Chapter Three.
2150 Words
Chapter Three
Alexander's assistant froze, his head snapping towards Miranda so fast you'd think it would break in two. He looked at her like she had grown five horns on her head.
Miranda herself slapped a hand over her mouth, not believing what she just blurted out in front of the worlds richest man.
Alexander didn’t even flinch, his expression still blank as a newly made sheet.
His brows lifted slightly, the corner of his lips twitching like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to smile or frown.
“I see,” he murmured.
“I—I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” Miranda whispered, mortified at her sudden impulsiveness.
“Clearly.” Alexander stepped closer, eyes narrowing with interest and something akin to amusement.
“Get in the car.”
Miranda’s heart jumped. “What? Why—”
“To discuss."
He said simply.
“You just proposed to me, I'll liked to know why. "
His assistant stared at him like he was possessed by some sweet loving and joke cracking angel.
Miranda's eyes widened a bit, she couldn't believe he wasn't actually indulging her very stupid and very much emotion driven words.
But Alexander Kaine had already climbed into the car, waiting.
Against all logic, Miranda followed.
The door shut, sealing them in a quiet, expensive cocoon.
Alexander studied her closely like she was a puzzle he suddenly cared to solve. “Now."
He said, voice low and deep but not unkind. “tell me what made you ask a stranger to marry you.”
Miranda swallowed, her fingers trembled, but she already made to not let anyone intimidate her.
"I am sorry, that was a stupid mistake.
Alexander leaned back on the polished car seat, one hand caressing his sharp jawline.
"And what if I agree to marry you? "
Miranda's eyes shot up to meet his steel grey ones already looking at her.
" What? Agree to marry me?"
Alexander sat up straight. "Perhaps I didn't put out my words well, I need a bride to calm my grandfather's ever nagging heart, and to secure a certain property that he has refused to hand me unless I come home with a wife. "
His assistant cleared his throat subtly, his eyes darting from Miranda to Alexander through the review mirror.
Miranda stared at Alexander in confusion and disbelief. She didn't expect the night to take this turn.
She took a deep breath, this was an opportunity she thought, one that would make things easier for her, she was going to make good use of the situation.
"If I agree what's in it for me?" Miranda said, her voice serious and tight.
Alexander looked at her in delight, he always knew she had some fire in her. He was going to enjoy this he thought.
"What do you want Miranda?" He asked his deep voice low with a tinge of gentleness in it.
Miranda was a bit surprised that he knew her name, though her family was a big one and she was once engaged to Ethan which would have put a in the spot light a little bit, she didn't expect Alexander Kaine to keep anyone's name in his heart let alone her name, however she brushed that thought off and focused on the issue at hand.
"I need you to help me settle a score and to help me grow my company. In simple terms your name, your influence and your protection. These are little things compared to being married to you for the rest of my life right?"
Alexander chuckled lightly, Miranda was an interesting girl indeed.
"Indeed it is. I agree."
"And, since we are both on the same page let's move over to the next stage shall we? Wife."
Alexander gave a little smirk that looked almost cheeky.
"Where do you stay wife?"
Miranda looked down at her fingers, her cheeks already turning red at Alexander calling her wife in that ridiculously deep voice of his.
" Um... I'll just come down here. I'll take a taxi."
Alexander looked intently at her, a frown settling on his perfectly structured face.
"You won't take a taxi Miranda, now tell my assistant where you live and let him drive you down. No wife of mine takes a taxi."
Miranda was already all shades of red at this point.
" Mary land estate, I live at Mary land estate."
Alexander looked at his assistant signaling him to start the car. He brushed his hands over his face wandering what could have happened to Miranda in her high society family for her to desperately want an out.
" We're here sir." Edward signaled to Alexander.
Miranda looked at Alexander, this time seriousness written all over face.
" How would we finalize on our Agreement Mr Kaine?"
Alexander gave her an amused grin.
" I'll send you a document through my assistant for you to go over, since we've already discussed our terms, you just need to sign that document and we'll immediately register our marriage."
Miranda released the breath she didn't know she was holding.
"Okay. I'll like us to keep this a secret for now, due to the fact that I still have some issues to settle within my family. Hope you don't mind?"
"What ever you say wife." Alexander would go to the ends of the world with Miranda if she asked.
"Be safe."
Miranda came out of the car and went inside the estate. Unknowingly to her Alexander didn't completely drive off, he waited till Miranda was completely inside the Estate before driving off.
On getting inside her house, Miranda saw her family sitting in the living room like a little happy family.
Her Father sitting on the sofa he got as birthday present from Ethan's Dad on his birthday, Chloe and her mother discussing about God knows what on the dining table.
God knew the last thing she wanted was dealing with them.
While Miranda was still lost in her thoughts, her Father looked up from his news paper.
"Miranda! Where have you been? Ethan waited for you."
Miranda wanted to roll her eyes. Waited for her, what a joke. She thought.
"Is that so? I went out for fresh air.'"
Chloe and her mother came rushing to get like she's sick or something.
"Miranda you shouldn't have run off like that, Ethan was so worried."
Miranda heaved a tired and irritated sigh.
"I'll give Ethan a call, I am tired and I need to be in bed. Goodnight." She walked upstairs before any of them could reply.
Miranda slammed her door shut and fell on her bed.
She thought of everything that had happened, she didn't have the power in her to ponder on the what ifs or dwell on the gnawing pain in her heart, or the mystery of her getting involved with Alexander Kaine.
She was just going to sleep she thought. She'll sleep and think tomorrow.
Across town, Alexander Kaine stood inside his grandfather’s study, the older man seated behind an oak desk surrounded by towering shelves of books.
“So,” the old man said with a twinkle in his eyes, “you’ve finally decided to marry?”
Alexander smirked faintly. “Yes, Grandfather. I’ve found you a beautiful and perfect granddaughter-in-law.”
The old man laughed, his voice rough with age but full of joy.
“Ha! I thought I’d die before seeing the day you’d bring me such news. Tell me, who is the lucky girl?”
Alexander leaned casually against the desk. “Miranda Veryon."
The old man frowned slightly. “Veryon? As in the Veryon Family?"
“That’s the one.”
“Well, well."
His grandfather mused, stroking his beard.
“That family’s respectable, though a bit… complicated.”
He shot Alexander a pointed look.
“And since when do you care about respectable?”
Alexander chuckled. “I don’t. But she’s different.”
The old man smiled knowingly. “Ah, so you like her.”
“I didn’t say that,” Alexander replied quickly.
“Of course you didn’t."
His grandfather teased, leaning back in his chair.
“Just don’t wait too long to realize it.”
Alexander sighed, pretending to be exasperated. “I only said she’s suitable, Grandfather. I need a wife for the property deal. That’s all.”
The old man chuckled again. “Whatever you say, boy.”
He lifted his cup of tea, still smiling.
“Just don’t bring me a cold-hearted business contract and call it marriage.”
Alexander rolled his eyes.
"Whatever you say old man."
The sun had begun to set by the time Miranda arrived at her house, the event of earlier was still freshin her mind. Miranda could not believe that she actually asked Alexander Kaine to marry her out of a whim and then he agreed.
She thought of the possibilities, why was he there? Did he already know her? The way he looked at her gave her chills, bit not in a bad way. She found it hard to believe that Alexander Kaine needed a bride to access something from anyone, even if it was his grandfather.
"Enough overthinking for a day Miranda. This is not healthy."
On getting to the door of the living room, Miranda heard whispers, as she got closer the whispers increased.
"Miranda will be traveling abroad." Her mother's voice resounded.
Miranda stoped dead on her tracks.
"She's like that, once we tell her that he business is crumbling and we tell her that what our company needs right now ia for her to travel abroad. She'll run without thinking twice. " That was the voice of her mother, Miranda could not believe her ears.
"I never liked that daughter of yours to be quite frank, I always preferred Chloe." This time it was Ethan's mum speaking.
Miranda decided that she ha had enough bullshit for one day, she abruptly opened the door, her face colder than ice, her eyes sharp and emotionless.
"I want to break the engagement." The two one stood frozen, unable to comprehend what Miranda had just said.
“Stop this nonsense Miranda, what do you mean you want to break of the engagement. Ethan is not even here. " Mrs. Veryon scolded Miranda like she was scolding a three year old child.
Miranda stood at the far end of the living room, she scoffed unable to believe her family.
"I said what I said mother dearest, I am tired of Ethan and I want to break off the engagement. He doesn't need to be here for me to break off the engagement. "
“You should be grateful." Ethan’s mother snapped at her from the side..
“We were doing you a favor in the first place, letting you marry my son.”
Miranda turned slowly to face her. "A favour you say."
She repeated softly.
The woman lifted her chin smugly. “Ethan deserves someone elegant. Proper. Someone like Chloe. It was generous of us to consider you at all.”
In the past, Miranda would have fell to her knees begging and crying for her family and Ethan's family to consider her, but right now she didn't give a f**k. Hell, she wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible.
She let out a short laugh. “I didn’t ask you for anything, I don't care about Ethan, Chloe or this stupid and ridiculous show your family is putting on. I am breaking the engagement and that's final."
Miranda had never spoken back before.
“Miranda!” her mother hissed. “What’s wrong with you? Don’t embarrass us. You can't break of the engagement with Ethan like that! "
" I can and I will. I don't care what y'all do, but as from now on I and Ethan Cross no longer have anything together. " She replied her voice deadly and calm.
She looked at Ethan's Mother. " You can call your prick of a son and your snake of a daughter in-law, give them my blessings. I am not even wearing the ring."
Ethan's Mother was too stunned to speak.
“Miranda!” her mother snapped again, eyes wide with warning.
But Miranda didn’t stay to hear more. She turned and walked toward the exit.
___
But somewhere else in the city, another car rolled to a stop in front of a tall glass building. The driver’s door opened, and a tall handsome man with features like that of a tempting demon stepped out. His jaw tight, his lips set in a thin line.
He adjusted his cuffs, his lips curling into a cold smile.
“I’m back,” he murmured, his voice laced with venom. “Alexander Kaine, your doom is here.”
The wind carried his words into the night, and with them came the quiet promise of chaos.
- Writer
