CHAPTER 3

                    SAMANTHA'S POV 

I calmed down when I saw that I was the only one who heard him and I was over thinking everything else. I forced a smile on my face, trying my best to act as normal as I could, even though my heart was beating so loudly that I thought the whole church could hear it pounding against my chest. The air felt thick with tension, and I could barely breathe.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I’m sure we haven’t met before,” I said, my voice trembling slightly, maybe if I played it cool, he would explain what he meant and we'll both pretend last night didn't happen.

“We met last night at La Premiere.” He raised an eyebrow at me, clearly not buying my lie. His eyes bore into mine, making me feel like a cornered animal.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I have never visited a club my entire life,” I insisted, my palms growing sweaty.

“Deny all you want, young lady, but it doesn’t change the fact that you are a thief, and I will make you pay for it.” His words were like a dagger to my already fragile composure. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

The next five minutes dragged on as the priest kept explaining the concept of marriage to us. His voice was a distant hum in my ears as I kept zoning out, my mind racing with thoughts. I should be glad that I ended up not marrying Gregory Quin, but why did it have to be him of all people? There were billions of men in the world. Did the heavens pick him just to spite me?

My hands felt clammy as different negative scenarios played out in my mind. What if he was Gregory’s right-hand man, just standing in for the billionaire because Gregory fell and broke his back last night and was now in a wheelchair? Or maybe Gregory wasn’t the only one my father was owing, and he had also promised my hand in marriage to his other debtors. I shook my head inwardly. That was the most unlikely scenario, but the uncertainty gnawed at me.

We said our vows with less enthusiasm than a pair of strangers forced into a contract. He kept his accusing gaze on me the entire time, making my skin crawl. My heart kept beating fast as I thought of what to say to him, how to explain myself, how to escape this nightmare.

“If anyone can show just cause why this couple cannot be lawfully joined together in matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace,” the priest intoned.

I turned to the crowd, my eyes scanning the faces. My father looked like he was in a hot spot, sweat glistening on his forehead. Sandra looked very pissed off, her lips pressed into a thin line. Lisa, my stepsister, had jealousy written all over her face. It was clear that this was not what the mother and daughter duo had planned for me.

I looked at the door, wishing with all my heart that someone would burst in and announce why we shouldn’t get married. I needed someone to wake me up from this nightmare so badly. The silence in the church was deafening, and I felt like I was suffocating under the weight of my own fears.

“Stop staring at the door. No one is stopping this wedding from taking place.” The groom said, anger laced in his voice.

I ignored him and kept my gaze on the door. He was right, no one came. No one had ever come for me. Why did I think today would be different?

“By the power vested on me, I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” 

He held the back of my neck and lowered his face to mine. I expected him to place a small kiss at one end of my lips since he had been glaring daggers at me but he slammed his lips on mine the same way he did last night. I gazed into his mouth. He used the opportunity to force his tongue inside my mouth. The kiss was filled with hatred, annoyance and lust. He bit my bottom lips before releasing my lips and leaving me breathless. I could feel my cheeks turning pink.

The church bursted into a round of applause, cheering us. Cameras flashed at us.

He opened his palm and I stared at it for a while before placing my hand on it. 

“I was trying to help you last night and what did you do? You decide to steal from me." He said gritting his teeth.

“I don't know what you are talking about.” I replied, trying to hid the hurt, shock and also maintain the smile of a happy bride.

“you stole my watch."

“W-what watch, you literally gave it to me, remember?” He smiled at me.

“Are you going to keep lying? You not only approached me with a purpose last night. You also stole my watch. There is a camera footage of you picking it up after it fell from your hand in the lobby so don't even try to deny it, is your mother even sick?”

“I didn’t approach you with purpose. Trust me, if I knew that I was going to marry you today, I wouldn’t have approached you. I am as shocked as you were when I saw you at the altar. I was supposed to get married to Gregory Quin.” Saying his name with the word marriage would forever traumatize me. 

I shivered when I recalled that I almost got married to someone who was two years older than my late grandfather. I wonder how the expressions on all the faces of these people who just watched us get married would be if they were here to witness my marriage with Gregory Quin and not…God! It just struck me that I don't know his name. I do not know the name of the person who I just got married to and took his last name.

“Gregory Quin is my uncle. He passed away yesterday,” he said, his tone flat as he led me into the already opened car. The leather seats felt good against my skin. It took a lot of self control not to moan in satisfaction as I sat down.

“He is already dead?! That fast?! I didn’t expect my prayers to be answered that quickly.” I chuckled, a nervous, hollow sound that echoed in the confined space of the car.

The laughter dried off my lips when I realized what I had just said. He stared at me with an expressionless face, his eyes dark and unreadable.

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” I said, not feeling sorry at all. My words were empty, a mere formality. 

It was at the burial of people like Gregory Quin that the world should celebrate. Every woman he had abused would be planning to throw a huge party to celebrate his death. I would not hesitate to honor the invitation if I was invited to any. Of course, I would be invited to his burial considering that I'm ‘family’ now and I won't hesitate to tell him how much I hate and how he should be grateful to God for taking him up early before I commit my first murder.

“If Gregory Quin is dead, then the agreement he had with my father is void. Why did we get married?” I asked, my voice tinged with desperation.

“It was his last wish,” he replied, pursing his lips. I couldn’t get more irritated. What psychopath wishes his nephew would get married to someone in his place? And what fool accept to get married to a stranger because it was his uncle's last wish?

“Look, from what I have gathered up until now, we were both tricked into this marriage. I will write off your father’s debt and grant you a divorce because I don’t wish to live under the same roof as a lying and thieving person like you.”

“Where are the papers? Can I sign them now?” I asked him happily. I couldn’t stop smiling. My problems had been solved, or so I thought.

“Not too fast. Under one condition.” He narrowed his eyes, his gaze piercing through me.

“Anything.” I nodded eagerly.

“You need to give me back my watch.” The smile drained off my face. I didn’t expect that.

“Are you serious? Of all things you could ask? That watch wasn’t even expensive. If you are really the nephew of the late billionaire Gregory Quin, isn’t that such a cheap watch for you to carry? If you are in love with cheap watches like that, you can afford a hundred of them. Honestly, I didn't even steal it, you gave it to me, it was the only watch I saw in the suitcase when you asked me to go take it. I didn't steal it.”

“That wasn't the one I asked you to take dummy, that watch is customized. Give it to me, and you get your divorce.”

I nodded. It was a weird situation, but it was easy. I just had to go back to the pawn shop and ask them not to sell the watch off while I worked harder to buy it back.

“The pawn shop I sold it at is a few blocks from here.”

“You sold my precious watch to a scrap dealer?” he asked in annoyance, his voice rising.

“Stop shouting. It barely cost a reasonable amount, plus it's not my fault you didn't specify the one you wanted me to take, you still have to apologize for calling me a thief, Sir.”

"I'll decide that when you bring back my watch, safely."

I scoffed.

He stopped me in front of the pawn shop and drove off without wasting a single minute. The abruptness of his departure left me standing there, feeling abandoned and exposed.

People stared at me as I made my way to the pawn shop, obviously wondering why a bride was in the market. Their curious gazes felt like needles pricking my skin.

“Good day, sir. I dropped off a watch here this morning, and I would like to get it back. What is your price?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“It has been sold out,” the shopkeeper replied, not even looking up from his work.

“Excuse me?” I prayed my ears weren’t functioning properly.

“It has been sold out, but I have another version of the same watch…”

“Who did you sell it off to? Can I get a contact?”

“No. We keep our clients’ information a secret,” he replied without sparing me a glance.

I removed the necklace I was wearing and was ready to bribe him with it when my phone rang. The sudden sound made me jump.

It was my mother’s doctor, and I hastily picked up the call.

“You need to come now. Something is wrong.”