~ FOUR ~

"Where and how do we get a replacement bride?" I asked my dad, waving my hands around along with rolling my eyes.

"I'm still so surprised that you're easily agreeing to this replacement bride thing." He chuckled. "I expected you to get all furious when I suggest it then you'll say shit and leave."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes again. "I care about my reputation and you'll remind me of the fact that I'm 30 years old, get me married to someone else so why not just agree when I can." I shrugged.

"Anyways, I'm proud of you." He seemed extremely proud. "I'll order a bride."

"Order a bride?" I quirked an eyebrow, taking off  the suit coat that was as uncomfortable as possible. "What sort of shit is that?"

"You're Kaiden Coleman. It wouldn't take a twinkle of an eye before you find a hundred women that are willing and ready to marry you." He clapped his hands, tugging at his shirt's collar.  

"I don't want to get married to some useless slut. I want someone more reserved, beautiful, perfect, sweet, loving, mature." I smirked as I spoke.

"Do you perhaps… have anyone in mind?" He drew his eyes in askance.

"By anyone, if you mean a gorgeous woman that's extremely intelligent and beautiful-looking, then I have someone in mind. You'll help me convince her to get married to me, right?"

"Who's she? I'll convince her. She must be special?"

"You might know her. She comes to my house almost everyday. Tatum, is her surname. The orphan."

"Kaiden, the people are starting to complain. It's viral on social media that the Groom hasn't arrived at his Wedding Hall after such a long time." Scott said while he walked into the room. His shoes were sounding like a boot being hit on the floor at his movement.

"Help me out with spreading it to the people that the Wedding will be postponed till this night. Let them think that Kaiden got injured slightly and has to be treated." Dad requested.

"Why not just postpone the wedding indefinitely?" Scott raised an eyebrow.

"Scott, please just do as Dad instructed." I shot him daggers with my glare.

"Whatever you say."

***

~ SIMON ~

Kaiden was supposed to get married today. Of course, he was still getting married tonight. All I needed to do was to find the replacement bride of his choice. I really wondered why and how Kaiden was interested in her and that he was willing to get married to her.

Knocking on the door of the small bungalow, I waited for an answer, tapping my foot on the floor incessantly. Was anyone home? I couldn't hear a sound from the other side of the door.

Why one of the Tatum sisters? They were just orphans that we had made our Maid. Had she done something to fool him or deceive him?

I went for the second knock on the flimsy door since there wasn't the presence of a doorbell.

"Who's it?" Finally, someone acknowledged my knocking.

I didn't bother to yell my name but waited patiently for the person to open the door.

"Hi…" it wasn't any of the Tatum sisters I knew. "I'm here to see Layla Tatum." I was quick with my point. Kaiden's wedding postponing was going so viral on the internet with headlines like *REJECTED! THE HANDSOME BILLIONAIRE HAS BEEN REJECTED BY HIS BRIDE!" Why would anyone even cook up such nonsense even after they were told that he was slightly injured.

"I'll get her for you." The lady said, not even having a bit of sense to permit me to go in. I huffed, folding my fat arms around my chest.

…

I waited for what seemed like forever before the door was opened again.

Layla shoved herself right out of the small space of the door, locking the door behind her.  

"You're here to see me, sir?" It was obvious that she was trying to be polite by tuning down her frown as she spoke to me.

"Yes, Kaiden needs you to get married to him." I said.

Layla didn't look as surprised as I'd have expected her to. Instead, she frowned more. "Oh, the headlines are actually true. Why'd your stupid-ass son expect me to get married to him?"

She looked behind her then back to me. "Let's leave here. I don't want anyone eavesdropping on our conversation."

I nodded then she started to lead the way out, crossing her arms over her chest. I followed behind her as she kept walking. Leaving the compound, said nothing, she kept walking till she got to a coffee shop.

I felt the need to argue against discussing this in a coffee shop due to people but the coffee shop was very deserted. No one was in the shop so we walked in, taking our seats.

I inspected the table, rubbing my fingers over the table then against each other to inspect it of any form of dust. Confirming that it was actually clean, I placed my elbows on the table, intertwining my fingers. Drawing closer to rest my chin on my knuckles, I cleared my throat before speaking. "How much money do you want?"

"I can't marry your son. He has ruined my life." Her frown intensified.

"A billion dollars?" Her face and hands froze at my words.

"I'll sponsor your younger sister to school, pay for your bills, make you rich. You'll get to marry my son and you as well as your sister will live a good life. There are many more advantages. For some reason, my son wants you so you must be a special person." I tried my best to sound convincing.

She looked lost in her thoughts, fiddling with the artificial flower on the flower vase by the center of the table. "I have two more requests." She said, staring at me with her widened eyes that were scaring me.

"Whatever it is, it is done." I slapped the table.

"I won't tell it to you now. We'll sign a contract and I'll state my requests in the contract." Her lost, scary, confused, undefinable look slowly transformed to a smirk as she nodded her head.

I hoped her request wasn't so bad…

***