DARK RED

"Who is the most beautiful bride in the universe!" My brother Kai teases joining me in the corner I'm seated alone. I don't know where the man I just married went to. He left me here a while ago, saying that he wanted to speak to his parents. "Who is the most handsome eligible bachelor in the universe!" I counter. "You really are married now, huh, sis!" He tells me sitting on my right side. "You can always count on us Zoe. If your husband doesn't behave, just call us. We will teach him how to handle a beautiful lady like you." Ian adds joining us, and sitting on my left side. "Calm your horses boys. I'm going to be fine. Focus on finding girlfriends. I'm the youngest, yet the only one married!" I tease. "We're serious Zoe! My fists are aching to land on someone. I bet Dexter will be the lucky guy." Ian answers. I laugh at that. My brothers mean the world to me. To them, I'm still the little princess of the family, and I know they can protect me from anything. By anything, I mean from my husband too. Dexter!! So, Ian is not bluffing about teaching Dexter a lesson if he doesn't treat me well. He is the eldest and the most protective of me. All the boys I've dated feared him like hell. I've broken up with a bunch of them because they were afraid of hurting me and landing on my brother's bad side. Trust me, I even fear that side of him. For the ones he loves, he can kill. Kai is the better one to deal with among the two. He is calm and collected, and he thinks things through, before acting. Not like Ian who mostly acts on his whims. At times, I thought that I would never find someone to marry me because they all seemed to fear Ian more than they loved me. Then Dexter came along. We didn't date. We weren't friends. There was, and is no love between us. We're practically strangers. But thanks to arranged marriages, I found someone to call a husband today. Never in my twenty five years of living, did I ever imagine settling for an arranged marriage. I am a strong believer of love and to say the truth, I am a hopeless romantic. I believe in meeting someone, falling in love, going out on those cute romantic dates, being asked the big question and finally getting married and living happily ever after. My husband, Dexter, he is some serious dude that I don't think I will ever get along with. I met him for the first time five days ago during the food and cake tasting. He only said hi to me, and nothing else the entire time. He is so strange and mysterious. To think that I am stuck with him for the rest of my miserable life, oh help me God!! "Are you really okay with this arrangement?" Ian asks with concern. "There's no turning back Ian. I am legally his wife now." "Where is your honeymoon destination?" Kai asks smiling and Ian cringes at that. "To be honest with you, I'd rather we stay in the county. Besides, we aren't lovers. What's the need of having a honeymoon?" "Only you and our families know that sis. The public needs to believe your sudden love story. There's no way you're going to marry a Richward and not go for your honeymoon." He adds. "I know that big brother! I think I'll have to-" "Excuse me gentlemen! I need to take my wife!" Dexter cuts me off. He has the cutest male voice I've ever heard, he is so handsome, but you know what they say; never judge a book by its cover. Looks can be deceiving. He is nothing close to how he looks. At least that's what I know. I did my research. I literally had articles about him and was taught about him and his family. My dad kept testing me on how well I know him and the Richward family and let's just say, if I didn't pass his tests, today wouldn't be my wedding day. "Take care of her bro!" Ian say in a serious tone. "She is my wife. I'm obligated to that." He answers in the same tone. "She is my world. Don't mess with her if you don't want to be my enemy." He adds in a warning. "Relax, I am her husband right? You don't teach me how to treat my wife." He stresses on the words 'my wife'. "Ian, Kai, we will be going now. I'll see you again soon boys!" I say in attempt to ease the tension that's beginning to build up and it works. I hug both of them goodbye before leaving with Dexter. "I have a business call to make. Go to the car, I'll meet you there." He instructs once we are a few meters away from my brothers. Who makes business calls on their wedding day? Apparently, Dexter Richward! He steps aside and mum comes to where I am in a rush, pulling me further away from Dexter. "Mum! Be gentle please. I'm still in heels you know." "Look, I want you to behave okay? Don't forget why you got married to him. Don't forget your mission or else your dad-" "Will kill both of us!" I finish for her. "I know that mum, and I know my mission." "It's good that we're on the same page. Now go and be an obedient submissive wife to your husband." When she says that, I just turn and go, leaving her standing there alone. I know I agreed to this arrangement, but now I feel like my parents just gave me away. Like they don't care the slightest bit about me. My family's business was going down the drain and the only way to save it, was through the help of the Vice president, Mr. John Richward. The man suggested that I marry his son in order to agree to help save our business. Dad was excited for this and in as much as I didn't want to break his heart, I couldn't say no to him when he told me of the plans. From what I know, those two are enemies from back in college, but I agreed to the marriage anyway. I was trained on how to be a good wife, how to behave like a royal wife and how to fight too. Don't ask why. It's for my main mission. To seek revenge!! In the car, the driver opens the back door for me and I sit there bored to death. If I had my phone, I'd probably call my best friend Piper and plan a girls night out. I miss her so much. She is probably the only person who understands me and genuinely cares. Apart from my brothers. We've been friends for seven years now and she is practically family. "Ma'am!" The driver calls after over thirty minutes of waiting for Dexter. "Yes?" "I've been instructed to take you home now!" "Alone?" "Yes! Sir Dexter just called." "He is not coming with us?" "He said that he has an urgent business meeting to attend to." "Oh, is that so?" Business meeting indeed!! I'm sure he doesn't want to ride with me home. He must be ashamed to have me for a wife. Why did I expect this? I wasn't stood up on the altar, but my husband left me all alone with his driver after our grand wedding which his siblings didn't attend. How sweet!! It's like the wedding was just for me. "When will he be home?" "I'm not sure about that." "Can you help me with your phone? You see, I want to talk to him but I don't have my phone here with me." I'm sure I see him tense when I ask that. "I'm sorry ma'am but my battery just died." What a lie. I can read in between his voice and body language. Sighing, I lean my back on the sit and start regretting on why I agreed to this plan. "Wake me up when we get home!" I tell him and close my eyes hoping to sleep.