Chapter 2

Emily gulped.

She felt her realization hit her in a flash. She was really in a puddle. One sharp tongue couldn’t save her from.

Her entire family was in a mess. And from the look of the Albert Rueben‘s face, she knew he meant every word.

She wanted to glare at him but out of fear it’ll only make things worse, she tried to keep a neutral face one. She couldn’t afford for things to get any worse e than it was. There was no how in hell they were going to raise thirty million dollars in their entire lifetime and there was no way she was getting married in her sister’s place.

Or at least, so she thought. So she wished.

“Mr. Albert please have mercy!” Her mother immediately rushed to his side to beg. “Please we can’t afford such huge amount of money and we can’t go to- Please.”

“Don’t make it sound like I’m an evil person,” he replied her. “I’m simply playing by the rules and you should too.”

Just the mere sight of her mother almost falling to her feet and her father begging with all he had, angered Emily. They might not have been the perfect family but they were still her parents and as a result, she didn’t appreciate them going so slow to beg for something. Especially when it was something within her power.

She let out an exhale then shook her head. It really was her reality and no matter how much she tried to run away from it, she just couldn’t.

“Fine.”

All eyes turned in her direction, her parents’ more widened than anyone else’s. “Emily-“

“I’ll get married in my sister’s place then,” she said with a deep exhale. “If that would get you to leave my family alone, so be it then. I’ll do it.”

“A smart choice.”

She bit her lip, the weight of her choices suddenly on her shoulders. Marriage! To someone who wasn’t her boyfriend. Someone she had never even met before.

“I know I shouldn’t have the right to say this right now,” she spoke up again. “But can I have a little time. A couple of weeks? This is so sudden I’m not prepared to get married right now. I need some time-“

“To run away just like your sister?”

“No,” she bit her lip. “I’m not running away. I just want a little time to get myself familiar with all of these.”

Albert looked unconvinced. “And how would I be able to be sure you won’t run away just like your sister?”

“She won’t be able to.”

An unfamiliar voice suddenly filled the air, prompting Emily and the rest of the little audience to turn in Ty’s direction of the sound.

“She would not be able to even if she wants to,” he repeated as he walked straight up to Emily. “So if it’s a couple of weeks she wants, give her a couple of weeks then.”

Emily swallowed, his mere presence oddly intimidating. She looked up at him, wondering who in the world he could be. He was tall, several inches taller than her and resonated an unexplainable and charm as he walked. He had a masculine yet clean-cut style with perfectly tailored suit and a couple fashion accessories lurking around him. His perfect tan and perfectly styled hair combined together just managed to make him look, handsome?

He was handsome. In an annoying way.

“Who are you?” Emily dared to speak up, looking directly into his piercing black eyes.

“Your groom,” he replied, reality slapping Emily all over again. “The one who can’t get married to himself, remember?”

She bit her lip in embarrassment, wondering how much he had heard. Not that she cared anyway, it was just embarrassing for her to know that after running her mouth for so long, she eventually came to the decision to get married to him.

“Giovani!” Albert spoke up, immediately walking towards his son to place a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry about how things tuned out. I know today was supposed to be your big day.”

“No, you’re wrong,” he replied his father immediately. “Today was in no way supposed to be a big day for me. I’d rather be in my office, signing deals to bring me millions of dollars but instead here I am. Dealing with a runaway bride. I should have stayed in my office. At least, my money won’t run away from my account without a trace.”

“Giovanni!”

“So you have nothing to be sorry about,” Giovanni continued. “I guess we’re done here so I would be returning to my office now.”

“What?”

He turned to face Emily and took a step towards her, Emily immediately taking one backwards.

“See you in a couple of weeks then,” he breathed out. “And don’t even think of running away. You don’t want to be dragged to the alter on your wedding, do you?”

Emily gulped as he took a step away from her, immediately shoving his hands into his pocket. He had a plain expression like he hadn’t just uttered the craziest words to her.

He turned and without sparing anyone a single glance, walked straight out of the hall to disappear leaving so many confused people behind.

Emily, topping the list.

She had about a hundred things to say about but at that moment, all she could make up was the fact that she had set herself up.

She was getting married to a lunatic. A billionaire who somehow managed to be a lunatic.

—-

Before Emily’s marriage in only a couple of weeks was announced, she had a life before. One she couldn’t just dismiss so easily.

She was a college student in her third year and had a boyfriend. One she was going to have to break up with simply because her opinions suddenly became the most irrelevant thing to exist.

She groaned, tightening her grip on her backpack as she walked to the garden she had planned to meet Tyler. Tyler was her best friend and boyfriend. They had been inseparable since they were kids and when they finally finished high school, they realized their feelings for each other had grown past being just friends and proceeded to date.

According to all their friends, it was a long overdue relationship and just when it was about to be a year, she was about to end it.

“Emily!” She heard someone call out her name and immediately recognized the voice as Tyler’s. Raising her head, she caught him smiling and waving and quickly rushed to join him on the seat. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she replied him, her tone apologetic. “How are you?”

“That question should be directed to you,” he chuckled. “How are you? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Oh my God, did you really see a ghost?”

“Can’t you see him? He’s literally sitting next to you!”

They both laughed lightly at their lame jokes, Emily realizing she was about to lose more than a boyfriend. She was about to lose her best friend too.

“So what did you want to talk about?” He took her hands in his and gave it a squeeze. “Is it important?”

“Yeah,” she nodded slowly and with a deep exhale, began. “Remember how I told you my sister was getting married? To this huge billionaire family?”

“Yeah, the Ruebens,” he nodded. “Everyone knows them. Wait, wasn’t the wedding yesterday?”

“It was supposed to be,” she bit her lip. “But Stacy ran away so well, there was no wedding.”

“Oh my God,” he exclaimed. “I am sorry. Do you guys have any idea where she is? Is she fine?”

“She would be,” she sighed. “She’s just hiding cause she doesn’t want to get married.”

“But-“

“And as a result, someone else would have to get married,” she quickly added before he could stop her from getting it off her chest. “And well, that someone’s me. Surprise.”

His expression didn’t even change. “Are you joking right now?”

“I wish I was,” she sighed. “But I’m not, Tyler. I am getting married to some man I barely even know. Crazy, right? A couple of days ago my biggest worry was passing a four unit course and now- “

“Fuck,” Tyler expression finally changed, the reality dawning on him. His girlfriend was getting married to somone that wasn’t him. His best friend was leaving him.

He knew Emily well enough to know she wasn’t a weak girl. She wasn’t one to give into unpleasant situations so easily so her to accept a marriage as ridiculous as that, he was confident she really didn’t have a choice.

“I understand if you do not want to talk to me ever again,” Emily continued. “Or see my face ever. I’ll probably do the same if I was in your shoes. Who breaks up with their boyfriend and gets married immediately?”

“You’ll do the same if you were in my shoes?” Tyler asked. “You wouldn’t worry about how I am feeling about getting married against my will and just never talk to me again?”

“Tyler-“

Though he was undoubtedly hurt, he was more of worried about her. Emily was his best friend before she became his girlfriend and he always felt like she was his little sister for so long.

“Come here,” he drew closer to her and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. “I’m not angry at you. How could I be? You’re getting married against your wish so how could I be?”

“I’m so sorry, Tyler.”

“Stop apologizing it’s unlike you,” he said to her. “Instead, let’s talk about this. Is there really no way for you to get out of this marriage?”

“Thirty million dollars,” she said as she pulled away from the hug. “Selling all of my organs alongside my soul to the devil would still not be enough.”

“You’re right,” he bit his lip. “I’d have sold my organs too but it’ll still not be enough.”

“What am I supposed to do, Tyler?” She groaned and hit her head on the table. “I really do not want to get married. I have met that man literally only once.”

“And?”

“And he is a lunatic!” She exclaimed. “I’ve never seen someone that nonchalant in my entire life. Can you believe he said he would have preferred to stay in his office the whole time instead of getting married? And he didn’t even care her slightest bit that my sister was missing. How could be so uninterested in his wedding?!”

“You should take that to your advantage then, don’t you think?”

“My advantage?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “If he seems totally uninterested in the marriage then maybe you’ll be able to get him to cancel it. Talk to him about it and come on, Emily. You are Emily. You have your way with words so take that to your advantage!”

“You’re right,” a smirk appeared on Emily’s face, followed by a nod. “I have my way with words. I could dissuade him and make him cancel the wedding. Of course , I can!”

“That’s my girl.”

She smiled at Tyler one more time and nodded to herself. Giovanni Rueben or whatever the hell he was called didn’t know her well enough. Truly, he had proved to be a lunatic but she could also be one is pushed.

And he had just managed to push her.