"Mom, what's going on here?"
I walked into our home and was met with two men armoured in expensive monochrome suits standing by the door and an older man probably in his 60's sitted on our black leather couch with my mother.
Even with the smile he flashed in my direction I could sense he was no good. The man had jet black hair with streaks of grey; sleeked back with gel and cut razor thin. Unlike his guards, he wore a crispy ironed plain white shirt and navy blue trousers.
"Carmen Honey, come sit" She tapped the space on the couch close to her.
I sat down. Unsure of what was going on and doubtful it was anything good.
"Honey this is Mr Whitney. He was a friend of your father's" I heard Mom say.
"Good to finally meet you" the man said, with a tight smile, extending his hands from where he sat.
I took his hands and forced a quick nod.
He turned to my mother and said;
"I believe I'm done here Maria, do well to review the documents and my lawyers will be in touch. I'm sorry once again for the death of your husband" The man concluded, standing up and heading to the door. His guards followed behind him.
I immediately turned to my mother's disgruntled face;
"Mom what just happened, what documents and what lawyers. How did dad know a man like that?" I rambled not caring how I sounded.
"Calm down and let me talk. That was your father's former boss and business partner"
"The same one that duped dad and cut him out of a deal that was his idea?"
" Yes the same one"
" What did that Bastard want? and why were you sitting calmly speaking to him? why wasn't he running off hands in his pants?" I half yelled at my mother irritated at her meekness to a man my father had said only terrible things about.
"He gave me this, that's why" She handed me a paper.
The heading caught my attention:
CONTRACT MARRIAGE BETWEEN SEAN WHITNEY AND CARMEN GARCIA.
"What the hell is this?" I was on my feet filled with rage and hatred.
" You're getting married Car" my mother said quietly and I let out a stiff laugh
"You're kidding right?"
"This is not a joke baby, you're getting married in two months"
" What are you saying mom? Getting married to whom? I don't even have a boyfriend, have you forgotten you asked me to leave Carlos"
" Mr Whitney…" I cut her off
" Absolutely no way in hell I'm marrying that monster" I barked and immediately regretted it when I saw the look in mom's eyes.
"Do not raise your voice at your mother!" She hissed, brows furrowed in frustration.
"I'm sorry mom" I quickly apologized
"Now listen to me, that paper is a signed contract between your late father and the man that just left here. A contract marriage that states that if one company ever faces any major crisis you'll have to marry Sean in other to merge companies and continue the legacy. Right now the Whitney's are experiencing a big blow and he has to merge with your father's company." She consoled
"I can't marry someone I don't know mom"
"You remember Sean? The one you had a crush on back in senior year?"
I rolled my eyes
" Of course mom, Heartbreak no.1. Don't Tell me he's the same Sean" I stared at her eyes wide in realization. I was going to pass out if my mother said I was marrying that Asshole. He's no better than his father.
"Yes the same Sean. I'm sorry Car" she symphatized
" No way! I'm not marrying him. There has to be another way. You know how much he humiliated me. I can't marry him." I shook my head in disbelief, hoping all of this was some sort of prank.
"There's no other way, you either marry into their family or they take over your father's company anyway and now that you're the CEO they'll take you too"
" They can't do that mom, it's just a threat." I spoke up already trembling in fear of what's about to happen.
"Take your time to review the contract dear, you'll understand that they can" Mom finished and went upstairs.
I sat there Wondering how she was so calm in the midst of this chaos. Wondering what led to the signing of that contract without my approval. Dad was a good man even though he was in business with devious men, he still maintained his integrity. This kind of thing was unlike him.
That bastard must have done something to make my father agree to this without consulting me. To think I was marrying his overpampered bully of a son only made matters worse. I've had a crush on Sean since sophomore year. l'd painfully watched him date multiple girls and break hearts. In senior year my best friend, Adrain, had convinced me to ask him out for prom.
I dreamt of what it'll feel like for us to win Prom king and queen. I was certain that he was the love of my life and pictured a family with him. All those dreams were crushed after he humiliated me in front of the entire school. That's a story for another day.
++++++
2months later
The day of the wedding came faster than I'd wanted. I spent the entire 2 months contacting the best lawyers in New Jersey and beyond, searching for a loophole in that contract but I'd found None. Mom had handled all the wedding preparations because I just wasn't interested.
Now I was standing in front of my number one Nemesis in a court room filled with only family and a handful of business associates. I was his wife, we'd gotten married after all, I couldn't believe it. I'd just walked into my biggest nightmare eyes open, sober and without hesitation.
The ceremony ended and Sean disappeared.
"You alright babe?" Adrian my best friend walked up to me after my new husband had abandoned me to attend to God knows what.
"You want brutal honestly? I hate him–so much, and this pretentious marriage, and his family and most importantly this ridiculously heavy dress" I grunted out in frustration and for some reason my bestfriend found it funny so he burst out laughing.
I wondered the kind of material they used to make the dress. It felt like I was wearing concrete.
"Oh honey, beauty is pain. You look gorgeous though" He patted my cheeks and his eyes thinned in a smile.
He had definitely done a good job with my make over but I wasn't giving him the satisfaction of saying so.
"I look like shit, this is just a mask, I'm dying inside" The last part came out in a soft whisper.
" You're the most gorgeous bride I've ever seen.". Adrain said dismissing the conversation and taking my hand
"Let's go, reception is in 15mins. The car is waiting"
* At reception*
It was time for the new couple to be introduced and my husband was no where to be found. His family had no idea where he'd gone and no one had seen him.
"Perfect, just perfect. Tommorow's headlines would read 'The bride that got dumped less than one hour after her wedding' I'd give anything for a chance to dissapear from these prying eyes right now." I thought to myself.
"Where's Sean?" My mom walked up to me and asked
" No idea, Mother" I said in annoyance.
I was still pissed at her for making me do this, we could have fought together to stop this but she did nothing to help me just went ahead to make wedding plans.
"I'll be right back" she squeezed my arm gently and went out of sight.
The wedding reception was terrible, we'd discovered that my husband left because he wasn't ready to put up with everyone anymore than I wanted. I was left to suffer the stares and whispering from Nosy guests. It was morning and I was now a Whitney. I woke up in Sean's bed and he was nowhere to be seen. Why does this man always disappear?He hates me so much he can't even stand my presence? I scanned the room. The window across the bed was huge and it let in sunlight that almost blinded me. The walls were painted a solid grey, there were little to no furniture. No dresser, just a side table. It had so much space that could fit a whole furniture set so I wondered why it looked empty, no pictures hanging on the walls or on the table, only three shirts in the closet. I noticed one of the closets was locked; "creepy" I thought. I'd slept well, it felt like I slept on clouds, the bed was the only comforting thing in this room. My stomach rumbled reminding me I hadn't eaten since ye
I sat in my office trying to finish with the paperworks I had for the day but all I could think of was the woman currently living in my home. To say I was stunned when she walked out this morning would be an understatement. No woman has ever walked out on me. Not even my late wife, Mira. They all knew their place, knew when to speak and when to be quiet but this woman didn't care. She was uncontrollably and ballsy, must I add. I'd given her simple ground rules but she countered giving me her own. I hate when women tried to be in control. It triggers something in me, something dangerous and overpowering. I enjoyed seeing her whimper. Women like her are Pathetic and weak I hadn't expect the attitude I got, to even think she's so young. She doesn't have any idea what she's gotten herself into. I was lost in thought and didn't notice my father walk into the office."Good evening son." His greeting brought me back to reality."Good evening Dad, what are you doing here?" I asked loo
I left the study frightened, I hated him, I couldn't believe he put his hands on me, regarding me as his property. I felt sick standing outside that door, my wrist was hurting and the cut on my finger from the broken glass was already treated and covered. I didn't miss the terror in his eyes. Something is definitely wrong with that man, my gut feeling is never wrong, and right now it's stronger than ever. Something was wrong and I'd find out what even if it meant opening those doors he'd instructed me not to open. I made up my mind to find out what secrets he was hiding as soon as he leaves the house tomorrow morning. Retiring to the desolated room I got ready for bed, pondering on every possibility of what I'd find behind those hidden doors. >>>>I was up at sunrise. The sun rays seeped in through the window and hit my eyes waking me from my uncomfortable slumber. I observed the room and of course, Sean did not sleep here. I stood from the bed and went into th
Shaking in my nightdress, I turned slowly to face my nemesis, I knew I was now in a lot of trouble and didn't know how to get out of it. How do I deal with this devil of a man?"I said, what are you doing?" he asked me again."I uhm, was looking for something to wear," I responded stuttering."You were looking for something to wear in my room," he said softly at me.My mind skipped a beat at the tone of his voice, "why is he speaking softly," I wondered. "He should be screaming his head off at me right now, what is happening here?"Before I could process my thoughts into a decisionHe took a step towards me, before I could blink, he was on top of me already. For the second time, he put his hands on me again. Holding my neck, he shouted again, "how did you get the keys to this place?""It was left open," I managed to force out. The hold on my neck was limiting me from breathing. "Please," I begged, "I was trying to clean up the house and i stumbled upon this room."He snarled, not beli
That bitch, I hate her so much. How do I send her out of my home without losing my business in return? Women should know their place but she continues to insist on defying me. Soon, we have to go out for dinner and parties. What if she embarrasses me in public and I cannot even raise my hand to hurt her or retaliate in response? That would spoil my image in public. A thought started forming in my head, maybe I should plant damning evidence in her company so I can take over it. But would that not ruin the business? The perfect idea would be to trick her into being scammed, if she saw a lucrative business to invest in, then she would want to put all she has into it and then, I’ll make so much money and take over her business. But first, I need to stop her from going to work.“Carmen,” I called out, “woman! Is my dinner ready yet?”“What do you mean by dinner,” she responded. “I thought you told me never to prepare your meal, why don’t you go out and eat some of your whores or perhaps …
As Sean and I sat at the candlelit dinner table on the picturesque beach, I couldn't help but revel in the success of my plan. The tropical paradise was the perfect setting for the next phase of my strategy – lulling Sean into a false sense of security."I must admit, Sean, this place is enchanting," I said, gazing out at the moonlit waves. "Maybe we can make the most of our time here and try to get along."The irony of my words wasn't lost on me, and I fought to conceal the smirk that threatened to escape. This was the calm before the storm, and I needed to play my part convincingly.As the days passed, I maintained the façade of a reformed wife, participating in activities and excursions with Sean as if we were a happily married couple. The island offered us moments of serenity, and I seized the opportunity to gather more information about Sean's intentions and unravel the secrets he harbored.One day, as we explored the island, I suggested a visit to a hidden cove. Sean, under the
Excitement surged through me, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of vindication. The pieces of my plan were falling into place faster than I had anticipated. Perhaps luck was finally on my side.I quickly replied, "Adrian, you're a lifesaver! What does the evidence say? Can we expose Sean now?"His response was swift, “Good news, Carmen! Prepare yourself. I've got something that might blow this whole thing wide open. This evidence is a game-changer. I'll drive down and meet you tonight at your honeymoon spot to share the details. Be ready."A rush of adrenaline coursed through me. Tonight was the night. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place, and Sean was blissfully unaware of the storm brewing around him.In the meantime, I decided to divert Sean's attention. I ordered a bouquet and suggested a spontaneous shopping spree to take his mind off the brewing tension. Little did he know that every smile, every shared moment, was a mask concealing the calculated moves I
The sun crept through the curtains, casting a soft glow in the room as I awoke. A sense of unease lingered from the events of the previous day. Thoughts swirled in my mind, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.As I lay in bed, I reflected on the sudden appearance of the congratulatory cake. It seemed out of place, and Carmen's explanation only fueled my suspicions. I recalled the unexpected encounter when I went looking for her during dinner, only to find her talking to Adrian. The conversation seemed hushed, and their body language hinted at a level of secrecy that left me uneasy.The memory gnawed at me, and I decided to confront Carmen about it. The air in the room felt tense as I mentioned the cake. "Carmen, about that cake last night, what was it really about? And why were you talking to Adrian when dinner was getting cold?"Carmen's eyes darted for a moment, a subtle flicker of discomfort crossing her face. She quickly composed herself. "It was just a surpr