Chapter 2

“Venus?” I heard Earl call my name and squeeze my hand, frustration laced in his voice.

He raised his brow and stared into my eyes and I momentarily wondered what was so important that he had to get married to someone like me when he could have gotten a more sophisticated lady of his class.

“Miss Lawrence?” The registrar called, peering out of his square-shaped glass, which rested on his nose.

“Yes, I do”, I responded, fixing my gaze on Earl, who let out a breath I never knew he was holding.

The wedding was finalized and Ben, Earl's driver, served as our witness.

It was hard to believe that I was married at 22 years old to a man that has no respect for me.

**********

“What next? When will I receive the money?” I asked the moment we stepped out of the hall.

Earl checked his wristwatch ignoring my question.

“Earl what_”

“Can you stop talking?” He cut in and looked at me irritatedly. “In there, you seemed like you were going to change your mind about the whole thing, and now you are eager to receive payment for something you almost cancelled?”

I sighed and looked away, he wouldn't understand if I explained to him. “I'm sorry,” I muttered.

I felt his eyes on me, silence enveloping us.

He sighed and said, “Ben will take your bank details and I'll transfer your money before the day ends. Also, give him your home address so that he will come pick you up in the evening. Go home and get the important things you need, but don't take your clothes, I can't have my wife wearing thrifts.”

I glanced at him briefly and nodded, it felt good hearing him call me his wife and not a nobody. Maybe he wasn't that bad.

*******

I placed the last book in my mini box as I packed my stuff. All I had in the bag were my novels and the two clothes I couldn't drop.

“Venus, are you sure about this?” Fiona asked, staring up at me from the bed she sat on.

Fiona and I have been friends since I migrated to the country three months ago. We met when I was searching for a job at a coffee shop where she worked.

The manager had told me there was no vacancy but I stayed around because I had nowhere to go.

She was surprised to see me still seated outside the shop when she closed for work and she offered to take me in till I could stand on my feet, but we grew to become best friends and have been housemates ever since.

I smiled and replied, “Are you asking this because you'll miss me?”

“Of course, I'll miss you, but I'm worried you'll be unhappy. I am not complaining about your stay here and you can stay for as long as you want. I'll gladly buy the food till you get another job.”

“Fiona” I heaved a sigh and sat on the bed, holding her hand. “I know you care about me and I am blessed to have you in my life, but you know I need this money to clear the debt incurred during my mother's treatment”

“I know, but there should be another way. Two years is too long to be unhappy and stuck in a marriage with that rude man you told me about”

“You don't even know him Fiona” I laughed at her expression.

“And I don't want to know him. You already said so much about him and none of it is good”

“Fiona, my mom's health took all we had, we sold all the properties dad left for us before his death, mom was on treatment for seven years before she finally died. Although she is dead, I still have to pay for all the money borrowed else Sir Josh would have me as his sex slave.”

I paused, fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall.

“I can't be his sex slave, Fiona. He can be ruthless, and he gave me only one year to get his money, which was why I left Srindad. I also have my brother to take care of. The last time I called his doctor, he told me Abel needed urgent medical attention before his leukaemia got worse. Abel and Annabelle are the only family I have left, I can't afford to lose any of them.”

I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. Fiona pulled me in for a hug and patted my back.

“I know all these Vee, I'm just scared about what could happen, we don't even know the main reason he chose to marry you secretly and quickly”

“Yeah, I guess I'll find out when I get to his house” I replied, not wanting to think too much about it.

“I'll support whatever decision you make. I wish I could help beyond this, I really wish I could.”

I pulled away from the hug and smiled at her with my teary eyes.

“You've helped me a lot already, Fiona. You took me in when I had nowhere to go, and you have been more than a friend. You are my sister.”

“Oh, you are going to make me cry” she teased

I laughed and tickled her but my ringing phone stopped me from going further.

It was an unsaved number.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Miss Lawrence, sorry, Mrs White, I'm here to pick you up, I hope you are ready?”

I felt my heart skip at the realization that I was truly going to live with Earl as his contract wife.

“Hello, Mrs White?” The voice came again

“Yes yes, I'm ready. I'll be outside in the next five minutes” I replied and hung up.

I stared at Fiona and she understood. She hugged me again like she wasn't going to ever see me.

“Fiona, stop acting like I'm going there to die, I'll be fine.”

It was more of an assurance to myself than it was to her. I needed to believe I would be fine because I didn't know what to expect living a fake life in a strange home.