CHAPTER TWO - MARRIED

Amelia's head was pounding as she slowly opened her eyes. She groaned as she tried to recollect the previous events of yesterday. As she tried to get up, she was met with an unfamiliar ceiling, a strange room, and a bed sheet covered in blood.

She tried to stand up and a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over her, forcing her back to the pillow. As she looked around, she noticed a strange figure sleeping on the bed.

As the man stirred in his sleep, his features came into full view. Memories of last night came rushing in and in an instant, she recollected that this was the stranger from the bar yesterday.

With a throbbing headache, she tried to recollect more information of why she was in bed with this stranger but all she remembered was her passing out.

That was when she noticed the pain in her private area. The pain flooded her like a tsunami, making her sore all over. That was when she realized that she had just been disvirgined and that too by someone she just met.

“By now I thought you would have gone, the ladies know not to stick around until the man wakes up,” the man said as he stirred up again and opened his eyes.

His eyes were a wonderful shade of brown, and his voice was low and husky. His voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't place her head on where she had heard or seen him before yesterday.

“What did you do to me?” She cried, feeling ashamed that a complete stranger had just taken away her virginity. In her three years of relationship with Edward, they had not even held hands not to talk of kissing or having sex.

“What do you mean? Do you not remember how you begged me to make you feel loved yesterday night? You told me you wanted to forget your sadness and I helped you do just that.”

“I don't remember any of this. You took advantage of a drunk lady. How despicable and shameless can you be?”

“In my defense, we were both drunk and you were the one that came to me, not the other way around”

“I remember coming to your table for a chat, but all I remember was passing out. You know what never mind. I'll just drop the subject. Where are my clothes?”

“Must be somewhere on the floor, and make sure to carry all your belongings on your way out”

Amelia didn't argue as she covered her naked body with the sheets and picked up her clothes that were strewn all over the floor of the room, a shred of evidence of a night filled with passion that she couldn't recollect.

The last thing on her mind was to shower as she made her way over to the bathroom to change her dress and head home.

Checking her messages she found an audio message from Edward that said that he couldn't go to register their marriage today. That was okay though because she had never planned to go on with the wedding after discovering what she had discovered yesterday.

As she made her way out of the hotel room, a call came through on her phone. Looking at the caller ID, she groaned before picking it up.

“After today if you are not married, just forget about becoming the head of the company”, the person on the line spoke.

“But I had this month to get married, why are you changing the rules all of a sudden”, she cried knowing that there was absolutely no way she could get married today.

“If you still want to take over the managerial position in the company, I better see your marriage certificate before nightfall”, the person on the line said hanging up the call.

Amelia sighed in frustration. She really needed to take over this position. She didn't know where she would get a groom to marry. Flashing her mind back to the event of yesterday, she made up her mind to do something bold, something she had never done before. Marry a stranger.

Not thinking things through, she went back to the hotel. At least if she would marry a stranger, why not it be the person to whom she lost her virginity to?

Arriving back at the room she left not long ago, she met the man dressing up. She froze as the man seemed even more charming while dressing up.

“What do you want? I thought I asked you to leave?”

“Why must you be so rude?” she spoke mustering all the courage she could gather. Somehow speaking to this man seemed to drain all the strength in her body, making her more sore than before.

“At least I should know the name of the person to whom I lost my virginity to.

“Nathaniel”, he said after pausing his movements. His voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

“I didn't get…..”

“Nathaniel Brooke,” he said. His voice was more audible than the last time he spoke.

“My name is…..”

“I know who you are. Amelia Stone of the reputed Stone family. Now I ask again, "What do you want?”

“Marry me”

“Excuse me?”

“I need to get married today, and I have no groom. I don't see any ring on your finger. So I would like to propose a contract marriage”

The man kept quiet and Amelia felt like digging a hole and burying herself. She was about to dismiss the proposition until…

“OK, I'll get married to you. But note the following; you are not to fall in love with me or confess any feelings for me. Violation of this will lead to the transfer of your company assets to me. Do you agree?”

“I agree,” she said hastily before he could change his mind.

Typing his laptop, he drafted up a contract and both parties signed it after carefully studying it and adding their conditions.

“A dress will be ready for you to wear in the next ten minutes, freshen up before then”

Minutes later they drove to the Civil Affairs office to register their marriage. The couple's wedding procedures were processed quickly. In just half an hour, Amelia held the marriage certificate in her hands. From now on, she was a married woman.

“Mr. Brooke, may I have a few words with you?

“Get in the car, and since we are now married, you can call me Nathaniel,” he said as he walked out of the registration hall.

Amelia followed closely behind. After getting into the Rolls-Royce, she nervously looked at Nathaniel before requesting, "Thank you for marrying me. If you need anything from me in return, please tell me, and I will do anything.

After listening to Amelia, Nathaniel gave a slight smirk. A dangerous aura swept through the car, “I'll text you the address of my house, and you need to move in before the end of today”. My assistant will be in touch with you for anything you may need.

Amelia had no objections. Since they were now married, a request like this was reasonable. So she obediently nodded her head as she replied, "I agree!"   

"Good!"   

After the two made their verbal agreement, Amelia got out of Nathaniel's car and left. Nathaniel looked at himself from the rearview mirror.

“Hmm, the meat has fallen into my hands without me having to do anything. What a wonderful development…….”