“Are you mad?!” Diego exclaimed as soon as I told him about my contract marriage agreement with Sophia. “That lady is overly smart, and she'll ruin you instead. In addition, she's a media sensation for fuck’s sake! I don't want any of those news-hungry sickos tailing me.” He ranted, eyes darting, fingers knotting and unknotting. He was nervous, and it was understandable, but his reaction was concerning.
Sighing deeply, I watched him in silence. Being autistic could be hard on him sometimes, but he was far better than most patients his age. It only showed whenever he was nervous and our response to him as a family in such situations helped him process his emotions. I waited for some more minutes to go by before taking his hands in mine, making him look up at me.
“You don't have to worry.” I gave him a toothy grin. “No one in the media is going to know. And you have your bodyguards to protect you if you don't want to say anything, okay?” I concluded softly. He was the only one who saw this side of me. None of my girlfriends had.
We called ourselves brothers because we were. His father, my dad's elder brother, hadn't wanted anything to do with a special-needs child, so he threw Diego and his mother out into the streets when he was just 3 months old. Then, my parents were still courting me, but my mother was expecting me too. They took her in without questions and tried to get his father to understand, but the man was adamant.
“He had made his decision.” My mother always explained. The brothers had to separate because my dad couldn't bear the cruelty towards such an innocent child and his dad didn't want to be preached to. Two months after I was born, and he was 9 months old, his mother bailed out too. My parents felt so bad for him and had to move away from the city to the countryside - they wanted to raise him in a community with lots of love.
I grew up raising him too. He's improved tremendously, and I love him more every day.
“What is it?” He blanched, back to his nasty mood. “ Why are you staring at me like I'm some lost kid? Stop giving those pity eyes.” He revolted and I lowered my gaze. I hated to make him uncomfortable.
“There will be no media.” I stated clearly again, more to myself than to him, but he nodded calmly and headed for the door. Holding the door open, he turned back to me and spoke in a businesslike tone.
“Talk later.” I offered him my affirmative nod, and he slammed the door a bit too hard in my response.
There! I've offended him again.
SOPHIA'S POV
I tapped my foot in impatience. What gave him the impetus to treat me like this? Late to his own wedding? Or rather, I won't get faster than myself… Court wedding? If he doesn't want to continue with the bargain, I'll gladly offer my information to another single CEO looking to climb up the ladder of the agricultural sector in Rubenn. All I wanted was a place to sleep and food until I understood all I needed to know about my parents and David then concocted my revenge plan.
I resisted the urge to call him. I had done that a few minutes ago, but he let the call ring out. What an ungrateful bastard. I didn't like a thing about him, expecting his beautiful face and manly body. It made me melt all the time, chasing all the angry voices in my head miles away.
“I'm sorry. I'm late.” A deep voice came from the door and I turned to him, fury boldly written on my face. "I've apologized. Let's begin.” He quipped, completely ignoring my displeasure. This man seemed far off, unreachable.
“Welcome Mr Damien.” The Registrar's face broke into a smile. I snorted, the power of money.
Everything went quickly; the vows, the signing of the wedding certificate and the declaration of the Registrar. His bodyguards led me to his car. It was a Range Rover, and it was the most beautiful car I'd seen. I sat beside him, but he didn't spare me a glance. Shrugging inwardly, I readied myself to be ghosted after all it was a fake marriage.
Shutting my eyes, I placed my head on the headrest and relaxed into the journey, only seldom opening my eyes to peek at him. I felt a finger brush my wrist and I jerked up with a start to meet Damien's blue orbs peering at me.
His lips formed words, but I was lost in the world of those blue orbs. Heavenly couldn't describe them.
“We're here!” He spoke louder, forcing me to look away from him. Did he feel uncomfortable with stares? I queried myself as I peered out the window.
My jaw dropped in awe as the car pulled into the compound. Dare I say compound? This was a fucking estate. “Keep your mouth closed, or you'll catch flies,” his deep voice immediately put me in check.
“You are my wife now and so, you must act accordingly, speak accordingly, dress accordingly….” he turned to me with an almost mischievous glint in his eyes. “ And laugh accordingly. Within one year, we would have gotten what we both wanted, and the contract would be terminated. Are we clear?” I nodded, looking at my hands on my lap. Something about being his wife brought me into submission. I didn't have the strength to fight him anymore.
“Use your words, Sophie.”
“Yes,” I managed to say, still not looking up.
Do you ever think of a second chance in life? To go back in time and correct those foolish choices you made? And well, to get revenge.
What would you do if you were given a second chance to do everything right? Me? I'd go ahead and get married to a damn billionaire, that was what. But this time, the choices were mine to make. This time, I was going to make them all regret it. And the best part is they'd have absolutely no clue what was coming.
I am Sophia Crawford, and I am not a pushover.
I slid on my eyeshades as soon as my sneakers met the interlock in his garage. It didn't look like the garage of one man but of a whole complex, my eyes took in the ambiance of more cars. He surely loved these cute babies and I couldn't wait to ride in each one of them.
What? Perks of being the wife of Damien Crawford?
“Don't make this hard for the both of us. Pick up your ass and go into the house, wife.” The pronunciation of “wife” sounded like a real struggle. I patted his arm and deadpanned.
“It's only one year, husband, and we'll be back to our regular lives.” I rolled my eyes, yielding my legs to move out of the garage.
Gosh! I'm starving. Hope Damien Crawford ate cooked meals too… He didn't look like someone who ate much, and I swear the muscles were heavy on him.
I made my way to the kitchen but stopped at the door when I saw Damien in an apron, frying some eggs with the pre-decision of an excited child.
“Damien?” I blurted out in disbelief.