CHAPTER 5: THE LAST OPTION

TALON'S P.O.V

“Model has turned down offer.”

One more look at my assistant's message and I was filled with rage and agitation that had me smashing my phone on my car floor. My breath came out in short, loud pants and my entire frame was shaking with fury. My hands were clenched into a tight fist as I glared at my phone that was now on the car floor.

What the hell? How could she just wake up on the day we are supposed to get married and turn down the offer? I had placed my hopes on this! As a matter of fact, I already paid her half the price and I was going to pay her the remaining half after our agreement was completed and now, she’s just backing out? What am I going to do now? I already had so much hope riding on this!

The plan was to get married to her, introduce her to my father as my wife, get my inheritance and divorce her after sometime.

Now, I had to start searching for a replacement? I had to get married to someone one way or another. Not getting married means forfeiting my inheritance to my brother – he had a wife already. That wasn’t a chance I was willing to take.e

So, I bent forward and grabbed my phone, dialing Manuel’s number immediately. We needed to find a solution to this problem. And by 'we', I meant Manuel and Manuel. He was the one who had found the model in the first place. As a matter of fact, he was the one who approached the model and told her of my offer. I couldn’t do it No, I refused to do it.

I was a reputable person and I refused to demean myself in such manner.

I pause, waiting, as the phone rang, for Manuel to answer my call. “Pick up the call, you son of a bitch,” I mutter under my breath as the phone kept on ringing.

He eventually answered the call. “Hello, Mr. Thwaites.”

“What the hell was that message you just sent me?” I bit out, my anger getting the best of me.

“The model turned down the offer, sir,” he repeated calmly and slowly as if I was dumb, unfazed by my anger and irritation. He was probably used to seeing me throw fits of anger.

“I know that,” I snapped. “I can read and I’m not stupid.” I was so pissed at the situation, at myself, at the model, at Manuel and I needed to release my anger on anyone or anything. Manuel seemed a good outlet.

“I didn’t say you were, sir,” he replied, just as calmly. His calm tone was so infuriating. I was here boiling with anger, unable to control my temper and practically screaming at him. How could he be so calm and collected?

“How can she just turn down the offer?” I growled. “I paid her half the price upfront!”

“Of course, sir.”

“Did you not talk about this while you were discussing the agreement with her? Did she not already sign the contract before I paid her half the price?”

“Yes sir but-”

“So, how can she turn down the offer at the last minute?” I snapped again before he could get any word in. “I gave you the responsibility of getting someone presentable for me to marry and of the people you could have picked, you selected someone who scammed me!”

“I apologize for that, sir,” he said, sounding really apologetic. “I promise to rectify this as soon as I can. Would you like me to talk to the model again sir?”

“No, absolutely not. I’m not going to marry a dishonest person even if it’s just a marriage of convenience. That’s never going to happen. I need you to find me a willing person as soon as possible,” I order, a tone of finality in my voice.

“Of course, sir.”

“And I don’t want a repetition of what just happened,” I added. “If this happens, be ready to let go of your job.”

“Yes, sir,” he answered immediately, fear creeping into his voice this time. I hung up immediately, satisfied to have passed my message across.

The secret to having obedient employees was instilling a little bit of fear in them. Manuel was a good assistant no doubt but there were moments like this when he acted like an absolutely shithead and fucked things up constantly. The fear of losing his job was what kept him in check sometimes.

A loud honk sounded behind me and I jerked, looking out through the window and realizing that I was parked in the middle of the road. I immediately started my car, driving it slowly to the side of the road while ignoring the angry looks from other driver.

I pursed my lips, wondering what to do now with no wedding to meet up with. I suddenly regretted not calling my driver this morning but I had thought it would have been a good idea to drive myself to the venue. Taking my driver along meant he was going to know about the arranged marriage and I certainly preferred if no one asides Manuel knew.

As I contemplated what to do, my phone rang. It was Manuel calling. Hopefully, he had found a solution. “Anything?” I asked in a gruff voice, skipping pleasantries.

“I have a suggestion, Mr. Thwaites.”

“Does that suggestion include me getting married today?” I snapped yet again, already fed up with all of the nonsense. Today had not even started fully and it was already becoming a bad day.

“Yes sir but I need to explain first,” Manuel said his tone calm and patient. “The lady in the hospital, the one I almost hit yesterday, her name is Naya-”

Without waiting for him to complete his sentence, I jumped in, “You want me to marry the lady you almost killed yesterday? Are you kidding me, Manuel?” Maybe 'killed' was an overstretch.

“Sir, I think she would benefit from the contract and since the wedding will be today, I don’t think she would be able to back out of it like the other model did. It’s a win-win situation, sir.”

Was he stupid or was he running out of his mind? Maybe he wasn’t as smart as I thought he was because right now, he was talking out of his ass. “Are you even listening to yourself?”

“Sir, I believe she is our only stable option and she’s a very presentable lady sir. Someone you can introduce to your family. You need a wife, sir, and this is the best we can get currently.”

I rubbed my forehead with the tips of my fingers, suddenly exhausted from all of the troubles.

Unable and unwilling to argue with him, I eventually said, “Send me a picture of her,” and hung up before he could get another word in.

I waited only for a few seconds before my phone beeped with a new message. I opened the message, clicked on the picture he sent me and I cringed. This? This was the woman he wanted me to marry? This woman?

I stared at her picture unable to suppress this disgust I was feeling. This woman wasn’t my type at all. As a matter of fact, she wasn’t the type of woman I’d have a one night stand with not to even talk of getting married to. For a lack of better word, this woman was ugly. My gaze was fixed on the birthmark on the side of her face that was so evident on her pale skin. Jesus, who had a birthmark this hideous? And on the face too.

Ugh.

Could I marry someone like this? Even if it was a marriage of convenience, I’d still like my wife to be attractive. But as I glanced at the time on my phone, I realized that time was running out and I had to act first. Who cared if she was ugly as long as we got married and I got my inheritance? At this point, I was so desperate that I would get married to absolutely anyone even if the person was as hideous as a blobfish.

I dialed Manuel’s number and immediately he answered, I asked, “Is she willing to sign the contract?”

“I’m sure she will be sir, as soon as we talk to her.”

“Then, talk to her. I’m on my way.”

“Yes sir.”

I hung up immediately and drove down the street, speeding across the road, cars and houses. I needed to be as quick as possible. I was getting married today, to a stranger but that didn’t mean I wanted to be late for it. I never did anything half-ass and if I was going to get married, I might at least be punctual to my own wedding.

I drove quickly, glancing one more time at the picture of the woman on my phone.

She wasn’t the best option I could find but… she’ll do.