The Substitute Bride

The Substitute Bride

Kourtney's POV

 I'm so nervous that I feel like my heart is going to come out of my rib cage, while it's beating so damn fast. 

 "Why are they taking so long ?!" Irritated, I asked one of my guards.

 "They are on their way back here, Miss." He answered me without any emotion visible in his voice.

 "Are you sure ?! Because it feels like they're on their way here, since forever!" Due to great frustration, I couldn't stop myself from drinking another shot of whiskey, this time I didn't bother to transfer the alcohol to my glass. I drank it straight from the bottle.  

I immediately felt the heat of the whiskey in my throat as well as the bitter taste but I was very nervous that my plan would fail, I immediately forgot the unpleasant taste of this damn whiskey.

 Until I heard someone talking from one of the walky talkys of my guards, someone informed him that they had just arrived with Travis.

 My eyes widened and the more I felt nervous, my body started shaking as well.

 I can’t believe we succeeded in my plan.

 Oh my God! Is this for real ?! Because if it's a dream I don't want to wake up anymore! 

I really can't believe that they easily captured Travis Forger! If only I wouldn't look like a weirdo, I wanted to hug them one by one. These guards I hired to kidnap Travis are so damn great!

I can't believe they didn't have any difficulty kidnapping him. Now, I feel a little guilty that I was rude to them earlier and I judged them on their fighting skills.

 Just a few moments later, the door of our hideout opened and six men in black suits and ties entered and of course with Travis Forger! 

 My forehead frowned for a moment and I couldn't help but ask myself because there seemed to be something wrong. Are they really the guards I hired earlier?

 But that doubt in my mind disappeared right away when Travis suddenly knelt in front of me. His eyes are blindfolded, his two hands are tied behind his back.

However, he got no cover in his mouth. That means he can speak freely. Well, that's okay I want to hear his voice to make sure he's Travis!

 "OMG!" I can’t believe they successfully kidnapped Travis.

According to my research, since he comes from a rich family, based on my research he studied self-defence and he is good at all types of combat. So my plan to kidnap him seems next to impossible and now I almost wanted to cry because my plan is fucking successful!

 I approached him, squatted in front of him and then touched his left cheek.

He immediately moved his face to avoid my touch. Which I understand. If I was in his situation, I would also have the same reaction.

 "You're here.." I said in my hoarse voice. 

 "What the hell is happening here? Where the fuck am I ?!" His rude voice made me confirm that he was Travis Forger. 

I smiled sweetly while feeling so happy and then turned to the guards I had hired.

 "Don't worry, once he agrees to my proposal and I get the money I should inherit, I will pay for your service immediately." I happily announced but then they all looked like they don't give a fuck about the payment I am talking about. These guys are bunches of weirdos, well anyway it doesn't matter because they did a great job today! 

And for me to talk to Travis properly, I moved a little closer to remove the blindfold from his eyes. He blinked one after another until I think his vision cleared. 

Our eyes met immediately, here is the weird reaction of my heart again. It's beating so damn fast inside my rib cage! And this only happens whenever Travis is near me or I have some interaction with him.  

"What the fuck do you think you're doing Kourtney Mary Saavedra?!" He asked me angrily. I immediately felt annoyed. 

 "Urgh! You know how much I hate it when you call me Mary!" I frowned and rolled my eyes as I told him. We've been together since my diaper days! He's aware of the things I like and don't like!  

After all these years, you still think like a kid. I hope you are aware that when I take this seriously, I can file a case against you and you will be imprisoned for what you are doing right now." He said in a threatening voice. Huh! Did he think he could scare me?! I am desperate now but in the back of my mind, to be honest, I am feeling scared. Who in their right mind will not be afraid to be imprisoned?

 I avoided looking at his eyes so that he wouldn't notice the fear in my eyes and then I changed the subject we are talking about.

 "We won't be here for long, I'll release you as soon as possible. I promise. I just want to talk to you seriously and you agree to my proposal."

 "So you're really this desperate huh, to get what you want? To the point you hired them to kidnap me?! What the hell Kourtney?!" 

 "I have no other choice. I tried to speak with you nicely, multiple times! I even lost count of how many times I did it, but you're very good at playing this hide and seek game! And I have no time for that! I visit your company's front desk, every day but they want me to set up an appointment just to talk to you! With your schedule so busy, when will you give me a chance to talk to you? When I already lost everything my parents worked so hard to establish ?! That's not fair!" 

In the extreme frustration, I am feeling right now, I can feel on the edge of my eyes my tears are going to fall at any moment by now. A little more drama I'm sure I'll cry in front of him but no, I can't! I can't show him any weakness, I'm going to lose if I cry in front of him! And he'll consider this thing I am doing right now as part of my childish act! So, before that happened, I got up from squatting in front of him and went near my working table and...

"Now you have time to listen to my proposal," I told him seriously. And then I took the paper I put on the working table a while ago.

 I raised it in front of him and even though he was right, kidnapping him is a very desperate move. I got a more desperate proposal for him in the line.

 "You just have to sign this marriage contract so we can be married. Then I can get my inheritance and my problem will be sold, then we'll release you."

 "What's in it for me? I can't get anything in return so why should I allow what you want to happen?" He teasingly told me. Urgh! He's getting on my nerves! Damn you Travis Forger!

"You are my hostage! Your freedom depends on me and you have no choice but to consent to what I want!" I said in my most demanding tone. However, I immediately regretted being demanding, I acted again like a kid throwing my tantrums at him and when I looked at him again, I saw in his eyes how he was disappointed in my actions.  

"I already have a Fiance, Kourtney and we're getting married. I can't marry you." He told me emphatically. I'm aware of that! I am updated on everything he does! But the reason why I am updated is that I need him!

I  swallowed hard, even though I did not eat anything.  I feel weak in what I am doing right now but as I said before, I had no choice!

"I love her and if I ever get married, it's the woman I love and it's Kim." I bit my lower lip.

What the hell is going on? I mean, it's been a few minutes since I drank whiskey. The bitter taste of the alcohol was long gone earlier, so now I don't understand why it seems to suddenly return to my throat. What's up with me?

Until I gasped for breath, I was running out of words to say to him.

"All you have to do is sign here so we can be married, I won't take you away from your girlfriend! If you want we can do some arrangements for this contract wedding like I'll pay for our annulment. I'll take all the responsibilities in case Kim will find out about this fake wedding. I'll do all the talk."

"It's still a no," Travis said without any emotion. To be honest I am running out of hope.

"You are ruthless! Why don't you even give it some consideration? For at least, the time we were together..." I almost begged him.

"As you said earlier, I also don't have a whole day for this nonsense Kourtney."

"Then why don't you just agree to my proposal? I promise it's only us who will know about this marriage -" Before I could continue I was about to say I was shocked when he suddenly got up from his knees and...

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked him, nervously. Then I looked at my guards.

"Hey, stop him!" I yell to the guards I hired but to my surprise, none of them moved even an inch!

"Hey! What the hell ?!" I shouted at them again. However, they act like they don't know me like they can't hear me or maybe see me!

They all remained standing behind Travis. Then I was shocked when one of them approached Travis and then he used the key to removed Travis' handcuffs.

"What the heck are you doing ?! Stop that!" I am packing as saying my orders to my guards, but he didn't seem to hear anything. Until Travis' handcuffs finally get loose on his hands and it falls at his feet.

"Do you think it's going to be this easy? I am good with hand to hand combat and the skills you thought these guards have is not enough to defeat me, Kourtney. 

I thought at first when I found out that you were planning to kidnap me, they were all joking but when you pushed through with it, I got no choice but made you believe  you succeed." And then he smirked.

He didn't do or say anything but two of the guards I hired, suddenly approached me and they held both my hands. I tried to fight but they were too strong for me the next thing I knew my hands are tied with the handcuffs they used to capture Travis.

"Hey what the hell ?! I am the Boss here!" I reminded them.

"The truth is, they are my bodyguards." My eyes widened at what Travis said. Can't believe it. I shake my head twice and said -

"You're lying!" But then he smirked. My eyes almost came out of my eye socket in shock.

Since I'm already having mixed feelings, in the end, no matter how hard I try not to break down, I couldn't stop myself and ended up crying. Everything is messed up. I fucked up big time. So, what now? Does this mean I'm going to end this day touching the cold steel bars of the prison?

How did this all happen? How did he find out about my plan? Fuck!  And he really is that smart, huh?! He was able to make a backup plan right as soon as possible? Impressing! 

What else can I expect? Anyway, he is Travis fucking Forger, nothing is impossible for him, if he wants it, by hook or by crook he'll have it! Everyone is following his fucking orders and won't care if someone gets hurt, physically or emotionally! Damn!  Damn you Travis Forger! 

"Aren't you even surprised that they came to you on their own to apply as your bodyguard? You're still that gullible Kourt..." He sarcastically told me. I glared at him thou glaring at him got no effect at all. So, my effort is basically wasted. In the end, what I can only do is sigh.

"What if I put a blindfold on your eyes too?" The shape of my lips became a thin line from what he said and was afraid of what might happen next.

"Do what you want to do! I don't care anymore!" I told him as I look directly into his eyes, I had enough so  I am giving up. If I can't get him by hook or by crook then fine! I give up! My ultimate plan is to kidnap him and make him sign the marriage contract but I didn't expect him to know my plan as soon as possible and make a backup plan against me.

Then Travis suddenly holds my jaw forcibly so I got no choice but to look at him in his face again.

"Why are you so stubborn?"

"It's none of your fucking business!" And then I struggled to get out of his grasp. Good thing, he is not holding my jaw that tightly. 

"And you're swearing now too." He said in a disappointed voice and then he shakes his head one after another.

I frowned at his comment and said,

"I'm not the Kourtney you met ten years ago! The Kourtney in front of you now is no longer the twelve-year-old Kourtney who has nothing else to do but follow you back then!" He just raised an eyebrow at me but I got no answer from him.

He also got up from squatting in front of me but I suddenly thought about what he will do to me now.

"What are you up to with me now? You caught me, I have nothing against you and your award-winning bodyguards. In short, I am useless now."

However, I didn’t get a sensible answer from him. The next thing I heard from him is another order for his bodyguards.

"Take him to the master's bedroom so she can rest now. It's been a  long day."

He's right it's been a long day. My body itself feels tired and I can't think of anything else but to sleep. I wanted to sleep to forget all my problems. All the problems I have to face once I'm awake again. So, I didn't even fight back or struggle when one of them grabbed me on my arm to stand up and guide me out of the office.

"We'll just bring you food later, Miss Kourtney." One of the guards said as we start walking out of the office. I didn't answer but in the back of my mind, I don't care if they bring me food or not. I also don't feel like eating anyway. I failed in my mission to ask Travis for marriage so that I can save our company which is drowning in debt.

If only I had succeeded in the plan today, for sure I would have had an appetite to eat my dinner.