The billionaire's mute bride

Anna I hear the door shut behind me and feel my phone, vibrate in my pocket in my coat pocket. I fished it out, to see a text from Ron, one of the Cooper family drivers. It was a simple text, one I had gotten many times. Mr Ron: Miss Emory emergency. Can't pick up tonight. Right. Of course. Pretty sure "emergency" is just code word for Emory wants to go clubbing. It's not the first, second, or third time something like this has happened. It just so happens that anytime I need the driver for anything, my sister.... stepsister, as she often likes to remind me, comes up with an excuse so she gets the one driver who is allowed to drive me, even though there are a selection of other drivers she could choose her pick from at the Cooper estate. I mean she has about three personal drivers. I mean I didn't expect the driver to actually come, but I couldn't help the sting of disappointment I felt. I had always been an afterthought, I was used to it by now but it still hurts sometimes. I sigh and adjust the cello case. 30 pounds of wood pressing into my shoulder, after six hours of practice, my shoulder was done. I stare at the sky, the rain pouring heavily like it's mocking my predicament. The estate was an hour away. It was already 10:53 pm and the gates closes, well at least for me at twelve o'clock. My phone was at three percent, I forgot to charge it during the day. The subway was fifteen minutes away, but the last train isn't until midnight. Walking wasn't an option since I couldn't afford to get my cello wet, but I have no other choice. On the bright side I could get my steps in. I shivered immediately I stepped out from under the shade. It was really cold and I was drenched down to my bones in a matter of seconds. I started walking, I'm pretty sure my day couldn't get any worse. How wrong I was. The force of the water hit me like a brick way. I'm very sure I was going to die of hypothermia. I stopped walking, eyes wide with shock. I didn't scream or make a sound, I just stared down at my dripping form and my soaked cello case. Yeah it couldn't have survived that splash. I stare at the car responsible for the state I'm in. It came to a stop beside me, now I don't know anything about cars, but this one looks pretty expensive. Which is just great because now I have to deal with whoever owns the car. The driver's seat door opened and a tall bald man came out holding an umbrella. He looked to be in his 50s, he was wearing a driver's uniform. He reminded me of Ron, my driver. He came closer to where I was standing and I took a step back into the light, my eyes flickered to all the cameras around me. Old habit. I memorized the numbers on the license plate, then I looked at the tinted windows. I tried to guess the car model but failed. I turned back to the man again. "Are you alright miss?" he asked gently and I nodded even though I was soaked and shivering. The passenger side door opened and another man stepped out, the owner of the car judging by the was he was dressed. He was too close to me. I took a few steps back, he seemed to notice and stepped back, giving me space. I took In his appearance, he was younger than the driver, in his 30s maybe, he was tall, really tall. If I were to guess, he was about 6'4 or 6'5. He was handsome, with a square jaw, a 5 o'clock shadow, high cheekbones, he had a faint scar above his straight dark brows. His eyes looked dark in the shadow of the night. His nose was crooked like it had been punched one too many times and full lips that was pressed into a thin line. His gaze was assessing. He wore a black tuxedo that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. He looked vaguely familiar, I couldn't place where I saw him. He held another umbrella above his head. "I'm so sorry," he said. I didn't answer . His eyes took in my shivering form and his jaw ticked. "James," he called. The driver came to my side and I tensed, but he just held the umbrella over my head. "I'm Alex." There was a tense silence I had no intention of filling. "My driver misjudged the puddle." Another pause. "Please let me give you a ride," he suggested and I finally gave a reply which was a firm shake of my head. There was no way I was getting into a car with two strangers. "There's no available Uber and the subway is twenty minutes away, besides it's way too dangerous for you to wait here on your own." I wondered how he knew all those things, but I didn't dwell on it. He was right and the rain didn't look like it was stopping anytime soon. Still I did not like the idea of getting in a car with unfamiliar people. For all I knew, they could murder me and dump my body in a ditch somewhere, then I'd end up in the news like. "Girl ends up murdered in a ditch after foolishly getting into a car with strangers." That'd be a really foolish way to die. He must've read the look on my face. "I'm not a killer, and I'm not going to harm you," said every killer ever. He sighed like he was used to people thinking he's a killer. "How about this, you take a picture of the license plate and send it to a friend, so if you don't call them in thirty minutes, they should go to the police." I mused over the option. It was a great suggestion, unless I was dead before thirty minutes. But I had no other choice. I nodded and took a picture of the license plate, made a show of sending it to someone, though I had no one to send it to. I got in the car and gave the driver my address. The drive was quite. Thank heavens! We were at the estate in ten minutes. I got out of the car and nodded my thanks. I spotted Emory's car I the driveway. I took my Cello through the side door. I knew he was familiar, but I didn't recognize who he was till we met again.