“No, G. I’m doing present shopping. Perhaps yours…”
He glares at me. “Dad said, though.”
“I don’t give a flying fuck about what Dad said. I’ll find you at 4, then you can pretend I never left your side.”
He lowers his voice, as if warning me. “If you pull another stunt, Dad will do something this time.”
“I am well aware.”
He sighs, defeated. “Fine. Whatever. You’re lucky Dad didn’t tell Richard or some other asshole-faced bitch to be your supervision.”
“I know. Love ya, G.”
I turn around, quickly checking my watch. 2:56. I’d have to hurry to make it to Jamie’s. Luckily, it was in that shopping mall.
I arrive at 3:04. Ana was already sitting at a table. I rush over.
“Hey, sorry I’m late. Can I pull up a chair?”
She looks up from her phone - “Yeah, sure.” - and closes her tabs. I wonder what they were for a second, before deciding to just sit down.
As I sit, she makes eye contact with me for an unreasonably long time.
She breaks the silence. “Well?”
“Well what?”
“Well, why did you ask me to meet you here?”
“Ah, That.” I gulp uncomfortably. “Look, I just can’t-”
“Get me out of your head?” She raises one eyebrow. “I get that a lot.” she gestures for me to move closer. “Come closer. Listen. You are going to marry me. Ah, buh buh buh.” She presses her finger to my lips. “Stop your arguments. I will leave the Rhodos family via faking my death, and you will convince another family, who are within your family’s connections, but are not an equivalent status, to take me in as a disgraced Beta daughter, who goes unmentioned in polite society. You will do this via money I will steal from my family, and promise of a bride-price to come. Then, you will convince your father to let you marry down to get out of his hair, as you cannot marry up and no one of equal status will marry you after, well." She pauses for breath. “What happened eight days ago. Clear?”
“Crystal.” I nodd. “But could you write that down for me?”
“Already done. And, I picked a family for you to convince to take me. The Halia family. You may recognise the name?”
I shake my head, skimming the paper she gave me. It seems to go more in-depth on what she just said.
“Perhaps better, that higher-ups in your family do not know them better. When do you want to next meet?”
“Uh. It’s Sunday, right?”
“Yes.”
“I can do Tuesday - same place, same time.”
“Fine by me. I can probably get the money by then, too. Try to introduce the idea of marriage to your father tonight or tomorrow. Good luck.” She stood up.
“Wait a second. Is that it?”
She stares, confused.
“After eight days ago, you’re not gonna, I don't know, kiss me? Seems like the least yo-”
She kisses me. Somehow, it feels a lot more genuine this time around. “That good enough?”
“Yeah. I mean, uh, yeah.”
She rolls her eyes. “Bye, Bea. Like I said, good luck. You’ll need it.”