Got A Bride

Liam’s POV:

I woke up early today to attend a friend’s court case. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be his lawyer because I was occupied with my other friend’s case, who was arrested for killing Mr Walters’ son.

I even had a meal with Mr Walters yesterday and tried to reason things with him so we could solve this out of court, but he was bent on having justice for his son; he even hired the best lawyer in the country, Caleb Thompson, to fight this case.

Unfortunately for them, I have never lost a case, not in Italy, not in Poland and definitely not in America.

The court case was postponed, and I was about to leave but noticed Aria Nicole and her husband by the entrance.

It was a good show, so since I was here already…why don’t I stay for the session?

She stared at me with a surprising look; I chuckled and nudged, signalling she should divert her attention to her husband.

“Liam, let’s go,” my friend Julian said, and I shook my head in denial and patted the space next to me.

“Sit down; let’s watch this.”

“It’s a divorce case; what’s so exciting about it?” He complained, and I glared at him. Julian cleared his throat and sat next to me.

“It’s Caleb Thompson’s divorce case,” I clarified, and Julian’s brow furrowed.

“That’s the lawyer you will be going against tomorrow, right?”

I nodded, right… He was trying to fix his own mess, and now I doubt if he would be able to focus in the courtroom tomorrow.

The case started, and Aria was asked if she wanted to go through with the divorce. Her gaze was on me, and I smiled lightly. She was contemplating if to say yes or no.

“Oh man, I watched his cheating video online; that dude knows how to give a good head.” Julian muttered with a chuckle, but my attention was more on Aria, who had an uneasy look. Why was it hard to let go of a husband who humiliated her?

She sighed heavily. “Yes, I wish to go through with the divorce,” she said, and Caleb had a shocked look, which was funny because did he expect his wife to not want a divorce?

The case didn’t take much time; after the lawyer presented the trending video and also Caleb’s phone call history with his mistress, the judge was ready to give his verdict and finalised the divorce case.

I expected her to be happy about the divorce, but that wasn’t the case; countless tears rolled down her cheeks, she clutched her chest and stared at Caleb with glistening eyes.

“Okay, man, let’s go already.” Julian urged, after all, everyone was leaving as well.

I stood up, picked up my bag and threw one last look at Aria before stepping out of the courtroom.

The entrance was filled with paparazzi; they must be here for Aria.

“Mr Styles…Mr Styles,” I heard them calling but chose to ignore them. I had nothing to say to the press; I will never have anything to say to them.

Their attention was diverted from me when Aria and her lawyer stepped out; she had cleaned her tears and had a light smile. Of course, I had expected such; she never lets the world know the real her.

“Why do you keep staring at her?” Julian asked with an irritated tone after he noticed I was staring at her.

“She is pretty,” I answered, and he craned his neck trying to have a better view of me.

“Are you fucking serious? You know prettier ladies.” He hissed and retracted his phone. “Your mum is calling; we better go back early, or she won’t spare me.”

“No,” I said, and he massaged his temple.

“No? Didn’t we promise to go visit your mum today, so why not?”

“No, I don’t know prettier ladies,” I clarified, walked past him and got to my car; he got in before I drove out.

“Charlene, Julie, Vivie, Emily and more, and you confidently say you don’t know prettier ladies? I feel like hitting you right now,” Julian kept complaining as I was busy driving.

“I don’t expect reviews from a shallow man,” I spouted, and he gasped in disbelief.

“I am shallow?”

“Shut up,” I retorted, and he hesitantly did that until we arrived at my mother’s house. I parked the car and walked in.

Mother was busy having a chat with a young lady in the sitting room; I scanned the place and chuckled.

I was back home after seventeen years of being abroad, and yet, the homely warmth was still the same. I really missed home and feel so safe being here, especially in this community, the friends and brothers I had....they are all here.

“Liam” mother stood up happily and hurried to me; she hugged me tightly, and I rubbed her back.

“You will suffocate me,” I muttered. This was the first time I was coming home after returning to America, and that’s because I have been busy. I need to get Salmon out of jail; he has been my brother since we were nine, and now it’s time for me to have his back.

So when his wife called and told me he was arrested for killing the minister’s son, I booked the next flight back to America. Luckily, I was a licensed lawyer here in America as well.

“Silly,” she hit my shoulder and finally broke the hug. Mother rubbed Julian’s cheeks. “Thank you for bringing him home; apparently he didn’t miss his mother.”

“How could I miss you when you called three times a day when I was abroad?” I raised a brow; she laughed before the young lady she was talking to approached us.

She was probably in her early twenties, dressed in a white Gucci dress, and she smiled at me.

“Liam, this is my friend’s daughter… Jasmine,” Mother introduced, and I knew exactly where this was leading; she had arranged a bride for me.

“I have a case tomorrow and really don’t have time for all this, so can we just have a meal so I can leave?”

Mother frowned. “Why are you being impolite to a lady?” She scolded, and I smiled lightly and extended my hand to Jasmine.

“Nice meeting you, Jasmine.”

She accepted my handshake and smiled at me. “Same here. Hum, I helped your mum make a lot of meals for you.”

My first day coming home, and Mother already has her friend’s daughter over; she really is something.

We ate quietly, and Mother asked Julian to help her out in the kitchen while I stayed in the sitting room with Jasmine. I had received a video from my men regarding the case tomorrow, so I was busy rewatching it when she cleared her throat.

I looked up at her, and she smiled. “So I heard you have a big case tomorrow.”

I nodded and returned my gaze back to my phone. “I wish you luck.”

“Luck doesn’t win a case, baby girl,” I said, stood up and went upstairs to check out my old bedroom.

I pushed the door open, and it was clean, the same as I left it seventeen years ago; there were still pictures of me and my friends from the community on the wall.

My books, the ones I loved reading a lot, were piled in a corner, and also the art pictures Father had purchased for me.

Also, the gifts I always received from the little criminals in the community—they were all family and treated me right. Mother was scared I would end up a criminal like everyone else in the community, so she sent me to a boarding school in Italy.

I really didn’t want to leave.

“Liam,” a voice brought me out of my trance. I turned to find Jasmine; she held a cup of coffee… walked to me with a smile still plastered on her face.

“Coffee” 

I stared at the coffee and shook my head in denial. Jasmine placed it on the table and shoved her hair to the side. Next thing I knew, she was unbuttoning her top. “How about we get to know each other? I promise I am worth the time.” She bit her lower lip and closed up our distance, her hand on my chest as she grabbed my hand, placing it on her chest.