Married Again

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." 

The handful of guests that had been invited clapped and cheered us on. 

This was it. I was married to a stranger. A guy I barely knew. 

"Smile, Hailey." He whispered harshly beside me.

I turned to look at the man who had become my husband. The man who ruined my marriage had become my husband.

If life wasn't some mysterious bitch, then I didn't know what it was. 

I mustered a smile as the shutter clicks of camera were heard and seen in almost every direction. The needlessly expensive ring on my ringer felt heavy.

I'd removed a two-year old wedding ring just a week before to replace it with a new one today. Literally ten minutes ago.

I was twenty two and married twice already. This was unbelievable. My life was unbelievable.

It's been two weeks since I'd signed the divorce papers. Martha had mocked me after I'd returned and for the days that had followed, it had not been easy.

There was nothing to do now. I had a baby to raise. The morning sickness I underwent every morning was reminder enough. This baby made me sick a lot. 

There was no way to raise it without money and provide other things a baby needed. I didn't have any idea on how to be a mother and the person that was in the best position to teach me had made it clear she didn't like me.

In fact, she hated me and would never stop mocking me over my failed marriage which was my fault since I was a golddigger who could not stay with my rich husband but wanted a richer one.

No one knew I was the rich one. No one knew I owned the company, not even Uncle Pete. And I could not tell him because I felt ashamed of myself.

It was humiliating to tell anyone that the company and wealth that my father had trusted me with had been possessed legally by my ex-husband and I had willingly given it to him only to have it snatched from me.

People would mock me and tell me how stupid and dumb I was to have done that. 

I had tried to get access to the company's lawyers but they were unavailable. Christian had truly paid them. It was a lost battle for me. 

I had lost everything to my ex-husband and here I was, depending on another man to provide for me financially. The very man I should be suing and staying away from.

I could not say 'life is a bitch' enough.

It was a contract marriage — I would be his wife and end the rumors, while he took care of me and my baby. 

It was a reasonable deal but I was currently feeling like I had just dug a deeper hole for myself.

"Congratulations, Mr. Johnson." A man walked up to us to shake hands with Jared.

"Thank you, Mr. Black." Jared was all smiles.

Good for him. At least one of us was happy.

"I'd like to continue doing business with you, if it's alright. Especially now that we know she's...you know." The man glanced at me with a polite smile.

I smiled back, not knowing what else to do or how else to greet him.

"I'm glad the idea that I sexually harassed her is out of the way. It was just a misunderstanding." Jared's eyes were now twinkling with excitement.

And my guess was this Mr. Black had a lot to do with it, especially now that the man wanted to continue doing business with him.

The public was easily swayed by whatever they see and hear. Just provide evidence and all was well again.

"I'm glad that is out of the way." Jared nodded still smiling hugely.

This was an accomplishment for him.

"I'll fix a date for our next meeting." Mr. Black said before leaving.

My arm was hooked around his. We started for the crowd, the cameras still in our face. 

Some media personalities came with their recorders and microphones but Jared's security stopped them from crowding us. 

"Mr. Johnson, how come you're marrying her after the humiliating public ordeal?" One of the media person asked, trying to struggle to get to us.

"Why didn't we know about her before now given your fame?" Another threw at him.

My eyes scanned the crowd amidst the chaos. It was not my concern whatever answer he wanted to give them. 

"Why did you decide to publicly humiliate your husband, Mrs. Johnson?" Someone asked me.

I didn't give a reply. I was kind of intimidated by the crowd and the questions. I distracted myself by looking at everywhere and everyone but seeing nothing or no one in particular.

Until they landed on a pair of turquoise blue eyes. They glared coldly and hatefully at me. The owner of these pair of eyes curled her lips as though she would rather rip me apart with her bare hands.

Mia. Jared's beloved. 

I could understood her anger. It was hard and painful seeing the man you loved marry someone else.

I tore my gaze away from hers and found Martha on the other side of the wedding arena talking to her friends and laughing.

She seemed to be having fun. Or maybe she was finally happy her elite friends would no longer carry nor believe bad rumors of her son.

My attention went back to Jared who was busy grinning from ear to ear, engaging in conversations with business men. These men had been invited for solely the purpose of convincing them. 

And it was working because he seemed to be getting his deals back. 

"Congratulations, Mrs. Johnson." One of them extended an handshake.

I accepted it with a forced smile. "Thank you."

We continued to make rounds and I got tired. My baby wanted me to rest, and I was pressed as well.

"Excuse me." I disentangled my arm from his.

He pulled me back, probably not ready to let me go since I was the trophy everyone needed to believe he had acquired.

"I need to use the restroom." I answered his unasked question and walked away, dropping my bridal bouquet on a random table.

I had wanted to chose a simple dress but as usual Martha has wanted to show off to her friends and had gone all out to pick this heavy wedding dress.

She had planned everything and in all honesty, I didn't even care. It wasn't a real marriage. 

I walked into the hotel which was the venue for the wedding. Martha had chosen this hotel because it had a beach behind it.

She loved beaches, another thing I had realized about her.

I saw a washroom and went it.

I was hardly done with my business when someone entered. 

Surprised that someone had barged into a toilet that was in use, I saw it was Mia.

My heart skipped because from her expression, she had brought trouble with her. 

But I maintained a calm exterior. "What do you want, Mia?"

Without a word, she threw some thick liquid at me and proceeded towards me with a weapon.