“I do?!“

~ Emmerson ~

I’d always dreaded this day and always hoped it would never come. But as it turns out… it did.

“I just heard from one of my sources that you’d gotten one of Beatrice Chan’s daughters pregnant.” I froze hearing my grandpa’s words.

“How… did you find out?”

“You think I wouldn’t find out how reckless you’ve been ever since I had given you the option of either breaking up with Sally and losing your inheritance.”

He was right in a way.

Weeks ago, Grandpa had suddenly announced that the five years of freedom he’d given me were now over and I now had to make a decision between being stripped of my inheritance and breaking up with Sally.

But how could I choose between either of them when they both rightfully belonged to me?

But apparently, Grandpa hadn’t cared about that… and knowing what he was capable of… I’d ended up at the bar to relieve myself a little.

And somehow ending up in a one-night stand… with a stranger.

I’d woken up shaken and exited the bed to head into the bathroom without checking the face of who I had slept with.

The guilt I felt on realizing that I had just cheated on my one and only girlfriend, Sally, was unbearable.

When we’d gotten together years ago, we’d made a huge promise to each other to love, cherish, and stay faithful to each other.

And now? Not only had I not managed to do that. I also ended up getting a stranger pregnant.

“I’ve told my secretary to arrange the paperwork. You’d have to get married to her in three days.”

“I won’t get married to anyone besides Sally,” I said, gritting my teeth. How could he not understand that Sally was the love of my life, and I saw no future elsewhere outside of her?

“And you know what I did to your brother, didn’t you?” How could I ever forget how he’d dishonored Isaac and stripped him of his rightful inheritance in less than a week… just because he’d refused to marry the lady he’d chosen?

“We are not even sure the baby is mine.”

“Do you think my men are so incapable of doing their jobs?” He stared at me through his glasses, and I suddenly felt stupid for even asking.

Gabriel Winters never participated in a game; he wasn’t confident about winning… and in this case? I was afraid he’d already won… before he even started.

I took a long sigh and bowed my head.

Grandpa took that as a signal and rang his personal assistant.

I couldn’t believe that I was actually agreeing to an arranged marriage.

How could I have been so stupid as to have fallen into grandfather’s traps? Because as it seemed… This looked too planned to be ruled off as a coincidence.

And the smug smile on Grandpa’s face was more than enough to let me know what I needed to know.

But why?

What does he gain for causing us to act as a pawn in his games? Exactly what?

Even Susan, his favorite granddaughter, hadn’t been spared. So why had I assumed I’d be?

….

“Why are you so quiet, Emmerson? You are always so excited whenever I talk to you about the shows I’d be on.” I looked up from the edge of the bed, where I had my head bowed to stare at her. Sally Hayden, the love of my life… she was dressed in a gold satin mermaid dress that flaunted her curvy body.

On a normal day, I’d be going crazy with lust.

But not today; the past few weeks have been far from being normal.

“I’m not in the mood.” My words were followed by a long sigh from her, and I could bet she was starting to overthink. Maybe even blame herself for my sour mood.

“I spoke to Grandpa today.”

“And…?”

“He’d picked a wife for me.”

“Is she pregnant?” I stared at her in shock, totally not expecting that response from her.

“No, she is—”

“You didn’t just spend the night at that bar two weeks ago, did you?”

“What do you mean…?” I asked panickly, seeing the look of betrayal slowly take over her features.

“You think I wouldn’t find out about how you got a girl pregnant behind my back?”

“But—” She walked out on me before I could complete my sentence, and I didn’t hear from her until after the wedding, if I could call it that.

….

Weddings have always been sentimental to me, an occasion that I never joked with.

But who would have thought that I’d end up having to say, “I do” To a stranger, who’d not only walked in to ruin not just my life but my girlfriend’s?

Her delicate features did nothing but annoy me even further.

I had no doubt that she’d planned it all out and was happy; she was getting married to a rich tycoon.

But I couldn’t be deceived.

I had her sign a prenup right after the wedding and abandoned her right there at the reception.

After all, it was her wedding and not mine.

…..

I’d just stepped into my room… when I noticed the decorations and the veiled bride who was now seated in the middle of the bed.

Angrily, I closed the distance between us and yanked off the pink veil on her face.

She mustn’t have expected my rough move, as I felt her shudder under me.

Without giving her the time to react, I grabbed her delicate cheeks fiercely, not minding that they could get bruised under the force of my hold.

“Listen to me, and listen well… Ugly Preggy! You are not my wife and will never be!” I say, staring deep into her now watery eyes. Her tears made my heart tighten, further infuriating me. How dare she think she could use her vulnerability against me? That’s definitely not happening!

“You are here just to give birth to the thing in your womb, and once that’s done… you get lost.” When I heard no response from her, I grabbed her tightly… feeling my nails slowly digging into her skin. “Do you get it?”

“Yes, yes.” I let go of her face and grabbed a handkerchief from my pocket, wiped my palms, and dumped it into a trashcan nearby.

“And yes… don’t let me catch a whiff of your scent here when I come back in an hour.” Saying my piece, I walked out and banged the door behind me.