Chapter Four
1810 Words
“Selena, do you believe what my father said to me?!” Her voice high pitched. Louis sat on the table behind her, waiting for his best friend to arrive, he leaned back in his chair, paused the music playing from his AirPods. He took an air-pod out of his ear and sipped on the hot tea, steaming into his face while he paid rapt attention to her discussion.
“What did he say? What even happened at your cousin’s wedding? I heard a whole lot about it but I wanted to hear it all from you.”
“Let me start from the scratch,” she said as she flipped her finger colored hair back, “can you imagine that I was not even allowed to rest at her wedding? All I heard everywhere I went,” she said sitting upright and raising her hands in a way of mimicking and mocking the women and men, mostly the women, taunting her situation. “My Aunty, she thought she was smart,”
“Oh no, I know that look. Edwina, what did you do?”
“She’s very lucky that the wedding was a private one with no cameras and definitely no paparazzi. She would have been trending on social media for taunting an innocent girl,”
“Or you would be trending, for lacking manners, and ruining an important wedding. Your proposals will become non-existent from and you’ll be in an even worsened situation,”
“Ugggghhhh! I hate when you do that.”
“So, give me the tea.”
“She went on blabbering about how I’m not married yet and how I should be ashamed that you are getting married, my cousin is getting married and I’m not even with a man, “
“That was harsh.”
“Right?! Oh you know how hard it is for me to keep my cool when anyone reminds me of that incident with the Prime Minister.”
“She did not?!”
“Oh yes she did. She had the guts to tell me to my face that I should have agreed to marry him despite whatever happened.”
“Wicked.”
“Oh my days, it felt like they had just poured cold water on me. I was blinded by so much fury, I blurted out how her husband is cheating on her with Nessa,”
“Edwina!”
“I was angry okay? She should have just kept her mouth shut and minded her flipping business.”
“You told her who it was?”
“Oh noooo, I don’t blame Nessa, she’s naturally one to crave the glamorous things of life, and would reach any extent to get it. My aunty’s husband on the other hand, sticks his little weeny into any one who cares to open for him.”
“How do you know it is little?”
“Nessa.” She said and they bursted out laughing.
“So, what happened after?”
“My entire family began to attack me when they returned. From one thing to the other, it was so hard for me to keep up. Father said something and he means business.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me, if I do not bring a man home by weekend for his ball, he’ll marry me off to the Briggs,”
“The over ambitious family? Strict about your dressing? Literally changed your entire wardrobe,”
“Guess what else?”
“What?”
“They’re werewolves.”
“No way!” She exclaimed covering her mouth in shock. “How on earth did I miss that?”
“They’re good at covering up.”
“How did you know?”
“He told me, he transformed before my very eyes. You’re the first person that I’m telling.”
“So, if you don’t marry the Briggs, what happens?”
“I’m not allowed to work, and if I don’t bring a man by weekend, I forfeit my position in the three companies. Pathetic,”
“This is crazy. Where on earth are you meant to find a man?”
“Beats me babes. I don’t even know what to do, I’ve been thinking all week, and the ball is on Saturday. Today is Thursday. I haven’t worked all week, and it feels like I’m about to lose my mind.”
“Hmmm, looks like my package just arrived,” she said as she read the notification on her phone. “Give me a second and I’ll be with you shortly.” She said as she picked her call, walking away.
Edwina sighed, leaning back in her chair and sipping her wine while scrolling through her i********: feed aimlessly, her mind running around everywhere.
“Is this seat taken?” She looked up from her phone to find the same guy from the church, standing before her. She took her time to look at him, assessing him from his head, to his feet.
He looked better dressed than the first time she met him. But she felt she knew him from somewhere else before,
“When you’re done checking me out, can I sit?”
“The seat is taken, as you can see.” He looked over at the purse and unfinished drink sitting on the opposite end of the table.
“Just here to steal a few minutes of your time, present you with a life changing opportunity, an opportunity that can serve your purpose, and my purpose.”
“Have we met before?” She asked.
“I believe so, at the church.”
“Not the church, before then. You look really really familiar,”
“I could say the same. Your hair alone makes me feel like I’ve seen it somewhere.”
“Sit.” She said to him. Louis sat down on the chair,
“First of all, I’d like to apologize for my outburst the previous day, I was clearly under pressure and was fighting the urge to keep my cool. Let me guess, they sent you to me. Look, I really have no interest in anyone that they’re offering me, that pressure is not what I need. There are more important things that require my attention,”
“Would you allow me to speak?” Edwina was taken aback by the firmness in his tone. He looked way more responsible than the first time she had seen him.
“Speak.”
“Hi, I am Louis. Louis Tomlinson.”
“Edwina,”
“Oh I know who you are. I’ve had my eyes on you for a while now.”
“You come with so much audacity you know,”
“I am an audacious man. It is a trait that I do not intend on letting go.”
“Can you go straight to the point? Why are you stalking me?”
“I have a proposal for you.”
“And why should I care to listen to you?”
“I can provide a man for you, if you provide a wife for me.” He said.
“Are you sick? What nonsense are you saying?”
“You’re facing the pressure to get married.”
“That is not of your business. What do you know about that?”
“Relax. Stay calm, I have not finished.” His tone was very calm and soft, but yet very authoritative. Edwina leaned back in her chair, studying him.
“I’m calm.”
“I’m facing the same issues. The pressure to get married now or risk getting into an arranged marriage.”
“What a small world we live in,”
“We are both in need of the same thing, the same solution.”
“So, what is your proposal?”
“Contract marriage.”
“A contract marriage?”
“Yes.”
“My parents would not say yes to that, even if they are on my head. They don’t want a marriage that is most likely to dissolve,”
“They don’t have to know. It’s simple, I’ll arrange a lawyer and he can work it out for the both of us. We will have the wedding ceremonies as their hearts desire, but you and I are the only ones that will be aware of the truth.”
“What is the term and condition?”
“It will dissolve when one person decides to walk away and start a new life with someone else, therefore the purpose of the marriage no longer serves the party,”
“Interesting. And you thought of this when, now?”
“I’ve had my eyes on you for quite a while. So the planning didn’t come up today,”
“Although your plan is very tempting, i have to reject the offer.”
“I know, so here is my card. Call me when you’re ready. Your time is ticking faster than mine.” He said as she dropped her card before her.
“I don’t know who you are? Where are you from? What family do you come from?”
“I am Louis Tomlinson. The only son and heir to the TomlinsonEmpire.”
“The Tomlinson? How coincidental. I am running a contract with one of your companies. Of course I know them, they…” her voice trailed off as she looked at him in a different way.
“Is there something on my face?”
“You! It’s You!” She exclaimed.
“Yes, from the church. I know I look different, I was just returning from the site…”
“No no no. It is you! The guy that beat up the prime minister months ago.”
“You’re the gingered head girl.” He said but his face didn’t seem to hold any expression. “I chased after you but you were long gone.”
“The world really is a small place. Thank you for that day, he believed you were my boyfriend and stayed away.”
“I did what I had to, he deserves everything wicked and more that was given to him.”
“I can’t agree any more. Anyways, if your card comes in handy, you will receive a call from me.”
“I look forward to it, see you later.” He returned back to his seat putting his right leg on top of his left. She notices a taller guy join him on his table, and both men look back her way. She locks eyes with him for some few minutes until her best friend returns.
“Who’s the fine guy?” She said wriggling her eyebrows at her.
“I think I have found a date to your wedding.” She said sipping on her wine and staring at the card.
- Writer
