The marriage

Bruna

My eyes scanned the different delicacies in front of me. 

Across the table, was Caden's mother and younger sister. Marigold and Phoebe respectively.

 None of them have been able to lift their spoons to their mouth as they occasionally stared at me. Phoebe, on the other hand, looked as though she could stab me with the fork in her hand.

For that reason, I haven't been able to eat as well. Caden had sent his swat of guards to pick me up in a convoy of black Rolls-Royces.

I didn't know he asked them to bring me to his family residence. When they did, the first thing I was welcome with was a table filled with food.

Caden wasn't even home. What did they plan to do with me?

“Are you pregnant for my brother or is this some kind of scheme to take money from him or make a way for yourself?”

Phoebe dropped her fork on her plate and bridged her hands on the table. Her eyes were on me.

I picked a piece of watermelon with my fork and leaned in my chair. I brought the fork to my mouth and pulled the watermelon into my mouth. I slowly chewed. My eyes on her as well.

“I know my brother is a player, but he will never bring someone like you home.” She continued. 

Someone like me. I resisted the urge to laugh. 

The squeaking sound of the door sent my head swirling towards it.

Caden walked through the door dressed in black pants, a black shirt, and a black jacket in his hands.

He walked up to the table and made a beeline for his family. He placed a kiss on his mother's cheek, and another on his sister's head. He pulled a chair and sat across from me.

“Bruna right?” He questioned. My eyes met his face.  His light green eyes were prominent in daylight.

I nodded.

“Are you pregnant for me?” His piercing eyes moved to my face “...or is this some kind of game?” 

His calm tone did surprise me though.  I expected him to use those derogatory words he used on me when we first met.

“Yes, she is  and you will sit and figure this mess out.” His mother wailed from her seat. “You shouldn't have let this happen at a time like this.”

"She can't be pregnant, Mother.  She must be here for a reason. Why would she only come when Caden is going in for elections?”

My attention wasn't on what Phoebe said but it was on her brother. Light green eyes to kill for. Lips are so pink, smooth, and perfect for a kiss. Dark hair tousle in that bad boy manner. Too bad I didn't get a chance to explore all that last time because I was on a mission.

"But he was  at Vortex with her?" His mother said with a stern expression.

I waited for what he had to say.  He couldn’t possibly deny it.

She looked to be the type of woman who didn't want her reputation shaded and I was happy about that. This would probably make things easier for me.

"I was, but I don't remember sleeping with her."

"How could you say that? You invited me in. We drank and then we slept together. You enjoyed it and even asked for us to meet again.”

I let the tears I had been holding for moments like this fall freely down my face. I stared at his mother and then at Caden whose green eyes were now staring daggers at me.

He wasn't about to deny this pregnancy right? 

I braced myself on the chair waiting for what he had to say.

“Well, I will take care of the baby and then you sort yourself out.”

Oh, wait! What? My heart limped in joy. Actual tears rolled down my cheeks. My plans hadn't been in vain, right? I will finally use this pregnancy as a stepping stone to get the revenge I wanted. 

"She is the late  Austin King's daughter, Caden. A sister to Lucas King. Taking care of the baby wouldn't be enough." His mother announced.

But what was his mother driving at? 

"And I said I will take care of the baby. I don't have any business with her or her family.”

"I'm not about to have a grandchild born out of wedlock, so you will marry her.” 

His mother said with finality as she stood up. Caden's eyes shot up to her. He stood up as well.

“ You can't possibly say that, mother. I don't know this girl. I have no connection with her.” I watched his jaw tick. His hands clenched like he was holding himself back from hitting something.

I watched the whole exchange in confusion. She didn't even ask for my opinion. Marriage was never in my plans.

“You should have thought about that before sleeping with her. I want my grandchild to be brought up in a home with both parents.”

“Mother, she is a stripper. What would the world say when they learn of this?” He announced, but his mother seemed to be done with the discussion as she stood up and left the table.

I braced myself on the chair. Fist clenched tightly around the fork. He kept calling me a stripper.  How dare he say that?

“Don't you call me a stripper…” I stood up, my eyes on him

“Or what? Isn't that what you're?” Phoebe retorted and I had to calm down because I didn't want this to backfire.

I sat down on the chair. I needed to act carefully. 

I have sacrificed a lot to be here. So what was the harm in marrying him? I mean, I had nothing to lose here.

***

Lucas held my arm in his as we walked down the aisle. I looked through my veil at the people sitting in the audience. 

Marigold, who kind of looked proud, Phoebe who looked like she had been anywhere else but here while Luna had a sinister expression on her face because she knew exactly what this was all about. Hopefully, my cover didn't blow up till the end of this game I was playing. 

Caden stood in front of the altar in his expensive black tuxedo with a stoic expression on his face. 

 When I was in front of him, Lucas let go of my hand and went to take his seat in the audience. The priest said a few words,  we exchanged vows and it kind of sounded funny to me, given what my mission was.

I was here at the altar exchanging vows with one of the richest men across the globe and the next president of the country. 

“ Congratulations, you are now husband and wife. May your marriage be blessed.”

The priest said and stepped behind.

“Kiss the bride,” Luna exclaimed in the audience with her signature high-pitched voice. 

“No need for that.” Caden immediately waved it off.

“Kiss the Bride.” Three other voices added behind us.

He rolled his eyes and pulled me by the arm. When I was in front of him. He lifted my veil off with one hand and leaned in.

I tried leaning back but his hand caught my neck, warmth flushed down my body. His lips landed on mine.

I blinked. My hands itching to hold him as his lips work on mine. Soft, smooth, a delicious taste that I couldn't describe. 

Was this how kissing Caden Woodman felt like? Then I wanted to keep doing…

Then the warmth left my mouth. He wiped his lips and made his way to the door. Just wow!

The rest of us followed him behind. The moment the door was opened, a group of reporters flooded the entrance. Caden quickly stepped behind like he had just been touched with a hot iron. 

“He is here.” One of them shouted and immediately the camera lights started flashing in front of us,  lights so bright that they could blind someone.

“No. You need to get out of here.” Marigold turned to Caden who was behind me. She clutched his  his right wrist in a protective manner.

I glanced at Caden whose jaw was tight, sweat breaking on his face. 

What was happening to him? Then it suddenly hit me. The population and questioning. During my years of watching him, I learned he wasn't used to crowds.

On instinct,  I grabbed his hand. He hesitated for a while before letting me hold it. I squeezed it gently to calm him down. 

Just in time, I caught the side of a back door. 

“There's a back door.” He nodded and we scooted towards the door and luckily, it was opened.

“Are you fine?” I asked the moment we stepped outside.  A soft breath of fresh air hit my body.

Like he just realized I was holding his hand, he seized it and stepped away from me. He then looked at me like I was a stranger like he didn't just marry me.

He rubbed a hand down his face and glared at me with a frown.

“Don't ever come close or touch me, unless I say so.”

He looked down at my stomach.

“We might be married but my only concern is the child you are carrying. Anything else, you should ask my mother.”

A black Sedan stopped in front of us.

He left me behind and strolled towards it. He entered inside and then realizing he was with someone, he sent his head outside.

“Drive with my mother.” 

Seriously?

Well, I rode with his mother who kept telling me to be easy with her son because he was always like that. And that I should focus on taking care of the child in me.

She promised to spoil me rotten.

The funny part was that I was not pregnant. Luna King and Lucas King weren't my biological siblings.