A Blind Marriage On Paper

Chapter 8

"Oh, shit." Doug jumps up, pulls Brynn out of the chair, and performs the Heimlich maneuver on her. Ingo doesn't move, picks up his whisky, and takes a few sips. Doug is still performing it, and the Brussels sprout flies out of her mouth and across the table to the floor.

Brynn is staring at Ingo while trying to catch her breath, and her hand is on her chest. Married?’ she mumbles.

“Yes, I’m married. Aren't you going to congratulate me?” He raises his glass at her.

Brynn threw her napkin on the table, stood, and looked at him one more time before storming out.

“She didn’t take that well. I guess you were on her list of men to conquer. I’m glad you escaped her claws,” Doug said, picking up his wine. “Congratulations.”

Ingo raised his glass. "Thank you."

"Who is the lucky bride?" Doug is drinking his wine.

"Jurnee DePaiva." He takes a deep breath and downs the rest of his whisky.

Doug gets strangled on his wine and looks at Ingo in disbelief, and thinks, “That is one lucky son of a bitch.”

Ingo thinks he's strangled because Jurnee is ugly, and Doug can’t believe he married her.

Outside of the restaurant, Brynn is cursing while hailing a taxi. People are looking at her, and some are recording her. She calls Maci as soon as she gets in the taxi to fuss about her not saying anything about Ingo getting married. Brynn doesn't give the lady time to say anything before she hangs up.

Maci laughs. "Now, maybe that woman will leave me the hell alone. I wonder who he married."

*****

Jurnee, Kunal, and Griffin are on a teleconference call discussing ideas for her company's media department. After speaking with her, Griffin is more impressed with her than he was earlier. He looks at the door opening, and Ingo walks in.

Ingo sits down and slides Griffin a note that says, “Don’t say anything about me being here.” He folds his arms and listens to Jurnee talking.

Griffin wonders why he doesn’t want her to know he’s there. It was long before the call ended. “Your wife is one smart-ass woman. Merging with them might have been the best move to make after all. Do you care to explain this to me?” he’s holding the note up.

"For some strange reason, her voice is so soothing to me. But that's not the problem. Today I told Doug who my wife is. His ass almost strangled itself to death just thinking about how ugly Jurnee is. Besides, I don't have anything to say to her. She might start barking out orders again." Ingo walks out of the office and sees Brynn.

She rolls her eyes at him and goes into her office and slams the door.

Griffin points at Brynn's door. "What the hell is wrong with the octopus?"

Ingo walks into his office. "Brynn Ackles just found out that I'm off the market. One good thing about marrying Jurnee is that the octopus can get me marrying her out of her head."

Brynn can't believe that Ingo is married. "How did I let him slip away from me? Hell, I did everything besides kidnap his ass. Oh, now I see why he told me to stop sending him pictures. It wasn't because he was annoyed with it. That b***h must have seen one, and she said something about it. Maci's ass was supposed to keep me updated on the sluts he sees. How dare she disobey me? " She takes her phone out of her purse to call Maci and demands to know who Ingo's wife is. Maci tells her, “he hasn't brought anyone home, nor has he told them he's married.”

Now she is confused and is determined to find out why he is hiding her, or did he lie about being married?"

*****

“What is the meaning of this nonsense? What have I heard about Salman and Safnaz's engagement being called off? Sazin storms into Muhammad and Nazya’s private living quarters.

Muhammad is reclining in his favorite chair and watching a cricket game. He knew that his father would make his way to see him when he heard he had sent the young lady away. Muhammad is eating grapes and looking at his father.

“Don’t tell me that woman has talked you into allowing your only son to marry that American,” Sazin yells and points in the direction of Muhammad and Nazya's bedroom.

“I have decided that Nazya and I will choose our son’s wife. We never had a chance to meet the other women.” Muhammad continues enjoying his grapes.

“All of this was that wretched woman doing. How often must I tell you that you're the man and the woman has to listen and do as you order them?” Sazin is waving his arms around and is still yelling.

“That woman is my first wife and the Queen. If you must know, yes, she suggested the idea. But I agree with her. After all, she deserves to be our daughter-in-law. I gave in to you regarding Jurnee because I was tired of hearing your nagging. Now, if you don’t agree with my decision on this matter, you'll get over it. Isn’t that the exact words that were said about my son reading Jurnee?”

Sazin walks out of the room. “This is ridiculous. You’ll regret this. He is walking toward Afrah's living quarters.

She is Muhammad’s second wife. Afrah has four daughters. She has never liked Nazya and feels that Muhammad should have married her first since they met first. But he fell in love with the younger and more beautiful Nazya instead of her. Muhammad made her his second wife because of his father. Afrah was Sazin’s first and only choice, and the only way Muhammad would marry her was if his father allowed him to marry Nazya first. As much as Sazin didn't want his son to marry Nazya, he gave in to him. He also said that Nazya was too opinionated and women should be seen, not heard. That is one of the characteristics of Jurnee that he didn’t like.

Afrah is obedient in front of his husband and Sazin. When their backs are turned, she’s conniving and always plots against Nazya. So far, Nazya has had the upper hand over her because of the servants. They respect Nazya because she doesn’t mistake them as Afrah does and always reports to her what Afrah’s plans are. She's plotting to make Abeer, her oldest daughter, the queen. She figures the best way for that to happen is to help Sazin.

Sazin is here on a rampage about his son listening to that woman. The only good thing that came out of that marriage was Salman. He goes on praising his only grandson. Afrah is frowning, wishing that he would shut the hell up.

They are both startled when they hear. “What goes on with my son and his mother isn’t Afrah's or your business. I’m the King, and I have said everything that needs to be said regarding this matter. Father, I suggest you find something to do. Afrah, since you have a lot of time on your hands, you should be teaching our daughters, or I can find something for you to do. I’m sure you wouldn't be happy with it.” Muhammad glared at them.

Sazin put his hands behind his back and walked out of the room.

“Father, as of this moment, I'm forbidden to set foot in these quarters again.” Muhammad cuts his eyes at him and then looks back at Afrah. “This is your last warning. One more time, and you will be demoted. Don’t challenge me or harm Nayza or Salman in any way. You won’t like the outcome.” He walks out of the room.

She sits down, looking at the door. “I’ll find my way, and you will never know who is behind it. Abeer will be Queen whether you like it or not.”

*****

Jurnee arrived home and took a long, hot bubble bath. She was recapping the last few days, which seemed to be a nightmare. Especially when one of her wedding gowns was delivered just before she left the office; she couldn't bear to bring it home. She had Cisley send it to her storage bin in New York. Jurnee knew if the dress were there with her, she would be tempted to try it on. New York is the last place she plans to go anytime soon.

She has been receiving phone calls from her closest friends who live in New York. All of them were saying the same thing, and they were sorry to hear about her and Salman’s breakup. Jurnee was tired of hearing the same thing over and over. So when Rulen called her to congratulate her on her marriage to Ingo, it threw her off at first. She had no idea that anyone knew yet. Jurnee thanked her and rushed off the phone. Rulen is nosy and is always in other people's business. She is the type who will try to run everyone else's life because she doesn't have a life of her own.

After sliding into a pair of shorts and a tank top, she's on the balcony drinking Diabolo Menthe. Jurnee is looking up at the stars. It’s times like these that she wishes she had a mother. Her father is wonderful, but sometimes she wishes her mother were there to comfort her. Her father has never lied to her about the way she was conceived. Jurnee even knows who her mother is and has seen her once. It was on a crowded street in New York when she was crossing it with some friends. Jurnee pretended not to recognize her since Arliss turned her head to avoid looking at her. After that day, all thoughts of her meeting and having a relationship with her mother flew out the window. Jurnee even threw the picture away that she had on her nightstand of Arliss.

Jurnee refills her glass. ‘It seems that word got around quickly about Ingo and me. I was hoping I had a little time to let it sink in before the world knew. I’m sure my father and his father were behind that. Why would Ingo and his father risk merging with us? Maybe he's shy, or like I didn’t have a choice but to go with this insane marriage. Anyway, I’ll just have to make the best of this crazy situation. At least I'm glad to say I'll have a drama-free marriage. Now that is something that I can definitely live without. Also, Sazin's goons aren't following me anymore, which is a good thing. I still can't believe he thought I wouldn't know I was followed. I spotted those nuts the first day. Men," She chuckles.

*****

Maci is peeping at Ingo when he arrives home. She hasn’t said anything to Imelda about him being married. Neither woman can believe that he’s home. This is the third night in a row that he’s been home alone before seven. Imelda even asks, “If he wasn’t feeling well.”

“I’m fine, just a long and exhausting day at the office.” He walks to his bedroom and closes the door.

“I guess I'd better cook him something to eat. I wonder what has gotten into him. Our boss is changing. I’m not sure if I like cooking in the evening.” Imelda walks into the kitchen.

Maci looks toward the front door for a woman to knock or walk through. She jumps when her phone rings and mentally screams when she sees Brynn's name on the screen. She walks into the bathroom down the hall to answer it.

As soon as she says hello, Brynn asks, “How does Ingo’s wife look, and what is her name?” Maci peeps out of the bathroom door. Once she sees that clearly, she tells Brynn, “He hasn’t announced he’s married and hasn't brought a woman home." Maci waits to hear what else the woman has to say. But all she hears is the dial tone.

****

“Yes, I knew it. Ingo was lying to me. His ass isn’t married. But what were all those people congratulating him for? Never mind that, nor is it important. Tomorrow night is the night that I put my plan in motion. It’s a good thing he and I are working late tonight.

Desperate time causes for desperate measures. “Brynn is looking in her closet to find something to wear that is seductive and easy to cover up in a normal working office.

Brynn is holding against her a black low-cut dress and a black jacket. “Perfect. When he and I are alone, the jacket comes off. If my plan goes as it should, so will everything else.”