Jayden's POVStill fuming in anger, I throw the office door open to enter when I see someone inside sitting comfortably on the chair opposite my desk.Without a word, I stride in. When I close the door behind me, I know instantly that it is no other person than Gabriel."How the hell did you get in here?!" I growl at him as I walk to my chair.He chuckles lightly, leaning over and dropping the phone he was pressing. "You weren't picking your calls."I really don't want anyone else to piss me off today. First, it was Anna, then Juliet and Isabella, and now Gabriel.How will I pick up his call when he humiliated me in front of that bitch? He didn't stand up for me but he laughed just like his wife did, making me feel stupid.Gabriel is so childish!"I said how did you get in here?" I question again, glaring coldly at him."Well, Anna let me in", he leans backward, the smile off his face.He knows that I am angry with him. This is why he is here. I refused to pick up his calls when he ke
Isabella's POV Music blasts from the in-house where Juliet works part-time and I stroll in, shrugging off my tote bag and glancing around for her in the bar. There is a low-class club attached to the back of the bar and Juliet works inside mostly. She is charged with the duty of offering drinks to the clients inside the clubhouse. Not finding her in here, I know she must be inside the clubhouse, probably trying to persuade one of the men for a tip. My emotions are all over the place and I am trying so hard to calm myself down and search for a reasonable excuse for her actions. There is no excuse for what she did. No excuse for not informing me beforehand. I didn't tell her about my decision to become Jayden's wife over the phone because I wanted us to meet in person before telling her. She convinced me to give it a try and I wanted to see the proud smile on her face after revealing my decision to give it a try to her. To give being a billionaire's wife a try. For just a year.
Jayden's POVThe car stops in the driveway and I open the door myself to come out of the car before Fred could get the door.Today's work was hectic and I wouldn't be here if my mother hadn't invited me to dinner. She is persistent and would do anything to get what she wants.I know she wants us to talk about the wedding preparations. Coupled with the fact that I have been meaning to come to see her, I decided to come over today instead of tomorrow.I could remember the look of shock on her face when I announced to her that I was getting married to no one but my Assistant. I don't think she knows Isabella but the thought of being married to my employee was a huge killjoy for her.Today, I will know what she thinks of the match and I will convince her to let me do what I want.If I don't do this, if I don't marry Isabella, I won't be able to prove to her that marriage isn't meant for everyone. Getting married to her choice of woman will make everything hard and I am not in for any lif
Isabella's POVThe moment Grandma turns off the Television set to cut me short the movie program I am engrossed in while chewing on the homemade popcorn I prepared this morning, I know it is high time we spoke."Bella", she calls, dropping the remote control on the small stool beside her and turning to me.I chew on the remaining popcorn in my mouth and drop the bowl before facing her with a guilty look."I want you to tell me what is happening and why you are getting married", she goes straight to the point without beating about the bush.Feigning confusion with my forehead furrowed, I shake my head. "Why am I getting married? I thought we have talked about this already?""Yes, we did but I am still not fully convinced with all you told me", she declares openly, watching me intently for something to hold on to. Probably a flash of guilt. Or breaking down in tears and confessing my sins to her.But what will any of this do? What good will it bring? Nothing. Absolute nothing. Instead,
Jayden's POVGabriel was right. Anna is someone I know.I glance once more at the screen before shutting the laptop down. I didn't take his words seriously because I thought it was just gibberish to l have me listen to him. When my mother mentioned to my hearing last night about Anna being my father's friend, I knew I had to find out who she was.That was when I remembered Gabriel's question of how it was possible for me not to know who she was.Anna is Roger and Emily's only daughter. Roger is my father's close friend and I see no reason why they would allow their daughter to come work with me as an Assistant.No wonder she has a Porsche car. If this isn't about matchmaking us both, then what is the best explanation for this?What infuriates me the most about this issue is the fact that she is allowing them to push her toward me. She is allowing them to do what they like at her expense. She is at the receiving end of whatever happens.But I won't succumb to my mother's wish. I can
Isabella's POVStepping inside the church and walking slowly towards the altar without a best lady but my arms entangled with my Grandma's, the groom of the day is patiently standing on the wedding arbor for the bride.I am holding flowers with a transparent veil covering my face. My head is lowered in shame and guilt.Shame that this isn't my dream. The shame of doing this and not being courageous enough to back out at the last minute to tell Grandma what this is all about, and wait for the man for me. The man who would be waiting at the altar for me with anticipation of me becoming his bride. A man who would love me for the depth of his heart and would never do anything to make me sad or cry.Guilt for letting Grandma do this. Guilt for not telling her the truth. Guilt for lying to her all through till this day. Juliet never came. She didn't show up for the preparations. She didn't call to apologize for what she did, leaving me with no one to stand in for me as my maid of honorI
Jayden's POVThe water washes through me as I stand under the shower with my eyes tightly closed, the memories come rushing making me tighten my fist in frustration.This wasn't supposed to happen. Getting married to someone else apart from Helena was not part of the plan. I never thought I would ever do a thing like this. But here I am, married to a woman who isn't Helena. I am married to someone I don't feel any atom of tenderness or affection for.Can life be any better? Can my guilt be lessened with this?Of course not! I am already feeling the heightened effect of my guilt. I promised to remain faithful to her forever and now this.I have broken the vow once again. I have broken the promise I made to her. The first was never to go back into the Mafia business and I have been doing that successfully. The second promise I made after she died was for me to remain faithful to her even in death.Helena won't be happy with me. She would be sad. And angry. I betrayed her once. I have
Isabella's POV"Mother?!" I gasp as a tear rolls down my eyes when I hoist my head to lock eyes with her blazing red face."How dare you lie to me, Bella? How dare you?!" She yells, her hands shaking with tears streaming down her eyes."Grandma", I hear Jayden call before he steps in beside me. My face stings and I shift my gaze to Juliet.She has a proud smirk on her face and she winks at me.Bitch!"Don't you dare talk to me, you idiot", she attacks Jayden too. "How dare you lure her into a deceitful affair such as this? How dare you!" She grabs at his shirt."Mother, stop it", I try to take her hands off him while he is standing calmly as though nothing is happening. "Please stop it."I succeed in taking her hands off him as she glares at him in anger.The maids appear from the door which opens right behind Jayden and they all come out, looking from me to the others with curiosity written all over them. It is apparent that all is not well and they want to know what is happening on