Chapter 142. THE WEDLOCK (JOSHUA)

Chapter 142. THE WEDLOCK (JOSHUA)
“Knock, knock. Boss?”
Erick poked his head out from behind the door. He grinned obscenely at me.
“Hey, come in.”
I stood in front of the mirror to make sure everything was perfect before the show started.
“Finally. After three months of drama and tears, you’re finally getting married to Fiona. Congratulations, boss.”
He stretched out his arms in front of me and smiled broadly. He was the third happiest person in this house after Fiona and me. This bastard was a living witness to all the twists and turns of my life with Fiona. Especially in the last three months. Things got crazier and messier. Our wedding almost fell apart. More precisely, Fiona almost called it off. She told me that a hundred times before the wedding finally happened today.
“Boss? You don’t want to hug me before you meet your bride at the altar?”
“No, I don’t want to hug you.”
“Fuck that. I’m still going to hug you.”
“Fuck, let me go. What are you doing? You ruined my expensive tuxedo.”
“I’m so happy for you and Fiona.”
I pushed the bastard away after he rubbed himself against me. He was disgusting. The front of my tuxedo was a bit wrinkled from his actions.
“Just date Mia or find yourself a girlfriend. You desperately need a girlfriend to spend your miserable days.”
“Who are you? You’re not a love doctor. You can’t diagnose my life as you please.”
“I’m your boss. I know you better than you know yourself.”
“Huh, funny,” Erick snorted.
“What are you doing here? You should be standing by at the venue to make sure everything is in order before the show starts.”
“I’m here because Fiona told me to give you this.”
Erick pulled a plain white box from his pocket.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know. She just told me to give it to you.”
I took the box from Erick and shook it gently. I hoped this wasn’t another surprise from Fiona. She’d said she was going to call off the wedding a hundred times. I was worried it might be a letter from her announcing the annulment.
“Open it. I’m curious about what’s inside, too. Fiona looked so serious when she handed me the box.”
“Okay. Let’s see what’s inside.”
I poured the contents of the box into my palm. Something unexpected jumped out and landed on my palm. It wasn’t a letter. It was something even more surprising than Fiona’s annulment letter.
“What the hell? She’s pregnant? You got Fiona pregnant again?”
“Shut up, Rick. I didn’t know Fiona was pregnant either. Since when?”
I had no idea when Fiona had gotten pregnant. I stared at the testpack and flipped it over and over, hoping I’d find the answer. But nothing. There was nothing on the testpack except for two red lines.
"We've been sleeping in separate rooms since last month, and I've never touched her at all. How could she possibly be pregnant?"
Fiona decided to sleep in the guest room last month because I couldn't keep my hands off her at all. She said she wanted to preserve the sanctity of our marriage by not having sex with me for a month. But I knew that was bullshit. She was just looking for an excuse to avoid me. And at the time, I suspected she was planning to run away on our wedding day. It never crossed my mind that she was pregnant.
"So you're accusing Fiona of carrying another man's baby?"
"Of course not, asshole. I'm one hundred percent sure it's mine. I just didn't expect it to be this soon. We were planning a two-week honeymoon in Italy after all this wedding hustle and bustle was over."
"So, what's the problem? You can have a honeymoon and a babymoon."
"I'm afraid the trip will affect her pregnancy. She had a difficult pregnancy with Melissa."
"Chill. You should take her to the obstetrician and discuss your concerns. I'm sure Fiona will be fine. She's a strong woman."
"I have no doubt about it."
I still held the pregnancy test in my tuxedo pocket as I arrived at Fiona and my wedding venue on the shores of Miami. This joy was even more complete with the news of Fiona's pregnancy. She had managed to surprise me in a truly epic way.
I gazed at the aisle stretching before me. It wasn't just a red carpet or plain, bare beach sand, but polished marble, meticulously laid on the sand. It extended to a small staircase that led to the stage that would serve as the altar for our wedding. This was her dream wedding.
When I asked her two months ago what her dream wedding would be like, Fiona told me she wanted a beach wedding with a beautiful ocean view. She also wanted Calla Lilies as the main decoration. She wanted a blend of white, the soft brown of the beach sand, and the blue of the ocean as the backdrop for the altar. So, I tried to make this wedding as close as possible to the details Fiona had mentioned two months ago.
Yesterday afternoon, we checked out the venue, and Fiona cried happily in my arms. She had no idea I'd prepared all this for her. She thought we'd be getting married in a cathedral like we did four years ago. But I know Fiona has been traumatized by the bloodbath. I don't want the memories of four years ago to taint our wedding today. I want to give her a truly beautiful wedding moment to cherish for the rest of her life.
So, this is all about Fiona.
I would give her anything she wanted. Even when she said she wanted beautiful wedding photos to hang on our living room wall, I obliged. I brought in a professional photographer from New York City specifically to capture every beautiful moment of our wedding. Fiona would hang all of our wedding photos on the wall. Even though I honestly didn't like having my photo taken, I would do anything to make Fiona happy.
Erick was already at the side of the stage with a mic in hand. He was the MC for today. He insisted on being the MC even though I preferred someone else. Fiona completely agreed with his idea. I had no choice but to let him be the MC. I simply resigned myself to the fact that he would expose my shame in front of all the guests today.
“Please welcome our groom, Mr. Joshua Craig Lident.”
Thunderous applause from the guests accompanied my every step toward the altar. It felt incredibly amazing. My steps felt so light. I looked at the guests, some of whom were my undercover bodyguards. Fiona didn't want to see armed men at our wedding. She said she'd had enough of them at her mother's wedding. But I couldn't have this wedding without my bodyguards under tight security. So, I had my bodyguards disguise themselves as guests.
They wore formal suits and sat among the guests. They each had pistols hidden under their jackets. I hoped there wouldn't be another bloody incident like the one that happened four years ago. Fiona asked me to make sure I didn't have any problems with my ex-date or crazy ex-fiancée. She said if any of my ex-dates or ex-fiancées ruined her wedding, she would never want to marry me again.
Well, I wasn’t messing around with that one. The threat was far more terrifying than any bloody experience I'd ever had.
"Next, the one we've all been waiting for. And of course, the one the groom has been waiting for. Here's our bride. Ms. Fiona Osborn."
I was stunned like an idiot as I watched my bride enter the venue. She was the most beautiful woman ever. Fiona walked down the aisle with Roberto. The wedding dress we'd spent so much effort buying fit her perfectly. My eyes shifted down to her stomach and waist. It did look fuller than I last remembered.
Stupid me for not realizing it all this time. I'd been too focused on my grumbling about being separated for a month. It was a horrible torture. I couldn't touch her and hug her every night. But who would have thought Fiona had been pregnant all along? She purposely slept in the guest room so as not to spoil the surprise. And damn, I was shocked.
"Daddy..."
My little girl waved at me. She walked in front of Fiona with a basket of flowers in her hands. She wore a white tutu dress and a flower crown on her head. My adorable little girl threw flower petals along Fiona's path. She stole everyone's attention with her coquettish style. She looked so much like Fiona. Such an attention seeker.
“Mr. Craig,” Roberto nodded slowly as he handed Fiona to me.
“Thank you, Roberto.”
“You’re welcome.”
Roberto took Melissa’s hand and led her to a seat in the front row with Mia, Scott, and Clio. My little girl looked up at us, her face beaming.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” Fiona blushed, looking at me.
“You’re incredibly beautiful today. You’re shining brighter than the sun this morning.”
Fiona gently hit my arm. Her face flushed, and she looked even more beautiful.
“Have you been hiding it all this time?”
Fiona stared at me cluelessly before I opened my palm. The small pregnancy test was still there. I held it like it was my most precious treasure.
“I hope you like the surprise. It was beyond my control. I was on the pill, and this still happened.”
“Don’t feel guilty. I fucking love this. I can’t wait to take you to the obstetrician after the party is over.”
Father Joseph cleared his throat softly and gestured for us to stop talking nonsense at the altar.
“Sorry, Father.”
“Are you two ready?”
Fiona stared at me intently and answered loudly, “Yes.”
A new chapter in our lives finally officially began after Fiona said “I do” firmly and loudly. The priest solemnized our marriage with his sacred words. We were finally legally and religiously married. No one could separate us anymore. No damn FBI would ever annul my marriage to Fiona.
“You may kiss your bride.”
This was what I had been waiting for.
I hadn’t kissed her in a month. I was willing to become a saint for a month just for this. And it felt amazing when my lips met hers again after a month of torture. She felt a thousand times better. Her lips were so sweet, so fresh, and so juicy. I pressed my hand against the nape of her neck to deepen our kiss. The cheers and applause of the guests became the backdrop to this sweet moment.
“You are my wife now.”
“Yeah, finally.”
Melissa walked up to the stage with our wedding rings.
I crouched down in front of my little girl and picked her up.
“I love you, Daddy.”
“Love you too, honey.”
I showered her chubby cheeks with soft kisses. Mellisa giggled softly. She handed me the ring box.
“Mommy...”
Her tiny hands reached out toward Fiona.
“Hug.”
“I'll hold her.”
“No, you're pregnant. Mellisa is getting heavier now. She's growing up fast.”
“She is.”
I looked down at my little daughter.
“You're going to be a big sister. Your mommy has a baby in her belly.”
“Baby! I'm going to be a big sister.”
Mellisa's chatter sparked even more cheers from the guests. They congratulated us and wished us the best for our little family.
“Give me your hand.”
The ring fit perfectly on Fiona's finger. It was a ring specially designed for her, featuring a rare black heart-shaped gemstone that symbolized our love story. The ring was made of white gold. It symbolized Fiona's pure white soul. The black gemstone symbolized my life. Although we were complete opposites, we complemented each other.
"Till death do us part," I whispered in her ear.
Fiona shook her head vigorously.
"No, no, no. Not even death will do us part. We will be together forever."
She pulled at the lapel of my tuxedo and sealed our promise with a passionate kiss.