1. Never Say Never

"What?" I whisper in shock-relief rolled into one. 

My mother was weeping, and my father looked at me with a deer-in-the-headlights expression. 

"I don't understand? You argued that he is dying to marry me? Should I assume he is dead?" I angled my voice to make it look like it was trembling to shake, and I was trying hard to find my voice. 

But on the inside, I'm dancing, celebrating, happy isn't the word, Delirious. I'm the happiest woman in the world. Though my sister, Lee, was consoling my mother, she narrowed her eyes at me, and the meaning was clear. Suspicion, doubt, and cynical written on it. She was trying to figure out if I had a hand in this drama. 

"We don't know..." my father dragged his words, not sure what to say. 

"You don't know? That's comforting, Dad. What should I do? Stay in the church forever or wait for him to return from the Mountains or rise from the dead?" I tilted my head to look at my weeping mother. 

"What do you think I should do, Ma? Do you have an anecdote on how a girl should act when dumped by her Fiancée hours before the wedding? Considering how you both blackmailed me into this 'hurry-I'm-going-die-if-you-do-not- marry' situation?" I sneered. 

My Mom and Dad looked away, ashamed. 

Let me get this clear, I'm not angry that my good-for-nothing fiancée dumped me, but I'm mad at my parents for putting me through hell for nothing. 

The wedding is taking place in a small but lovely church. The church was large and lonely, and we loved to go there, especially on bright nights. Arguably one of the most beautiful churches in America is St. Patrick's Cathedral. A large, low porch let one into the building by a Norman doorway and an ironed heavy oak door. Inside, the arches rose into darkness, and between them were the reticulated windows, which stood out white in the moonlight. In the chancel, the windows were of rich glass, which showed in faint light their noble coloring, making the black oak of the choir pews hardly more solid than the shadows. But on each side of the altar lay a grey marble figure of a knight in full plate armor lying upon a low slab, with hands held up in everlasting prayer, and these figures, oddly enough, were always to be seen if there was any glimmer of light in the church. It is not suitable for a fairy tale wedding but perfect for a low-budget wedding like mine. 

My parents had a typical arranged marriage. My father was into marketing, a man who was all-talk and do-nothing. We moved to Queens when I was in school. My mother came from an orthodox Christian family, which had rules that were way old and set in stone. Long story short, my father got mixed with the wrong crowd and started drinking, gambling, and getting fired. There started an ongoing war with my parents—with my sister Lee and I on one side and my parents on the other. I always felt like we lived in the middle of a battle zone and that they might step on a landmine at any given moment. 

My parents took us for granted and got lost in their battle. Children are always a casualty of parents' fights, and it impacts us in many ways. They don't realize that they are the rock we always depend on. They are our safe harbor when the seas of life get rough. They are our secure base. It came as a tremendous shock to me when I was forced to face the loss of that security. It shook my very core and made me question trust in life. That said, when the two people who are supposed to love each other unconditionally behave contemptuously, forgetting they have responsibilities and kids, it warps your view on marriage. 

I dropped out of college and took over my family responsibilities in a blink of an eye. Tragedy has a way of toughening you up; if it doesn't kill you in the process. 

Unlike other girls, I never had a boyfriend or big dreams about weddings. I don't need a man to define me. I truly believed I didn't need a man to be happy. Before you judge, I'm not against relationships or men – my happiness was not dependent on any man. On the flip side, some people like my mother would rather be in a bad relationship than be single because they don't think a woman's life is complete without a man in it. Many women, including my family, may disagree, but I honestly felt I don't need a man to be happy. Unfortunately, I lost the war to my parents and nodded to marry Ken. 

Ken, my ex-Fiancée, a douchebag, was a family friend of my mother's. Ken loved me, or so he said. My parents loved Ken, and I ended up getting dumped at the altar. Ken meant nothing to me, but I gave in to get over my parent's constant emotional blackmail, and it turned out to be the best decision of my life. Now, I could have the life I always dreamed of – a life without a man. 

After a quick mental slap to redirect my wayward thoughts, I squared my shoulders and looked at my parents. 

"No one knows where he is gone, not even his parents. His mobile is in the room, and he is missing," explained my sobbing mother. 

"Have you checked Ken's mother? He usually hides behind her." I mocked, and my Mom glared at me. 

"His mother couldn't wait to get out. When she realized her son was missing, she packed everything and ran away with her friends. Now, what do we do?" My Dad said as he shook his head. 

"Everyone knows that you are getting married today. What are we going to say? What will happen to your future and your sister's future?" rambled my mother. 

I took a sharp breath before I slumped on the bed. Fortunately, I could draw on my all-my-life-drama knowledge and work up a good cry. 

My mother and sister tried to console me, while my father looked guilty for pushing me too hard. I sniffled, "Can you all leave me alone for a while?" 

My mother shook her head, "No, no... I will not leave you alone, not now," I rolled my eyes again. Talk about melodramatic. 

"Ma, I'm not going to commit suicide, definitely not for a man like Ken ... Yuck," I gagged. "I'm crying because you made me quit my job and take a loan. Now, who will repay it? Please send off the photographer and cancel everything. Will you leave me alone for a while?" I snapped, and everyone scurried away in fear. 

I wait for a few minutes before I wipe my tears and smile as widely as I can. I feel as if the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders.

My heart swells with happiness and hope. I don't care why I was dumped at the altar, but I could use this ruse to stay single forever. I should thank Ken for leaving me and apologize for planning to kill him. I took the rat poison out of my suitcase and threw it in the garbage. I smile. That is money well spent. 

I swirl around and dance to celebrate my happiness. I laugh at the situation. Only a crazy girl like me will be happy to dance to get dumped. 

"Wow," I heard a man's voice. I stiffened like a stick. Did Ken come back? Horror gripped my heart as I slowly turned around. 

The door was open and strode in a tall man in a three-piece navy blue suit, which fit him perfectly, and he had a mop of pitch-black hair that was styled but still looked clean cut. Even though the stranger was wearing a three-piece suit, he looked well-built and muscular, and his face, I saw his jaw's chiseled, and his cheekbones were high. He met my eyes with such intensity that everything around me went silent and blurry. He looked at me like he knew me. 

My stomach clenches as unknown fear grips my heart. 

Then walking behind him was another man; I guessed it was his friend, dressed in black pants and a white shirt. And he looked handsome, but not like the other man. 

"Celebrating, are we, Ms. Lewis?" He asked in a deep voice, stepping in and closing my door. 

My mouth opened, and an almost inaudible whisper came out, "Who are you?" 

"You forgot us?" His friend squealed in surprise and disbelief. 

Is there any rule that I'm supposed to remember them? Not that I know. I shook my head. 

Silent as a panther, the man in the suit walked toward me. "I want to marry you!" His voice was like the clap of thunder that interrupts the warbling birds among the leaves. 

My eyes grew wider. My pulse zoomed into Formula One racing mode. 

Am I on drugs? Did I even get out of bed this morning? Maybe this is all an elaborate dream, and right now, I am snug in bed with the covers pulled over my head. What is a man like him doing at my wedding? Why would he even come to a Church in Queens? How does he know my name?

I pinch myself to wake up, wake up, wake up. I gasp. This is no dream. It's happening

Maybe, I heard it wrong. 

"I don't like to repeat myself, Ms. Lewis. Listen carefully. I said I – Want – To – Marry – You," he enunciated every word like I was a fool. Arrogance oozed out of his words. 

I stood like a wave-beaten rock and dumb as a fish, as I didn't know what to say. 

"Good one! You have a good sense of humor, sir. Thank you for trying to make me feel better. Thank you for coming," I gestured my hand to show him the door. 

He made no move, and his hypnotizing eyes seemed to gleam as they took me in. I was feeling extremely uncomfortable with how the man was staring at me. I'm no beauty, but the way the stranger is staring at me makes me want to hide. I'm five feet seven inches, but still, I only reach up to his chest. 

"Do you even know who he is?" His friend questioned, his mouth twitching in amusement. 

I had to blink at his casual delivery, "I don't know, and I can't stress this enough; I don't care." 

"You didn't G****e him yet?" He asked again. I took a sharp breath to control my raging temper.

"Sir, with all due respect, please leave. I'm not a stupid teenager to obsess over every rich man or a celebrity in the city."

"Ms. Lewis, I'm waiting for your answer," cut the stranger impatiently. This man was getting right under my skin. 

I shook my head and glared at him, making sure I left my face a blank slate. "Not in your wildest dreams, sir." 

"Wait, since you said you don't know him, let me introduce the stranger who proposed an instant marriage to you. His name is Alexander King, the only son of his parents. The richest and one of the most powerful men in the United States." He gestured his fingers at him. 

"My name is Michael Maxwell, his best friend, his brother, and his colleague at work," he finished with a smile. 

Why would this enigmatic rich man want to marry me? Why? Has heaven fallen already? 

I stood there with my arms crossed, tapping my foot. "Impressive! If you are done, I would like you to leave and get this nightmare over and done with." 

"Ms. Lewis, you are wasting my time. Can't you say 'yes' and get this over with?" The man seemed like a thing of stone, his piercing eyes staring straight into mine. 

I groaned in frustration again, "How did you guys get in? His arrogant big head wouldn't fit in this room," I yelled as I finally lost it. 

Silence deep as death follows as I breathe heavily. Now that I think of it, why is he even here? How did he know about my wedding? Let's not forget that my marriage is happening in Queens. It's almost two hours drive from New York City. My mind raced with possibilities. 

Did my douchebag of an ex-Fiancée invite him? Not a chance. Ken likes to brag. If only he knew this rich man, then he would've bragged until my ear fell off. 

Did my father borrow money from him...? Yes, that's a definite possibility, but he doesn't look like a man who befriends my father. 

My conscience was yelling at each other, and I felt like a candidate for a mental institution. Figuring out this mystery is going nowhere. 

"Earth to Ms. Lewis, if you are done daydreaming, Can you get back to reality?" He snaps.

My God! Is he persistent? Men like him are no good. 

"God, you are annoying!" I groaned, and his friend laughed out loud. 

"Ms. Lewis, how can you say 'no' to him?" His friend questioned curiously.

I looked at him puzzled, "With my mouth?" 

I could see his muscles bunch and move when he walked underneath his suit. He looked dangerous and powerful like he should come with a warning sign, like a lion in a cage, but some people would still take the risk of trying to get close, but not me. He stood close to me, and I took a step back. 

"I don't take 'no' for an answer, Ms. Lewis," He growled. 

I took a deep breath, "Is this some slang or a tag line for a rich man like you? Mr. Singh, who won't take 'no' for an answer. It's catchy!" I mimicked in a funny voice. His eyes turned dark, as profoundly dark as the desert skies. I was clearly playing with fire. 

They both crossed their arms and glared at me. I took in a sharp breath as I spoke softly, "Look, sir, I appreciate you trying to help, but my answer is 'no.' It's creepy and wrong on all levels. We are both like sky and earth, which can never become one. I don't know what your definition of marriage is, but to me, it's sacred. I'm not interested in getting married at all," I admitted with an awkward laugh. 

"Oh really? You were all set to marry a man whom you barely knew. Now that he eloped, I'm offering to marry you."

Why would a rich man offer to marry me? Did all the women in the world die, or is he out of women? Reason doesn't matter. I need to get him out of this place before my parents hear about his proposal. 

"Look, you could go on and on in this close circle of denial forever. I could argue with you all I want, but just know that my answer will always be 'no.'" 

"I'm trying to help. Instead of being grateful, you are showing your freaking attitude," he snapped. 

"Thank you for the indecent proposal, Your Highness. Now happy? Please leave and give me the pleasure of slamming the door on your face," I sneered. 

"Women with tongues like needles." His friend laughed. 

"Ms. Lewis, think about it. We both might benefit from this marriage," said the stranger. 

"The answer is still 'no," 

"Your failed marriage will forever shame your parents," he replied quickly. 

"For the love of God, we haven't invited over ten guests. There is no shamming or name-calling here. I'm no Cinderella, and I don't need a freaking knight in shining armor to save me. Please leave me alone," 

"Think about your parents," 

"I can handle my parents," 

"Do you? What if I say your parents agreed to this wedding? Will you marry me?" 

"They won't," 

"But they did," 

"Bullshit! Why are we arguing if my parents agreed to the wedding?" 

"Because I want you to agree to this wedding,"

"I will never agree," 

"Never say never, Ms. Lewis" He smirked, looking straight into my eyes. Right on cue, the door opened, and my parents walked in. 

Can this day get any more dramatic?