The Billionaire's Chosen Bride

Chapter 2 - His Choice

Charles Alejandro was at his hotel when he received the report that his chosen bride had arrived home.

He was eager to see Nancy, as his parents had been pressuring him to settle down. As their only son and the likely future president, he had many enemies, including those inherited from his family.

Earlier that morning, Charles had been at his company, but he decided to visit his hotel in the afternoon and spend time with an attractive woman in the evening. It was no secret that he loved women; as a powerful man in AJ City, most young ladies knew of him and wanted to get intimate with him.

At 30 years old, Charles was a handsome black man—tall, masculine, and with short black hair.

His mother wouldn't let him rest, constantly urging him about marriage and even showing him photos of women she had selected. Charles wasn't interested in any of them, preferring his promiscuous lifestyle, though his parents strongly disapproved.

"Charles, you need to stop entertaining different women and bringing shame to our family," his father said in the sitting room on the second floor, seated on a black couch. "You're the president's son and must act respectably. How do you think it looks when almost half the women in the city have seen you nàked?"

Charles smiled and replied, "Not half, Father. There are too many pretty women for me to handle alone, and you know that."

Seeing his father wasn't amused, Charles dropped his smile and turned serious.

His father continued, "Then you need to marry, Charles, or I'll seize your rights and find someone competent to inherit my wealth."

"Hmm..." Charles frowned as his father glared at him and left the room to meet his guests.

His mother, First Lady Kira, stepped out of the elevator and entered the sitting room. She asked, "Charles, I don't understand why you're afraid of marriage?"

"I'm not afraid of marriage, Mom," Charles replied, taking a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it, and smoking. The truth was, he hadn't found a woman he truly loved. In his eyes, most young women were cheats and gold-diggers, eager to be intimate with him while overlooking their own boyfriends or fiancés. He didn't want a superficial woman as his wife, and finding the right one had been difficult.

"Then what's the problem?" his mother pressed. "You haven't accepted any of the invitations your father or I have offered. Do you want us to choose a bride for you and bring her here?"

"No, Mother. I'm not interested in an arranged marriage. Most women are pretentious. Once they know I'm the one proposing, they'll act nice and jump at the chance." Charles shook his head, took a drag from his cigarette, and exhaled.

His mother frowned. "No, Charles. That's what happens when you chase irresponsible women instead of a proper lady."

"Mom..." Charles stared at her face in shock, meeting her smiling gaze. At 65, she was a traditional black woman, standing before him in a long blue native gown.

First Lady Kira approached and said, "Here, Charles. I have photos of three suitable women for you to choose from. Their families are respected and aligned with your father's political party."

"Mom..." Charles couldn't believe she was already prepared, holding the photos to her chest.

She handed them to him. "Take a look."

"Hmm..." Charles accepted the photos, cigarette in hand, dressed in his signature all-black outfit: a black top, leather trousers, and boots.

Charles examined the first photo: a cute black-skinned woman with a round face, flat nose, and seductive brown eyes. She wore a pink crop-top and blue jeans in the outdoor shot.

Frowning, Charles set it aside and looked at the next one. This woman had a round face, pointed nose, blue eyes, and rosy dimples on her chubby cheeks. Her plump lips were enticing, and her long, sparkling golden hair made his jaw drop. In the selfie, she wore a white singlet, revealing her slender neck and a hint of her bosom.

Staring at her, Charles felt a surge of desire, imagining kissing and touching her smooth yellow skin. He was lost in thought until his mother asked, "Charles, do you like her?"

"Mom..." Charles snapped back, glancing at her smiling face.

He quickly checked the last photo: a beautiful fair-skinned woman, but she was chubbier and didn't captivate him like the second one.

Charles returned the first and third photos to his mother. "Who's she?"

First Lady Kira smiled. "That's Nancy Marlon, Senator Logan Marlon's only daughter."

"Hmm..." Charles finished his cigarette.

"I see you like her," his mother said. "I'll have my assistant send the marriage proposal to her family right away and inform them you've chosen their daughter."

"Okay, Mom, but is she in the city? I'd like to see her in person. You know how women edit their photos to look more attractive."

His mother replied, "I don't know, but I'll call her family to check. Once she's back, we can proceed with the wedding."

"Okay, Mom," Charles agreed, no longer rejecting the idea. He wanted Nancy desperately—every part of him craved her. Suppressing the urge to kiss her photo, he waited for his mother to leave.

Charles stood and went upstairs to his bedroom on the third floor, taking Nancy's photo with him.

***

One month later,

Charles visited his luxury hotel over the weekend, hoping to find an attractive woman to distract him from thoughts of Nancy as he awaited her return. However, none of the pretty women he encountered stirred his heart like she did.

"Boss, our security contacts in Nancy's father's team just informed us that your chosen bride has returned to the city and is at her family home," his personal assistant, Dennis Richard, said over the phone from the presidential suite.

"Prepare the car. We're going to her father's mansion now," Charles replied.

"Okay, boss," Dennis answered.

Charles dismissed the woman who was with him, feeling irritated and focused only on Nancy. He left the top floor of the hotel, dressed in a black suit with a red shirt underneath.

His security team opened the car door for him, and once he was inside, they closed it. The three cars then drove off toward Senator Logan Marlon's residence.