I Do Series 2: Entangled Marriage

Chapter 2

“You’re crazy,” Stella commented in astonishment while shaking her head. “If you have a weird hobby of playing pranks on random people. Then, you got the wrong person,” she added without giving the gentleman a split second to speak.

Stella stood up immediately while shaking off the words she had just heard. A two-word sentence that blew her mind off in a heartbeat. But the man in front of her was beyond her imagination.

“I’m serious, Stella,” Sebastian said firmly, making the lady in front of him stop midway. “Marry me,” he continued without averting his eyes, away from her.

If a person’s eyes are capable of physically harming someone, Sebastian’s brown orbs can easily pierce through Stella’s flesh as he stares at her intently. Just by sitting comfortably, he effortlessly channels his domineering charisma that can make any person follow his orders. And, Stella wasn’t an exception to not feel, nor realize it. But, she didn’t let his charm affect her and let him get what he wanted.

Stella stared back at him for a second, challenging the dominance that Sebastian was trying to use on her. “Didn’t you say that you want to talk about something important?” she asked in a formal tone as she tried to mask her emotions from him. “And, that concerns my parents, right?”

“Yeah. Sort--”

“But, marrying you,” Stella cut him off. “You must be crazy and I will be if I agree to it. That’s one of a kind crazy idea,” she added, followed by a soft chuckle and slightly shaking her head. It was as if that’s the craziest thing Stella would do in her life. “What you need is an appointment with a psychiatrist, and I’m not the one you needed,” she continued. “That’s not my area of specialty. I’m sorry.”

Stella didn’t want to be rude to the person before her, but his sudden proposal unleashed it. She just landed, not more than three hours ago, on the land where she hopes to restart her life, when all of a sudden, a man in a black suit drives her to a hotel to meet another stranger who happens to propose marriage in the most unimaginable and sudden ways that everyone could think of.

“I know all of these seem crazy for you,” Sebastian said as Stella stood up, getting ready to leave any second. “But, I’m serious.”

“If I could just pick another girl, I would,” Sebastian continued in almost a whisper. “I mean, I can. But, it’s you that I need,” he added as he leaned forward a bit and rested his elbow on the chair’s armrest. “I need you to marry me, St--”

“I’m sorry. I don’t care what your reasons are, my decision is final,” Stella cut him off. “Please respect my decision.”

“Harold,” Sebastian called the man standing not far away from them. The same person who picked Stella up from the airport and made her meet up with Sebastian successfully happened.

With just the tone of Sebastian’s voice, Harold understood right away what his boss wanted. He immediately reached for the folder in his bag and placed it on the table between Sebastian and Stella.

“Look at these files first before you decline my offer,” Sebastian said as he slightly pushed forward the folder towards Stella’s direction.

Stella looked at Sebastian questioningly and then at the folder in front of her. “What is this?” she asked suspiciously.

“You will know once you read it,” he answered, making the lady in front of him frown.

“If you think that reading what’s inside that folder will change my decision-”

“Read it first,” Sebastian cut her off.

“This d*mn hardheaded man!” Stella secretly screamed with rage in the back of her mind. “He doesn’t know when to stop, doesn’t he?” she continued as her frown gradually turned into a glare, fighting back the intensity of Sebastian’s brown orbs staring at her.

“Uhm. . . Miss Stella, please see the files first,” Harold interrupted the ongoing death glare battle between Stella and Sebastian. “I’m sure that you’ll understand him. And, I swore to you that every information you’ll learn there is true and correct,” he added confidently.

Feeling completely hopeless, Stella heaved a soft sigh.“Fine,” she replied as her doubtful gaze slowly relaxed. “But, this doesn’t mean that I’m agreeing to your crazy proposal,” she added while massaging her temple.

“I’m confident that you will soon agree with my proposal,” Sebastian said proudly as he stood up and fixed his suit. “After all, our families have long been wanting for this to happen.”

Hearing how proud and smug the man before her is makes Stella more and more stressed out at the situation she is currently in.

“Don’t put your hopes up, Mister,” Stella replied as she stood up and grabbed the folder. “Now, am I allowed to leave?” she asked while waving the folder in her hand into the air. “Am I?”

“Harold,” Sebastian called his secretary in a tone that the two of them could understand. “My secretary will drive you to your house or hotel. Just tell him where,” he instructed as he also stood up, while on the other hand, Harold already stepped out ahead of them.

“Finally, I can rest,” Stella mumbled to herself as she lay down on the bed. “But. . .”

“Nah. I’ll rest first,” she whispered as her eyes caught the brown envelope lying on the bedside table. “It’s been a long flight and day for me,” she continued as she slowly closed her eyes. “An extreme and unexpected long day.”

“Marry me, Stella Montoya,” Sebastian’s voice echoed in Stella's mind a few seconds later.

“Marriage, huh?” Stella mumbles exasperatedly as she opens her eyes.

Despite being lethargic, it was as if her body had its own mind to move her body and pick the documents that had been bugging her since she left the restaurant.

“Nah,” she exhaled dispiritedly. “I should rest,” Stella mumbled as she lay back into the bed with the documents in her hand. “Or, else I won’t have any later. Once Violet arrives my days will be busy.”

“D*mn!” Stella cursed a minute later. “This curiosity is killing me,” she mumbled as her hand reached for the envelope on the bedside table. “Just what is this all about?” she asked while opening the envelope without any idea what she was about to learn.

Cute tiny giggles, soft little pokes, and a cheerful voice woke Stella up from her deep slumber.

“Stop it,” Stella irritably mumbled as she slowly opened her eyes. “Kylo?” she added while her eyesight gradually adjusted to the bright sunlight passing through the window and the thin layer of white curtain.

“It’s already morning,” she thought. “I’m hungry. Afterall, I fell asleep without eating dinner. Not even a bite of bread, just a cup of decaffeinated coffee.”

“Auntie, wake up!” the little boy roared as he began jumping on the bed, making it shake along with Stella’s world. “Auntie!” he called her repeatedly, excitedly.

“Hmm,” Stella groaned. “Kylo!” she squealed. “My beautiful nephew,” she added while trying to grab the boy.

Kyle then stopped jumping as soon as his Aunt grabbed him.

“I’m not b-beutifeul,” Kylo stammered, protesting while pouting as he heard what Stella called him. “Handsome!” he protested while pouting. “I’m a boy, not a girl. So, it shoult be handsome.”

A smile quickly draws on Stella’s lips, and soon it turns into a soft chuckle while her eyes feast on the cutest child for her. Kylo’s slightly curly hair becomes disheveled from turning his Aunt’s bed into a huge, soft, and white trampoline. His cute little tummy is already peeking as his shirt is slightly curled upwards.

“Alright, alright. You’re a grown up and a big boy now handsome,” Stella said with a bright smile as she sat up. “Look at your cute belly showing up,” she teases him.

“Auntie!” the little boy giggled as Stella began tickling him.

Little did the two know that there was a pair of sparkling eyes watching them have fun together.

“Mommy!” Kylo cried in between his giggles. “Save me, please. M-mommy!”

“That’s enough you two,” Violet instructed as she stepped inside the room. “Welcome back, Sis.”

“Yeah. I’m back,” Stella answered in a low tone, more likely whispering to herself. Her smile slowly vanished as their eyes met.

Violet can’t help the light snicker escape from her lips as her eyes shifted at the mess next to Stella, her forever little sister.

“You just got off from a long flight, and it looks like you already miss working, huh?” Violet commented as she slightly tilted her head to the right, as if pointing to something.

Stella then immediately turns to her side, and to her surprise, the file of documents she once read before falling asleep is now scattered on the bed like confetti. She then immediately jumped out of the bed.

“Sh*t!” Stella cursed as she slapped her forehead.

“Hey! Watch your words, please,” Violet roared at her sister. “Baby, don’t copy what Auntie said. Okay?” She instructed her son. “That’s a bad word. Understand?”

“Sorry,” Stella apologized while she was busy and frantically gathering the documents in fear that her sister might have caught a glimpse of what it was all about.

“No! Violet should never know about this. She shouldn’t.” Stella mumbled in the back of her mind. “She shouldn’t,” she repeated while stashing away the papers in the drawer of the bedside table.

“Mommy’s right, Kylo. Don’t copy what Auntie said earlier.” Stella agrees with her sister as she lies back down in bed, holding her nephew’s little hands.

“You must be famished now. I already ordered breakfast,” Violet said.

“Breakfast? Yey! Pancake, pancake,” Kylo squealed excitedly. “Auntie, let’s go.”

A soft chuckle escaped Stella’s lips as she watched her nephew dance excitedly. “Thanks. I’ll change my clothes first,” she said as she got up from the bed and walked towards her luggage.

“By the way, Violet,” she said a second later. “Do you know any private investigator, or someone who might know about it?”

“Huh?” Violet’s brows furrowed, confused at every word she heard from her sister.

“N-nothing. Don’t mind what I said,” Stella immediately took back after realizing what she just said. “I’m just still not in my right mind. You know, the jet lag, and the shaking that this little man did earlier,” she reasoned out, forcing a wide smile on her lips. “And, I just woke up, so I’m blabbering nonsense,” she added, followed by an awkward chuckle.

“Stella, your sister mustn't know about it. Remember that. There’s no need to get her involved.”