Mr. CEO Sassy Bride

“Do not worry too much, Bestie. I will care for Ethan as if he were my own brother,” Hannah reassured for the umpteenth time as she and Leilani strolled out of the yard.

Taking a moment to pause and glance back at Hannah’s villa, Leilani had brought her brother and his belongings to Hannah’s place today, as she was the only friend and family she trusted to look after him.

“Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you need anything, Hannah,” she pleaded with her friend.

With a small smile, Hannah patted Leilani’s shoulder and nodded twice.

As they continued to walk, Hannah spoke again only once they had reached the outside.

“So you’re only planning for a simple court wedding, with no big celebration?” Hannah asked.

“Yes, Hannah. And I believe that is sufficient, considering it is a fake marriage,” Leilani replied.

Hannah nodded in agreement. “But are you sure his mother won’t find out eventually?” she asked.

“That is not my concern,” Leilani shrugged. “Furthermore, I believe his mother must have guessed that her son had it all planned. She was quite surprised when she thought he had genuine feelings for a woman, when in fact I had lied to her.”

Dread filled Hannah as she said, “I have a bad feeling about this, Lani. I hope he won’t hurt you.”

Smiling, Leilani grasped her friend’s hands and gently squeezed them. “I created this situation, remember? I will have to handle any tricks he may have up his sleeve. It’s only for three months, I will be fine.”

As soon as Leilani finished speaking, her phone made a noise and she slowly withdrew her hand to retrieve her cell phone from her shoulder bag.

“You have twenty minutes to meet me at the court,” the message read.

Hannah had leaned in to take a look at Leilani’s phone, and she also saw the message, knowing exactly who had sent it.

Leilani’s features twisted into a scowl as she replaced the phone in its cradle and turned to face Hannah, who was already sporting a tearful expression.

“Oh come on, Hannah. We’re getting married; he’s not going to harm me – at least not physically,” Leilani said, her voice persuasive.

“Do you want me to come with you and beg on my knees? Perhaps he’ll change his mind and let you go,” Hannah suggested, her eyes widening in hope.

“He’s not the type to listen, Hannah. He gives orders, he doesn’t take them,” Leilani replied, a small smile playing at her lips.

“Now you’re sounding like you’ve known him all your life, best!” Hannah exclaimed, surprised.

Leilani merely smiled in response and announced her departure.

“Take care of yourself and Ethan, alright? And give my regards to David,” she said quickly before hailing a cab.

“I will, Lani. Please take care of yourself too,” Hannah said, her eyes brimming with tears.

After one last hug, Leilani climbed into the cab and left.

Roughly twenty-five minutes later, the cab pulled up at the enormous gates of the central tribunal and Leilani paid the driver before stepping out.

As she entered the premises, it didn’t take long for her to spot the imposing figure of Mr. Nelson descending from his car with his assistant.

He was dressed in a black coat, revealing a handmade suit in the same dark shade. His clothes fluttered in the wind, exuding a natural aura of power.

“You’re five minutes late,” he stated in his usual stern voice as he approached Leilani.

“I would have flown if I had wings, Mr. Nelson. Please forgive me,” Leilani apologized, bowing her head slightly.

However, Nelson couldn’t help but detect the sarcasm in her words, like a loud gunshot, and even Herbert had to struggle to hold back his laughter. This woman!

Nelson was momentarily at a loss for words as he continued to stare at Leilani’s bowed head. “Let’s go,” he finally grumbled.

As Leilani and Herbert’s gazes met, they both let out soft chuckles before following suit.

“Welcome, Mr. Carter,” a man in his middle years, who seemed to be around the same age as Nelson, appeared in the hallway and greeted them warmly.

“Is everything prepared?” Nelson asked, his steps slowing down.

“Yes, Mr. Carter. I also have the rings,” the man replied, and at Nelson’s nod, he led them to his office.

Once they were all settled in the office, except for Herbert who stood behind Nelson, Nelson and Leilani sat across from the man.

“Here you go, Mr. Carter,” the man handed a marriage certificate to Nelson, who looked at the names written on it and huffed under his breath.

“Why does this look so authentic, Fred? Are you sure it’s not the original?” Nelson asked.

The man, Fred, beamed and shook his head. “Not at all, Mr. Carter. It may look like the original, but it’s not. You can trust me on this, Mr. Carter. I have been your lawyer for years.”

“Yes, Fred. And that is why I am counting on you for this. Besides the four of us here, no one else must know about this, not even my mother. Understood?”

“Crystal clear, sir,” Fred nodded eagerly. He then retrieved a velvet ring box from his cabinet and handed it to Nelson.

Nelson took the box and gave a small nod of satisfaction as he looked at the pair of gold rings inside.

Leilani, who had her arms crossed in front of her chest, pretended to look around the office as if she was not a part of the conversation. She dropped the act when Nelson addressed her directly.

“Put on your ring,” Nelson ordered.

It was only then that Leilani noticed a small box containing a stunning, shimmering ring in front of her on the table.

“Do I really have to wear a ring when this is just a fake marriage?” she asked quietly, but not quietly enough as Nelson heard her loud and clear.

“Listen to me, young lady. In our perspective, it may be a sham, but for my mother, it is a legitimate union,” Nelson declared, a ruthless expression replacing his initial calm demeanor.

“If I had not persuaded her into a court marriage, she would have desired a grand ceremony for the entire world to witness. Therefore, you must ensure that this appears to be a genuine marriage. Do you comprehend?”

Leilani’s hands clenched tightly in anger as she gazed back at the shimmering ring.

As she reluctantly slipped the ring onto her finger, Nelson added, “Always remember that I am capable of anything when it comes to you. I could accuse you of a crime and have you imprisoned for the rest of your life.”

Fear overtook her as she heard these words, causing panic to rise in her throat and tears to well in her eyes.

**********

“Oh my, it’s the newlyweds!” Susan’s cheerful voice rang out, followed by her appearance.

Leilani gritted her teeth and forced a fake smile as Susan approached.

She pulled Leilani into a tight embrace and held her there for a while, whispering marriage blessings into her ear.

“Congratulations once again, my dear. I am overjoyed to have you here. And guess what? I have everything ready. Your wedding night and all,” Susan beamed as she spoke to Leilani.

Nelson cleared his throat and interjected, “There is no need for that, Mother.”

“Be quiet, will you?” Susan scolded her son, “You desired a small wedding, and I complied. Now you’re postponing your honeymoon because of a meeting with a client tomorrow. I understood that. So what else do you want?”

Nelson remained silent, only looking on as his mother scolded him.

Susan then turned back to Leilani, holding one of her hands and leading her towards the dining hall.

“You must eat a lot to have the energy for tonight, alright?” Susan gave Leilani a playful wink, causing her to cough loudly as her cheeks blushed a deep red.

Thirty minutes had elapsed when Leilani found herself being led by her new husband into their bedroom, overwhelmed with a surge of apprehension.

She was at a loss for what to make of the situation anymore. It was clear that Susan was taking their marriage seriously, even hinting at a desire for more intimacy between them at the earliest opportunity.

“We can’t continue deceiving your mother, can we?” Leilani spoke her thoughts as soon as they entered the bedroom.

Nelson turned his head towards her, regarding her with a penetrating gaze. “That’s none of your concern. You simply need to do as I say.”

“How am I supposed to convince your mother that what she’s expecting between us will never happen?” Leilani retorted, glaring back at him.

Nelson remained silent, seemingly acknowledging the validity of her statement. His mother had rushed them through dinner and ushered them off to bed, and it was evident that there was more meaning behind her actions.

“That’s your bed,” Nelson pointed to a sofa across the room.

Leilani’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What happened to the bed? It’s certainly large enough for both of us.”

“Are you out of your mind? Do you expect me to share a bed with you?” Nelson’s voice rose as he leaned in to stare down at her.

Fierce anger ignited within Leilani. “I hate to disappoint you, but I refuse to sleep on a sofa,” she seethed through clenched teeth.

“Then you can sleep on the floor. End of discussion.”