Congratulations

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CHAPTER 1

My head throbbed, each beat matching the slow, pulsing ache behind my eyes as I squinted against the morning light pouring into the hotel room. 

I reached for my phone, hoping to check the time, but froze at the sight of an unread message. Blinking, I rubbed my temples, half afraid of what awaited me.

"Congratulations on your marriage. Here's your wedding picture. Happy married life!"

My heart skipped, and I bolted upright, instantly regretting the movement as nausea washed over me. 

With trembling fingers, I opened the attachment. 

There it was—a photo of me and a tall man, his face shadowed, holding a marriage certificate. 

I was laughing, eyes slightly glazed, looking deliriously happy, even if I could barely recognize myself.

"This has to be a mistake."

Panic rushed through me as the events of last night trickled back—the music, the drinks, the stranger who seemed to understand my every unspoken word, the wild thrill of something forbidden, something I should have avoided but didn't. 

And somehow, somewhere down the drunkenness, a marriage certificate.

My hands shook as I scrolled back to the message's sender. I dialed the number, fingers clumsy as dread pooled in my stomach. A woman's voice answered on the other end.

"Good morning, Mrs. Gold," she greeted cheerfully, oblivious to my panic.

"Uh… hi. I need some help. The man in the photo with me... could you give me his contact number?"

There was a brief pause as if checking with my words and wondering why I wouldn't have my husband's number before she replied, "Of course. Just a moment."

Seconds later, a new number popped up on my screen. Heart racing, I dialled, praying for some miracle explanation, some easy way out.

The line clicked, and a deep, velvety cold voice broke the silence. "Who is this?"

The chill in his tone made me momentarily forget why I'd called. I cleared my throat, forcing out the words. "This is… Kaia. Kaia Gold. I'm, um, the woman you married last night?"

Silence. 

Then, after what felt like an eternity, he sighed, sounding more irritated than surprised. "What do you want?"

"I… We need to get this annulled. A divorce," I stammered, each word tumbling out faster than the last.

"Fine. Let's meet. One hour, in front of the marriage registry."

Before I could respond, the line went dead.

I exhaled, my shoulders sagging with a strange mix of relief and embarrassment. Right. Now to tell Shawn somehow.

At least I had a bit of time before our wedding to plead with him and make this right.

**************

Shawn's apartment was quiet as I let myself in, the faint scent of his cologne and last night's after-party lingering in the air. 

My heels clicked on the floor as I navigated the familiar space, my mind scrambling for a way to explain. He would understand, right? A mistake—nothing more.

"Shawn?" I called softly, hearing no answer. Quickly, I made my way to his bedroom. 

My steps slowed as I noticed a trail of clothes leading to the half-open bedroom door, a smirk tugging at the edges of my lips. Probably one of his friends playing a prank.

As I pushed the door open, a soft rustle and a familiar laugh drifted out. Before I could make anything out, a lacy red bra and already worn panties fell from the top of the door and landed on my head. 

I yanked it off, the absurdity of the situation sinking in as I stared at the matching panties hanging from the doorknob.

In the dim light, I could just make out two figures on the bed, Shawn's bare back turned toward me, his arms wrapped around someone. And not just anyone. I recognized that red hair, those freckled shoulders—Summer. My nemesis.

My shock melted into fury as I threw the bra and panties at them. "Am I interrupting something?"

Shawn jerked, fumbling as he turned to look at me, his face pale and his mouth dropping open. 

Summer gave a pretend gasp, but she didn't move, shamelessly clutching the sheet to her chest with a smug smile.

"Kaia! I… I can explain!" Shawn stammered, his voice filled with desperation and guilt.

"Explain?" I spat, every syllable dripping with rage. I glared at him, my hands clenched tight. I didn't know why men always felt there was an explanation for their cheating. 

"You think you can explain this?" My voice grew louder, each word seething with anger as I stepped closer. "The wedding's off, Shawn. You can keep your cheap thrills and this trash." I nodded toward Summer, who gave me a snide little smirk.

Shawn reached out, trying to touch my arm, his eyes wide with pleading. "Please, Kaia. Don't overreact."

I didn't give him a chance to say more. I slapped him, the sound echoing off the walls, and he stumbled back, hand to his cheek, shock filling his eyes.

"Overreact?" I repeated, my voice cold. "We're done. I'm done." I turned on my heel, walking away with my head held high, leaving the remnants of our engagement—and my broken heart—behind me.

The clock read 8:00 a.m. I had a meeting to get to and an unexpected husband to face.

****************

Forty minutes later, I stood in front of the marriage registry, the morning chill seeping through my thin jacket. My heart hammered as I saw him—the stranger from last night. 

He stood by the steps, hands tucked in his pockets, his gaze unreadable as it settled on me. Blaze. That was his name, I vaguely remembered.

He looked at me, his face as stoic as it had been over the phone. "You're here for the annulment."

I nodded, but as the words formed on my lips, something stopped me. A strange feeling, one I couldn't quite name. I swallowed, choosing my words carefully. "Actually, I had a different idea. What if we... kept the marriage?"

One of his eyebrows lifted slightly, a glimmer of surprise breaking his icy demeanour. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

Heat flushed my cheeks, but I held my ground, refusing to let him intimidate me. Rather than answer, I changed the topic. "Six months. Just long enough to get my life sorted. It can be mutually beneficial. No complications."

Blaze gave a short, humourless chuckle, his eyes narrowing. "This morning you were hell-bent on an annulment and now what? Can't go without me for a few hours, can you?"

My cheeks burnt as a flash of anger flared. This was a mistake. What was I hoping for with this rude, stoic man?

"Forget it. We can just go inside and get this over with." I turned to walk toward the registry door, ready to end this farce of a marriage.

Before I could take another step, his hand shot out, his fingers closing around my wrist. He tugged me back, just enough to make me stop and meet his gaze, which was suddenly sharper, almost intense.

"Wait," he said in a low voice. "I…" There was a brief hesitation. "I accept your proposal." I blinked, not believing my ears. "But only for six months. And we'll do this my way, with terms."

I glanced down at his grip on my wrist, my skin tingling beneath his touch. "Fine," I muttered, pulling free from his hold and meeting his cold stare head-on. "I'm ready. What are your conditions?"

Blaze's lips twitched, almost a smirk, as he replied, "We'll sign a contract with terms that protect us both. You'll stay in my home, play the role of dutiful wife and have no outside... entanglements during the duration of the contract."

I swallowed, the reality of what I'd suggested sinking in. This was no longer a spontaneous decision made in the haze of last night. This was calculated. This was real.

"Alright." I kept my voice steady. "Let's get the contract ready, then I'll sign."

He gave a single nod, and together, we walked away from the registry. As his cold eyes met mine one last time, I couldn't shake the feeling that this marriage, temporary or not, was only the beginning of something far more complicated than either of us could imagine.

"I'll give you my card details. Once you are ready, give the number a call and someone will be there to pick you up to my house…" I parted my lips to speak but before I could utter a word, he cut in, "but only after you sign the contract."