My Contractual Husband Is Actually A Billionaire CEO

Chapter 4: The Wedding

Emma stood in front of the bathroom mirror at six in the morning, staring at her reflection. In eight hours, she would be married. The thought made her stomach flip like she was standing on the edge of a tall building, looking down.

She'd called Alex at midnight after reading the contract three times and making a list of every possible thing that could go wrong. Her mother's surgery was scheduled for tomorrow morning, which meant today was her only chance to get the money in time. There was no more room for doubt or careful consideration.

"I'll do it," she'd told him over the phone, her voice steadier than she felt.

"Are you sure, Emma?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay. Meet me at the City Clerk's office at 9 AM. We'll get the marriage license first, then the ceremony at 2 PM."

Now, looking at herself in the cracked bathroom mirror, Emma tried to imagine how she'd explain this to her mother. Maria thought Emma was working a double shift today to earn extra money for hospital expenses. The lie sat heavy in Emma's chest, but she couldn't tell her mother the truth. Not yet.

Emma had spent an hour last night picking out what to wear to her own wedding. Her options were limited – the navy dress from her meeting with Alex, a black skirt and white blouse she wore to job interviews, or the simple gray dress she'd bought for her college graduation. She chose the graduation dress because it was the only one that felt like it represented who she really was.

At the hospital, Emma kissed her mother's forehead before the pre-surgery prep began. "I'll be back this evening, Mama. Everything's going to be fine."

"Where are you going so early, mija? You look nice today."

"Just... taking care of some paperwork. For the payment plan."

Maria squeezed Emma's hand. "My brave girl. I don't know what I did to deserve a daughter like you."

Emma's throat tightened. If her mother knew what she was really doing today, would she still think Emma was brave? Or would she think her daughter had lost her mind?

The City Clerk's office was busier than Emma expected. Couples filled out paperwork at small tables, some laughing and excited, others looking nervous or tired. Emma spotted Alex immediately – he stood near the information desk wearing a crisp white shirt and dark pants, somehow managing to look elegant even in casual clothes.

"Good morning," he said when she approached. "Ready for this?"

"As ready as I can be."

They joined the line for marriage licenses, standing behind a young couple who couldn't stop touching each other's hands and whispering sweet words in Spanish. Emma felt like a fraud watching them, knowing that she and Alex were about to make the same legal commitment for completely different reasons.

"Nervous?" Alex asked quietly.

"Terrified," Emma admitted.

"That makes two of us."

Emma looked at him in surprise. "You're nervous too?"

"I've never been married before. Even for business reasons, it's... significant."

When they reached the front of the line, the clerk, a tired-looking woman with gray hair and kind eyes, smiled at them. "Congratulations! How long have you two been together?"

Emma's mind went blank. They hadn't discussed their cover story yet.

"Six months," Alex said smoothly, taking Emma's hand. "We met at a coffee shop near her work. I kept coming back every morning hoping to see her again."

The story was so believable that for a moment, Emma almost believed it herself. Alex's hand was warm and steady around hers, and he looked at her like he was remembering that imaginary first meeting.

"That's sweet," the clerk said, pulling out forms. "I'll need both your IDs and birth certificates."

The paperwork took forty-five minutes. Emma watched Alex sign his real name – Alexander Stone – in careful handwriting next to hers. When it was done, they had a marriage license and an appointment for a civil ceremony at two o'clock.

"Are you hungry?" Alex asked as they walked down the courthouse steps into the bright morning sunlight.

"I don't think I could eat anything right now."

"Coffee then. There's a place around the corner that's quiet."

The café was small and warm, with mismatched chairs and the smell of fresh bread. Alex ordered two coffees and found them a table by the window. Emma noticed he seemed different today – less formal, more human somehow.

"Emma, I want you to know something," he said, stirring sugar into his coffee. "What we're doing today – it's not going to be like a real wedding. But it's still going to be legally binding, and I take that seriously."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm going to try to be a good husband to you, even if it's just for business. If you need anything – anything at all – during this year, you call me. That's not just about our contract. That's about doing this right."

Emma felt tears prick at her eyes unexpectedly. "Why are you being so kind to me?"

Alex was quiet for a moment, looking out at the people walking past on the sidewalk. "My parents had a real marriage. They loved each other completely. When they died, I realized how rare that is. What we're doing isn't real in that way, but it doesn't mean we have to treat each other badly."

"You miss them."

"Every day." Alex's voice was soft. "They would have liked you, I think. My mother always said the best people are the ones who put family first."

At one-thirty, they walked back to the courthouse. Emma had changed into her best shoes – black heels that were three years old but still looked decent. Alex had put on a tie, navy blue with small silver dots that probably cost more than Emma's entire outfit.

The ceremony room was small and plain, with fluorescent lighting and beige walls. The judge, a woman in her fifties wearing black robes, had performed dozens of weddings that day and treated theirs like any other routine legal procedure.

"Do you, Alexander Stone, take Emma Martinez to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do." Alex's voice was clear and certain.

"Do you, Emma Martinez, take Alexander Stone to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Emma looked at Alex's face. His green eyes were serious but kind, and for just a moment, she could almost pretend this was real. "I do."

"By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Emma's heart stopped. They hadn't discussed this part. Alex stepped closer and placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "Is this okay?" he whispered.

Emma nodded, and Alex leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. It lasted only a few seconds, but Emma felt something spark between them that had nothing to do with their business arrangement.

When they separated, the judge was already calling the next couple forward. Just like that, Emma was married.

Outside the courthouse, Alex handed Emma a small velvet box. "You'll need this for appearances."

Inside was a simple but elegant wedding ring – white gold with a small diamond that caught the afternoon sunlight. It fit perfectly.

"How did you know my size?"

"Lucky guess," Alex said, but Emma noticed he seemed pleased that it fit.

As Emma looked down at the ring on her finger, the reality of what she'd just done hit her. She was married. To a man she'd known for three days. Tomorrow morning, she'd have $250,000 in her bank account, and her mother would have surgery that would save her life.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"Thank you," Alex replied. "I know this wasn't easy."

They stood together on the courthouse steps, two strangers who were now legally bound to each other, watching the city rush past them. Emma felt like she was standing at the beginning of a path she couldn't see the end of.

But for the first time in months, that path led toward hope instead of despair.