The Billionaire’s Accidental Bride

The morning sun shone brightly into Hart’s Bakery as Ariana cleaned the oven with a wet cloth looking at the empty sales she made today. “Omg!,$2.75 and some little coins cannot be enough to purchase butter and flour”, she said in distress. She looked over to the trays of unsold pastries and bread and shook her head in discouragement. Liam,Ariana little brother, who had just come back from school, peeped through the window in his school uniform asking if she was able to make sales today . “Just a few people and school kids bought bread this morning, since that time, no other sales has been made.” Ariana said while tying her wrapper well. Liam’s smile vanished , he looked very disappointed because their rent was due in few weeks time. Ariana wiped the beads of sweat on her face and assured her little brother she’ll make enough money to pay for their rent . Immediately Liam left for the house , Ariana sank in the old rocking chair in the middle of their bakery kitchen. The landlord was already calling multiple times ahead as their rent was due in a few weeks , she had to pay for Liam’s fees in the upcoming semester and all other expenses lay heavily on her shoulder. Ariana’s mind was filled with these thoughts as she continued rocking the chair up and down. She got up and turned the “Closed” post in front of her shop . As she started packing her bags to head home she heard a knock on the door . A male voice came through. “Have you closed for the day?”. Ariana in her frustration shouted back at the person saying, “Have you not seen the post at the door and you are now asking me if I have closed?” . “I came all the way from a different city to try your pastries and bread and this is what you say to a customer?” , the masculine voice came in again but this time firm. Ariana walked up to the door to see who it was. She was astonished to see a dark, masculine, broad-shouldered, tall and neatly dressed gentleman. He had very sharp eyes and his sweet spicy scented perfume almost made Ariana speechless but she kept it to herself. “My apologies , was just in a bad mood today,” Ariana said with her head down “. But she snapped her head back up and asked who he was. “I am Ethan Cole”, he said while stepping into the bakery. Ariana raised her brow in shock as everyone in the city of London knew he was a business guru with good wealth. He has built his own empire called Cole Enterprises , a well known international fashion brand . Something in his gaze made Ariana lose a little control. She was in disbelief . How did he find her shop she thought to herself. Ariana told him she had closed her shop and that he should come the following day . “I am not here to actually buy anything but I have seen that your Bakery has lots of potential and I am currently looking for a small local business to invest in”, Ethan said as he looked around . “My.. My …. you mean…my bakery?” , Ariana asked just to be sure what she heard was right. She continues to say that the bakery is her family’s bakery , she cannot put it out for sale, with her arms crossed . Ethan took a close look at her and sighed , saying “I mentioned I was going to invest , I did not say you should sell it out to me” . Ariana looked at him and this sounded too good to be true . Ethan saw her interest and further went on to add “This is going to be a good partnership. My company will take up all your debts, renovate this space into a modern one and make your profits. Fair deal?” At this point Ariana could not believe her ears. She thought it was a dream but that was reality. For a second thought , Ariana asked why he did not choose the several other bakeries in the city but hers . “This bakery of yours is authentic and I believe it has a story behind it . That is what sells faster” , Ethan said. The offer was too tempting and Ariana thought of the good life she’d love when she accepted the offer. All her debts will be paid for, her little brother not being sacked of school fees again , she would be able to fend good for herself too . Ariana’s fingers trembled . This was everything she prayed for, yet , she could not accept the offer too soon. “Give me sometime I will think about it and get back to you”. “I will give you till tomorrow morning because other people are yearning for this opportunity. There is nothing to think about, Ma’am I see potential in this and I don’t like losing in the businesses I do”, he said while adjusting the button on his suit , slid some papers and his business card on the oven top and left. Ariana looked at the card he left , her hands shaking uncontrollably as she put her hand on her waist wondering if she should accept the offer or not. She leaned against the table and said , “ What am I getting myself into?, is this a genuine offer or what?” That evening in her small and not spacious apartment she sat up in her bed , unable to go to sleep rethinking her decisions about the offer. Her father’s health was deteriorating, rent was due and Liam needed to be taken care of and so did she . She thought about her little family and their survival . Night had already passed and it was morning . Ariana got up ready to start her day . She took out the card and papers Ethan left the previous day and signed it . Immediately Ariana opened the bakery shop to start sales for the day, camera’s flashed in her eyes , journalist and news reporters were at her door with voices shouting . “Miss Hart! how do you feel about your secret marriage to Mr Ethan Cole ? What is it like marrying a business mogul like him?”. “Were you forced ? And are you the mystery wife behind all this while ?”. They bombarded her with questions like these as she stood there stunned and covered her face with her arm dodging the cameras. Ariana froze, she stood still unable to move . Words barely came out of her mouth . Struggling to utter words she stammered. “Wh.. what.. do you mean?” , Ariana asked in confusion . The world spun in her eyes as she tried to understand what was happening. A journalist showed the screen of his tablet to her which read : “Ethan Cole Secretly Marries Unknown Baker in Contract Mix Up.” Her chest tightened, heart dropped in her stomach, the noise around her made her lose her mind . Reporters shouted, cameras clicked, her heartbeat drummed in her ears. “No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “That’s not possible. That’s not what I signed”. She covered her face with her arm. Then she saw him, Ethan Cole, step out from his black Mercedes which was parked across the street walking towards the chaos. His cold expressions , his aura and commanding presence made the media pave way for him. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored navy suit, his sharp gaze fixed on her through the chaos. Reporters immediately turned their cameras toward him, shouting his name . He ignored them and took Ariana by the wrist and walked her to his car . “Come with me please”, he said in a low tone . “To where?, why are they saying we are married?” Ethan didn’t respond. He opened the car door, and before she could say anything , she was inside the cool leather-scented interior of his car. Her heart pounded as the driver pulled away from the bakery, leaving behind the noise, the cameras, and the life she knew. Ariana in her confusion, tried to stay calm even through the chaos and crowd. Finally, she asked with a raised voice , “Would you at least tell me what’s going on? Why are they saying I’m your wife?!” “You are , Ariana, legally you are “, he said. These words struck Ariana harder than any of the questions the reporters had asked . Her breath shaky she said , “ No! that’s not possible! I signed a business contract not a marriage contract . What are you talking about?”. Ethan cut her off even before she could talk further . “Whatever you signed made you legally my wife .” Ariana could barely swallow her own saliva . Everything began to feel like a nightmare pattern for Ariana . She stared at him with her eyes and mouth widely open . “ This is a mistake!”, she sobbed. Her world spinning faster than she could process. How could a single signature trap her in something this unreal? Ethan’s gaze stayed fixed ahead on the road while Ariana wept bitterly