Chapter 6 The Wedding Bells
1055 Words
Ethan Clark got back from Woodville on Monday and was already knee-deep in wedding plans. The big day was set for May 18th, and he wasn't wasting any time.
The phone rang in Emma Thomas's room at 9 PM, echoing through the silence. It went on for a while without an answer.
"Where the heck is she?" Ethan grumbled, just about to hang up when Emma finally picked up, slightly out of breath from rushing out of the shower.
"Hello?"
"What took you so long?" came a familiar voice that made Emma's heart skip a beat. Ethan Clark?
"Is this Ethan Clark?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
"Who else would it be?" he replied.
"Our wedding's the day after tomorrow. I've got everything set up. Uncle John will pick you up tomorrow night, and your parents will arrive in the morning."
"Fine," Emma said, a hint of reluctance in her voice.
Ethan caught on to her tone. "Any friends coming to join?" he asked, trying to sound considerate.
"No," she replied curtly before hanging up, feeling restless and unable to sleep.
The next evening, after a three-hour drive, Emma found herself at the entrance of Ethan's villa. She hadn't been sleeping well and had dozed off in the car.
Half-asleep, she overheard two men's voices outside.
"Ethan, the lady's here," said one of the men, who turned out to be Uncle Wang, the butler.
"She looks exhausted," Uncle Wang noted as he approached the car, with Ethan following close behind.
"Shh, don't wake her," Ethan whispered, pressing a finger to his lips.
Ethan carefully opened the car door and gently lifted Emma out, carrying her inside.
As he started up the stairs, Emma stirred.
"Uncle John, are we there yet?" she mumbled, wrapping her arms around Ethan's neck and snuggling closer to his chest. A moment later, she realized something was off.
She felt breath on her face and reached up, tracing her fingers along Ethan's neck. Her eyes flew open in shock.
"Wha—you, put me down!"
"Didn't you just get all cozy a second ago?" Ethan teased, noting her flushed cheeks.
"Put me down," she insisted, feeling embarrassed.
"I'll let you down once we're in the guest room," Ethan said with a smirk.
"We're not even married yet," she protested weakly.
"Think you can dodge tomorrow's wedding?" he quipped.
Emma gave up the struggle as Ethan carried her into a guest room. "Change your clothes, then come meet my parents. I'll be downstairs," he instructed before leaving.
Emma relaxed, replaying the scene in her head. If he weren't the heir to the Clark fortune, it might have been a romantic moment.
After changing, she joined Ethan to meet his parents.
At 4:30 AM, a knock on her door woke Emma up.
"Coming!"
She opened the door to find a few young women with makeup bags in hand.
"Ma'am, it's time to head to the hotel."
"Seriously, this early?" Emma hadn't realized how early weddings started.
"Yes, ma'am. The young master is already there."
"I'll just change clothes."
Emma got dressed and headed to the hotel, where she slipped into her wedding dress and had her makeup done.
"Uncle John, where's Ethan?" she asked as she stepped out, looking for him.
"He's greeting guests in the hall. He'll be here soon," Uncle John replied.
Emma couldn't help but think, "This guy is all about business, even on our wedding day. This whole event is probably just another networking opportunity for him."
Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, except for her stepmother and sister, Emma felt out of place.
"Everyone, please take your seats. The wedding is about to begin," Uncle John announced, guiding guests to the main venue.
Ten minutes before the ceremony, Ethan returned, finding Emma lost in thought.
"Ready?" he asked.
Emma snapped out of her daze, adjusted her veil, and nodded. "Let's do this."
Ethan was taken aback by how stunning she looked in her dress, her features accentuated with blush and a hint of mystery in her eyes.
He leaned in slightly, "After tonight, I'll start fulfilling the terms of our agreement."
His voice sent shivers down Emma's spine. She pushed him away, her voice barely steady, "You'd better."
"Let's go," he said, gently taking her hand as they made their way to the hall.
After three hours, the ceremony concluded, and guests began to leave.
"Goodbye, Ethan. Take care of Emma," Oliver Thomas, Emma's father, said cheerfully.
"Don't worry, Mr. Thomas. If Ethan ever mistreats Emma, I'll be the first to deal with him," Samuel Clark assured with a smile.
As the guests trickled out, Ethan walked up to Emma, wrapping an arm around her.
Emma stiffened, uncomfortable with such closeness, especially in public. She remembered their agreement to maintain appearances and relaxed.
After the wedding, Emma and Ethan returned to the family home, as requested by Ethan's parents, who believed it brought good luck.
"I'll take the couch," Emma declared, flopping onto it as soon as they entered the room.
"Not spending our first night together?" Ethan teased, approaching her.
"We're just contract partners, remember?"
"True, but the marriage is real," Ethan pointed out, inching closer.
Emma's heart raced as he neared, her face growing warm. Sensing her discomfort, Ethan backed off.
"If you keep me company tonight, I'll complete my part of the contract tomorrow," he suggested playfully.
Emma was taken aback. It was her first time, and she wasn't ready to give it to just anyone.
"In your dreams," she muttered, curling up defensively.
Seeing her distress, Ethan relented and picked her up.
"What are you doing? Let me go!"
"You're sleeping on the bed," he said, placing her gently on it before heading to the bathroom.
Emma lay there, stunned for a moment, then relaxed when she heard the bathroom door close.
As she waited for Ethan to finish his shower, she grabbed her pajamas, ready to change.
The bathroom door opened, and she turned to see Ethan shirtless.
"Can you at least put a shirt on?" she said, blushing as she turned away.
"Why? Does it bother you?" he teased, moving closer.
"I'm going to take a shower," she declared, escaping into the bathroom.
With that, the whirlwind day came to a close, leaving Emma to ponder the unexpected turn her life had taken.
- Writer
