Terrified
1651 Words
The following day, the whole country was buzzing with the news that Shane was no longer an eligible bachelor. His choice of a wife was breaking news. While everything about Lola’s teenage life at an orphanage home up to her qualifications and employment were now general knowledge, her entire childhood including her parents remained a mystery many journalist were very interested in unveiling.
“Good morning, my gorgeous wife,” Shane greeted the woman stretched out next to him. He still could not believe that he was married to the woman he is been obsessed with for months now. He could not only dream about her before, but now he could touch her and she was his.
Lola rubbed her eyes and shook her head disapprovingly at the man whose alluring eyes were glued on her.
“What?” he asked, amused by her every action.
“Do you have to look like that so early in the morning?” she complained while he feigned ignorance.
“Like what, my queen?”
She could not help but blush at the way he was looking at her. Shane had a way of making her feel like she was all that mattered in the world.
“Like you are modelling for the sexiest men alive magazine?” she blurted out and cursed under her breath when he raised his eyebrows with his lips curled. She could bet on her life that he had something witty to say.
“I think my wife is enchanted by my being,” he teased while she rolled her eyes at him. Shane obviously knew how hot he was and she had no intentions of massaging his already healthy ego.
“It is okay, I am quite mesmerised by my wife too,” he added, his words carrying more weight than he knew. She was very confident in her skin but having bruises all over while he looked like a Greek god had its effect.
“You better, because you are stuck with me for two years,” she warned while he laughed and tugged her hair back.
“I would not have it any other way, Wife.”
His tender tone made her heart flutter, but also raised the suspicion and fear she had been trying very hard to ignore.
“Why did you really marry me, Shane?”
“I told you why,” his dismissive response did nothing to deter her.
“You lied,” she pressed on.
He flashed her his breathtaking smile and raised his sexy eyebrows.
“How so, my gorgeous wife?”
“You could have married anyone. Why me?”
He shrugged his shoulders. The truth would send her running and he could not risk that.
“I told you my reasons, stop overthinking it. What do you want to do with your ex?”
He quickly changed the subject and directed her attention to the one person he knew would get him off the hook.
“I honestly don’t know.”
Her own response shocked her as well. She got into the marriage for revenge but barely two days in, Mike and his betrayal were the last thing in her mind.
Shane narrowed his eyes and raised his eyebrows at her. “I thought you wanted revenge.”
“I did…” she paused and stared blankly at him. Now that she had the authority to hurt Mike and Samantha, she just did not care about them.
“But your husband is more charming and they have not crossed your mind?” he asked, reading through her.
She opened and closed her mouth, speechless.
“Why did you even date Mike?” he asked a question that bugged him for months.
“Eh…”
“He is a selfish i***t,” he added.
“I was blind and an i***t too, I guess.”
He shook his head in disagreement.
“I have seen your work and reports, an i***t is not one of your resume. Why did you really date him?”
“He…,” Lola hesitated. “He was kind, patient and loving.”
“Really?” Shane could not hide his surprise. That was nothing close to describing his nephew.
“That is what he pretended to be and I fell for it. My stupid heart saw what it wanted to see. I am never listening to that dummy organ again,” she explained and uttered a vow that sank his heart.
“What happens when you fall for your husband?” he asked with his fingers crossed. She had no idea but he fell for her the day she saved his life.
She flashed him a smile that pierced through him.
“This is a contract marriage, love is not on the cards.”
“Don’t be so sure about that,” he advised with a feigned smile.
“I have been betrayed, arrested, assaulted and had a death penalty hanging over my head by the so called love of life. Believe me, I am certain.”
Her words crushed his hopes. He rebuked himself for caring too much about her words. He did offer her a contract after all. Still, he could not help but be hurt that she had no intentions of ever loving him. She was heading to the shower when he decided to go and see his mother.
“You are troubled,” Melisa pointed out the moment her son walked in.
He flashed his mother an illusive smile and walked towards her desk to play with the puzzle.
“She is special, your wife. You chose well,” Melisa said, standing behind him.
“She will do.”
Melisa laughed at his nonchalant response. “You are my son, I know you. You love her,” she stated while he clenched his jaw and denied his feelings.
“This marriage is only a contract to stop Henry from getting his murderous hands on that money. That is all, Mother.”
Melisa placed her hands over his tense shoulders and massaged him.
“Maybe, but your choice of a wife had nothing to do with that. You love her and she you,” she said with certainty while he shook his head.
“This is only a contract for her to get back at Mike,” he told her with a broken tone he could not hide from his mother.
“It looks like you are both in denial. By the way, Mike is summoning the Foster clans to charge you for cheating with his girlfriend,” Melisa responded, her words prompting him to turn to look at her.
“That’s absurd!”
“That, my dear, is proof that everyone here is convinced that you two are in love. It won’t be overnight, she was betrayed, but that woman was made for you,” she said with certainty.
“It looks like that because that is what we agreed to project. Lola has vowed to never love me.”
Melisa laughed at her son. “You are going to have very cute kids. I can’t wait,” she said right before someone knocked at the door.
“Mel, are you there?” Lola called from the outside while Shane hid in his mother’s bathroom.
“Come in, Dear,” Melisa shouted and watched her nervous daughter-in-law with curiosity.
“Morning dear. Slept well?”
“Yes, thank you. How…how are you?”
Melisa could not help but laugh. She could already guess what was in Lola’s mind.
“My son is finally married to a great woman, I am on top of the world,” she beamed while Lola paced in the room.
“You are troubled,” Melisa pointed out.
“Have you ever wished for something so much but when you finally have means to achieve it, you just don’t care anymore?”
“Are we talking about your revenge on Mike?”
She opened and closed her mouth.
“You, my dear, are an open book. Is Shane keeping you so busy, you have no time to hate your ex?” Melisa teased and watched Lola’s cheeks burn.
“We are not discussing my husband,” Lola said decisively while Melisa laughed.
“What?”
Melisa waved her hand dismissively.
“I was crazy in-love with Shane’s father when we got married. It took me months to get used to that he was my husband and even referring to him as such. It only took you two days.”
Lola’s face was now scarlet.
“You are making this to more than it is. I married Shane for revenge. We are not in love and I told you that is not an option for me,” she objected but sounded more defensive than she intended.
“Because a stupid egocentric man ruined you forever? Are you going to deprive yourself of happiness because of him? Then he still owns you. That means he wins,” Melisa’s response got Lola more nervous than when she walked in.
“Bye, Mel,” she said as she turned to leave.
“Shane is a catch, remember that when you decide to shut him out,” Melisa shouted behind her, prompting her to stop and face her. Her jaw trembled before confessing.
“That actually is why I have to guard my heart. I have been through much more than Mike and his betrayal. Shane is a thousand fold better than any men out there. He has the ability to consume your every being, that means he can crush and completely destroy me. I will have no come back. There will be no rising from those ashes. Nothing.”
“You are scared,” Melisa stated with a gentle voice, finally getting her daughter-in-law.
“The right word is terrified. I have to go,” with that, Lola fled the room.
- Writer
