I Signed A Marriage Contract With My Captain Boss To Survive

Chapter six

Nathan’s POV

The weather was cool and crisp, fitting for today my marriage was set to begin.

The guests were already seated in the church, and the priest was present at the altar. All that was missing was the bride.

When I had introduced her to the world, I knew it would gather attention, but it was quite greater than I had expected.

‘The Japanese Wonder’ They had called her.

If not for the distinctive features that marked her as Asian, her red hair and green eyes could have easily passed her off as American.

Meeting my father had been the first real test, and she played it off in such a way that he accepted the idea of a long secret relationship without any doubts. It quite hurt my ego that her parents had pure disdain for me, as Mr Kenji made no effort to hide his grievances against me, ensuring I was fully aware of every fault he found in my character. Her mother was gracious and more welcoming, but the subtle glares she sent my way didn’t go unnoticed. I found myself enjoying their family dynamics. They were a hilarious bunch to watch.

Our original plans for a small, discreet wedding had gone out the window, as both our families wholeheartedly agreed to a grand wedding of the century.

The planning was exhausting of course, and Nora's mood had dampened noticeably since the announcement. I knew she felt bad about playing with her parents’ emotions, but it was what made me question her motives for agreeing to the contract. To make things more interesting, she made a huge debut on i********: with a spicy photo of my bare hand placed on her bare thigh. To announce she was mine. I left a sweet comment under the post.

The only person who saw through our act was Lucas. Throughout the preparations for the ceremony, he occasionally watched me with open hostility in his eyes, till he couldn't take it anymore. He stormed my office on a fresh Monday morning, grabbing me by my collar.

“I see your little plan is in effect.” He said, his voice laced with fury.

“What plan?” I answered innocently, my fingers tapping his knuckles where they were wrapped around my shirt. He cursed under his breath, before finally letting go.

“Your marriage. I know it's fake.”

“That’s absurd,” I adjusted my tie and sat in my chair. “You came all the way just to tell me that?”

“Yes. Don't you play with Nora?”

I half-smiled at him. “You know if you weren't married I would think you love my fiancé. Or have I gotten in the way of your easy takeover of what's truly mine?”

He let out a humourless laugh in my face. “We'll see about that.”

With that, he had exited my office.

I didn’t spare him another thought.

I was not one to worry about Lucas, as I knew he was throwing a tantrum because I had outsmarted him. Over what I deserved?

How logical.

The days whirled by, and I was occupied with

rounding things up at the club. Nora and I met a few times during our wedding fittings, and I could see her excitement dwindling with each passing time. I had asked her if anything had gone wrong, or if she was being blackmailed or threatened by anyone, and she clarified that she wasn't. We had separate bachelor and bachelorette parties, which were supposed to be followed by a grand white wedding and a small Japanese-cultured ceremony.

I checked my watch, and I could feel beads of sweat forming around my temples. I wiped at them with my handkerchief. Nora was almost thirty minutes late. And she was never late.

I tightened my jaw as a feeling of dread welled up in me. Did something happen and I wasn't aware of it?

My father came up beside me, his anger radiating in waves from him. “Call your woman,” he hissed at me in a whisper. “I know it's her day, but not everyone has the time to indulge.”

On pure instinct, I scanned the seats of the church. Lucas was nowhere to be seen. Cheryl was all smiles on the pew where she sat, along with the women from the female team. Now I was sure that something was wrong. I whipped my phone out and began calling Nora's phone.

It rang several times, but she didn’t answer any of my calls. I did the same with her parents' phone numbers, and there was no response. A low murmur swept through the pews in the church, gradually rising as guests exchanged worried glances and complained among themselves.

The elderly priest walked steadily over to me, his expression reflecting genuine concern.

“It’s been forty-five minutes,” he said gently. “The bride hasn’t arrived, son. If she’s unwell, it may be best to postpone the ceremony.”

“I understand,” I replied to him, signalling my driver. I was going to her hotel. Whatever this was, I would handle it myself.

It had to be nerves. That’s what I kept telling myself, though deep down I knew I was grasping for excuses for her unruly behaviour. We had signed a contract. She had countless opportunities to back out. But she didn't. Why now?

The car sped along the road, manoeuvring other cars with ease, close to the speed limit. I looked out the window, my impatience growing by the second. What if something had happened? What if she had changed her mind, or worse, what if she was in danger?

Suddenly my phone rang, cutting through the noise in my head. To my relief, it was Nora's mother. I answered quickly. “Hello?”

“Hello, dear.” Her voice was trembling, and shaky, like she had been crying for hours. My heart sank. “Oh Nathan, it’s Nora… she’s...” Her voice faltered, and a cold chill washed over me.

“What happened?” I pressed, my voice rough and impatient.

“I'm so sorry, dear.” She whispered, her voice weak. “You have to cancel the ceremony.”

“What?!” I bellowed, trying to catch my breath. I signalled the driver to go faster. “Not happening, ma'am. Where's Nora?”

“She's on her way to the airport. I think her flight to Japan is on right now.” She paused and blew her nose, before she continued, pleading. “Please find her. I think she's making the biggest mistake of her life.”

“Okay,” I muttered under my breath. “I need the name of the airline.”

“LAX,” she sniffed.

She meant the international airport. “Understood, ma'am. I'll get to you soon.”

With that, the line went dead. I knew who I needed to call. He picked up on the first ring, as always.

“Mr Rothwell,” his voice brimmed with enthusiasm. “It's been quite a while. What can I do for you?”

I spared no pleasantries. “I need every morning flight out of LAX to be halted.”

“What?!”

I ignored his startled response.

“I’m looking for a woman.” I continued, my tone clipped and icy. “Twenty-nine years old. Asian. Red-haired. Five foot eight. Her name is Nora Aoki Takahashi.”