The Contract Wife

The Devil I knew

Bella

“You are getting married?” Valerie was in the middle of the crowd smiling. She walked towards me and I felt my heart falling into my stomach.

“Va-Va,” I tried to mutter a few words, but she interrupted. “ You don't have to be audible right now. I know how hard it could be for you to be doing what you're doing.

“What are you doing, Valerie?” I could finally ask. My eyes were covered with tears and I could feel the heaviness of the ring Alex wore on my middle finger.

“Congratulations, yeah? I think that's the right thing to say to you right now. You are amazing,” she added, smiling too, with tears in her eyes.

When I looked around, I realized I couldn't fumble. I realized that at this point, it was my right to stand against whatever she was going to do.

I mean, everyone was watching, and my heart couldn't stop racing. I needed something better to happen.

“Move away from my wife!” Alexander's voice was loud and charismatic. He moved towards me and stood in front of me. He was in-between both of us.

“ What do you think? Why are you so trying to interrupt the fact that I'm congratulating my best friend on her new milestone?” She uttered, wiping the partially dried up tears.

“We appreciate you,” Alex responded, and grabbed me in my hand. I was numb to the point that I had no directions or choice about what to do.

Alex grabbed me in his SUV and the driver settled on the taxi driver I hired. In no time, we drove up.

The car was as silent as a graveyard at night. I could hear the sound of my heart beat and how heavy the tears were as they dropped out of my eyes.

“You think you are serious right now? Why are you crying?” Alex asked, giving the driver an eye. He stopped and stepped out of the car.

I was still sobbing, and I did it as silently as I could.

“What makes you think I'm crying?” I uttered, rushing to wipe off the tears on my cheeks.

“You are indirectly saying I'm dumb?” he asked, pulling my hands roughly from my face. It made me freeze.

I knew he was going to ask where I was going and what I was up to. I knew I left the ring in the room, and the funny part of it all was that the ring was on top of the contract papers.

“Where were you headed?” he asked. I figured out that was what he was going to ask. However, I didn't have enough time to c***k the perfect answer.

“I am asking you a question. You should give me an answer. You don't think it's right to give me a response?”

I let out a heavy sigh because it was obvious he was impatient.

“I wanted to tell her the truth,” I replied, and looked at the other side of the car.

He scoffed, “You're just too innocent,” he softly said. I was a bit confused at his comment, but I gave him the room to continue speaking.

“You are helping yourself by helping me,” he added.

“No!” I cried out loud. “No, I'm betraying my bestie,” I added, letting out all the tears I fought back in.

“Who do you think is your bestie? Valerie?” He scoffed. “You have no idea… You don't know who Valerie is, for real…”

My heart became heavy and turned to look at Alex with my teary eyes, “What do you mean by that?” I asked.

“You didn't read the contract, did you?” he replied, making an attempt to make me forget what I was trying to make an inquiry for.

“I will. I was a bit distracted. I mean, I had to hurry to make sure I told her I was getting married to her till you proposed in front of everyone.” I arranged my hair and settled down properly.

“That's okay. I really think it is fine that way. She already knew Bella. She knew about it.” He was disorganized, and I could see that in his eyes, but I couldn't just decipher what he was talking about.

“That's okay. I think I would prefer it if we spoke about this at home. Sam!” He called out, and I behaved like we didn't just talk about something that kept me over the edge.

“Yes, boss!” Sam replied. “Yes. Let's go back to the Mansion.”

I swallowed slowly because I didn't know what fate had for me anymore. I didn't know if I was going to make it out happy, or I was jinxing everything like a dream that was never going to come true.

I had so many questions in my head:

Why did he call me innocent? Was he making a joke about it?

Was there something Valerie did and I had no idea about?

These questions were empty questions because I could date, ask anymore, talk less about trying to get the answers to them.

After we got into the mansion, I swiftly walked into the room to change up. I needed to read the contract before going to the court wedding.

Just at the thought of it, I heard his voice, “You've got to hurry because the lawyer can't be waiting so long. It's been hours,” he mentioned.

“Sure. I'm done already.” I needed to hurry up. My gown was already kept. I remembered asking one of the workers to change the dress. I was thinking hard about how the one that was brought would look.

Before wasting no time, I pulled myself into the sleek white dress that skimmed over my irregular curves. It was a satin crêpe, and the feeling was enormous because of the soft feel.

I gave a faint smile when I remembered how I would pull this off as an option for brides when I was steady in my event planning jobs, and how they'd quickly reject it.

That day, I was wearing the same dress. I had no veil on, and no train to join me to make my crazy decision.

I wore a simple gold bracelet out of the jewel that was displayed. I picked up the bouquet of roses and I clutched them in my trembling fingers so I could wear my heels.

“Bella? Aren't you done already?” Alexander roared outside the room.

“Give me a minute, and I'll be there,” I responded, hopping off from where I sat before I was distracted by the envelope which had the contract. I moved back to make an attempt to glance through it.

Just when I was about ripping it away, “Bella, I'll see you at the courthouse. Don't try running away this time because I'm going to get you,” he said amicably.

“I'll be there in no time,” I said, leaving the contract and going out of the room. I couldn't go there as a bride without a groom.

Besides the fact that everything felt wrong, I just wanted to avoid anything getting worse. I ran into his SUV and I sat in, panting quietly.

“Let's go get married!” He exclaimed happily and stretched his left palm towards me.

I smirked weirdly and nodded, putting my right palm in his.

40 weird minutes later

We got onto the court, and I was not perplexed at all. I was bold enough to get this done and going. The magistrate asked us to sit after greeting us graciously.

I had to act up the smile the whole time, trying my best to disguise the fear that came with everything I did.

“Do you take this man… Alexander…” the magistrate uttered and took a quick pause after looking into the room.

I was dazzled, yet confused, so I looked in his direction too.

“Apologies for the distractions.” The magistrate’s voice was commanding, yet dignified.

“Do you want this man, Alexander Blackwood, to be your…”

“Wait!” A voice came from the entrance of the court. It had a feeling of mixed emotions and I turned again to see who it was because I was halted the first time I tried.

“Valerie!” I uttered silently, like I just saw a ghost.

“I don't want to miss the vows,” she added with an unforgiving tone. Her arrival kept the room frozen. I didn't care if anyone else, but for me, I felt glued to my seat that I felt like standing.

I started regretting it again. I started thinking there could be more options to solve my problems than his.

My blood turned cold when I realized Alexander was unmoved.

Valerie was standing there dressed in black. She smiled chiefly like she had come to bury her beloved enemy.

“Yes, I do.” I replied, ignoring her like a lifeless statue.

She looked like she had a gun in her bag. She was the unexpected guest at my wedding, and her behavior was unreadable which momentarily left me on the edge.