4 Press meet

"You look like an Angel except I know who you are for real", commented Matt leaning back on Tesla.

"I imagined you driving a flashy sports car Matt, not this one", I shot back.

"I have many cars and to sit in my favourite car you have to earn that privilege", he said opening the door.

"Even if you bring your best car I still won't be impressed Matt", I said climbing into the car.

"Maybe my car can't impress you but a man like me doesn't need to show off his car or mansion to get ladies. I have something better and it worked fine for you too", he said flashing me a grin. I sat in the car with a flushed face silent.

"Why do you want this press meet now?", I asked him after some time.

"My PR team doesn't like this when I pull something this big on them at the last minute. So they want me to do damage control", he said with a shrug.

"I have no idea what to say except lie to everything they ask", I said with an irritated sigh.

"No never lie Meredith. Try to be truthful as much as possible. Otherwise, this will be over before you can even blink", said Matt.

"Maybe I want them to catch me. I don't want to do this Matt especially when I realise you did this to break up my engagement", I said.

"There are a lot of things that you don't know. I will give you one advice don't trust anybody", he said.

"I'm sorry to say this but you would be the last person I will be listening to for advice", I said hotly.

"Why princess? How many times I saved you from making yourself a fool over Reynolds", he said.

"That was before but now things have changed he is my fiance", I said.

"Exactly", he said without offering anything else.

"What will you do if I tell them the truth? What if I say that you are forcing me to continue this farce marriage?", I asked him.

"Nothing I will just watch you destroy everything I have worked my ass off for", he said with a shrug.

"You are crazy", I said.

"My assistant said it to me already. We are here ", he said.

Even as I said those words I knew it would never happen. For one thing, my father and Parker wanted me to do this. As Parker said whatever happened was because of Matt. All the repercussions of his actions lie with him. He is taking a person to live in his home who would make sure that none of his evil plans to sink the businesses of Sebastian Whitlock and Parker Reynolds would work. Even if I had to risk my life for that I would gladly do it.

We were walking side by side I was a bundle of nerves. I was scared to face the mobbing press. I could hear the conversation getting picked up after they spotted us then they went completely silent. I was stopped by Matt at the entrance and when I turned to him. He bent his lips to meet mine. I felt my blood sing when his lips moved with mine. My brain stopped working it was like the years apart never happened we were once again back where it all started. A flash of memory flew past my eyes Matt shouting at me in the hospital. I felt the responsiveness die from my lips. He must have sensed that and stopped kissing me. I couldn't speak for a few seconds I realised that we were being photographed madly.

"Why the fuck would you kiss me Matt?", I hissed at him.

"Relax I just did half the work. You should thank me", he said in a low voice.

I tried to compose my face and not show the world how affected I was because of a simple kiss from Matt. He took my hand and pulled out a chair for me. I took my seat and waited for the endless tirade of questions.

"Miss Whitlock sorry for asking but weren't you in a steady relationship with Mr Reynolds for three years?", asked a lady. At least one of them had manners.

"Yes, I was in a relationship with Parker. But things didn't work out", I said.

"We can understand Miss. Can you tell us what happened? The reports suggest that you cheated on Reynolds with Mr Farrell", said a snooty guy with no hair.

I was stunned into silence. Is that how the world perceives us right now? My reputation is ruined forever thanks to Matt's wild scheme.

"I would answer that question since it mentions me. No, she didn't cheat on him. Do your research before spewing nonsense", said Matt. I heard murmurs over how protective he was of me. He once cared for me but that was a long time ago. Now he would happily throw me to a pair of hungry wolves.

"Sorry for that Mrs Farrel I would like to beg forgiveness for what my colleague just said. Please tell us how you met and fell in love?", asked the lady reporter.

"Thanks. We met years ago and were friends. We got reacquainted and realised that we had something special ", I said trying to tell the truth as much as possible. I wasn't lying this was our story of how we fell but years ago. He put a hand over the back of my chair. I stiffened when I realised his hand was touching my shoulder.

"That is a good story but you still live at your home and you have no ring. We are supposed to believe that you are married and deeply in love", said the same bald guy.

This is it. We hadn't been here for five minutes still they discovered that we were lying. I should be relieved that we don't have to do this for three months. To my surprise, I was a little upset about that. I had no idea why.

"I was going to do this romantically but I guess why not just do it here? It was a quick wedding in court so I didn't follow the custom but I haven't forgotten it. So here it goes", he said taking my hand and placing a huge diamond ring on the top. I knew it might be expensive enough for one to hire a bodyguard to keep it safe. He then placed another simple wedding band. I was out of breath when I realised that he had given me the same ring that I returned to him after the divorce. He kept it for five years! Unthinkable! I was still reeling when he gently placed the band I once put on him with so much love in my hand. It was like history repeating itself. I put it on him with shaking hands.

"I felt like we got married for the second time", he said with a wink. I watched him while sucking my breath.

"That is some Stone care to tell us how much it costs ?", asked a reporter in jest.

"I can't put my wife's life in danger by revealing that sorry", he said unapologetically.

It had finally dawned on me. I felt a tear slip from my eye. I guess onlookers might think of it as a sign of love but it was my helplessness nothing else. I was being forced to live through the memories again.

"Let us wrap this up. We promised fifteen minutes and that is long over. Me and my wife have some honeymoon plans", said him with a wink.

"Where are you off to? Can we ask that?", asked another Young guy with a chuckle but by now tension had left the room.

"Sorry guys need privacy As I said it is our honeymoon. I wouldn't want you people snooping on us", he said with a smirk. The journalist nodded his head with a laugh.

He took my hand and stood up. I followed him mechanically. Once I reached our car safe and away from the prying eyes. I gave him a withering look.

"What was that for?", he asked me.

"Why would you do that?", I asked him.

"If I hadn't done anything they wouldn't have believed us. Come on don't act all high and mighty now", he said irritatedly.

"There are things that are not acceptable. The first thing is your kiss. I won't let you do that anymore. You gave me our old ring. Why would you do that?", I snapped.

"As I said, I kissed you to make us believable as a couple and I was right to do it before. The entire meeting you were stiff especially when my arms touched you and one of the reporters caught on to that. I saved the day. About the ring, I did it on a whim. Don't read too much to that ", he said with a shrug.

" No, I can't just shrug this off like you. I was engaged to Parker a short while ago. I still have feelings for him ", I told him.

" You always had feelings for him. But give it some time it wears off even the worst sort of addictions do", he said starting the car.

"I'm not addicted to him. I love him", I protested.

"You don't love that guy trust me I have seen you in love. Trust me you are not even close", he said.

"When have you seen me like that?", I asked while glaring at him.

"While you were on my bed", he said with a chuckle.

"That is enough. I'm getting out now. Stop the car", I said.

"This car won't stop until we reach my home", he said.

"No I want you to drop me in my home first", I said shaking with anger.

"That is not possible I talked to your father already. He said he will send you the clothes", he said.

"No way Matt. I'm not going to live with you", I said earnestly.

"Well first we are going on our honeymoon so you can have all your time to get adjusted to the idea", he said.

"I won't get adjusted to it. I will do whatever you and Father say except this one thing. I won't live with you", I said. The honeymoon comment doesn't even deserve a response from me.

"Sorry Meredith that is the only thing I'm demanding in return for giving your father funds to save the business", he said.

"Why are you doing this? Is this about revenge? You want to punish me for what happened years ago?", I asked him.

"No. I don't want to talk about it Meredith", he said fingers tightening over the steering wheels.

"I won't be going inside the house till you won't admit the real reason why you are doing this. I know it is just not about any business deal. There is something else. Isn't it? Tell me", I prodded him.

"Yes, there is. But I'm not going to say anything about it. I don't think you are ready to hear what I'm going to tell you. Also, there is no time. We are here already ", said him.

I saw that we had stopped now before a huge gate It opened slowly when he pressed a remote. "Welcome to my humble abroad", he said with a sarcastic smile.

"This place is not humble Matt", I said to him.

"I know", he said with a smirk.

"I would prefer you pretend before the staff that we have a real marriage. I can't let gossip start from my own house", he said thoughtfully.

"I will try my best", I said to him.

"I expect nothing less. Showtime princess", he said quickly getting out of the car and opening the car door for me. I sighed and got out. I wasn't ecstatic as one could imagine. I wasn't doing this on my free will.

"You could smile a little and stop acting as though you are being led to the slaughterhouse", said Matt his gaze unwavering.

"I can't help it. I'm not a great actress", I said trying to break the eye contact with him.

"You better learn then. Three months I want you to shower love on me", he said bending down and before I could even react he picked me up. I watched him in disbelief as he carried me to the house.