The morning after alcohol

Lily's eyes fluttered open to what felt like a jackhammer orchestra performing inside her skull. She squinted against the morning sun streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows that definitely hadn't been in her budget hotel room last night.

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no," she groaned, taking in her surroundings. The room screamed expensive—like, 'my monthly salary couldn't buy one of these throw pillows' expensive. Marble surfaces gleamed, designer furniture posed artfully, and the bed she was lying in could have housed a small family.

She tried to piece together the previous night's events, but her memories came in scattered fragments like a broken movie reel. There was champagne. A lot of champagne. Ryan's betrayal. And then... Her eyes fell on her left hand.

A diamond ring the size of a small planet glittered back at her.

"WHAT THE HELL DID I DO?" she shrieked, bolting upright and immediately regretting it as her hangover reminded her who was boss.

"You married me, apparently."

Lily whipped around toward the amused male voice, then immediately clutched her head. "Ow. Moving too fast. Bad idea."

There he stood—the mystery man from last night—leaning casually against the doorframe in a robe that probably cost more than her car. Even hungover and disheveled, he looked like he'd stepped out of a luxury magazine.

"Good morning, Mrs. Watson," James said with a smirk. "Sleep well?"

"Mrs. WHAT now?" Lily's voice cracked. The memories came flooding back in horrifying detail. The hotel lobby. Her drunken demands. The chapel. "Oh God, we actually did it. We actually got married."

"Indeed we did. Though I have to say, you were much more enthusiastic about it last night." James moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "I've had the staff prepare some hangover remedies. You look like you could use them."

Lily stared at him in disbelief. "Why are you so calm about this? We're complete strangers! I could be a serial killer!"

"Are you?"

"Well... no, but that's not the point!"

"Then what is the point?" James asked, genuinely curious.

"The point is—" Lily paused, realizing she didn't actually have a coherent point. "The point is normal people don't just marry drunk strangers!"

James chuckled. "I'll admit, it's not my usual Tuesday evening. But I've done stranger things for business deals."

"I'm a business deal now?"

"No, you're my wife. There's a difference."

The casual way he said 'wife' made Lily's stomach do weird flips. She studied his face, looking for signs of regret or panic—anything that matched what she was feeling. Instead, he seemed almost... entertained?

"Look," she said, running her hands through her tangled hair, "I'm sorry I dragged you into my personal drama. But surely we can just get this annulled or something, right? Pretend it never happened?"

James's expression shifted slightly. "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"What do you mean 'not that simple'? We were drunk! There has to be some sort of—"

A knock at the door interrupted her panic spiral.

"Sir?" came a butler's voice. "Miss Adams has arrived and is... quite insistent on seeing you immediately."

James pinched the bridge of his nose. "Perfect timing."

"Who's Miss Adams?" Lily asked.

"My arranged bride."

Lily blinked. "Your WHAT?"

"It's complicated."

"Oh, it's about to get a lot more complicated," Lily muttered as James helped her into a silk robe that felt like wearing a cloud.

The marble staircase felt endless as Lily followed James down, acutely aware that she looked like she'd been hit by a truck while the blonde waiting in the foyer looked like she'd stepped off a runway.

Chloe Adams turned as they descended, her perfectly composed expression cracking when she spotted Lily.

"James, darling, what is... this?" Chloe's voice dripped ice as she gestured vaguely at Lily's disheveled state.

"Chloe, I'd like you to meet my wife, Lily," James said with remarkable calm. "Lily, this is Chloe Adams."

The silence that followed could have been sold as a weapon.

"I'm sorry," Chloe laughed, but there was nothing amusing in her eyes, "did you just say 'wife'?"

"I did indeed." James placed a protective hand on Lily's lower back.

Lily, still processing the word 'wife,' managed a weak wave. "Hi there. Nice to... meet you?"

Chloe's face went through several interesting color changes. "James Watson, have you lost your mind? After everything our families have planned—the merger, the arrangements, the—"

"I understand this is unexpected—" James began.

"UNEXPECTED?" Chloe's composure finally shattered. "I've been planning our wedding for months! The invitations have been sent! My dress is being custom-fitted tomorrow!"

Lily felt a stab of guilt. "Oh wow, I'm really sorry. I had no idea—"

"Sorry?" Chloe turned her fury on Lily. "You think 'sorry' fixes this? Do you have any idea what you've done? Who you've messed with?"

"Actually, no," Lily said, her own temper starting to flare. "Because until about five minutes ago, I didn't even know you existed. And honestly? Maybe if you'd been at the hotel last night instead of leaving your fiancé waiting alone, none of this would have happened."

James raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by Lily's unexpected backbone.

Chloe's mouth fell open. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Where were you last night anyway? Out getting a pre-wedding pedicure?"

"I was at my bachelorette party, you—"

"While your husband-to-be was standing around a hotel lobby looking lost? Great relationship foundation there."

"We are NOT done here," Chloe snarled, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at Lily. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"Enlighten me," Lily crossed her arms, surprising herself with her boldness.

"Ladies," James interjected smoothly, "perhaps we could discuss this more civilly—"

"Civilly?" Chloe whirled on him. "There's nothing civil about this, James! You've ruined everything! EVERYTHING!"

With that, she stormed toward the door, pausing only to deliver one final glare. "This isn't over. Either of you."

The door slammed with enough force to rattle the windows.

Lily and James stood in the echoing silence for a moment.

"Well," Lily finally said, "she seems nice."

James burst out laughing. "You know, I don't think anyone's ever stood up to Chloe like that before."

"Really? She seems like the type who needs it regularly."

"She is." James studied Lily with new interest. "You're full of surprises, aren't you, Mrs. Watson?"

"Apparently so, Mr. Watson." Lily paused. "Though I still think we should probably figure out how to undo this whole marriage thing."

"Probably," James agreed, but he didn't sound entirely convinced.

"Right. So... annulment?"

"Right. Annulment."

Neither of them moved.

"Although," James said slowly, "we could always wait until after breakfast to call the lawyers. I make excellent pancakes."

Lily's stomach growled traitorously. "I suppose there's no harm in pancakes."

"No harm at all."

As they headed toward the kitchen, both carefully avoiding the topic of what would happen after breakfast, Lily couldn't help but think that for a complete disaster, this was turning out to be a surprisingly interesting morning.

Even if she had apparently just made an enemy for life.