Married by Mistake, Loved by Design

Chapter Three: The Wedding

"Val, what’s going on? You sound like you’re about to explode," Mirabel’s voice crackled through the phone, always a calming presence when things got overwhelming.

“I’m going to have to marry him,” Valeria blurted out, her voice cracking. “Alejandro. I’ve got to go through with this insane wedding to make the investor think it’s real.”

There was a long pause on the other end. "Wait, you mean... you’re actually getting married?" Mirabel asked, clearly trying to make sense of what she’d just heard.

Valeria let out a frustrated sigh. “Yes! Well, it’s a fake wedding, but that’s not the point! It’s happening! I can’t back out now.”

Mirabel’s laughter rang out, but it wasn’t the light, carefree laugh that Valeria was used to. It sounded strained. “Okay, let me get this straight. You’re pretending to be his fiancée, then pretending to be his wife, and you’re telling me this is for a business deal? Is that really what’s going on here?”

“Exactly!” Valeria threw herself down onto her couch, burying her face in her hands. “I don’t even know what’s real anymore. He just walks into my life and tells me I’m playing the role of his fiancée for a whole wedding, and here I am, spiraling into a full-on panic.”

Mirabel was silent for a moment, then sighed. “You need to take a breath, Val. I get it, okay? I really do. But you’re not alone in this. You’ve got me, and I’m here for you, no matter how crazy this gets. So, what’s the next step?”

Valeria let her breath out in a slow, shaky exhale. “The wedding plans. I’m supposed to pick out a dress, make it look real, plan a ceremony—all of it. It feels like I’m drowning in this.”

“You need to take control of this, Val,” Mirabel said, her voice firm. “Don’t let him dictate everything. You have a say in how this plays out. It’s your life, too. So, what’s your move?”

Valeria thought for a long moment. Mirabel was right. This might have started out as Alejandro’s plan, but if she was going to go through with it, she needed to have some control over the situation.

“Okay,” Valeria said, her voice steadying. “I’ll take the reins. I’m not just going to let him run me over.”

Mirabel chuckled softly. “That’s the spirit. And hey, maybe this could turn out to be a fun challenge. You never know.”

Valeria couldn’t help but laugh, though it was more for Mirabel’s benefit than her own. “A fun challenge? With Alejandro? I’ll believe that when pigs fly.”

That evening, Valeria sat in front of her laptop, browsing through bridal boutiques online. It wasn’t exactly the type of shopping she had envisioned for her wedding day, but it was the reality she now had to face.

She clicked on a dress she’d never have considered in a million years—a sleek, modern gown with clean lines and an understated elegance. It was stunning, and yet, as she looked at it, she felt a sense of… detachment. It wasn’t her dream wedding dress, it was just a dress.

A dress she was going to wear for a man who barely knew her. A man who only saw her as a tool for his business.

But maybe, just maybe, she could use this situation to her advantage. She could play the part, keep it professional, and get out of it with her dignity intact. She could still win this.

Valeria clicked “purchase” on the dress, knowing full well that the wedding was going to be one of the most bizarre events of her life.