CHAPTER 1

ROWAN’S POV

“You may now kiss the bride.” 

Come on, Rowan, you can do this. Just kiss the d*mn b*tch and get it over with. I lifted the veil, and to my absolute horror…

“YOU?!” we both screamed at the same time.

What the hell is she doing here?! Is she planning to ruin my life all over again? And who the hell did this A****n woman’s makeup?! Her eyeshadow isn't even blended properly, and her foundation doesn't match her skin tone at all! What a walking disaster!

Noticing the crowd starting to whisper around us, I immediately tried to damage control.

“Is that really you? Wow, you look... stunning.” 

She grimaced even harder, so I glared at her, widening my eyes.

“Right? You look gorgeous too.” 

What the actual fvck?!

“Kiss the bride,” the priest repeated.

I couldn't wipe the disgust off my face. I'm supposed to kiss this girl? Her lipstick shade doesn't even suit her, and I'm expected to kiss that? I'll probably look like a corpse too if my lips even brush against hers.

And then she actually closed her eyes. Huh! Did she really think I wanted her lipstick transferring onto me? I leaned closer, making it look like we were kissing from afar, and whispered, “What are you doing here? Your makeup looks hideous!”

Her eyes snapped open, glaring daggers at me. 

“I need money, and you need a wife. So stop being a baby and just kiss me.” 

Is she for real?! Gross!

“Eeew!” I pulled away the second I heard the crowd applauding. “Smile at my grandma. Make it look like we're happy,” I muttered, subtly nudging her with my elbow.

“I know. She’s dying anyway, which is why you're so desperate to get married, right?” she replied, flashing a radiant smile right after saying it. 

Gosh, she is such a demon!

You're probably wondering how the hell I ended up in this situation…

FLASHBACK

“Rowan, can you really bear to do this to your grandma? You know you're the only boy among all your cousins. Just get married already. Have some pity on your poor grandma.” 

Here we go again with her melodramatic lines. She grabbed an envelope from her bedside table and handed it to me.

“What's this?” I asked, knitting my brows.

“My medical results. I have cancer, sweetheart.”

“What?!” 

I knew Grandma was always over the top and dramatic, so I opened the envelope first before freaking out. Stage 4 lung cancer. That's what it said.

“I'm sorry I only told you now. I didn't want you worrying about me.” 

It felt like a bucket of ice water was poured over me. I turned to look at Mom. She quickly averted her gaze and wiped away a tear.

“Am I the only one who didn't know about this?!”

“Yes. I'm sorry, Rowan.” 

Grandma took my hand, her expression completely serious. 

“I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I really thought I’d get better. I didn't want to burden you.”

“Grandma, don't say that.” 

I sat beside her and hugged her tight. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't handle it.

“Can you make your grandma's wish come true before I go?” 

I had no choice but to nod. I cried against her shoulder while she gently stroked my back.

And that is exactly why I ended up in this mess, desperately searching for a woman who could marry me right then and there.

“Auntie, please, just help me find a decent woman.” 

I was practically begging her at this point. She was the only one I knew with a massive network.

“Are you serious right now, Rowan? You barge into my office just to dump your problems on me? I'm telling you, I am so stressed right now! Besides, why don't you just go on a blind date?”

“I don't have time for that. You know how busy I am. Just help me hire someone who can pretend to be my bride.”

She stopped typing on her laptop and stared at me. “Do you honestly think any woman would last with that attitude of yours, Rowan?”

“I'll pay. I don't care how expensive it is, just find me someone to marry.”

She sat up straight and took off her reading glasses. 

“Fine. I'll find you a woman crazy enough to marry you.” 

I just rolled my eyes at her. 

“But you have to treat her right, and absolutely no complaining.”

THE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING

From: Auntie Yassy

Tomorrow is your wedding. It's at our beach resort. I already sent your suit with the driver. The wedding starts at 8 AM, don't be late!

“Ugh, what a hassle.” 

I ended up staying awake until 1 AM just to finish up a mountain of work.

THE NEXT DAY

I arrived at the venue by 7 AM. Everything was set up, and there were surprisingly a lot of guests even though I was told it would be an intimate wedding. I saw my family sitting in the front row, waiting for the bride. I immediately approached Grandma and took her hand for a blessing.

We chatted for a while, but the bride was still nowhere to be seen.

“Where is she? It's past eight. I don't wanna be a laughingstock, Auntie,” I whispered to her, forcing a smile while standing at the altar.

“Wait, I'll call her. Maybe she just got caught in traffic.”

“Please! This is embarrassing!”

She turned around and started tapping furiously on her phone again. This was going to be the first time I'd ever lay eyes on my future wife, and I already hated her. Who the hell shows up late to their own wedding? So unprofessional.

Eight-thirty. I had been standing at the altar looking like an idiot for thirty straight minutes. Finally, the wedding march began to play, and everyone turned their heads toward the bride. I subtly rolled my eyes, completely irritated. Whoever this chick is, I'm going to make sure she learns her lesson.

PRESENT

SAMARAH’S POV

“You can do this, Sam. Please, just pull yourself together. It's not like you have a choice, right? You need this gig.” 

I looked like a crazy person talking to myself as I walked down the aisle. My emotions were all over the place. I was nervous, terrified, and I lowkey needed to use the bathroom. I didn't even know what to feel anymore.

When I finally reached the front, there was a whole bunch of dramatic fluff. Honestly, I just wanted to get this over with so I could run to the restroom.

“You may now kiss the bride.” I swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking out the moment I heard those words.

Sam, you got this. Just please don't punch him. You can do this, I whispered to myself.

But all my anxiety instantly flipped into pure rage the second I saw who lifted my veil.

“YOU??” we both shouted.

I could hear the gasps from the crowd and the frantic whispering from his family. Rowan?! Rowan Fontano was the guy I just married? Come on, this guy is softer than I am!

“Is that really you? Wow, you look... stunning,” he said, sounding like a literal robot. His eyes were wide, and he stood there stiff as a board.

Grimacing, I shot back, 

“Right? You look gorgeous too.” I completely mocked his tone. I glanced around and realized everyone was looking at us like we were total weirdos.

“Kiss the bride,” the priest repeated.

I swallowed hard, and for some unexplainable reason, I pulled a total creep move and licked my bottom lip. He instantly winced, looking completely repulsed. As he slowly leaned in, I wanted nothing more than to bolt. I had to force myself to remember why I was here just to stop myself from hitting him in the face. If I didn't desperately need the money, I would have beaten him to a pulp.

I just closed my eyes and swallowed my pride. I could already feel his breath on my cheek when suddenly…

“What are you doing here? Your makeup looks hideous!”

“I need money, and you need a wife. So stop being a baby and just kiss me.”

“Eeew!” 

My eyes snapped open as the crowd started applauding. Turns out he just faked it to make it look like we kissed. What a total wuss.

We both flashed a pair of fake smiles to the crowd. A shiver ran down my spine when he grabbed my hand.

“Smile at my grandma. Make it look like we're happy.”

“I know. She’s dying anyway, which is why you're so desperate to get married, right?” 

We kept smiling brightly for everyone, but underneath it all, we were practically crushing each other's hands.