Chapter 3

Geraldine’s Point of View

As we walked hand in hand, I guided him while his wheelchair moved forward on its own. I kept smiling the entire time, pretending everything was perfectly natural. God, it almost felt like I had continued my wedding with the senator except this time with a different groom.

Well, it didn’t matter. This would only last for tonight. Everything here would be wasted if there was no bride to stand beside him. There were so many guests, and from the looks of it, all of them were wealthy. Just by the grandeur of the setup, I could tell millions had been spent.

I’ll ask about it later, maybe.

“Let’s hear the message from our surprising couple tonight, the couple none of us expected would end up together,” the host announced cheerfully, standing at the front of the hall.

Wait, what? We had to give a speech? My eyes widened, and I turned to Mike, who was already watching me.

“What should I say?” I whispered nervously.

“Say whatever you want. I’ll take care of the rest if they react.”

His calm answer made me smile despite my nerves.

“Fine, but gentlemen first,” I teased.

He chuckled under his breath before taking the microphone from the host. He looked composed, his presence commanding, and when he began speaking, his voice filled the entire hall.

“Good evening, everyone. First, I want to thank each of you for being here on this special day. Your presence means the world to us, and it wouldn’t feel complete without the love and support of our closest family and friends.”

Family. Right. His family was here, sitting among the crowd. What would they think of me, a complete stranger standing in place of his real bride?

I quickly brushed the thought aside. This was temporary anyway.

“Today marks the beginning of a beautiful new chapter in our lives,” Mike continued, his words flowing smoothly as if they came from the heart. “We’re grateful to share this moment with all of you. Whether you traveled from far or near, your effort to celebrate with us reminds us of how blessed we are to be surrounded by so much love. Each of you has touched our lives in some way, and we carry your lessons and love with us as we begin this journey together.”

I had to admit, the way he spoke was convincing. If I didn’t know the truth, I would have believed every word.

“As we celebrate tonight, let’s create memories we’ll cherish forever. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being part of our day.”

He was about to lower the microphone when I quickly leaned in and added, “And let’s spoil this night with drinks!”

The crowd fell silent for a moment. I glanced at Mike nervously, but instead of scolding me, he laughed softly.

“Drinks again?” he teased.

“Of course,” I replied, my tone playful.

Without hesitation, I grabbed two glasses of red wine from the nearest server and handed one to him. Wrapping my arm around his, I lifted my glass.

“So, let’s raise our glasses to a lifetime of love, laughter, and happily ever after. Here’s to me and Mike. Cheers!”

“Cheers!” everyone echoed, lifting their own glasses.

We both drank. The moment the wine touched my lips, I felt its richness and closed my eyes briefly, savoring the taste. It was heavenly. The crowd clapped and cheered, believing the scene to be real.

After that, we were ushered away for a quick costume change. Assistants guided us to a private room, and soon enough, I was standing in front of a mirror wearing a beautiful gown that fit me perfectly. I twirled once, admiring how elegant it looked, and stepped out of the dressing room with a proud smile.

Mike was standing near the window, speaking on the phone. His tone was low, but I caught a few words.

“…bankrupt?”

I froze. Bankrupt? Did I hear that right? A pang of guilt hit me. Here I was, planning to collect my “tip” while he might be in the middle of a financial crisis.

“Alright, I’ll handle it tomorrow,” he said firmly before ending the call.

I bit my lip, suddenly uneasy. But when he turned around and his eyes fell on me, his expression shifted instantly. His gaze softened, and a smile tugged at his lips.

“Wife, you’re so beautiful.”

I glanced down at the dress, then back at him with a confident grin.

“I know that.”

He wheeled closer and reached for my hand. His touch was surprisingly warm.

“Let’s go to the bed,” he said casually.

I blinked. “H-Hey! What are we supposed to do on the bed?”

His grin turned playful. “What else do you think?”

I stepped back quickly, wrapping my arms around myself. “H-Hey…”

“Relax. I’m kidding,” he said with a chuckle. “Come with me.”

I followed him reluctantly, only to stop dead in my tracks when he opened a door to another room. My jaw nearly dropped. On the bed were sets of car keys from luxury brands, sparkling jewelry, and stacks of cash.

“W-What is this?” I stammered.

“Choose whatever you want. That’s my tip for you.”

“Huh?”

But I’d just heard him talking about bankruptcy. Why was he giving away treasures like this?

“Actually…” he began, but cut himself off. “Just pick.”

My hand trembled as I picked up a car key.

“That’s for the Bugatti La Voiture Noire,” he explained.

I quickly placed it back down, my heart skipping a beat. A Bugatti? That was worth millions.

I grabbed another key.

“That’s a Ferrari Pininfarina Sergio,” he said smoothly.

I groaned inwardly and set it back down. Everything here was worth a fortune. My eyes then caught an envelope on the bed. I reached for it, only to freeze when I saw the numbers printed on the check inside.

“Damn… one hundred million dollars?” I whispered.

Mike smiled knowingly and nodded.

A man entered the room and addressed him. “Boss.”

“Everything she touched belongs to her now,” Mike ordered.

My eyes widened. “W-What? No, that’s not—”

“Yes, sir,” the man replied immediately.

“Stop!” I shouted, panicked. “That wasn’t my intention! This is too much!”

Mike tilted his head. “Isn’t that too small for you?”

“Small? Are you serious?” I almost choked on my own words.

I clutched the check, my heart racing. I couldn’t accept this. Helping him shouldn’t come with this kind of price tag. Quietly, I slipped the envelope back onto the bed when he wasn’t looking.

“Mike, let’s go. The guests are probably waiting,” I urged, pushing his wheelchair toward the door.

“Alright, my wife,” he said softly, allowing me to guide him.

We returned to the hall where his secretary awaited us. I leaned closer to Mike and whispered, “So… can I drink now?”

He laughed under his breath, clearly amused. “Fine. Drink whatever you want. I won’t stop you.”

“Yes!” I pumped my fist in victory. Then I turned to the secretary. “Kuya Secretary, can we switch the music to club music?”

The secretary glanced at his boss, who simply nodded.

“Do whatever she likes,” Mike said.

“Thank you! You’re joining us too, my hubby for tonight,” I teased.

He only shook his head, smiling. “Fine, fine.”

Grinning, I grabbed the wheelchair handles and ran forward, pushing him along.

“H-Hey, slow down!” he protested.

But I was already laughing, excitement bubbling in my chest. Finally, I was free. No more pretending to be the senator’s sweet girlfriend. Tonight, I was going to let loose, drink to my heart’s content, and party until the night burned itself out.

“Let’s spoil it tonight!” I declared with a wild grin.

******

LMCD22