MARRIED TO DECEPTION

Chapter Two

Ava stared at the phone she had thrown on the bed, she was shaking, lifting her shaking form, she went to stand in front of the mirror.

She had done a full make-up, to hide the black lines and also because she had thought the call she had gotten that morning was about good news, and she and Asher would have gone out to celebrate.

Who was she deceiving, what had made her think that things would return back to being happy after her grandma's passing. She felt the tears again now, only this time they didn't just cloud her eyes, they flowed freely, ruining the mascara that she had taken time to apply, running a thick black line across her painted face.

She had planned to sleep with her makeup on, but now she wasn't sure she was going to be getting any rest.

Dragging her still shaking form, she headed to the bathroom to get her ruined makeup off her face. The water was ice-cold, but it was a welcoming feeling, somehow it helped calm her nerves.

It was when she was done and felt a bit more collected that she remembered she hadn't ended the call.

She rushed to her phone immediately hoping he hadn't heard her break down. She couldn't afford to let him see her as weak. She sank to the ground, crying again. She was alone in this world, she had friends, amazing friends, but she still felt so alone.

She was starting to feel angry again at Asher, but she didn't have the energy, and she wanted to believe he really did it for good.

Dragging her tired limbs from the ground, crawling to her bed. Standing up some minutes later to turn on the a.c and fan, hoping somehow it would help her sleep.

She heard her tummy grumble, reminding her that she hadn't eaten anything that day, but she was too weak to move any part of her body, closing her eyes hoping that sleep would take over soon.

“You are getting married?”. Logan asked Ethan, looking as shocked as ever. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this much shock.

“How am I just hearing about it Ethan?”. Logan asked again, his shock getting replaced by a slight anger.

Logan Russell, Ethan's cousin and best friend, his long curly brown hair was tied in a knot, his brownish green eyes staring at Ethan intently, waiting for a response from him.

He stood up from the chair he was sitting on, stretching his muscled arms, trying to look taller than he actually was.

“I am just hearing it myself, Logan, I am so confused”. “I don't even know what to do”.

Ethan's deep baritone voice echoing across his office, his eyebrows creased in worry.

He stretched his long legs forward, relaxing further into his chair, his mind going briefly to the call he had just had before Logan came in.

He was sure he had heard her cry, he felt sorry for her, and he felt bad that he had to call her on the same day her grandfather had just died, but he needed to know what was happening, from the whimpers he had heard, he was certain she had just been told about the marriage too.

Logan stared at his best friend and cousin, seeing that he was really bothered, and he had also just heard the news. He had been worried that his best friend was keeping secrets from him now.

Smiling mischievously, thinking of what he could say to lighten the mood.

“At least you are getting married”, “I had thought you would die a spinster”, he said light-heartedly, chuckling as he did so.

Ethan stared at Logan with his light grayish eyes, bursting out in laughter when what Logan had said registered in his brain.

“Like you are any better”, he retorted back.

Ethan stretched his hand forward, checking the time, Logan mirroring his action.

He hadn't realized that time had passed so fast. It was past midnight, and here he was still in the office. He looked at Logan, wondering if he was thinking what he was thinking.

They both started laughing again, showing that they had the same thought on their minds.

He loved his work, maybe a bit too much. He would rather doze off while working in the office than taking the short trip to his house, he didn't have time for any other thing, women, partying or anything people did for fun, and Logan was exactly the same as him.

Maybe that was why they had clicked and become more than just family members.

He checked his time again, turning on his laptop. He wasn't ready to head home, so he might as well finish what he had been doing.

Logan moved closer to Ethan, shutting down his laptop.

“Not today Ethan. Soon you will be married, and you won't have time to have any bit of fun.

“Come on”. Logan added, pulling Ethan from his seat, signaling for him to follow him.

He was feeling social today. That was why he had popped up at Ethan's company. They didn't work in the same place, though it wasn't far from each other, they both had their separate companies they ran individually. He wasn't going to let Ethan's mood spoil his plan.

The drive to Santiago's hotel and suit wasn't much. “Santiago”, that was the name of the hotel and the owner.

They had met with him at an event and they had been good friends since then.

Ensuring that their cars were locked, they made their way into the hotel.

As expected, he was around. After greeting them warmly, he led them to their private spot.

A signal from Logan stopped him from calling entertainers to entertain them.

They didn't spend much time there though, because Ethan just wasn't feeling it, so Logan had insisted they go home.

They had said their goodbyes and headed their separate ways.

Ethan let himself into his home. He was certain he wasn't going to have energy for anything, he wanted to sleep the day off, hoping when he woke up the next day, it would be a dream.

“What do you mean you are getting married, Ethan?”. Ruby Davenport asked as soon as she heard Ethan come in, anger written all over her face.