Elaine's POV
I walk into Father's office without knocking and without caring if he is talking to someone inside.
"Father, I have a question-" I didn't continue my statement because I noticed Father was discussing with Duke Hayes, who was gazing at my eyes suspiciously with his piercing midnight eyes.
What exactly is he doing here?! I'm not prepared to confront this man.
With my expression, I attempted to calm my racing heart and appear normal. I just hope he doesn't remember me from last night.
And why is he staring at me like that? It makes me nervous because those eyes are judging whether or not I did something wrong. I simply ignore his stare and turn my gaze to my father.
"Elaine, my darling daughter, you have returned home, and your timing is perfect since I was just talking about your wedding preparations for tomorrow," Father said, smiling.
Huh?!
"Father, what do you mean wedding tomorrow and I came here to ask you about what I heard from Davina that her engagement with Duke Hayes has been canceled?!" I questioned.
"Yes child, you heard it properly since you are getting married tomorrow at Duke Hayes," father said.
So it was true...I should be relieved that I won't have to deal with what occurred last night, but how could they fool me and not tell me I was the bride all along?! Oh, no.
"Father, that's insane! Why would you keep this a secret from me?" I yelled angrily at my father.
When my father heard what I said, his eyes widened: "Young woman, don't you dare yell at your father!"
"I'm sorry, father, but I can't accept this marriage, and tomorrow is too early when I don't even know the man I'll be marrying off!" I retorted angrily.
"Elaine Cai, stop making a big deal out of nothing and just acknowledge you're going to be married! Nothing will change, you'll be married tomorrow whether you like it or not," Father remarked emphatically.
That's how my life changed in a single day.
"But father, I don't-" I was going to protest again when father looked at me, scaring me and stopping me from saying.
"I am sorry Mr.Hayes that you witnessed that nonetheless, this is my other Daughter Elaine Cai," Father cleared his throat and looked at the guy who had been silent all of this time.
I could feel him staring at me, but I didn't move my gaze away from my father's face.
I was praying in my head that he wouldn't remember me or what happened last night.
"Yes, Father - in - Law, I met her before," he said quietly.
Oh my god, he remembers me?! No way, God. My heart starts beating nervously and I can feel the sweat on my face.
"That's good, Elaine, greet your future husband Mr. Hayes," father said.
I'm not going to greet him, father! I want to say something, but I don't want to make father even more furious and suspicious. I just hope he doesn't identify me as the woman he was with the night before.
I return my gaze to Duke Hayes, who is still looking at me intently. "Hello Mr.Hayes, I didn't greet you as my future husband because you aren't and will never be, I just greeted you per father's command," I told him directly.
"I understand why you're angry, Ms. Cai; if I have to step on your toes, I will, but I hope your rage doesn't last long," he said.
"But you are not the only one who was surprised and angry today because the bride I knew was not the bride I would marry but someone else that there was a mistake, I only found out about this today Ms. Cai," he added.
And then you should have protested, idiot! Not like someone who is calmly conversing with my father!
I glared at him, while the bastard just stared at me calmly in his midnight eyes, as if silently laughing at me. and I returned my gaze to my father, who was smiling at us with excitement. "Father, this marriage is a mistake, now I understand why Davina was so upset and angry when she found out about this stupid arrange marriage," I said coldly.
"Elaine Cai, Davina's situation was different than yours, and this marriage is not a mistake, right son?" Father insisted, seeking Duke's confirmation.
He gave Father a mischievous smile."Yes, Father-in-law, this marriage is destined to happen," he replied, agreeing with my father.
What the fuck?! Fated? Are they still thinking clearly? Because they are currently not in their right mind.
"Are you hearing such nonsense you're both talking about?! Because I can't understand what you're both talking about!" I yelled angrily at them, glaring again at Duke's midnight eyes that remained fixed on me.
" I'm just stating the facts, Ms. Cai," Duke said again in his deep voice and with a mischievous glint in his midnight eyes.
I want to kill him right now! I don't care if I end up as a criminal. All I wanted was to stop this nonsense in my life right now and return to a life where this situation did not exist.
"FUCK YOU!" I yelled angrily at him, looking him in the eyes.
Then I immediately left my father's office and went back to my room. Thinking about me and Duke Hayes spending the night together , which I don't remember that much about what had happened that night, for I was so drunk that I blanked out and also the main problem is that I am no longer a virgin . How should I explain it?? Damn it.
For the time being, my head is killing me with how painful it is, and thinking about what happened last night and today is making it worse.
In frustration, I lie back in my bed and smack my pillows, envisioning I'm punching Duke Hayes' face.
DAMN IT!
"Damn you, Duke Hayes!" I curse myself as I lie in bed.
Chapter 3 - Memories of that night.Duke's POVWith a bored expression, I look at the crowd of people dancing on the dance floor. As I sip my beer, I can hear the loud music echoing off the walls of the bar where I was."Hello cute boy, you got company tonight?" a drunk woman asked as she sat beside where I was sitting.I stared at her boredly and said, "Move," I remarked as I stared coldly in the eyes.The woman glared at me, surprised by my response, "Jerk!" she yelled, and then she left my side.As I continued to drink my glass of alcohol, I picked up my phone to kill time when I noticed someone had messaged me. I read the message right away because I was surprised that my body had suddenly stood due to the message I had received.From: ex-fianceWe are going to the FATED BAR with my sis. (Heart).Message received 1 hour ago."FUCK?" I exclaimed angrily after reading the message.As I stood up to look for her in the center of the crowd, I couldn't find her because there were so man
Chapter 4 - Wedding DayElaine's POVAfter I finished getting ready the next day, I went straight to my father's office to attempt to persuade him to cancel the marriage. But Duke Hayes was in Father's office with him, which irritated me even more. Because, after battling over ending this marriage, the father's decision is irreversible and cannot be altered. So I went out, leaving in my father's office, enraged and wanting to murder that jerk Duke Hayes with my two hands while going back to my room.Damn it.When I looked at my bed and saw the white wedding gown that I would be wearing, I felt an overwhelming feeling of surrender. I didn't expect to wear this gown so soon in my life; I was planning to marry in my 30s, but now I'm going to marry at the age of 25."Perhaps I should just elope to get out of this marriage," I whispered to myself.I touched the soft and silky wedding gown, thinking about the lucky women who can wear this gown with the person they love in the first place, a
Chapter 5 - Married CoupleElaine's POVWhen I reached the front door of the church immediately a wedding song was played in the background. I could feel the stares of everyone at me. Which is making me want to walk away from all of this."My dear, you look so beautiful in your wedding gown," Father said, smiling and looking at me with joy in his eyes.Why is everyone happy at my wedding when I am the only one who is unhappy?Mother came close to me and smiled proudly, saying, "Of course she is beautiful because I am her beautiful mother, Elaine's beauty came from me."I didn't say anything and decided to pretend to smile despite the fact that all I wanted to do at the time was cry. My father and I began walking down the aisle after Father and Mother spoke.My heart was racing faster and faster, and I couldn't tell if I was nervous about the marriage or about the man I was going to marry.I just keep my head down while walking because I don't want everyone to see my unhappy and about t
Chapter 6 - Wedding kissElaine's POV Everyone clapped their hands in joy when Father announced that we finally became a husband and wife. While I pretended to smile in their presence.“In the sight of God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss!” the priest said with a smile on his face.Wait what?!When everyone heard what the priest said, they cheered and began chanting loudly, "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"No way, I'm not kissing this man! Over my dead body, of course. When Duke suddenly pulled me towards him, I protested violently and tried to step away from him. He removed my veil in my face while tightly gripping my waist with one hand.Before I could protest, he kissed me on the lips in front of everyone, causing them to gasp and shout in delight.The clamor of the people inside the chapel was silenced as our lips touched. As though everyone had come to a halt for a few seconds. My body feels a tingling feeling that puzzles me as to what it signifies
Chapter 7 - Family Dance TraditionDuke's POVWhen we got to the hotel, Elaine went straight to the hotel room I had arranged for her, without saying anything to me.I can't blame her; Elaine's mad at me for marrying her instead of her sister Davina, who was my first Fiance until we all learnt Elaine was my bride all along. It wasn't my fault; it was my grandfather's tactic to violate Elaine's grandfather's agreement.I know it's wrong to feel pleased, but I can't stop myself since, despite her hatred for me, I finally have her as my wife. I'll do my best to make her like me even a tiny bit. Then I'll be content since I'm not supposed to feel glad with what I've done to Elaine."Is everything ready in my wife's room?" I questioned the hotel employee before proceeding to my own room."Yes sir, don't worry, everything is ready for your wife in her room," the hotel employee assured me as she responded to my question." Good," I replied.I then went to my room to change into more comfy c
Chapter 8 - Wedding Night PART ONE: forgotten duty.Elaine's POVWe had been dancing for however long we had been looking into each other's eyes when suddenly there was a loud applause that stopped whatever had been happening to us. Which was the sign that the song had just ended.I was still holding Duke's body when I realized what had just happened, which surprised me. I quickly moved away from him in fear as if what had just happened had never occurred.What the hell just happened?Duke followed suit and moved away from me as soon as I did. I was still unsure of what had happened while they were dancing back there when I saw my mother-in-law walking towards us with my father-in-law by her side.Mother-in-law said, "Wow that dance is so beautiful dear!," gazing at both of them with tears in her eyes.Father-in-law said in a proud voice, "It's a sign from above you are destined together and our ancestors accept you in our family dear."It's so strange to me that I can no longer under
Chapter 9 - Wedding Night PART 2 : Not a virgin Elaine's POVI felt a little uneasy during the 30-second period of silence because he was neither speaking nor responding to what I had just said aloud.I suppose I'm a little disappointed in his response because in some of the movies I've seen, when a husband discovers that his wife is no longer virgin, he becomes furious and divorces me right away." Hey, did you hear me?! I said I am no longer a virgin and had a one night stand with a stranger before this marriage!" I spoke up again, growing impatient with the room's long silence.That's why I said that—to enrage him and obtain the divorce papers. I'm hoping that it will work because it will help me solve all of my problems.Did he not hear what I said to him??Following a wait of thirty seconds, I heard him laughing in front of me, which surprised me and caused me to look at his face. I hadn't anticipated seeing Duke Hayes proudly wearing a smug expression.Duke Hayes continued to st
Chapter 10 - WEDDING NIGHT PART 3 - First name bases.Elaine's POVI realized he kissed me on the lips after 30 seconds of having both of our lips together. I was so surprised that I pushed him away and slapped him across the face."How dare you kiss me, jerk!" I yelled angrily at him.Duke just touched the cheeks where I slapped him without showing any pain in his expression. "Don't be too exaggerating Elaine, it's not like I've committed a heinous crime by kissing my own wife's lips," he reasoned."Not if it's by force, then it's a crime, you jerk!" I retorted.He chuckled at what I said, "no, it's not when I'm proving to my dear wife that we're close enough to call each other first names because we're a married couple," he reasoned again."And because we're already married, we need to be affectionate with each other by calling each other's name," he added.What kind of illogical reasoning is that?! I strongly disagree and do not understand how he is thinking in his head."It is not