I Do Series 2: Entangled Marriage

Chapter 3

The loud and fast clacking sounds alarmed the lethargic soul of Stella as she updated her patient's chart.

Here comes the storm. Stella thought as she gently massaged her right shoulder.

After her six hours, more or less, of emergency surgery, Stella felt like her whole body had undergone an extreme sports activity.

“Stella!” Violet’s raging voice, followed by her hand slamming the door, echoed inside Stella’s office, making the latter wince in pain.

Any loud noise added with her sister’s voice can be considered as an ultimate weapon for someone who hasn’t slept for more than twenty-four hours.

“What’s the meaning of this? Is it true? Stella, tell me the truth,” Violet bombarded her sister with questions one after another without even taking a single breath. “Tell me. Now.” She added, emphasizing each word.

“It doesn’t need any repair, does it?” Stella mumbled to herself as she stared at her office door. Checking if it’s still in good condition after what Violet did.

“Stella!” Violet roared at her as she ignored Violet’s questions.

D*mn! Violet’s making my head spin. Stella whined mentally.

“What did I do this time?” Stella asked nonchalantly, even though she already had an idea about it. “I-”

“This!” Violet cut her sister off as she almost shoved her phone onto Stella’s face. “What’s the meaning of this? Huh?” she added. “Are you really dating that man? That man named Sebastian, the CEO of Morris Entertainment and Media Company? Since when? Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

A soft nervous laugh escaped Stella’s mouth as her older sister continued dropping question after question without even giving her a second to speak, not even a chance to butt in. And, as she read the entertainment news article’s headline from Violet’s phone, memories came flooding back to Stella—memories of the past few weeks that led to the said article.

Sebastian wasn’t really joking when he said that he would handle everything, including these ridiculous entertainment articles. If Violet learns the truth, she might go hysterical, more than she is right now. Stella thought. My sister will raise hell, and might as well throw me in an asylum due to this ridiculous situation I’m currently in. Her train of thought continues.

TWO weeks ago. . .

“Ghad!” Stella exclaimed internally in panic as she found herself inside the office of Morris Entertainment and Media Company’s CEO, Sebastian Morris. “What in the world are you doing, Stella?”

“I didn’t expect that his office would be this simple and modern,” Stella whispered as her eyes wandered at how Sebastian’s office looked. “For a Chief-Executive-Officer’s office, this is rather simple,” she added.

If Stella didn’t know that Sebastian was the Chief Executive Officer of a well-known and popular Entertainment and Media Company, she would think that he was just a typical businessman. The only thing that was related to entertainment and media she could find was the collection of cameras on one of the display cabinets beside the huge television. Other than that, all she could find there was a cabinet full of recognition certificates and plaques, and a cabinet full of different kinds of books. Too different from what she typically reads and has. At the center of his office was a two-three-seater sofa with a coffee table in the middle. On the left side was Sebastian’s table, filled with documents that probably needed his signature and approval. There's also a lounge chair on its side and a coat rack on the other side. Meanwhile, on the right side was a two-display cabinet with a huge television in the middle.

“My decision is right. Am I?” Stella questioned herself as she stood up and walked towards the glass wall where the whole city could be seen under the setting sun. “Was this really the right thing to do?” she mumbled her worries. “Well, there’s no backing out now that I’m already here,” she added, followed by a soft sigh.

Memories after she met Sebastian played back in one corner of her mind as her eyes remained glued to the cityscape.

Placing the empty envelope on the table, Stella began scanning through the papers, which she later regretted.

“This has to be some kind of horrible prank, right?” Stella mumbled in shock as she tried to process everything in her mind.

She’s so stunned that she doesn't even notice that the documents are falling out of her hand.

“How could this happen? My mom? How?” she asked herself continuously while aggressively brushing her fingers on her already messy hair.

“No. I shouldn’t believe in these documents and photos instantly,” Stella contradicts as she began walking, pacing back and forth. “I need more information and proof.”

And, with that, Stella began her own investigation of the documents she got from Sebastian. Until a week had passed by when the truth she'd been trying to avoid came to light, and was validated. Although it was still only the tip of the iceberg.

“That’s quite a sigh, huh?” A familiar man’s voice caught Stella off guard, pulling her back into reality. “Care to share what’s troubling my fiancée’s mind?” Sebastian asked as he took a step towards her direction.

Stella’s eyebrows furrowed at the word that caught her attention the most.

“Fiancee?”

“Well, you’re here,” Sebastian said nonchalantly as he shrugged his shoulder. “So that only means one thing, right?” he added while taking a step forward to Stella.

“You’re overly confident, huh?” Stella replied, trying to sound mocking, but it failed. Because there’s no denying that Sebastian’s conclusion was right.

The only reason she was standing next to him in his own office was none other than the offer she got a week ago. Or else, she won’t be going to such lengths to visit him personally in his office without further notice.

A soft sigh escaped Stella’s lips as she gave in, admitting that Sebastian was right.

“Fine,” she began. “I’m accepting your offer,” Stella said as if the words coming out of her mouth were forced. “But, before anything else, we need to discuss a lot of things,” she added as she pulled out a folder from her bag. The same folder he gave on the day they met, containing the files she wished she hadn’t seen.

Stella takes a seat across from Sebastian on the three-seater sofa. “To protect my personal interest, I prepared these clauses,” she added.

“Sure, go ahead. I’ll listen to what my fiancée wants,” Sebastian said with a smug look on his face.

Stella’s eyebrows furrowed as she glared at the man sitting confidently in front of her. “Ghad! I’m hating you now more than I already did,” she mumbled while taking out her laptop to open the document she prepared.

“That would be a problem. I can’t afford my fiancée to hate me, right?” Sebastian asked, mockingly with a hint of amusement on his face.

“Well, he got the looks, money, and power. So, he got the right to be smug. Stella commented in the back of her mind as she tried to keep herself from defying.

She just heaved a deep sigh in defeat because she knew that defying and retorting would just backfire on her.

“Love isn’t necessary for this marriage,” Sebastian said as he began reading after Stella pushed her laptop towards him. “However, in front of other people, we must look like an ideal couple who are in love with each other,” Sebastian said as he went over the terms and conditions that Stella prepared. “Thus, skin ship is necessary. So, let’s remove this term restricting kisses, hugs, or holding hands,” he added as he pointed to one of the clauses, and he immediately pressed the backspace key.

“Huh? You can’t just remove them just because you want to,” Stella defied as Sebastian began revising the contract she made. “I also have a say in this contract. And, it’s just right if I want to put such term isn’t it?”

Sebastian looked at Stella as if she were some kind of math equation he must solve at that moment.

“Fine,” Sebastian gave in as he loosened his necktie. “Let’s put our conditions in this matter,” he suggested. “Necessary skin ship will depend on the situation. At the most, we’ll only hold hands and hug. But, if the situation calls for it, a kiss may be inevitable,” he continued while his hands swiftly typed on Stella’s laptop.

“It will only happen when both of us agree that it’s needed. If not, there must be a penalty,” Stella added.

“Fine with me,” he agreed. “But, you must remember that we must look natural at all times, no matter how awkward you might feel. You must not let it show,” Sebastian warned. Especially when we face the media once our relationship is announced. So does the wedding after a few months.”

“Media? Do we really need to do that?” Stella asked hesitantly.

It’s not that she’s camera-shy or anything else. Facing and speaking in front of people isn’t a problem at all. On the contrary, it was just new to her to face the entertainment media rather than the ones related to the medical field.

“Of course, the man in front of you wasn’t just a CEO of a typical company,” Sebastian answered confidently. “And, you’ll no longer be just an heiress of Montoya Medical Hospital once we announce that you’re my girlfriend. And then a bit later, after that, you’ll be known as my fiancée. My bride.”

Stella felt shivers all over her body as she heard the last few words from Sebastian. Cringe is not enough of a word to explain how she feels about the situation she was about to get into. Who would have thought that she would be in this kind of situation? Being in a contractual relationship with a man she was not even interested in, most of all, a stranger.

“Okay,” Stella heaved a soft sigh. “I understand that. But I don’t want too much media exposure. The same goes for my personal information,” she continued. “Minimal is enough. Right? After all, I’d probably hate dealing with the press when this contract ends.”

“We are not yet starting, but you’re already thinking far ahead,” Sebastian commented with amusement in his tone.

Stella’s eyes immediately beamed at him. If her glares could shoot daggers, he might be on the ground by now.

“Fine with me. I can do that much for you,” Sebastian agrees as he shrugs his shoulder. “Now, let’s talk about my conditions,” he added as he stood up and walked towards his table.

And when Sebastian returned, standing next to Stella, he handed her the contract he had made himself the other day.

“Is this really necessary?” Stella asked as she pointed out one of Sebastian’s terms. “Do we really need to exchange such sweet messages and broadcast our relationship on social media?”

“Of course,” Sebastian answered, without a second thought, nor a hint of hesitation. “We need to do that to make everyone believe that we are a real couple deeply in love with each other. In that way, people won’t suspect that much if we announce that we're getting married later, right?” he explained.

Stella just nods her head in agreement as she quickly gets his idea and reason.

“I can do that much anyway. It’s not like I don’t know how to be sweet, or send sweet messages like a lovesick,” she thought.

“Then let’s get started,” Sebastian said as he scooted over next to Stella and grabbed her hand without any further ado.

“Hey!” Stella protested. But it’s already too late to take her hand away from him. Sebastian already took a picture of their hands intertwined with each other.

“Now, let’s move on to our love story,” Sebastian suggested as he turned the page of the document in Stella’s other hand.

“This guy, he really amuses me in a lot of ways. He must’ve planned it out even before I agreed with his offer.” Stella thought as she listened to Sebastian.

“This may be a contract relationship and marriage, but this will still be legally binding,” Sebastian said after they finally agreed on the terms and conditions of their contract. “I’m a businessman, this is still a business, and we both value trust and benefits, right?”

Stella just stares at him in confusion as to what he is pointing at.

“Thus, I hope that you’ll adhere to all our terms and conditions, because I definitely will,” he added. “And, believe me. I don’t drop words I didn’t mean.”

“Of course, I will.”

“Then, I’ll look forward to working with you,” Sebastian said with a smile as he held his one hand out waiting for Stella to receive it.

“Me too,” Stella answered as she took his hand for a handshake.

A little bit after that, Sebastian invited her for dinner, which she didn’t hesitate to refuse. After all, being seen by other people together outside is a part of their plan.