Mr Ford’s Wife

FLASHBACK “Congratulations, young lady, you are three weeks pregnant,” the doctor said. Elena had already used a pregnancy test strip but wanted to confirm the result with her doctor friend. “I’m pregnant?” Elena asked, staring at her belly in shock. “Yes, you are,” the doctor replied, smiling as she handed Elena the test result. Elena felt happy, but a wave of uncertainty followed—she wasn’t sure how her fiancé would take the news. On her way home, Elena wondered how and when to tell him of the news. He was returning from the States the next day, and their wedding was just a few weeks away. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought. The preparations had been made to welcome him, she was already late, hoping he wasn’t home before her. Happy she made it as she joined his sister whom had helped in decorating the house. Elena hid behind the chairs with her, the lights switched off. No one had told Daniel about the surprise to celebrate his return home after landing a big contract. Suddenly, the door opened. Elena could barely contain her excitement. She and Daniel’s sister held hands, ready to shout their surprise welcome. Elena hadn’t told anyone about the baby yet—she wanted to share the news with Daniel first. But just as they were about to stand and yell, all Elena could hear were soft moans and heavy breaths. The two of them exchanged puzzled glances. Why hadn’t Daniel noticed the decorations? “Did he not see them?” Elena murmured. Impatiently, they couldn’t hold down anymore. Immediately they stood up, only to find Daniel in a passionate embrace with another woman. Elena’s eyes widened in shock. She clung to his sister for support, her gaze fixed on the two, who seemed oblivious to their surroundings. “Daniel!” Kate called out angrily. The pair quickly broke apart. Daniel looked around in panic, his eyes landing on Elena and his sister. “Elena, you’re here?” was all he managed to say as the other woman quietly left the room. Elena couldn’t hold back her pain and anger. She walked toward him, tears streaming down her cheeks. Without a word, she threw the bouquet of flowers she had brought at him and stormed out of the house. “Hey! Watch where you’re going!” scolded a bus driver as she nearly stumbled into the road. “I’m sorry,” Elena muttered, stepping aside. The scene had brought her back to reality. She remembered that day so clearly—the betrayal, the humiliation—and the sting of him not even running after her. Now, walking quickly, Elena tried to meet up with her appointment. She had overslept and was running late. Lost and frustrated, she looked around for the building where they had agreed to meet. Finally, her eyes landed on it across the road. She wondered how she hadn’t seen it sooner. Crossing over and entering the building, she took the nearest seat. Her anxious eyes scanned the room for the man she was supposed to meet. Her hands trembled slightly. She wasn’t sure if this was the right decision, but she refused to back out. She couldn’t go home for Christmas without a man—not when everyone already looked down on her. After glancing at the door for what felt like the hundredth time, she sighed. He was supposed to wear a red polo and black jeans, but he was nowhere to be seen. Feeling frustrated, Elena stood up and left money on the table for her drink. She had already decided he wasn’t coming. But just as she turned to leave, a calm, masculine voice stopped her. “Excuse me, are you Miss Elena?” She turned quickly to see a tall, handsome man with one hand tucked in his jeans. His eyes searched hers, waiting for an answer. Elena was momentarily lost in his presence—he was the epitome of masculinity and charm. Even his scent exuded confidence. “Excuse me?” the man repeated, his voice snapping her back to reality. “I-I’m sorry. Yes, I’m Elena,” she stammered, trying to regain her composure while avoiding his gaze. “I’m sorry for keeping you waiting,” he said apologetically. “The traffic was terrible. Looks like you’ve been here a while—you’ve already paid for your drink.” He smiled. “Please, just give me a few minutes of your time.” Without waiting for him to finish, Elena sat back down, and the man joined her. The two had nothing to say for a while. After what seemed like a long time. Ford smiled warmly, trying to ease the awkward silence. “It’s nice to meet you Miss Elena. Your picture didn’t do you justice—you’re even more beautiful in person,” he said. “Same here. Thank you,” Elena replied, managing a small smile. Finally she found her voice and seemed to have eased up a bit. Without wasting no time, she asked, “So, Mr. Ford, when can you come with me to meet my family? A dinner party has already been arranged, and I need your presence. How much do you charge?” Ford paused, caught off guard. He hadn’t expected her to be so straightforward. He had only agreed to meet her as a favor to his friend, who had gotten himself into yet another mess. He knew it was a bad idea but yet he had to pay back the Favour he owed. He wondered what kind of arrangement his friend had with Elena. But as Ford listened to her, a thought occurred to him. He, too, needed someone to pretend for him—for a completely different reason. And here was an opportunity. He needed a wife for the season and she needed a fake boyfriend. As she talked he assessed her. She was indeed beautiful and spoke well. “Elena, instead of pretending, why don’t we just get married?” The words left his mouth before he could stop them. He immediately regretted it, hoping he hadn’t rushed things too much. Elena’s expression shifted, and Ford could only wonder what she would say next.