SCARLET
I look at Devan.
Taking in his features for the millionth time.
The thought of such an Adonis being my husband sends butterflies fluttering my stomach.
It’s a beautiful thought, when you only think about the good things only.
The way he’s been soft with me since last night.
It makes me forget who he really is.
He told me he would not hurt me and asked me to take his word for it.
I don’t know why, but part of me trusts that.
Maybe it’s because of how genuine he sounded too.
But what’s happening in the real world is not beautiful at all.
In twenty-four hours, my life has taken a sharp turn.
One minute I’m about to marry the man I considered the love of my life, the next minute, I’m about to accept a marriage proposal from a stranger.
Yes, I’m about to marry a stranger to get back at my cheating ex.
That point sticks with me.
My cheating ex.
It’s what fuels me to answer Devan’s question.
“Yes,” I say, sternly.
Ignoring all the warning bells in my head.
I’m going to do this.
It’s only six months.
By then I would have stabilized.
Emotionally, too.
Devan’s eyes light up.
“Are you sure?”
I nod.
“I am. You get what you want, and I get to play that fucker,” I say, the last words leaving my mouth with spite.
“As long as you don’t kill me in your sleep, Mr Galloway,” I add, making him smirk.
That’s what I haven’t thought deeply about.
This is Devan Galloway we are talking about.
I’m about to marry him and deep down I know about his reputation.
Devan takes my hand and looks into my eyes.
His expression so serious.
“I will keep you safe. I will never hurt you, I promise.”
Trust should be the last thing I hold right now.
First it’s because Devan has a dangerous reputation, and secondly, my heart has just been crushed by someone I trusted.
But the way Devan looks at me, the way the words roll off his lips, the way his eyes look intentional, they make me lower my guard.
Maybe he has a charm or something.
And I’m falling right into it.
“Six months?” I confirm again.
“Yes,” he nods.
“What if you refused to let me go after six months?” I probe.
“That’s what the contract is for.”
I suck in a breath to take it all in.
“Okay, we’re really doing this.”
“Yes we are. And we’re doing it today,” he says.
My heart skips a beat.
It has to be today.
On my wedding day.
“But how will we make things happen?” I ask, concerned.
If Devan and I are really going to get married, there should be a long process, right?
“I’ll make arrangements. Leave everything to me. All I need is you and your signature,” he smiles.
A smile so beautiful that it puts me out of my misery.
“You’re showing up to your wedding, married to me.” He declares.
There’s still so many questions to be asked, but Devan doesn’t let me.
“Before we do this, let’s have breakfast. I don’t want to starve my wife.”
His words warm my heart.
“Let’s go downstairs. I’m sure Miranda has prepared something delicious,” he says. The source of this chapter is g.com.
“We can talk more over breakfast.”
He gets on his feet and I do the same.
“This will be my first order of business.”
I don’t know what he means.
Before I ask, he lifts me off the floor.
He carries me out of the room bridal style.
I’m still processing his actions while we walk through the mezzanine.
I suddenly feel safe in his arms.
I naturally rest my head against him and it feels so good.
I wish to freeze the moment…
But if he’s going to be my husband, aren’t we going to have these moments?
We walk past a few people who I assume are the maids of this humongous mansion.
Devan whispers to me.
“I forgot to mention. We have to make this look as real as possible.”
I see.
If I’m going to pretend to be in a happy marriage with a man as handsome as Devan Galloway, that’s not going to be a problem.
Six months, I remind myself.
And I’m doing this to get back at my cheating ex.
I never thought something like this would happen to me.
I’m really going into a contract marriage.
We reach the dining table and Devan puts me down.
The table is big enough to fit twenty, but only one woman has occupied it.
She looks to be in her mid fifties.
She has brown eyes, and brown wavy hair.
At first she looks at me in disbelief, and her expression suddenly softens.
“She’s the one,” she says, looking at Devan and then back at me.
The one?
The woman gets on her feet and walks towards me wearing a smile.
“Hi,” she pulls me into a hug which catches me off guard.
I hesitantly hug her back.
Still in a state of confusion.
When we break from the hug, she scrutinizes me again.
“You’re beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“I’m Christina. We’re going to have so much fun together,” she says.
I give Devan a glance, he grins.
“Scarlet, meet my mother. Don’t be fooled, she is a pain in the ass.”
The woman, who I now know to be Christina, shoots Devan a glare.
“That’s no way to introduce me to my daughter-in-law. Besides, you’re the stubborn one.”
Daughter-in-law, huh.
I should get used to it.
Also, are we not telling her mother the truth?
From what I can tell so far, that’s the case.
So right now, I need to play Devan’s loving partner, which is difficult, because apart from his flowery reputation, there’s nothing personal I know about him.
Oh, Miranda hinted something about him loving red.
The situation becomes tense when Christina keeps asking me questions while we have breakfast.
Devan said we could talk more about our contract during breakfast, but that’s not going to happen.
“What do you do?” Asks Christina.
“She’s a doctor,” Devan replies before I do, and I shift my attention to him.
How did he know?
I’ll ask him that when we’re alone.
We still have a lot to talk about.
His mother is however impressed by my profession.
“We should make her our doctor. I don’t like the one we have,” she suggests.
“Mother, that’s not going to happen,” says Devan.
“But it’s her decision,” Christina counters.
“Right, honey?” She raises her brows, looking at me.
Waiting for my answer. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Gosh, this is awkward.
“You don’t have to answer her, my love,” Devan saves me.
My mind remains on the part where he just called me my love.
Come on, Scarlet, this is just a fuss.
And why the hell is my body reacting to his words?
I shouldn’t.
I should stop with these fantasies.
“I could give you a trophy for being a great secret keeper. How long have you two been dating?” She asks and I almost choke on my milk.
“Ten months,” Devan says.
No one prepared me for this.
But ten months?
Is Devan digging his own ditch?
We are supposed to get married today.
How will he…
“But we’re getting married today,” Devan supplements.
Christina’s pupils widen.
“What? And I’m only hearing of it now.”
“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Devan says nonchalantly.
This is getting more awkward.
A wave of guilt washes over me.
The woman liked me from the moment she saw me.
At least that’s what I know so far.
And we’re lying to her.
She’s his mother.
What’s Devan’s angle?
We really need to talk about this and clarify everything.
“I wanted to surprise you.” Devan says, like it’s normal to surprise someone with marriage.
“Devan Galloway…”
“It was a split second decision,” I cut her off, to prevent the lecture that was about to follow.
“You started breakfast without me?” Another man joins the table, and all attention turns to him.
He’s tall, slim, with long black hair.
He takes a seat and his eyes linger on me.
“Oh my God it’s you, in the flesh. You’re prettier in person,” he says.
In person?
I have never seen this man before.
“Shut your beak, Matias,” Devan hisses.
“Well, I can’t, because I have news.” He places a brown envelope on the table.
“We need to talk, Devan.” He says.
“Could someone tell me what’s going on here?” Christina asks.
Yeah, me too.
Right now I’m confused as hell.
“Not now, mother. I’ll explain later,” Devan says.
“Well, I want to talk about it now. You just told me you’re getting married…”
“What?” Expresses the man who I now know to be Matias.
“You’re getting married?”
Devan nods.
Yes.
“Meet my bride.” He looks at me and places his hand on mine.
“Wow. That was fast,” Matias says.
“Do you have a problem?” Devan asks.
Matias’s face shows he has a lot of questions, but he just says, “No. But you really should see what I found.”
“What is it?” Devan asks.
He slides the envelope to Devan’s side.
” You should see it.
Both of you.
It’s about Kelvin Harrel.”