Chapter 2. His Chosen Bride

Charles Alejandro was at his hotel when he received the report that his chosen bride had finally arrived home. 

He was eager to see Nancy, as his parents had been pressuring him to settle down. As their only son, he was likely to become the future president. He had many enemies, some inherited from his parents…

Charles had been at his company earlier in the morning before he decided to visit his hotel in the afternoon. He planned to spend the evening with any attractive lady there… It was no secret that he loved women. As a powerful man in AJ City, most young ladies were aware of this and also wanted to share a bed with him…

Charles, a 30-year-old black man, was very attractive. He was tall, masculine, and had short black hair. His mother wouldn't let him rest, as she kept pressuring him about marriage. She had even shown him photos of some ladies that she had selected for him. However, Charles wasn't interested in any of them. He preferred his promiscuous lifestyle, much to his parents' disapproval.

“Charles! You need to stop hosting different ladies and bringing shame to our family. You're the president's son; you need to act respectable for once. How do you feel knowing that almost half of the city's ladies have seen your nakedness?” His father asked him in their sitting room on the second floor. Charles was sat on a black couch.

Charles smiled and replied, “Not half, father. How could I possibly sleep with almost half of all the pretty ladies here? There are too many for me alone, and you know this.”

Seeing that his father wasn't smiling, Charles turned serious too.

His father replied, “Then you need to marry Charles. Or else, I will take away your privileges and find a suitable person to inherit my wealth.”

“Hmm..." Charles frowned as his father warned him with a stern look, then left the sitting room. As he went downstairs to meet his guests, his mother entered the room.

She asked him, “Charles… I don't understand why you're afraid of marriage?”

“Hmm, I'm not afraid of marriage, mom.” Charles replied, pulling a cigarette from his trouser pocket and lighting it. The truth was, he hadn't yet found a woman that he loved. 

He saw most young ladies as cheats and gold-diggers. Many were willing to sleep with him despite having boyfriends or fiancés. He didn't want a woman like that to become his wife. Finding a woman who matched his expectations for a bride had been difficult.

“Then what's the problem, Charles? You haven't accepted any of the marriage proposals your father and I have arranged. Do you want us to choose a bride for you and marry her on your behalf?" His mother asked him.

“No mother. I'm not interested in an arranged bride. Most young ladies are deceiving and pretentious… Once they see that I want to marry them, they pretend to be nice. So no…" 

Charles shook his head and took a drag from his cigar.

His mother frowned and said, “No Charles… That's what happens when you leave a responsible young lady to marry a prostitute like yourself…" 

“Mum…" Charles stared up at his mother in shock, meeting her smiling gaze.

She was a 65-year-old black woman, dressed in a long blue traditional gown.

First lady Kira Alejandro approached Charles and said, “Here Charles… I have these three photos of lovely women for you to see. Their families are well respected and are part of your father's political party.”

“Mum…" Charles couldn't believe that his mother already had three women's photos, ready to show him at any opportunity. 

His mother showed him the photos and said, “Here Charles, take a look.”

Charles finally accepted the photos from his mother.

He held his cigar as he wore a black top, black leather trousers, and black boots. He loved dressing in black.

Charles looked at the first photo. The woman was attractive, with dark skin and a round face. But her big brown eyes were what caught his attention. She wore a simple pink crop top and blue jeans.

Charles frowned, holding his cigar in his lips as he moved to the next photo. This woman had blue eyes.

She was cute, with a round face, sharp nose, and her sparkling blue eyes. He found her dimples rosy, her lips were plump enticing him to kiss her, and long golden hair which made her to look attractive. Looking at her slender neck and the top of her slightly exposed bosom, Charles gulped and felt his muscles tense. He didn't know how long he had been staring at her photo until he heard his mother ask, “Charles… Do you like her?"

“Mom…" Charles finally snapped out of his trance and looked at his mother, meeting her smiling gaze.

Charles held back his response as he moved to the last photo.

This woman was beautiful, with light skin and a slightly larger figure. But she didn't catch his eye or make his heart race like the second woman had.

Charles returned to the second woman's photo and handed the others back to his mother. “Who's she, mom?" he asked.

First lady Kira Alejandro smiled and replied, “She's Nancy Marlon. Senator Logan Marlon's only daughter and child.”

“Hmm…" Charles hummed, finishing his cigarette. 

His mother said, “I see that you like her, Charles. Don't worry, I'll arrange for my assistant to send a marriage proposal to her family. They'll be pleased to know you've chosen their daughter.”

“Okay mom, but is she around? I'd like to see her in person. Does she really look like she does in this photo? You know how young women nowadays edit their photos to look attractive, right?” Charles asked, still looking at Nancy's photo.

His mother smiled and replied, “I don't know Charles, but I'll call her family to find out. If she's available, we'll proceed with the wedding preparations.”

“Okay Mom,” Charles smiled, not rejecting the idea of marriage.

He wanted Nancy. Every fiber of his being yearned for her. 

He wanted to kiss her photo but suppressed his urge until his mother left him alone.

Charles stood up from the couch and went upstairs to his bedroom, taking Nancy's photo with him.

A month later, he visited his luxury hotel over the weekend. He hoped to find a beautiful lady who could distract him from his thinking too much of Nancy. But none of the attractive women he met moved him the way Nancy had.

“Boss, our security men in Senator Marlon's security team just called. Your chosen bride has finally returned to the city and is at her family home as we speak,” his personal assistant, Dennis Richard, informed him over the phone.

Charles replied, “Prepare the car. We're leaving for the Senator's mansion…" 

“Okay boss,” Dennis answered. Charles immediately dismissed the woman who had been with him, feeling irritated and unfulfilled. He wanted to meet his chosen bride. He needed to see Nancy. So he left his luxurious hotel and went to his car, dressed in a black suit and red shirt. 

Charles got into his car, and his security men closed the door behind him. The car then drove off towards Senator Logan Marlon's residence.