Off in a side room somewhere...

"Could you make it quick? I want to get back to Tora and plus I have to perform in thirty minutes," she looked at the clock on the wall.

"Don't use that tone with me, young lady. I am your father and you will show me respect!" Lucas demanded.

Ari rolled her eyes, "What would you like to discuss, Father dear?" She really didn't want to be here.

"Your future."

"What about my future?"

"Who you are going to marry."

"I'm going to marry Tora of course. I'm just waiting for him to propose, I know he will. He loves me and I love him," she said triumphantly. Her father snorted in response.

"What?"

"So I see he did not tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"That he was leaving tonight."

"Leaving? Where is he going?" She asked more confused than upset.

"Back to Japan, of course. He has to prepare to become head of the Igarashi family."

"What does this have to do with him marry me?"

"Oh, my dear-" Lucas began, but Sato entered the room happy to explain the rest.

He eyed Ari carefully, "Hmm, I see why he wanted to marry you."

Her eyes lit up, "He wants to marry me?!"

"Calm down, Deary, it's not going to happen."

"Sato! Do not mess with my daughter's emotions, your son has done enough of that!" Lucas told Tora's father.

"What do you mean it isn't going to happen?" Ari asked.

"You are not Igarashi material. You could never be part of this family, no matter how much love my son has for you. You just simply aren't good enough," he took a sip of wine.

"Not good enough?" She tried to hold the tears back.

"Yes, you come from a wealthy family, but it just isn't wealthy enough."

"What are implying, Sato? That my family is trash?" Mr. James asked, pissed off.

"No, not at all. You have a lovely family, Luke. Mine, however, is better, and I can't have your daughter screwing that up. Now can I?"

"But I love Tora," Ari mumbled as she wiped tears from her cheeks.

"And he loves you, Ariella, but I can't have you two marrying one another. It would mess up the balance."

"Mess up the balance?"

"Yes, so don't cry, Ari, there are other boys. Boys much more suited to your lifestyle. Also it wouldn't be fair to Travis if you married my son, would it, Lucas?" With that, Sato Igarashi left the room.

"Father, who is Travis?" She asked, tears still pouring out of her eyes.

He looked around nervously, "He-he-you-you're betrothed to him." He stared at his daughter, whose eyes now held only disgust for him.