A DEADLY NUPTIAL

33.

"Josephine you have to eat something."

I changed the conversation asking, " I thought you had a southern accent?" I sat up as he sat down on the edge of my bed.

"You noticed," he smiled.

I gave him a small smile in return.

He looked out the window before looking at me. "You wanna hear my story? I know you're probably wondering why I live in such a big house for working at a small diner."

I actually hadn't even thought of that. I nodded, so he could continue.

"I come from a wealthy family. My father is a CEO of a large company. I'm still in college though, so I haven't started working for him yet. Once I graduate next year I'll start working for him. Right now I help my mom at the diner."

"Why does she work if you have a lot of money?" I interjected.

"She doesn't like the wealthy lifestyle. She was born in a middle class family, but once she met my father it was love at first sight. Even after they got married she opened up that restaurant, but no one really knows who she is. I use a southern accent, so people won't recognize me either. My mom always hated the paparazzi."

"That makes since,"

He looked at me, "I can't believe you're married to Dark Evan. When I saw you on the cover of a magazine I couldn't believe it was you. My father's company is a huge rival of the Evan's. We've always had competition."

"I only married him for his money," I stated. "My father went bankrupt, and the Evan's would have killed him if he didn't pay the debt, so we made a contract where I would marry Dark and forget about the debt."

"You fell in love with him didn't you?"

I looked at my hands that were clasped in my lap. "I didn't want to, but I did. I fell so hard for him in just a short amount of time. In two days it would have been a month we were together. That sounds so pathetic," I said. "We couldn't even last a month. I should have just believed him when he said he would have been stupid to fall in love with me. He wasn't stupid; he knew how to play me."

I put my face in my hands trying to stop the tears I could feel beginning to form. I felt the bed rise just as I was thinking Casper was leaving me to give me space the bed dipped to my right. His arms enveloped my shoulders as he pressed me against his side.

I smiled slightly and looked up at him,"Casper, why couldn't I have met you sooner?"

He chuckled, "Josephine, God plans things for a reason. Maybe his plans changed, t and you weren't meant to be with Dark."

"You think so?"

He shrugged, "Who knows, I'm not God."

"You have a point. I shouldn't lay here and wallow in my self pity I won't give him that satisfaction. I need to get up and start over. I need to get over him and move on."

"That a girl," he said giving me a squeeze.

"Thank you so much Casper for taking me in. Why did you?"

"When I first saw you at the diner. I felt you were someone special, and when you came to me yesterday I knew you needed my help. "

I let out a small laugh, "I could have been a serial killer."

"Nah, I knew you weren't a serial killer. I felt like you could be my little sister."

"We'll that's a relief, I don't think I could respond if you said you were in love with me."

"Even before I knew you were married I didn't see you like that."

"Thank God," I sighed in relief.

He chuckled, " Just eat your breakfast, so you can take a shower, you kind of reek."

I felt my jaw drop. He laughed even harder at my reaction. I grabbed a pillow smacking his arm. He didn't see it coming so he fell off the bed which made me laugh. I peeked over the side and saw him rubbing the back of his head.

"So you like to play hard, don't you missy?" He gave me an evil grin. I backed away as he grabbed a pillow. I ran out of the room trying to escape. I ran past rooms and through several hallways and down the staircase. Just as a reached the bottom I tried to take a breath, but forgot he had been on my tail. He scarred the crap out of me as he grabbed me around my waist tickling my sides.

"Casper, stop!" I giggled hysterically trying to pry off his arms.

We hadn't even noticed the doorbell ring or one of the maids answering the door. He had pinned me to the ground continuing to tickle me, but I had pushed him off reversing the situation. I was now straddling him and tickling his sides.

"Casper!" We looked up as a blonde woman who looked older than me stared at us in horror. Her lips covered in a bright red lipstick quivering. Uh oh.

" Sarah," he panted after he had caught his breath. "This is not what it looks like." I rolled off of him heading to the staircase.

"So it's true you sleep around with whores!" I paused in my tracks. So she was one of those girlfriends. She was not going to insult me. She didn't even know me! I walked back to where she was now standing in front of Casper with her arms crossed. I got in between them crossing my arms as well.

"Excuse me, but what did you call me?"

"You heard me, a w***e?"

I b***h slapped her almost causing her to fall.

She held her red cheek appalled, "Are you just going to stand there and let this tramp hit your girlfriend?"

"Sarah, I broke up with you last week. Please leave."

"Hmmpf!" She turned on her heel leaving but once at the door she made a final statement. "This isn't the last you'll be hearing of me Casper!" With that she slammed the door.

Casper and I just looked at each other before we burst out laughing.

"That was priceless," he said after we were able to stop laughing.

"I can't believe I actually slapped her!"

"Me neither," he agreed.

"Well I'm going to go take a shower since some people think I smell."

"I was just kidding," he yelled after me as I ran up the stairs.

I laughed to myself. Casper really knew how to cheer me up.

***

After my shower I ran downstairs looking for Casper. After asking Audrey, one of the maids I was able to locate him in his office.

"Hey,'' I said knocking on his door.

"Hey come on in, let me just send something real quick."

I sat across from him looking around.

"So what's up?"

"Well, I need your help."

"What Dark I do?"

"I was wondering if I could stay here until I launch my plan."

"Your plan?"

"I'm planning on staying here without anyone knowing if that's all right with you. I want to think things through and then possibly go into modeling."

"Why didn't you say so? My sister has a modeling agency in France."

"No way,really?!" That's amazing!"

"I could call he up right now."

"I would be so grateful."

He spent the next half hour talking with his sister. They had made arrangements, so I would be able to leave Saturday and start my life over.

1 month later

Dark's POV

It's been a month since Josephine left. There were no signs of her whereabouts. Her family didn't know, and her friends didn't know. Alexa's wedding was in 3 months and at the moment was not on speaking terms with me. She blamed me for Josephine leaving. I had hired a private investigator to look for her, but had found nothing at the moment.

My father stood in front of me pacing back and forth smoking his cigar in one hand while the other was behind his back in a fist. He finally stopped the pacing and stood in front of his giant window gazing out at the setting sun.

"We need a plan,". He finally stated.

"For what?"

"You bloody well know for what," he growled turning to face me with his fierce eyes. "We need to find Johnston's daughter fast, time is slipping through our fingers, and each minute is money lost."

"Father why do we need the money. Why are you so desperate in gaining Josephine's inheritance?"

"I want to end tithe Johnstons even if it's the last thing I do, and I know exactly what to do to get Josephine's attention."

I looked at my father wondering how this man before me could be my father. Sometimes he frightened me like when I was little, and he would use that same tone when he was on a business call. I then figured out that tone foreshadowed death.

Josephine's POV

I woke up to the smell of coffee and croissants. My stomach growled, but then I got this strange feeling causing me to rush to the bathroom and empty my stomach's contents. I washed my mouth trying to get rid of the bad taste. I walked back to bed flopping down on my bed.

"réveiller la tête endormie" came a voice through my door. "Wake up sleepy head," she translated walking through the door with breakfast on a tray. I sat up scrunching my nose at the sight of it.

"What's wrong?" asked my French room mate, Yani, as she pouted her natural red lips and c****d her wavy blonde long hair to one side giving me a puzzling look.

"I'm not feeling well, I think I must have food poisoning or something."

She frowned.

"Alexa's not going to be happy," she said with her French accent.

"She'll understand, besides I'm not a face they'll recognize. "

After coming to Paris, I had met Casper's beautiful sister who owned a clothing line here in France. She had welcomed me with arms wide open at the airport. I had told her my story as she drove to her penthouse. She gladly told me I could work for her. Luckily her spring show included wearing masks for the runway shows and some photo shoots. I had had 5 weeks of training and tomorrow was my first runway show.

Yani's eyebrows knit together in worry then loosened as if she had realized something.

'What?" I asked.

"I know what medicine you need, I'll be back." She ran out of my room, and I could hear her heels clicking against the hardwood floors of our 2 bedroom apartments that was big enough to also hold a small bathroom, living room, and decent kitchen. At the sound of the door closing, I plumped against my pillow allowing sleep to overtake me. I shot straight up at the sound of the door slamming again. Was she already back? She barged into my room with a white bag in her hand.

"What did you bring me?"

"Remember how you to me about the Dark husband of yours?" She asked. I nodded not wanting to remember.

"Have you ever thought about the chances of you having a little bébé?"

I felt myself pale. "What's today?" I asked.

"The 27th."

No it couldn't be. How did I not realize I hadn't had my period in two months?! I groaned feeling my eyes water.

"Josephine, come we have to find out?" She handed me the pregnancy test pushing me into the bathroom.

We waited and waited. Until she finally said, "It's time."

I took a deep breath and looked.

Positive.

I fell to the ground holding on tight to the pregnancy test. Yani kneeled before me hugging me and soothing down my hair.

"It's alright Yellow."

After the shock passed I was able to get up. Yani led me to my bed sitting next to me on the edge.

"What am I going to do Yani?"

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know. He's already going to be a father. I told myself I was going to forget him. I'm going to raise this baby by myself even if it means having to see the resemblance."

"You're very brave Yellow, but now you are going to have to tell Alexa."

"I know."

***1 hour later***

I knocked on the wooden door as people zoomed behind me with dresses, make up, shoes, and props.

"Come in," said the voice.

I walked in closing the door behind me.

"Josephine." She said clearly surprised. "What are you doing here? You know you don't have to show up till tomorrow right?"

I sat in one of the leather chairs facing Alexa Williams the reflection of her brother. She had the same blonde hair and green blue eyes even though Casper's hair was darker.

"I know, I just had to talk to you before tomorrow. I know tomorrow no ones going to be able to even have a 5 minute conversation with you."

She laughed, "You got that right. So what did you wanna talk about?"

She continued typing something on her computer.

"Well, this morning I found something out. That's changed my life and possibly my modeling career."

"Now you're scaring me Josephine, what is it?"

I looked at my hands, "I'm pregnant."

"What?! Pregnant? Congratulations?"

I smiled at her attempt to lighten the mood and nodded.

"Well," she put her hand under her chin, "you could still model until it shows?"

"That would be amazing."

"Then there it's settled, but what are you going to do when you don't work anymore."

I shrugged, "I haven't thought ahead that far."

"We'll think of something," she assured me putting her hands on mine.

"Thanks Alexa."

"No problem, you know Casper and I love you like a sister."

"As do I."

I left not wanting to waste her time and headed home. Yani was on a date with one of the male models, which didn't surprise me. It was probably her third date this week, at least it was with the same guy. I loved the girl to pieces, but one day she was going to get her heart broken, and trust me I knew what that felt like.

I didn't sleep all night tossing and turning. This also didn't surprise me as it was normal for me not to sleep. I hadn't been able to since I left. Hating the emptiness of not having Dark's arms around me. When I did sleep there were dreams of having him with me, but I would wake up and be alone. Alone thousands of miles away.

Dark's POV

"Dark please can we go?" Shine pleaded for the tenth time since we began eating dinner.

I sighed, "I don't think it's safe to travel with your condition."

"I asked Elsa, and she said it was fine. Please? Everyone's going to be there! I can't miss Alexa Williams new spring clothing line, and in France!" She pouted. It was her usual face she wore since lately she wanted a lot of things and would use it to get what he wanted. It was starting to get irritating. Besides why would I want to go to the city of love when I the moment I wasn't feeling any.

"Fine," I groaned, "but only for the weekend."

"But-"

"Take it or leave it."

"I'll take it."

"We're leaving in an hour so pack."

"Oh Dimtri, thank you thank you thank you" she said covering face in kisses.

"You're welcome," I said grabbing her hands and pulling her off of me.

***The Next Day***

Josephine's POV

I got up with the same routine as yesterday. Barfing my guys out. I was not going to like this.

"Josephine," Yani said peeping her head through my door.

"I know we have to leave soon. I'll get my stuff."

I gathered my things an we headed off to the place where the runway show was being held. It was a complicated French name I couldn't pronounce. Even after spending a month in France, I had no clue what the buildings said or what people talked about on the streets.

We arrived immediately being led into the building while people held umbrella's over our heads making sure not to get a drop of rain on our heads as it began to drizzle around us. We were led to the backstage area for final fittings. I had three springs dresses followed by the grand finale dress which I had the privilege of wearing. It was Alexa's wedding dress that would start her next collection of wedding dresses.

***Hours later***

Dark's POV

"Dark, we have to hurry!"

This was probably the first time she was ready before me. The jet lag was certainly not suiting me, and neither was this weather. It reminded me of her. Of Josephine. Oh how it still brought pain to my chest at the mere thought of her.

"Dark!"

"Huh?"

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, let's go?"

I looked one more time in the mirror adjusting my bow time that matched my black tux.

I followed Shine out our hotel door. She had chosen one of Alexa's dresses from last season. We arrived at the location and were led to the entrance without being asked to take red carpet photos. Thank god. I didn't want any paparazzi asking me questions about my relationship with Shine.

We followed our escort to our seats that were located in the second row. Right in front of the runway. The building was soon full of people from all over the country. I was actually interested in seeing Alexa's newest designs. She had always been talented, and I had actually met her in college. We had been friends, but lost contact after she moved to France. The lights dimmed and the show began.

Josephine's POV

I could feel my stomach become uneasy. It was probably the nerves or the pregnancy or both. I took deep breaths as Alexa put on my necklace.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, just nervous. You'll do fine just remember not to show any emotions walk, turn, and return.

I nodded.

No emotion,walk,turn, return.

Yani walked ahead of me then I received my cue. One last deep breath, and I was off.

I held the stick that was connected to my mask close to my face. Making sure not to pull it away. It was like shield that blocked me from the rest of the world. I walked confidently down the runway with my left hand on my hip. I posed and returned. That wasn't that bad.

***A while later***

"Josephine it's time for the finale."

I gulped as one of the assistants put on my white satin mask and another fixed the hem of the dress.

"Relax. Just do the usual and return then to walk out with Alexa."

"Got it."

"Josephine on three."

I nodded then walked out again. I could feel all the eyes on me taking in every detail of the dress and of me. I walked down and posed catching a glimpse for the first time of Casper in the front row. He smiled giving me a thumbs up. I turned around before I couldn't hold my smile anymore. Alexa was waiting for me at the other end. I took her hand while Yani gave her a giant bouquet of flowers and we walked hand in hand down the run way.

We reached the end and everyone stood up clapping. Casper came up on stage with Alexa hugging her before giving me a giant hug and handing me a bouquet of lilies. As I looked at Casper's empty seat my face paled. I hid my face in Casper's shoulder.

It was Dark and Shine. Had he found me? Did he know it was me?

I could feel a panic attack forming as my head was beginning to spin, and I was starting to hyperventilate.

"Casper, get me out of here," I said into his ear.