Marriage

Chapter 3

AVA

Marriage?

Is he really serious about this? I don’t even know him from anywhere. How could he be so direct?

I looked away shyly. “This is a str-strange request for me,” I stuttered, not sure of how to respond.

“I know you are surprised, but there are a lot of benefits to this, and it will only last for a year; after that, you can go your way,” he spoke plainly, like he had been doing for a while.

“What benefits?”

A part of me wanted to just escape, another just wanted to hear what he had to offer.

“I know your family already deserted you and you have no place to stay or money to feed… if we get married, I can give you all of these things and more…” He said in a low tone.

“But what about you?”

He scoffed. “I’m only obeying my dad's last wish. Nothing more, nothing less,” he answered…

I sighed…Why would I accept this? Does he see me as some cheap lady whom he could convince to do whatever??

No way I am doing this…but hold on… if I say no to his offer, that means he would let me go.

I don’t have anywhere to go. I would die of hunger. What if I meet those criminals and they try to rape me again? Oh my, I would be so done for!!

What should I do?

I kept for a while, then his voice came at me all of a sudden, “Are you doing this, or should I take you back to where I picked you?”

“Uhmmm……” I muttered.

“I’d do it,” I mumbled.

It also assumes, though, that he knew my response would be positive; without further delay, he picked up his phone and dialed a number: “Start making the preparations; I’m getting married.”

My eyes widened in surprise. “What sort of man is this?”

“Is this just about his father’s wish, and how come he has everything at just a call?”

For a moment, I forgot what he called himself, but I couldn’t stop staring at him. His blue eyes, as they balance steadily on his handsome, well-positioned face.

His cologne overtook the air around the room, and I felt like moving closer to him.

His hands circled around my waist as he helped adjust my dress.

“Compose yourself, Ava. You can’t be too quick to trust this man,” the voice in my head spoke aloud.

“Your dress is gonna arrive tonight, and the wedding is first thing in the morning,” he said. “My wife-to-be,” he added.

Again, a heavy dose of surprise captivated my blushing cheeks.

“How could he be so calm and straight with this? Doesn’t this look so strange?”

*****

RACHEL

I scoffed.

“Is this a joke? Did Alexander put you up to this or what?”

“Come off it already,” I said out loud, but the lady shook her head in disagreement.

“Hold on….what???”

“What nonsense are you spilling? He wouldn’t dare do that…” I replied angrily at Sushi, one of Alex’s staff at the automobile company.

“I wouldn’t lie to you, Miss Rachel. My boss got married last week. In fact, three of our latest models were taken to the event center the night before the wedding.”

“…I guess he didn’t want anything that would attract attention by the morning…” she continued.

I raised my eyebrows. This can’t be true. Alex wouldn’t leave me for some God-knows-who chick.

“Who the hell is the lady in this city? What does she own? Who is she???”

“Everything was done under strict conditions; however, some important guests and witnesses were there. I even saw the family lawyer, if I am not mistaken,” Sushi said in a low tone.

“Uhn??”

“Was Agatha there?” I responded in a haste.

She went mute like she didn’t know who that was…”Stop behaving dumb, girl. Alex’s mom- was she fucking there or not?”

“Oh no, no, she wasn’t…”

“So Alex did a wedding without his mother knowing? Hmm….I would show him I’m better at this game. No woman can take my place in that family. I don’t care who she is or who her father is; I am going to make her run!!!”

But first, I have to know if his mother knows about this bullcrap of a marriage.

I boiled my eyes up with fake tears and drove to her place, sobbing out loud even before I knocked at the door.

“No way she would overlook this,” I whispered in my head.

“Rachel…Rachel… is everything okay?” She asked as I wouldn’t stop sobbing the minute I saw her.

“Your son does not love me…He doesn’t!” I cried out in pretence.

“C’mon, Rachel…why would you say that? You know very well that he does, and I will make sure you both end up together just like I promised,” she responded.

“I…I don’t think that can happen anymore…” I said with a tear dropping down my cheek.

“What do you mean by that?”

“He got married to some girl already,” I said in a haste…

“What?”

“My son did what?” She exclaimed.

She pulled me closer and wiped the tears off my face. “I don’t even know who the lucky bitch is,” I mumbled as I buried my face between her arms, pretending to be in heavy tears.

“Lucky? There is nothing lucky about her. She has just gotten herself into the biggest mess!!” Agatha responded in a haste.

I smirked, and a devilish smile followed.

“But there is nothing we can do about it, Mrs Russo, looks like your son has made a decision on his own…” I spoke like I was genuinely pained.

“Over my dead body will I allow some girl from God-knows-where to bewitch my son overnight cause who the heck is this person to start with?!!” She vented in anger.

She hissed almost immediately.

“Don't worry ... .She will be dealt with, and my son will get married to you!”