Chapter 2: The Princess Got Totally Embarrassed

Before Eliana could retorted, she heard Chase beside her sneer. "If you want to slander someone, at least come ready. Using a random photo is just ridiculous." Camille's face darkened. The photo didn't match the groom and her plan failed. She then quickly exchanged looks with Jeremy beside her. Jeremy stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Eliana. "Lena, even if I didn't want to marry you, you shouldn't just marry to a stranger. You are literally humiliating both of us." How dare he! He's the one ran away right before their wedding, and he had the nerve to blame her, the one cleaning up the mess? Eliana felt a rush of anger, but before she could say anything, Chase jumped in. “Honestly, sticking with the wrong person is the real humiliation. Ditching them lets you find someone who genuinely cares. So, everyone, steer clear of snakes like this guy, or you’ll get caught in their mess when karma comes knocking!” "Eliana," Jeremy ignored Chase and sneered, his face contorted in disgust, "If you're trying to tick me off by seeing someone else, at least pick someone halfway decent, someone who can measure up to me. I’ll just be honest. If it weren't for your pestering in the past, I wouldn't have even given you a chance. Being with you was just a painful reminder of my mistake. You're stubborn, arrogant, and cold. You’re a dead fish!" Today's wedding guests were all part of their social circle, familiar with Jeremy and Eliana's long history as childhood sweethearts. So, when they noticed the groom wasn't Jeremy but a complete stranger, confusion swept through the crowd. But, it all made sense now. Jeremy had dumped Eliana! The hushed whispers, the gossip swirling around, and those sympathetic glances made Eliana feel utterly exposed, as if her dignity was being torn away in front of everyone. He had promised to protect her forever, to shield her from the storms, to call her the love of his life, and vowed to marry her, make her the happiest person in the world... Now, those beautiful promises became the most disgusting lies. She felt sick whenever she thought of it. Eliana’s limbs went frozen at Jeremy’s word, when a warm hand gently grasped her trembling, icy fingers. It was Chase, again. "Just because you can't see her worth doesn't mean others can't appreciate it. From this moment on, her kindness, her thoughtfulness, every wonderful aspect of her belongs to me. We'll walk into a brighter tomorrow. As for you, don’t bother her ever." Chase's words were firm, his presence unquestionably strong. "Are you really going to register with this man?" Jeremy asked Eliana, sounded like his ultimatum. Chase chuckled, his dark eyes full of disdain. "We've already had the ceremony; of course, we'll register. If you're not here to give your blessings, then please leave. You’re not invited." "Jimmy, since Lena doesn't welcome us, let's go," Vanessa said, taking Jeremy's hand, her voice coquettish. Wait, why was Vanessa holding Jeremy's hand? Could it be... Vanessa noticed Eliana's gaze and grinned, "Sis, Jimmy and I are together now. He says he feels happier with me, and I'm pregnant. Jimmy is going to be a father." Vanessa was pregnant! Eliana's face turned stiff. That meant hey had been cheating on her for a long time. The person she trusted the most and the one she despised were together. Sadness washed over her. This realization made her broken heart feel even heavier than before. Chase was as calm as ever. "Everyone likes free stuff, but not all of them will take it home." Vanessa's face drained of color as she shot Chase a glare. His sheer presence shut her up with just a glance. "Alright, we're off to City Hall to tie the knot. You guys do your thing," Chase announced, grabbing Eliana's hand as they made their exit. He just handled this drama on his own to spare Eliana any humiliation. Eliana followed him out and got into her car. On their way to the City Hall, she couldn't help but ask, "You're not the person my uncle hired. Who are you?" This man exuded a natural air of superiority, making him seem anything but ordinary. Chase slouched against the car window, saying, "I'm filling in for him. He couldn't make it, so I'm here. Job's done. Pay the rest, and then drop me somewhere. We'll never see each other again." Eliana slammed on the brakes, frustration evident in her eyes. "Everyone saw your face just now, leaving isn't an option!" At first, she planned to pretend to be married for three months and then find a way out with a divorce. But now that Chase has appeared in front of her stepmother, she couldn't change to another groom! Leaving suddenly would also look fishy and expose her fake marriage. "So, what do you suggest?" Chase asked warily. Eliana rubbed her temples with both hands. "What else can we do? You keep pretending to be my husband. I'll increase your pay by fifty percent, and after three months, we'll divorce." Eliana took a breather and realized things were still on track, just with a different player in the game now. That's not a big problem. Chase just rolled his eyes and gave her this smug glance. "And what if I'm not on board with that?" Eliana's eyes widened; she didn't see that answer coming! He wasn't exactly the type one could push around, which Eliana had anticipated. She was already stressing about the whole marrying him idea, and now he's the one being all cautious right from the beginning? She could only respond, "Well, what do you want then?" Chase's gaze was cold and inscrutable, the silence around them almost tangible. As Eliana thought he might seize the opportunity to make outrageous demands, she heard his deep voice, "Besides the pay, you'll accompany me home to meet my family. During our marriage, you are not allowed to touch me. We'll live together but in separate rooms, and you won't interfere with my life. If that's acceptable, let's go to the city hall now." "Wait, aren't those all lines I'm supposed to say?!" thought Eliana. She couldn't be bothered to argue with him. Through gritted teeth, she said, "Deal." With that, she floored the accelerator and headed to the city hall. After getting out of the car, Chase went to a corner, claiming his 'family' was coming to give him his passport. Eliana didn't pay much attention and went inside to wait for him. "Mr. Wilkinson, are you really getting married?" Chase's assistant, Stephan, asked, puzzled. "My grandfather sent me to LA to find a woman. I'm marrying her so he'll trust me with the company shares," Chase replied, surprised himself by the unexpected turn of events. Since the woman had agreed to divorce after three months anyway, he decided to make the most of the situation. "We'll stick around and investigate who's behind that ambush," said Chase. His eyes turned cold as he recalled the night of his arrival when he narrowly escaped an explosion targeting him as he left the airport lounge. He decided to temporarily conceal his identity, investigate the matter, and assess the situation of the subsidiary companies. This way, he could meet his grandfather's demands while achieving his own objectives. When Chase entered, he noticed a bunch of folks dragging Eliana towards the exit. Without hesitating, he kicked one of them off. Fixing his messed-up tie, he said coldly, "Who the hell do you think you are, messing with my girl?"