Scandalous Wedding

Chapter 13

As soon as the newlywed couple stepped into the condo, they were greeted by their serious parents. The McCoy's and the de Silva's. No smiles, no warm welcomes, not even a comforting embrace was initiated by neither of them. Sangavi's heart dropped. Her already sad mood fell a few notches down into the depressed range. What was she expecting anyway? That her parents would hug her and console her that everything would be alright? Did it matter that she was worried? Apparently it didn't matter enough and there were more pressing matters at hand.

"What's the situation?" Elijah's tone meant business. She heard this tone before. Cold, emotionless and completely business like, but she never anticipated the amount of hurt it would bring to her.

"They found a tape", James McCoy said in a tone similar to his son's but more gruff. Sang made her way towards the couch where her mother and mother-in-law sat. She offered them each a half hearted smile, which they returned with nods.

She mentally shook her head. They were the perfect wives to these business kings. They had the same poker faces on, just like their husbands. No smiles and no expressions. She patted herself mentally for not choosing this line of profession and going into fashion. Where it was full on drama, and so much emotion that it would be enough to last her for a life time. Jesus knew that she could never stomach a life of a business man.

"What is this tape about?" she voiced the question lingering in her brain. All five pairs of eyes turned towards her. All of them blank, with no expressions to read. Sang felt the same emotion she feels every time she asked something as such - as if she was standing in a morgue, surrounded by cold and expressionless dead bodies. Her subconscious yelled at her for voicing out her thoughts, just like every other time.

She raised her eyebrows at them, not yielding back. "It was a conversation", Sharon McCoy answered, on behalf of the rest.

"What conversation?" she asked wondering how it is so important that both the families gathered under the same roof.

There was no answer for a while. "Dear", Alina turned towards her daughter with an uneasy smile,

"Mother?" Sangavi answered in a clipped tone. Yes, she wanted nothing to do with business. Yes, she married the man she hated because she owed it to her family. Yes, she might never understand why they made such a marriage to happen and how it's relevant to their business rivalry. Yes, she accepts all those things along with the fact that she cannot stomach business. But she would never let them keep her in dark, just because they thought she won't be able to take it. She won't accept it if somebody claimed her to be weak and naive. No she was far from that. She started her own line of fashion and despite her family name, she attained success on her own as well. If she could handle all of this then how bad could this scandal be?

Seeing her daughter's stubborn expression, Damian sighed. He knew when her daughter would back off and when she wouldn't. This was among the latter situations.

"It was a conversation between Elijah and James McCoy", his voice bare of any emotions but his tightening fist spoke volumes.

"Dad!" she frowned at all five of them, "Please switch on the television. I want to see it in the news", she said.

There was silence and nobody moved. Her eyes searched each and every one of them, her parents, husband, in-law's... no one moved a muscle. Like they were afraid of the thunder striking them if they moved. she found it ironic really. The richest, most powerful and well respected leaders in the world are standing here looking at her as if they are afraid of what the future holds before them. This is definitely something she will never forget.

"You", she called the maid, who bought a tray of water. "Switch on the television", she ordered her. Memories flashed as the maid walked towards the coffee table and pressed the 'on' button of the remote. The maid she saw with Eli that night wore something very similar to this. Hmm... from the same agency!

As the television switched to life, an energetic female voice spoke, "... Once again The McCoy and the de Silva's have made its way into the news. As you all remember the Millennial's wedding of the famous billionaire Elijah McCoy and the fashion queen Sangavi de Silva, took place in the private estate of Princeton Manor yesterday. Only a few media personnel were allowed to the wedding and it happened with no conspiracies at all. But that's not the shocking news here..... Somehow an audio tape has been leaked to our channel this morning which has definitely shocked a lot of audience!"

The woman who spoke so far went silent as the screen divided into two. One part showed that woman's photo while three images appeared on the second half, among which two belonged to Eli and his father while the other belonged to someone she hadn't recognized.

"...Mr. McCoy. You're now engaged to Ms. de Silva, you cannot afford to get into the headlines of the newspaper with anyone except her. This little adventure of yours can cost us our deal with the de Silva's..."  A voice spoke while the photo of the person she didn't recognize blinked, indicating that the voice belonged to him.

Silence followed in the recording, which sounded more deadly than the silence in a horror film. Sangavi sat shocked, deal? What's going on? She thought.

"As you all know ladies and gentlemen, this is the same headlines he is referring to which Mr. Elijah McCoy made a couple of weeks back when he was seen with the famous model Katrina Wilmer. Let's hear what Mr. Elijah McCoy has to say to that", she smirked evilly, like she knew something that no one else did.

"Do not tell me what I can do and what I can't. I pay you to deal with this kind of bull s**t, not to play my nanny. Deal with this or leave this company, I don't give a s**t what those f*****g tabloids say about me", this time it was Eli's photo which blinked, but Sang didn't need a prompter to tell her whose voice it was. She could recognize it, even in the middle of the night.

"Well, I think Mr. Elijah McCoy doesn't like to be told what to do. Too bad, Mr. Billionaire you are married now! Or should I say, too bad Mrs. Sangavi McCoy that you are married to such a stubborn man?" she shook her head with mock pity,

James McCoy's picture blinked and Sangavi closed her eyes. She really didn't need to hear this, "I know you still aren't over your bachelor life yet. And I know that you plan to keep your affairs and wild nights, whatever, going on even after marriage. But, son, just keep a low profile about it, will you. The de Silva's are not fools. I am sure they are well aware of your ways and behavior, yet they haven't called to whine about the tabloids issue. That's a very good thing; it means that the deal is still on. And if they overlook this then it might mean that... they don't have any problem with your affairs either", and that was it. Sangavi let out a bitter laugh without even realizing it. She didn't know where the laughter was coming from, but she just doubled over with laughter that she almost fell off the couch.

"Looks like the "deal" between the two powerful families are set tight. No wonder the former Ms. de Silva never made any comment over her fiance's wild ways..."

The television was shut close but that didn't seize her laughter. Five sets of eyes stared at her in confusion and also fear, with the same question hovering over their minds 'Is she going crazy?'

But she didn't care. After a really long time, she had such a good laugh.

"What's so funny?" James McCoy questioned irritably. He didn't like someone making a laugh out of something like this,

"Sweetheart", Damian walked towards his daughter, suddenly concerned about his daughter "What is it?" he asked not understanding why she was laughing.

It took a couple of minutes for her laughter to die down and her to sober up. "Well!" she said in a sing song way.

Alina squeezed her hand in warning and Sang wondered why her mother even bothered to hold her hand, "What?" she snapped at all of them who stared at her like she was an alien.

"Look everyone", she sighed looking at all of them squarely, "Why are you all so shocked? Is it the first time that we are being back stabbed like this? This isn't the first time a scandal as such broke out, and I am assured that it won't be the last. Obviously someone from your office sold his soul for a few dollars", she shrugged at Eli who had his jaw and fists clenched, "And I don't understand what are you all actually worried about? – Are you worried that people are going to 'talk'? Like they aren't doing it already! Or are you worried that the tabloids are going to feast on us for a few days? – trust me, as soon as there is a new scandal in town, they are gonna forget everything about this and start blabbering about that", She shook her head,

"And seriously, what's done is done. There is no point in thinking about all that right now. Let's focus on avoiding the flashes for a while. Later we can try and find out who that bloody bastard is who leaked the tape and make sure he pays the price", she shrugged.

****

Silence followed but none spoke. Everyone was waiting for someone else to break the awful silence. Eli himself was a little taken back with the way she spoke. He expected her to make some drama. A few tears, a little hurt or at least a demand to know what the hell he and his father were thinking. But she did none of the above which made him watch his next words.

Her indifference towards their situation hurt him. He had no idea why, but it did. If she was hurt, jealous, sad or even angry, he would have felt glad that there might be a chance for her to fall for him and they can lead a true married life like husband and wife. Because any feeling, meant that he had a place in her heart. But her lack of feelings at all, towards his scandal was indeed depressing. why he was thinking like this, he didn't know, but what he did know was that he felt something for her and he is not going to let her under any circumstances.

"Well, we were all worried about how you will react", his mother voiced out the actual concern that everyone bore. No matter what everyone thought, Sangavi's opinions mattered. She might feel like she is just playing the role of a loyal daughter by marrying him, but the truth is, the entire deal and in fact the entire business empire of both the families depended on her. If she gets hurt, or depressed and decided to withdraw from the marriage, then the entire deal falls apart, making their two families lose their business and their respective empires.

Sangavi scoffed at her mother in law, "I know what I was getting into when I agreed to marry your son, Sharon". Eli's eyebrow's twitched at the way she addressed his mom, "If you thought that I would run towards the hills just because of one stupid scandal then you have to think again", she smirked,

"I don't plan on leaving anytime soon", she said that looking straight into Eli's eyes. His chest tightened at her words. She wouldn't leave? She won't leave! She will stay. With him. Forever.

He felt the same joy he felt every time when he sealed a deal, or bought a new car for himself. But this time, it wasn't something materialistic that was making him happy. It was his wife, a living breathing person that made his chest beat like crazy and threatened his lips to tug up and break into a stupid wide grin.

"I told you, my daughter is wise. She wouldn't..." Alina began chanting praises about her daughter to Sharon who listened impassively. Eli ignored his mother in law's words and kept gazing at his wife, who looked flustered at her mother's compliments. Her cheeks were tainted pink and she was sipping her tea to hide her blush. That moment he knew, that he couldn't have asked for a better wife.

An hour passed and they were all in their own world. Sharon and Alina gossiping about some families, while Sang sat in between them, joining in the conversation from time to time. James and Damian sat in the study discussing a merger while Eli was talking on his phone with his legal team.

The security team soon arrived at his condo to report, "It would be better if you stayed here for the night, Sir", the black suited man spoke in a monotone voice. The entire family gathered in the living room to hear the status of their situation.

The press and the media were right below their condo, waiting for at least one of them to step aside, so that they could feast on them for more gossip. They were not even allowed to stand in the balcony, because it might give them a chance to snap a few pictures and write bull s**t about them. And the security team of both the companies gave the same opinion that it wouldn't be wise for them to leave any time now.

"But how long are we gonna stay here?" Sharon looked at the newlyweds, unsure "I am sure Eli and Sang don't want us here", she said raising an eyebrow at them. They quickly moved apart from where they were standing just inches beside each other.

"It's just until tomorrow ma'am. Our legal team will get the restraining order from the court and then you will be free from them", another man, dressed in a similar grey suit replied.

"You can stay here as long as you want", Eli shrugged, his hands tucked in his pockets,

"We don't have any option, do we?" James grunted and made his way towards the study. Eli shrugged an followed while Damian and his wife walked towards the couch to talk in private.

***

Sang hung up on Nimmy, after reassuring her and Kaya that she was fine and not at all upset that her honey moon got gate crashed. Not that her friends were greatly worried about it though, because both of them quickly made their opinions clear that they didn't appreciate Eli.

She was smiling that her talk with her friends went fine that she didn't realize that the night was still young. Dinner passed in usual silence and occasional business talk, which wasn't surprising at all.

"So, what about our room's son?" Sharon asked sitting on the settee, sipping tea along with Alina, while Damian and James nursed a scotch.

"What do you mean?" Eli's face morphed in confusion. Sang sighed inwardly, as she realized that Eli was apparently very bad at hosting guests.

She decided to take over the conversation, before Eli made a fool out of himself, "You can take the bedroom upstairs. I told the maid to change the sheets and get the room ready for the night", she smiled at Sharon who beamed at her and gave her son a meaningful glance.

Sang didn't dare look at Eli as she could picture him scowling at her already, "Mom, you can take the bedroom downstairs. It's the third door to the left", she pointed to the hallway that led to the bedroom.

"Let's call it a night then", Alina said excitedly . "Good night dear", she kissed Sang's cheeks lovingly and took off. Damian followed his wife, after kissing his daughter good night on her forehead. Sharon and James left too, after wishing Eli a good night.

Sangavi sighed as she was left alone with Eli. "Where are you sleeping?" Eli's sudden question didn't startle her, cause she was expecting it,

She sighed heavily, "Unfortunately we are sharing a room", she shrugged.

"What?" was that excitement that crossed his eyes? Sang shook her head at that thought.

"Yeah! Our parents are here and they are already worried about our relationship", she said in deadpan tone, "there is no need to worry them further by spending the night in separate rooms" she shrugged and sauntered to his bedroom. Her heart thumped with each step she took towards his bedroom. Their bedroom.