Chapter 6: Married

"After the wedding, you can now take over seventy per cent of the business," Mr Carter said both unaware Mrs Carter was eavesdropping. 

Mrs Carter left immediately realizing they are almost done with their conversation and texted Mrs Garcia 

[They are planning the wedding]

She typed and sent it to her. Mrs Garcia woke up by the sound of her phone notification. She picked it up and unlocked the screen seeing she had received a message from Mr Carter. She opened the note and read it her eyes widened and the sleep vanished from her face.

"No, this can't be happening," she said not sure what to do to change anything now that Olivia was in Carter's apartment. 

[We need to do something. I know you don't want your son marrying a dumb servant girl. Let's meet and plan something]

She typed and sent it to Mrs Carter and got out of bed quickly. She went to the washroom and came downstairs for breakfast but quickly remember upon reaching the living room, Olivia was no longer living with them. 

"No breakfast?" she heard Camila's voice from the dining area.

"What do you mean no breakfast?" Jonathan asked descending the stairs when she heard Camila's statement 

"Wait! Is Olivia alright?" he asked with concern

"I am sure she is fine and just like her mother, offering herself to a man somewhere," Mrs Garcia said and came face to face with her husband. 

She rolled her eyes and fixated her eyes on Jonathan

"You know Olivia's mother?" Jonathan asked and Mrs Garcia realized she had said too much out of anger

"No, that is what we were told about how she was conceived and how she ended up in the orphanage," she replied doing a quick recovery 

"So what are we going to do about the kitchen? You know I don't know how to cook," Camila asked 

"I am going to work. Jonathan, would you like to come with me or you would prefer to stay and decide with them where breakfast would come from?" Mr Garia said and moved his gaze to Jonathan saying the last part of his statement. 

"Mum, I am going to work," Jonathan kissed his mother on the cheek and turned his gaze to his father

"Dad, I am coming with you," he replied and he could tell his parents fought last night.

"Just order in, I would think of something by noon," Mrs Garcia said and went back upstairs.

Back at Carter's mansion, Mr Carter and Ethan exited Mr Carter's study laughing about a joke. 

"I guess you would take her to town?" he asked 

"Yes, Dad. I need to make her feel at home. I would take her to my place after," Ethan replied

"That is great, you can take her to our family restaurant. I would leave for the office. We have some investors coming around today but don't worry, I will let you in on the details later," Mr Carter said as they both stood in front of the study.

Back in Olivia's room, she was sitting on the bed not sure what to do. She heard a knock on the door and when she responded, Mrs Carter entered the room. She got out of bed and stood at the side of the bed

"I see you have already settled in and  feeling comfortable," she said and smiled 

"Yes ma'am. Thank you," Olivia replied believing she wanted to confirm if she was comfortable but there was something about her smile which didn't feel genuine. 

"You know you don't belong here. So why are you here?" she asked looking at her and Olivia couldn't answer

"Think about it, why do you think a family of our status would choose a servant girl for a bride for our son if there is no hidden agender," she said and Olivia looked at her silently not sure what to think of what she is saying 

"Mum?" came Ethan's voice from behind her making Mrs Carter jumped 

"You are here," he asked a bit surprised 

"Yes, I just came to check on her and ensure she was comfortable, right Olivia?" she said looking at Olivia

"Yes ma'am," Olivia acknowledged not sure what was going on.

"I would leave since you are here now," she said 

She could feel Mrs Carter's hostility. Her aura was almost like Mrs Garcia's except for the confusing smiles. Mrs Carter walked towards the door and exited closing the door behind her. That was not her plan she had wanted to make Olivia reject Ethan but Ethan walked in too early. She clenched her fist and walked away hoping Mrs Garcia would come up with something to stop this marriage. 

"Why do you want to marry me?" Olivia asked as soon as she was alone with Ethan making him frown

He immediately wonder what his mother had talked about with her to make her ask such a question. She seems okay when he asked her earlier or was she now thinking about his question?

"Because I like you," he replied putting his hand into his pocket. 

"But you are rich and I am poor. I don't have any education, I don't have a job, I have nothing. So why would you want to marry me?" she asked again looking at him.

Ethan laughed at her question dismissing his earlier thought her mother had said something. She was still in her clothes which looked like rugs. Clearly, she doesn't feel belonged. He inched closer and she took a step back almost like she was scared of him.

"Look, liking someone has nothing to do with money, education or material things. It is about who you feel comfortable around and want to spend the rest of your life with," he said stopping at the foot of the bed as she stood on the side with her back pressed against the wall.

Olivia looked at him and could not take her eyes off. Jonathan is handsome but Ethan looked like a movie star, like a painting that has come to life. His eyes were like a deep ocean sucking her in. She shut her eyes not sure why her mind was going crazy. 

"I came to take you out. I want to know more about you," he said not at all surprised by Olivia's stare.

He was used to that and it was the reason he had kept a low profile just to avoid unnecessary attention. His ordinary life with his riches is already pulling a female crowd. If he adds social media to it, he would be pulling more female crowds than his guards could control. Olivia nodded lowering her head after realizing she was staring too much at him.  

"Let's go," he said moving closer and offering her his hand. 

She was wearing an off-white shapeless straight dress and slippers. They both exited the room hand-in-hand and were soon out of the house after Ethan told her mother she was taking Olivia out and ignoring her suggestion they should stay at home. 

In a few minutes, they were on the main street heading toward's the family's restaurant. Now Mr Carter owns a lot of businesses which include three restaurants which happen to be the top restaurants in New York City, Two hotels and three top hospitals.  

The ride to the restaurants was done in silence as Olivia looked out the window wondering if that part of the city was also part of New York. She was always confined to a certain space she had never seen the city before. Ethan just stared at her unable to take his eyes off the beauty sitting next to him. He wish he could hug her, kiss her lips and feel her skin but he didn't want to scare her. 

"Park on the other side. I don't want unnecessary attention drawn to my wife-to-be," Ethan instructed the driver and he did as requested and Ethan went through the back door to the office at the top. 

He made a few calls and food and drinks were brought to the floor. Olivia was very quiet as she sat behind the very expensive table with huge plates she had never seen before with gold cutlery. 

"Feel free to use your hand. I am okay," Ethan said reading her discomfort as her gaze alternated between the cutleries on the side of the plate. 

She looked at her hand and Ethan smiled. He gave her water to wash her hand and she started eating with her hands. Ethan couldn't stop admiring the innocent beauty sitting in front of him. He sent some message to someone and by the time they finished eating a lady walked in

"O my God!" she exclaimed raising her hand to her chest upon seeing Olivia

"What happened?" she asked looking at Ethan clued to her spot still with her hands on her chest like she was about to get a heart attack. 

"Nothing, what can you do for her?" he asked moving towards the sofa with Olivia standing not sure what to do. 

"I have worked with plain canvases before but this canvas needs lots of cleaning. I must say, she is a gem though," she said looking at Olivia who was wondering what they were talking about.

"I leave her in your capable hands, impress me," Ethan said and exited the office.

"Okay, sweetness, come with me," she said as some ladies pushed some long clothes stands and other things into the room. 

"I wish, I could take you to my place but I can work with what I have," she said and started her work

After an hour, she called Ethan in and he sat down on the sofa waiting to see Olivia.

"I present you with Ms world," she said and Olivia walked in. She was wearing flats as she could not walk in the heels but she looked stunning 

"Wow, I was not wrong about you," Ethan commented standing to his feet unable to take his eyes off her

Olivia smiled back seeing the genuine happiness in Ethan's eyes. She was not all that dumb, she could tell when someone is genuinely happy, angry or sad but she had lived with so many angry people she had come to accept the only way she can be happy is just obey them.  

"Where did you find her? Does she have a twin?" the beautician asked 

"Back off, she is taken," Ethan replied not looking at her

"Thank you by the way," Ethan said to the beautician and she exited with her girls

Olivia was wearing a simple straight dress that showed her beautiful curves. She didn't have to do makeup as her face naturally looked like she was wearing makeup. The lipgloss applied to her lips made her pink lips prominent. Her crazy long lashes looked like a butterfly flapping its wings anytime she closed and open her eyes. 

"You look stunning," Ethan praised drawing closer to her. 

He wanted to kiss her badly but felt the timing wasn't right. They left the restaurant for a boutique and he bought her many clothes. Gradually, Olivia seems to be having fun. When Ethan took her to his apartment, it was 4 pm. His father come over after half an hour and was surprised to see how different Olivia looked

He briefed Ethan on what happened at the office and the decision of some partners that had come around.

"That is good news," he said 

After supper where again Olivia ate with her hand, they briefly watched TV together and Ethan went to see his father off. 

"Ethan, how do you feel about having a court marriage?" he asked when Ethan went to see him off

"I would prefer a grand wedding but why do you ask," Ethan asked 

"I am having a strange feeling something bad would happen if we choose to make it grand," he said 

"Okay Dad, let's do the court marriage. In that case, we can do that tomorrow and I can take her on a honeymoon and return the following week," Ethan replied already excited about a chance to make her his.

He also knew his dad's premonition is nothing to joke with and Mr Carter acknowledged before leaving for home. 

When he arrived home, he told his wife about the court marriage and as expected she was not pleased with the decision. 

"Why the rush and why do you want to keep it so quiet?" she asked climbing into bed.

"How long do you want us to wait and how much noise do you want us to make about it?" he asked seeing her concerns as unnecessary 

"That is your only son, does why," she replied realizing the sudden change of plan would affect what she had planned with Mrs Garcia. 

They have a plan to make Olivia reject Ethan and run away but she needed time to do that. That is what she started doing when Ethan walked in.

She lay down realizing Mr Carter was not ready to agree to her suggestion of they taking their time. She sent a message to Mrs Garcia about the new development. She had replied asking if she knew where the marriage would take place but that was something she would only find out in the morning. 

The next day early hours of the morning she asked her husband where the court wedding would take place

"Why do you want to know? I am taking you there," he replied as he dressed up.

He was already feeling his wife was up to something. She had expressed her concerns she was not for the marriage so what stops her from doing something to stop the marriage from happening? This is why he gave her little to no information at all. Once they are married there's not much she can do than to accept. 

Mrs Carter saw Mrs Garcia's message and she replied she didn't have the location. In a few minutes, they left the house for Ethan's and soon out to the place heading to the court for the marriage.

Mrs Carter was surprised to see Olivia. She didn't pay much attention to her and hence didn't realize she was this beautiful. She was caught in a daze for a moment and Mr Carter noticed this making the corners of his lips curl up in a smile.

They soon arrived at the court and Mrs Carter gave an excuse she was touching up her makeup. She stayed in the car and sent the location to Mrs Garcia but unfortunately for Mrs Garcia, by the time she got to the place the marriage was done. 

She saw Ethan and Olivia walking out of the court walking hand in hand and Mrs Carter by their side. Mrs Carter was behind them

[It is done, what prevented you from coming] She typed and sent

[The stupid police wasted all my time] Mrs Garcia replied