5

My hands immediately began to tremble as they were still gripping my gown, murmurings filled the hall and the infuriated look on Luke’s face made it known to me that I was doomed. 

“You may kiss your bride.” The pastor repeated in a different tone.

Tristan still had his eyes drawn in askance at me. After glancing around shortly, he wore a smile, obviously to not make things look awkward since people from different media houses were here. 

“Bride,” he said through his smiling teeth, held my hands and pulled me closer to him, connecting his lips to mine. 

His kiss made every form of worry leave me instantly, it immediately felt like we were alone, in a heavenly place, as sparks continued to travel from my lips to my lungs, spreading to every part of my body in a twinkle of an eye. 

My entire world of sudden comfort came crumbling down after the kiss ended and I was drawn back into the real world; where there was fire on the mountain that was called 'my life’.

“And now it is my privilege to introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Hendrix.” The pastor announced and everyone, except their family members, clapped. 

After the recessional and the wedding ceremony, Indy, Luke, Kade, Hames, Trisha, Imogen, Nikita, Amanda, and Tyler, all came towards us.

“Hazel!” Lila exclaimed, looking so breathless, with beads of sweat on her forehead.

“Don’t create a scene, we wouldn’t want it to go viral. Stay calm, I’m sure all is fine.” Imogen said to her. 

“Stay calm?” She scoffed. “Where is Indy?” She snapped at me. 

“Uh…” I trailed off, “she eloped with her boyfriend.” 

“What?!”

“Boyfriend?” Imogen frowned. 

“Don’t create a scene here.” Hames added.

“We’ll meet at my house.” Tristan, who still had an expressionless face, grabbed my wrist to lead me out.

We all left the venue and were bombarded by flashes and questions from cameras and reporters:

—“wasn’t your bride supposed to be Indy Ricardo?”

—“What happened?”

—“Who is she?”

—“Isn’t she Indy’s best friend?”…

The questions weren’t ending, they were making me extremely nervous and all I could do was lower my head. 

While the bouncers were doing a great job in stopping them from reaching us, Tristan still had his hand wrapped around my wrist then he led me to the car while others left for their cars.

“Get in.” He gruffed. I got in then he did the same, shutting the door. “Home.” He simply said to the driver.

“I thought I was supposed to drive you to the airport.” The driver murmured, starting the car and zoomed out of sight. 

Tristan’s face seemed even colder, increasing my fear. My heart’s excessive pounding had taken my breath completely. 

Without a word, he only picked his phone, frowning harder than anyone could ever frown while typing furiously. Oh God…

After a few minutes of constantly glancing behind me to watch the cars of their other family members tailing far behind us, I finally decided to speak, “Tristan, did Indy—”

“Don’t.” He cast a very dangerous glare in my direction. “Don’t say anything, total silence.” It sounded like more of a command that I had to follow. Due to fear, uneasiness and the tension around me, I didn’t bother to get offended by his tone but instead continued dwelling in my realm of fear. 

Where on Earth was my phone? I had to call Indy. I couldn’t believe she tricked me. Gosh, I felt like the biggest fool ever.

The drive finally ended then we stopped in front of an extremely grand dark and light grey, probably acrylic, house exterior mansion with white window grids and window headers. Some part of the wall was glass, and there were a lot of elephant shrubs and a few trees around the building. Once again, my worry flushed away at the beautiful sight in front of me.

He wrapped his hand around my wrist again and pulled me out of the car, still frowning.

“Why?” He asked through gritted teeth, not bothering to go in first.

“Why? You’re asking why I got married to you instead of Indy?” I was biting my lower lip furiously, really beyond pissed off that Indy could ever tell such a big lie to me, that devil!

“I should’ve known.” He scoffed. “Indy was always on and on about how great you are but you’re just like others, you’re all gold-diggers, trying to swing out of poverty by trapping billionaires like us with your filthy tricks.” The extreme contortion of his face would’ve scared me if my head didn’t just explode from his words. 

“Gold-digger?” I frowned too. “Don’t question my character. I had no idea—”

He cut me off, “so you expect me to smile when you exchanged places with my bride just for money?” He hollered. “That’s very cheap of you, you’ve—” 

“Indy deceived me.” I clenched my fists, really pissed off by Indy. 

“Oh, really? So she forced you to get married to me?”

“She didn’t but she said you were aware.” 

“Wow, lies. I’m so furious right now. I can’t believe this nonsense. Why are you middle class people always trying to get out of poverty without working for it? Why would you play dirty tricks? That’s simply why I never associate with middle class people because you’re all fucking gold-diggers!” He was raising his voice at every word, making my head swell with anger so much. I swear I could break this man’s bones if I had the strength to do so. 

I wanted to scream and set him in his place for questioning my character. I was beyond pissed off but my brain was unable to produce the proper words anymore and my mouth just said whatever came out of it. “So what if I’m a gold-digger? Who would enjoy being in poverty and living with a crazy Aunt? What if I also want to live a luxurious life, uh? What if I also want to be a billionaire, a billionaire’s wife?” I hollered. 

He looked like he had just been hit by a trailer of shock. “Wow,” he huffed. “Dios, tan barato, no puedo creer estas tonterías. (Gosh, so cheap, I can’t believe this nonsense).” Uh?

 Three cars pulled over behind his car and both family members as well as his sister and Aunt Mandy came out of the cars. 

~ TRISTAN ~

After coming out of the cars, Aunt Lila ran to grasp Hazel's shoulders. “Where’s Indy?” This woman looked like she was going to pass out soon. 

“She eloped with a guy called Ian.” Hazel explained, shooting daggers at me from her hazel eyes. 

“Where is she?!” Luke hollered, making her flinch.

“I really don’t know.”

“Try calling her, Tristan.” Mom asked with worry-filled tone.

“I already did and she didn’t answer my call either.”

“I should’ve known something was fishy when she said Hazel wasn’t going to attend the wedding and she wanted only Hazel with her.” Aunt Lila broke into tears.

“She isn’t answering any of our calls. Please tell us where she is.” Uncle Kade asked in a more gentle tone. “This will affect Lila’s health. Please, Hazel, let us know where she is.” He pleaded.

“I promise you I don’t know.” She still insisted on lying? How could she be so annoying?

“Of course she doesn’t know,” I added. “They are all the same, only interested in the money, the benefits, not thinking of the consequences.”

“Don’t say that, there must’ve been a good reason behind this, right Hazel?” Dad asked.

“She already admitted to it, it’s just for money.”

“How can you be my daughter-in-law now?” Mom frowned. “This still makes no sense. Why did you exchange places with Indy? Why won’t you tell us where she is when everyone is so worried?”

“I already said I don’t know where she is.” She pressed on. Still stupid lies. Only heavens knew how much Indy must’ve paid her to lie to everyone, Indy was well known for wasting money so she could’ve paid her a fortune for this nonsense. I was getting angrier every second. I had never felt this infuriated and heartbroken in my entire life, not even after Lucy’s incident.

“Ian.” Luke said with gritted teeth, clenching his old hands into fists. 

“This still seems like a movie to me.” Dad chuckled. How on Earth could he chuckle in a situation like this?

“My only daughter,” Aunt Lila said, sounding like she was out of breath and almost fell but Uncle Kade caught her in his arms.

“Take her home, Kade.” Luke said angrily, taking his phone out and started calling whoever he was calling while Aunt Lila and Uncle Kade left for their car and it was driven away.

“Don’t ever return to me. This is your home now. For all we care, the newspaper stated that Tirstan’s family will give the Bride 10 karat Diamond wedding ring as dowry, we’ll receive that.” Mandy smirked then staggered out of sight like a drunkard. They just wanted that? Birds of the same feather. Middle-class…

“Why, Hazel? Why? I really thought she was a good friend to Indy, I thought she was a good and trustworthy person, but just for money?” Mom’s face was still so stern while Hazel’s face was so blank.

“It has happened, she’s now our daughter-in-law. I don’t know why but I like it.” Dad smiled. What was wrong with this man?

“Hames!” Mom exclaimed and he chuckled. 

“Welcome home, child. We have to leave now, Nikita. Tristan, Imogen, all things work together for good. She’s a sweet person, I know that.” Dad gently pulled Mom who seemed like she was running out of her mind, with him and to their car.

Nikita had her arms folded across her chest, clearly saving her words for the last.

“I really don’t know what to say to you, man.” Kye shrugged. “It’s actually great, don’t make any decision out of anger, you didn’t want to get married to Indy anyway. I have to leave now, my wife needs me, she won’t stop calling. By the way, Hazel, I’m Kye, your husband’s best friend. Happy married life.” He gave Hazel a handshake though she clearly didn’t want one, taking his leave afterwards.

“I need you to find her, dead or alive! She must pay for going against my order! She’ll be ruined for this terrible mistake, that stupid woman.” Luke startled me by yelling to whoever was on the other end of the line. He was definitely referring to Indy. Crazy old man. “You still won’t say where Indy is? You’ll regret your actions very soon, young woman.” He threatened Hazel then also left for the car.

“So are you going to say anything or what?” I asked Nikita. 

“What can I say? Didn’t I warn you to stay away from such cheap, worthless, crappy, middle-class people? They only want money, but you won’t listen. So classless.” She said, glaring at Hazel with disgust-filled eyes. 

Hazel rumpled her gown, clenching her fists. It was obvious that she was mad at Nikita’s words but I’d have been even angrier if this had happened yesterday or a few minutes before the wedding. Maybe Nikita had always been right after all.

“Sister-in-law. Silly me was excited to have Indy as a sister-in-law” She scoffed, heading towards the car when it honked. 

I spared a glance at Hazel before storming into the house, and used the elevator to go to my room on the second floor. 

After getting rid of my clothes, I had a long bath to get rid of my anger, returned to the room and got into my pajamas. 

My eyes travelled to outside the window and I noticed Hazel sitting on the floor, resting against the car, while the driver was talking to her.

He held her shoulder, probably consoling her but her face remained pale like she was in shock, not paying attention to the fact that a man was taking advantage of her by caressing her stylishly. 

What gave this stupid man the right to touch his boss' wife?

I ordered a maid to my room. “That woman downstairs, she’s my wife.” I frowned again, stopping myself from cringing. “Send her in. If she doesn’t agree to come in, make sure the security men force her here but not roughly, she’s a woman.” 

She nodded and took her leave.

I picked my laptop and started working on it. After a few minutes, Hazel was gently pulled into the room by two hefty security men and the maid with them. They left then shut the door after I dismissed them.

She didn’t even glance at me and her face looked so blood-drained.

“We’re staying in this room together. That’s what you want, right? To be with a rich guy, to be famous? Shit, I’ll have to sort this out with social media.” I groaned, raking my hair with my fingers.

“Can I borrow your phone? I have to call Indy, I left mine at the wedding venue.” She said, still not looking at me. So now she could talk to Indy?

“Don’t even dream of touching anything that belongs to me. Tomorrow, someone will fix the room for your belongings.” I scoffed and left the room to avoid feeling really pissed off again. 

Heartbroken and disappointed were an understatement to what I was feeling at the moment. I was so disheartened to know that the woman I had developed weirdly strong feelings for, Hazel Evan, was also like the other women I had come across, especially Lucy, all making fun of my emotions.

 I was thinking I was finally given the grace like my father, to probably experience what they called true love, from a gentle, angelic, loving, honest, kind, pure person but guess who was so damn fucking wrong? This idiot… me. 

I would’ve gladly married her if it had happened normally but by her actions and the fact that she had admitted that this was only to get out of poverty, to be famous, it confirmed that Nikita had always been right, I had fallen for the wrong person.

These women were all the same, all the fucking same!

Author's note: Thanks for reading!

 This book officially starts on August 11/August 12, 2021. Thursday (12:39pm). 

If you haven't read Millionaire's Hot Secretary (the story of Tristan's parents) yet, you can check it out now. Indy and Tristan's marriage was planned from the Epilogue🙃.

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Sorry for the long A/N.