Bargain Bride: The Billionaire’s Forced Wife

“ARE YOU SURE you want to go with me, Signora?” Fara asked as they exited the hospital. “I think it will be better if you will stay with Signor. Let me and Luigi do the groceries.”

Chiara shook her head and hopped on to the car. Behind them are five other guards that will be with them while buying.

“It’s fine,” she answered. “It’s been a long time since I went to a grocery store. Besides,” she stopped for a moment and looked outside, longing for something. “I want to buy things that Ezio will like, so when he wake up, the room is filled with his favorite things.”

Fara didn’t dare to argue more with her signora. It’s been a long time since Chiara went outside to buy something. For the past weeks, all she did is working and taking care of her husband.

While on the drive, Chiara was busy listing down things that Ezio would like to buy in a grocery store. Mangoes, tomatoes, seedless grapes, and all kind of foods that Ezio like is listed.

“Do you think this is enough, Fara?” she asked the maid while showing her the list from her phone.

Fara tried her best not to drop her jaw on what she saw. The list of the things they will buy already occupied fifty lines in her notes. What’s funny is that their essentials are not listed yet. Those are just for Ezio.

“I think that’s enough, Signora. I’m sure Signor Ezio will be happy whatever you will buy for him,” Fara answered with a smile. “Shall I also have a list, signora? I’ll list down what we need in the mansion.”

Chiara nodded and let the maid do her work before scrolling in her own list. She wants to think of more, but settled on just deciding when they are already at the store.

A few minutes passed and they are already pushing two big carts with their guards walking around the store. The guard initiated to push the carts but Chiara declined.

“For hygiene, signora,” Fara spoke while pointing at the signage on the aisle. They pushed the cart and started putting things that they need.

It was uneventful. They bought things in peace. Chiara’s cart was filled up easily that one of their guards needed to change it to another one and put the former aside. On the other hand, Fara’s cart is still half-way full.

Nothing really exciting happened, until they bumped into someone that Chiara least expected to see.

“Chiara,” a familiar man’s voice spoke from behind.

She knew who the owner of that voice is. Her whole body tensed, but she acted cool. Chiara knew that she can’t give any emotion away. Not now that she has doubts in him.

Chiara slowly turned her body around and faced the man who just spoke. “Hi, Simone.”

Simone smiled at her with soft stares. “It’s been weeks since I saw you. How are you?”

“Doing fine. I just got busy with work this past few days,” she answered with a tone she used when they were still friends.

His wide smile turned into an upside down one. “I heard what happened to Ezio. It must be hard for you to do all of his job.”

Although Simone’s voice shows empathy, Chiara is not satisfied by his choice of words.

He clearly said that he was sorry that Chiara has to do all the work. He is not sorry on what happened to her husband.

This heightened her suspicion.

Hiding her true feelings, Chiara acted how a friend would. “Yeah, my husband-,” she said with emphasis, “- has a lot of business. It’s tiring, but at least now I know how to help him in his business. Besides, it’s flattering to know that my husband loves me so much to give his businesses in my hands.”

A foreign emotion flashed in Simone’s eyes for a short moment before it disappeared. “I see. By the way, are you alone? I can help you with the groceries.”

Chiara shook her head. “No,” she simple looked at Fara who was watching them. “I’m with Fara.”

“Hi, Fara. Nice to meet you,” Simone greeted and waved at her.

Fara smiled and waved back at the stranger. She doesn’t know why, but she can feel that something is wrong with this guy. And a lot of times, her feelings were right.

Simone turned his eyes back to Chiara. “Ezio’s still recovering, right? Where is he staying right now?” he asked with no malice in his voice.

“Why do you want to know?” Chiara asked back in her mind. Right now, everything that Simone says seems suspicious to her.

“In our house,” she lied through her teeth. “I told him to get fully recovered first before going back to work.”

Simone just nodded. He was about to speak again when Chiara cut him.

“How about your wife, Alessandra? Is she not with you?” she asked, looking at his behind and acting like she was looking for his wife.

Simone scratched the back of his neck before answering. “Alessandra’s pregnancy is somehow sensitive. I don’t want to risk it so I went here alone.”

“Oh, you really must take care of her,” she responded while trying to get more information. “Is Uncle Sigmund still staying with you? I remember that he knew a lot about pregnancy.”

“Not really with us,” he answered, failing to notice what Chiara is doing. “But he lives two blocks from our house. He’s with Alessandra right now and making sure that the baby will be healthy.”

“So he really lives with them. I’m sure he knows what his uncle is doing,” she whispered in her mind.

She was about to ask more questions when someone tapped her shoulder slightly. Chiara turned around and see Fara.

The maid leaned in her right ear before whispering. “Signora, I’m going to another aisle. Do you want to go with me?”

Chiara smiled at her. “I will be fine, Fara. I’ll follow you in a bit.”

Although hesitant, Fara left Chiara and Simone alone in the aisle.

It’s still early in the morning. Only few people are buying in the grocery. The aisle where they are currently standing is somehow far from the other shoppers.

Chiara can see two of their guards walking nearby. It is not visible on some ends but she can see them. It is already an enough assurance if ever Simone tried to do something to her.

“How is married life, Chiara?” Simone suddenly asked her. “Is Ezio treating you well?”

She turned to him. “I’m more than happy and satisfied in my marriage. How about you? It has just been a few months since yours and Alessandra’s wedding.”

Simone didn’t answer immediately and she can see that he’s hesitating. It just confirmed her hunch that they only got married because he got Alessandra pregnant.

Well, it doesn’t concern her anymore. She has a loving husband waiting for her.

Chiara was about to follow Fara on the other aisle when a hand grab her arm and pulled her.

Fortunately, she has a fast reflex. She was able to picked a bottle of ketchup and slammed it in Simone’s face before he could kiss her.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” she exclaimed, her voice echoed in the huge area of the store which made the other people inside alarmed.

The red color of the ketchup mixed with the blood that rushed out of Simone’s cheek. But he looks like he doesn’t feel anything. He just looked at Chiara like a puppy asking for help.

“Chiara,” he tried to reached for her face but she slapped her hand. “You don’t have to pretend in front of me. I know that you are not happy with your marriage.”

He smiled like a sick man while trying to get close to her. “I know that he forced you marry him. He’s a bastard. You don’t love him, right? I’m the one you love. Let’s get back together, baby.”

With her rage filling her head, Chiara snapped. She slapped Simone’s bleeding cheek with huge force. The sound of her hand hitting his flesh was too loud.

Chiara saw her guards running near to them. She can also hear Fara going to their direction.

“Don’t you feel disgusted with your words?” she spat like a poison, earning a shocked expression from her ex-boyfriend.

“First of all, I am not pretending. I am happy with my marriage,” she said firmly while showing him the ring that Ezio gave to her during their wedding: the ring that is the symbol of their love. “Second, do not call my husband a bastard. He is too decent for that word. Between you and him, you are the bastard one for trying to kiss someone’s wife.”

Two of her guards grabbed Simone in both arms. “Hey! Let me go!” he shouted at the guards who are pulling him away from their signora.

“Chiara! Are these your guards? Tell them to let me go!” Simone exclaimed as he tried go break free from their grasps. However, his lean body is no match against the bulky body of the guards.

Chiara walked near him. She look dead straight in his eyes.

“I pity your wife for marrying a jerk like you. A bastard who still thinks that his ex-girlfriend loves me. A fucker who dared to kiss someone’s woman,” she gritted while her hands are balling into a fist.

“Chiara,” he called her with a soft tone. “I know you love me, baby. Is that Ezio blackmailing you? I can stop him. Just go back to me,” he smiled like a crazy man before puckering his lips. “Kiss me, baby. Tell me that you still love me. Let’s build our promises with each other, okay? I lo-”

He wasn’t able to finish his words as Chiara slapped him again. Disgust is evident on her face. Her eyes are squinting, her nose is scrunching, and her mouth looks like it consumed something that tasted bad.

“You are an ex-boyfriend. A past. I don’t love you anymore. Keep that in your mind,” Chiara spoke before turning her back to him, letting her guards drag him to outside.