90-Days Bride

Chapter 5: Signed and Sealed; A Deal with the Devil

I have seen him somewhere, he looks familiar, Adeline thought as she stared at Aiden, wondering where she saw him, then it clicked. The owner of the car I almost got hit by, I could use that to escape his ruth and ask for forgiveness.

Adeline was still lost in her train of thoughts when she heard him say, “Fire her.”

“Adeline, I guess this is where your journey comes to an end…” The manager trailed off as Adeline already rushed after Aiden, who had already made his way out.

“I am so sorry, sir, it was not my intention to get you drenched. I can't lose this job, I won't be able to pay my bills and take care of my family” Adeline said in one go as she tried to catch her breath.

Aiden stared at her for a long while before gesturing towards his car. “Get in.”

Adeline's brows were raised in confusion. “Huh?”

“Are you coming or not?”

Adeline got into the car, and they took off, stopping at a white penthouse an hour later. The building screamed luxury, the compound neat and tidy with flowers strategically arranged accentuating the surrounding, everywhere felt surreal.

Adeline's eyes scanned her surroundings. It was so beautiful to behold, and she would have loved a tour, but right now, she was more worried about why he brought her here. “Why…why are we here? Is this your house? Why did you bring me here?”

“Easy, I don't bite. I have a better deal for you, far better than your previous job” Aiden said, leading the way in.

“What offer? How much is the pay?” Adeline asked, her curiosity piqued.

Aiden dropped a brown envelope on the table. “12 million dollars. That's the file containing everything you need to know about the job.”

“12 million or thousand dollars? That's huge” Adeline whispered in disbelief, picking the file. As she read, her eyes grew wider, and soon, her mind became a battlefield of its own.

“Why opt for a contract wife? Why not fall in love and then get married to the woman you love.”

“I didn't ask for your opinion. Are you interested? If yes, sign the papers. If no, stand up and exit this building.”

Adeline stood up and made to leave. She was close to the door when her phone pinged. Her eyes widened in shock as she read the text, she had an overdue loan she took out for Corey. “I must have been out of my mind when I got a loan for Corey. How do I pay this back?” Adeline muttered, glancing back at Aiden, who was staring at her intently, looking calm and unbothered. Letting out a deep sigh, she went back to her seat.

“I just need to be your wife for three months, right?” Adeline asked in a low voice.

Aiden nodded. “Yes! After three months, I would let you go.”

Adeline stared at the document for the last time, her heart beating hard against her chest, she grabbed a pen violently, signing the papers.

“Then we have a deal! The court wedding will take place later today.” Aiden said, getting up.

“Today? That's too fast…”

Adeline was still speaking when he left. A scoff escaped her lips. “His attitude is terrible.”

Grabbing her phone to call Millicent, but she beat her to it, her call came in at that moment.

“Adeline, where are you? Are you okay? Were you able to pacify him? Did you get your job back?”

“Hey, one question at a time” Adeline cautioned Millicent, who planned to keep on going.

Millicent let out a deep sigh. “I am just worried. What happened?”

“I am getting married.”

Millicent chuckled, then a soft laugh. Soon, she became a laughing mess. “That's the funniest joke I have heard in a long while. Girl, you just got out of a relationship. You shouldn't be joking around with something like that.”

“Wait, are you serious?” Millicent asked after a while when Adeline remained quiet.

“I know this sounds stupid, but I am getting married today, it's a contract marriage.”

“Today? You have got to be joking, you just left for an hour, and now you are talking about marriage, come off it, this is no longer funny” Millicent said from the other end, her voice hitched with disbelief.

The doorbell rings. Adeline opened the door to three women.

“We are here to get you ready for the wedding” one of them explained.

Adeline nodded in response, stepping aside for them to come in.

Millicent screamed. “Did I just hear right?”

Adeline shifted the phone from her ear. She had already forgotten she was still speaking with Millicent. “It is what it is. I will send you the address once I get it, don't tell grandfather anything.”

An hour later.

“You are so beautiful” the make-up artist gushed as they did some finishing touches.

Adeline stared at herself in the mirror, many thoughts rushing through her mind. “Am I doing the right thing?”

“Did you say something?” the stylist asked with an eyebrow raised.

Adeline shook her head with a small smile. A small knock came at the door, and a man stepped in almost immediately. “It's high time we left. By the way, I am Luke.”

“Adeline” she responded. Standing to her feet, she looked at herself in the mirror for the last time. Letting out a long sigh, she followed Luke, who led the way.

*****

“Do you take Adeline Thompson as your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in health and in sickness?”

“I do” Aiden replied almost immediately.

“Do you take Aiden Wilson as your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, in health and in sickness?”

Adeline hesitated for a while. “I… I do.”

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

Adeline's heart raced as Aiden leaned in. “He is not going to kiss me, will he?” Adeline thought to herself, only to feel his lips on hers. Adeline's eyes widened in shock, she made to push him, but he pulled away, whispering a few words in her ears. “It's just a kiss, relax.”

“Adeline” a high-pitched voice called from behind. “You were telling the truth after all.”

“Did you think I would joke around with something this crucial?” Adeline said, closing the gap between them.

“What the hell happened?” Millicent asked, almost inaudible.

Adeline whispered into her ears. “He is offering me twelve million to be his wife for three months.”

Millicent's pupils dilated in shock. “You made the right decision. We are rich!”

Adeline shakes her head in disbelief. “You are unbelievable.”

“Who is that gentleman? He is so good-looking” Millicent gushed, pointing at someone who was speaking with Aiden afar off.

“Luke?”

“That's his name? It suits him perfectly” Millicent complimented with a wide smile on her face. “What do you know about him?”

“I don't know much, just met him today. I think he mentioned he was Aiden's personal assistant” Adeline replied, her eyes still fixed on Aiden and Luke, who were discussing.

“I hope he is single…”

Millicent kept gushing about Luke, completely smitten. But Adeline barely heard her, she was lost in thought.

And, just like that, she was now married to someone she knows absolutely nothing about.