Chapter 3

"My what?" Zoe exclaimed as if she had heard wrong. She had only one husband and he was six feet below the ground. Unless Francis reincarnated into this tall devil with amazing hair, then her mother better started talking.

"What are you saying?"

The man smiled at her but remained quiet.

"Don't sound too shocked Zoe." Margery said. "He is Avery Trent, very popular. You should know him. Trent Airlines is...."

"I don't mean that type of explaination mother." Zoe said, interrupting her. "I'm asking what you meant by he is my husband."

"Because he is." Margery said to her. "You guys are almost married, we just need your signature." Then she stretched her hands towards Avery who gave her a manilla envelope. "In this document. You see?" Margery brought out the marriage certificates and handed it over to her and Zoe couldn't believe her eyes.

"What are you doing, mum?"

"Oh, Margery you haven't told her yet?" The man asked, shaking his head. "That's such a shame."

"So sorry Avery." Margery apologized, turning to look at her daughter.

"Can I have a word with you?" Zoe asked, standing on her feet and when Margery didn't budge, shouted. "Now?"

"Yeah, sure." Margery said and followed her into the adjoining room.

"What are you up to mother?" Zoe asked her.

"You need to marry him, Zoe." Margery said to her immediately, peeping to make sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Why?" Zoe asked. "What have you done?"

Margery remained quiet, biting her lips. Yes, she was a controlling woman, but an angry Zoe is not someone to mess around with.

"It's the company." She answered.

"And what about it?" Zoe asked.

"It's in trouble, Zoe. If you don't marry Avery, we might lose it forever."

"We?" Zoe asked. "Ever since papa passed away, you have been the only one running the company. Why do I have to be the one to clean up your mess?"

"Because it's our company. Whether you like it or not, the company is ours and your father adored it."

"Don't you dare use him to manipulate me." Zoe exclaimed.

"He worked hard." Margery continued knowing that was the weakest point to use to get to her. Everyday he worked to make it what it is now. We can't lose it, Zoe."

"Are you listening to yourself right now?" Zoe asked her, pacing the room and then coming back to look into her eyes. "You want me to save the company with my freedom?  You're selling me off mother."

"I am not." Margery defended.

"And you are doing so, just six months after the death of my husband. How does that even sound to you?"

"Zoe...."

'Did you kill Francis?"

"Zoe!" Margery exclaimed in horror, looking wide eyed at her daughter.

"There's nothing you cannot do to achieve your aim. If you can sell me off without my consent, then why won't you kill Francis to make me free to do your bid?"

"Don't speak that way to me young woman." Margery said. "I made a wrong business decision that is threatening to fold our company and Avery Trent is offering to help pull it out of the well. We should be grateful."

"On my own expense?" Zoe asked, moving closer to her again with clenched teeth. "I am mourning mother, I am a widow."

"He doesn't need to know that." Margery responded in a hushed voice. "He won't know if you don't tell him. You told me three months ago that you want your marriage and everything that came with it to be buried ." She continued. "You are a young, unmarried woman to Avery Trent and you can keep it that way."

Zoe stared at her, breathing from ear to ear. Then when she was calm, opened her mouth to speak again.

"You're sure he doesn't know about it?"

"He doesn't. You can save the business from collapsing. Also, you don't need to love him. Francis has your heart and that's okay, just be his wife." She said. "It will keep your hands and head filled until you forget everything about..."

"Francis is not just a memory mother, so don't you dare."

Margery nodded her head, halting her words immediately. There was no need to provoke her further.

Zoe stormed out of the room, back into the green house and Avery looked up to indulge her. They stared at each other for a moment with Zoe assessing him and to his surprise, she bent, took the marriage certificate and pen from the table and signed the papers.

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

"What is your favorite holiday?" Avery asked Zoe as they sat in the back seat of his black limousine, heading to his hotel. He had suggested that they got acquainted with eachother, just incase his family got nosy. She didn't like the idea but he was her husband and the one doing her and her mother a favor. She had to be as submissive as possible.

"Easter." She replied and he was taken aback. 

"Every ordinary girl would say Christmas, I mean it's a very joyous occasion." He said, genuinely surprised.

"Well I'm not ordinary." She replied. "I'm a Catholic and the celebration after lent has always been sacred to me."

He nodded his head, crossing his legs and she wondered just what in God's name was on his mind.

"What about yours?" She asked, trying to sound interested.

"Thanksgiving." He replied. "That's when my family is always complete. We never miss it for anything in the world."

''So, you are a family man." She said and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Favorite color?"

"Black."

He scoffed. "Of course."

"Yours?"

"Blue." He replied and she scoffed as well. 

"Of course." She said.

They stared at each other again. It was like a battle between two relentless fighters.

"What food do you hate the most?" Avery asked again.

The question surprised her and she tilted her head to analyse him. "Normal people would have just asked what my favorite food was."

"I don't care about your favorite food. I just need to know what not to feed you." He replied and she shook her head. "Sushi."

"Oh." He exclaimed, taking his time to access her. "Why?"

"I just don't get why rice should be treated like that and why I should eat raw fish with it." She replied. Avery nodded, understanding her reason immediately.

"What's the worst memory you have and can never forget?" He asked and the look in her eyes changed.

'My husband's death.' She said, but not out loud. It seemed he saw the hint in her eyes because he dropped the subject and turned to look out the window instead. "We are almost at the hotel." He said to her. "What else do I need to know about you?"

"Nothing." She replied.

"Good." He said, getting out of the car and allowing the valet to help her out. Together, they walked into one of his family's hotels and was greeted by the workers around. Inside the elevator, he turned to her.

"We are going to be sleeping in the same room, I don't know what twisted idea you have of marriage but this is a real one, at least for me."

"Same room?" Zoe asked, surprised but he ignored her.

"My mother will ask questions because I usually involve her in things I do, so this one might be shocking to her. So you don't talk, I do the talking."

"Sure thing." Zoe replied, worried about his stern tone. This was definitely not the man speaking and flirting with her in her mother's house few minutes ago. "But where are we going?" She asked when the elevator seemed to be taking too long.

"The penthouse. It is reserved for important people or events. We use it for family functions. This particular hotel is the closest to all of us."

Zoe nodded her head at him. "I do have one question."

"Which is?"

"What will you be getting out of this marriage? You can't just be doing it because you need a wife."

Avery turned his head to study her before answering. "Thirty percent of Madrigal Hotels." He replied and she opened her eyes in shock.

"What?"

"Yes." He replied, looking away and dropping the subject immediately. "I'm going into business with your mother."

Zoe clenched her first, trying not to get mad at him. It seemed like she and her mother were being cheated.

The elevator continued to count and when they were almost at the top, he turned to her again. 

"One more thing."

"What?" She asked reluctantly and before she knew what was amiss, he grabbed her and placed his lips against hers just as the door of the elevator opened.

"Surprise." Rang out by a group of people and she could hear popping sounds followed by gasps. Avery made sure to give her a good kiss before releasing her to face the crowd.

"What the hell?" Someone exclaimed.