THE BILLIONAIRE'S BARGAIN BRIDE

Episode 3

After some time, we both went back to meet them at the sitting room. "We both agree" I said my father. My father's eye gleamed with happiness, watching him, she smiled, a rare and satisfying smile.

"We are having this wedding in two weeks time" my father informed Mara's family.

Phillips called me and asked if there was a space we could go and talk privately, I took him to my room," let's just get to know each other" He said, wagging his eyebrows.

"Ooohhhhhh, what's the first stage"? I asked, my joking voice back on.

"Meeting each other"

"And second?"

"Becoming friends"

"I love that idea. Hey, what about you ? Any boyfriends?" He asked, looking worried.

"You first, you haven't told me about your girlfriend if you have any." I asked him. He didn't answer-poo, that means that he has a girlfriend. What a jerk- he's come to marry me but already has a girlfriend, and his face said it- all guilt.

"You are jumping to conclusions, I haven't had a girlfriend for a year now. The girls that I happened to go out with cheated on me. I've never really fallen for anyone of them" He said proudly. "I am scared of commitment and I don't feel that I am matured to be a husband". I was gobsmacked. How can any girl cheat on him?! "To be honest, you are yhe perfect husband that every girl wants. I dont know why you are feeling that way but i can assure you that you are very good. You need not fear anything. You can manage. If you are not into commitments, are you a playboy then? You don't seem like one.

" No definitely not. I believe in true love and soul mate. Maybe I haven't meet the right person meant for me.

He was like, really hot and an extremely nice guy.

"Now you, any boyfriend I should know about ?" He said, wagging his eyebrows at me.

"Nope, I have crushed on a number of guys but never had a boyfriend." I said sadly and he just laughed, relief on his face.

"So, are you ready for marriage?"

" I am not sure though. I mean, I am not ready to leave my uncle and his family".

"Why should you leave them? You can visit them as and when you want and you can also stay with them whenever you feel like" replied Phillips without having a second thought. This was a mere sentence he spoke about but that impressed Mara.

"Sure, thank you. I am happy there is a man who emphatizes a woman in that situation" said Mary truly impressed.

"I think it would be a yes from my side. You are a goal getter and you definitely know what you want. I will be glad if you are my life partner. What about you"?

"I think it would be a yes from me too. Even though you are a millionaire, you don't behave that way. And I really liked when you told me that I can visit my uncle and his family and Embarrassingly, my tummy rumbled.

"Come on, you are hungry," he said, carrying me to the dining table. We walked into the dining room-everyone was sitting down eating. The table was full of food-Chris, Mary, my cousin and Mr Phillips.

~A few days later~

(After the dinner we had with Williams family, Williams and Mara spent some time together talking and getting to know each other better and learning new things about themselves)

MARA'S POV

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!

I woke up in such a shock, I dreamt that Williams was about to kiss me. UGHHH what a nightmare!

"Hey, are you okay, what happened", Mary rushed to my room asking me.

" Yes, I am fine...just a bad dream".

"Okay then, you have to get ready"

"Ready for what", I asked her curiously.

Oh yes you are going to spend the day with Phillips today to pick out the wedding stuff! How existing! You guys are going with one of his father's most exotic cars.

"Hmmmm yeah.....exciting", I said in a sarcastic manner.

"Listen sweetheart, I know it's hard to be with someone you don't love and as your aunt, it hurts knowing that you may be sad in this marriage but I want you to give it a chance. Williams is a good person and I know that he will see what we see in you and fall in love with you. Who knows maybe he can be your soul mate"

Aunt, you are going to make me cry. I tell you what, I'll give him a chance.

Yes, thank you sweetie! Now quickly get ready and dress nicely. He has booked a reservation at a restaurant later on.

I was finishing up when I heard my aunt called my name indicating that Williams has arrived. I walked down the stairs and saw Phillips sitting down and talking down to my aunt and uncle.

He smiled sweetly at me and in that moment I felt that the world stop and my heart do something that he hasn't done in a while. I was snapped out of my thoughts when he held out his hands for me to take as we exited the house and went into the car.

We stopped at a jewelry shop and he actually came to the other side and opened the door for me, I was quite surprised that he was being nice, after that I began to feel more comfortable.

We entered the store and began looking around for a while, I was getting tired when suddenly out of nowhere Williams pops up and says he has finally found it. I was confused at first until I saw something shiny in his hand.

He then gently held my hand and slid it onto my finger while he stared into my eyes.

"Perfect, uhmmmmm...yeah sorry I just had to check it if it is fitted. We'll take this one, do you like it"? He asked me.

I then glanced down at the sparkly object that felt foreign on my hand and smiled, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, the way the light illuminated the diamonds was just breathtaking. So I nodded with a huge smile and said this is the one.

We got the rings and went to the next store, we actually spoke a lot and I relaizdd that he wasn't that bad.

At the store I tried on a few dresses till I spotted one that I decided to try on. I had finished changing and came out to find Phillips asleep when I went up to him and yelled "cockroach" in his ear. He woke up in such a shock and almost yelled his heart out. I immediately burst out laughing while clutching my stomach.

Why do I have to suffer tragedy?! My precious beauty sleep!

We were both laughing until we realised the snooty store lady told us to keep it down.

I glanced at Phillips as we both looked like school children getting shouted at by the teacher. Once the woman left, we couldn't hold it back and started laughing again.

I could feel Phillips gaze on me and my cheeks began to heat up.

"Does it look funny or something,"? I asked him.

No it looks beautiful ......you look beautiful.

I was internally screaming and my heart was pounding, so I decided to change the topic.

Hey wait, isn't it bad luck to see the bride in her dress before her wedding?!

With the way you look right now, I don't think it is possible. We just stood in silence staring at each other, I noticed that happens between us.

Geez, sorry, that was so corny. He let us a chuckle while scratching the back of his neck.

I changed out of the dress and we paid for it. We were walking to the car when he stopped for a moment and said" I meant every single word of mine that I said back there".

I just smiled and grabbed his sleeve and rushed to the car while smiling like an i***t.

PHILLIPS POV

I was talking to Mara's aunt when I felt another presence in the room. Immediately, I thought s**t it was a ghost, but I turned around and saw it was just Mara. The moment I sighed a relief and looked at her again, I felt breathless. I gazed slightly into her eyes and felt excited, in this moment it was just us not a single thing in the world mattered and I unconsciously found myself genuinely smiling, not the kind i have to put up with when I'm with people just for it to seem like it is okay.

I remembered we had to go out and held out my hand for her as we went to the car. The drive was becoming silent until she spoke.

"So, where are we going to," she asked me. " I was thinking we could pick out the rings first then get your wedding dress and my suit. After that we can take a break at the restaurant. How does that sound?

"Sounds pretty good".

We were laughing when I looked at her and just began staring, I sighed while resting my head in my hands because honestly she looked like a princess.

MARA'S POV

We arrived at the restaurant and my eyes went wide when I looked at the amount of stairs. I was halfway up while panting like a crazy person. "Why are there so many stairs here"? I asked Phillip.

"LOL, there isn't that many only uhmmm 1,2,3....to 20 steps. You look like you just ran a marathon. Just trust the food and view, they would be worth it. He said while smiling like a child.

After what felt like 500 steps, we reached the top.

I turned to Phillips while trying to catch my breath, I was preparing to yell at him but I was taken aback by the scenery. It was stunning.

PHILLIPS POV

Mara's reaction was priceless, I have been to this restaurant many times but for some reasons, it felt special to me. I don't know what got over me when I grabbed Mara's hand to walk to our table which was at the end and perfect.

The waiter came by to take our orders. We were talking and enjoying ourselves when we noticed a couple few tables away, the guy gave her a pair of earrings and a gold necklace and she started whining. We couldn't hear what they were saying though.

We both started laughing and for a while we were just eating, chatting and we also played this game where we could look at people and make an entire story about them. It was actually pretty fun.