Chapter 6

6: Newly Wedded << Sophia >> I slept like a dead woman last night. When I opened my eyes, Light hit my head like a bad hangover. I shut my eyes tight immediately. Definitely not dead. I can feel fresh air flowing into the room and touching my body. I can hear the birds chirping. It is a musical. I take a deep breath… I want to do something with music. I wasted my years away working for Dad’s construction company. What do I have now? A very basic bank balance. Yes, I am supposed to inherit some assets. But I will not go back and beg for these. I carefully open my eyes again to take a peek at the birds and smile. I am sure I can figure something out. My phone pings. I take a nice stretch and pick the phone up. I blink once and then twice to see what I am reading. Hubby: ‘Sorry Buttercup… I had to leave early. You looked damn beautiful last night. Don’t ever let some asshole let your confidence down. It was nice meeting you. Even nicer marrying you. If you want to… we can catch up sometime…’ I frown. What the fuck! I shake my head. It looks like a wrong number. Me: ‘I think you have a wrong number!’ Hubby: ‘Is it? I thought I saved it with the name Hubby.’ I frown. Oh fuck how is this number saved in my phone. Am I hallucinating? Then another message pings. Hubby: ‘I have left the contract by the table. Take a good look at it again. And please follow the rules. Last night you were giggling a lot… so I am not sure how much of it you actually understood.’ My head turns towards the table so fast, it almost gives me a whiplash. There is indeed a file. I push the blanket aside and get out of bed and frown, looking at my clothes. or should I say… Lack of clothes. I am wearing nice lingerie… It’s not the one I remember wearing. I swallow hard. Who put me into those? I look around and turn frantic, when I see a wedding dress lying by the side of my bed. No No. That’s not possible… I attended a wedding last night. Maybe the bride left her dress in my room? I step towards it and panic rises inside me. It’s my size. Bride-zilla was tiny and thin… Fuck this dress is beautiful and my size. Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! I will faint! This is not possible… But the wedding dress… the folder on the table and the messages on my phone…. Fuck! I scream! Me: ‘You fucking asshole! Who the hell are you? Did you have sex with me last night?’ Hubby: ‘Ohh!! Wow… Fighting already? Okay! Hubby: New rule- No name callings please. It’s not good for the kids. Hubby: And I thought it was clear I am your lawfully wedded husband. And No honey, we didn’t have sex... You were too wasted for my taste.’ Thank Goodness! Hubby: ‘But we kissed. The one in front of the priest to seal the deal. You are a sloppy kisser, my doll! I roll my eyes. First ‘buttercup’ now ‘doll’. Me: ‘Listen! We have to annul this marriage! I do not remember anything. This can’t be legal.’ Hubby: ‘uhmm actually it is legal. Read the contract, then we can talk. Gotta go! I have things to do. Life to live.’ Hubby: By the way, You will get the money in an hour. I do get the money in an hour. Idea of staying married doesn’t seem bad anymore. ….. I and Lena sit on the bed staring at the marriage contract in front of us. Jake is standing next to the bed, tapping his foot. Yes, I asked them to fly here to provide me with moral support. I couldn’t read it alone. “So the gist of the contract is…” Lena says, “You cannot marry anyone else unless he permits you.” “Which is obvious,” I state. “But at least he didn’t outright deny you… It’s good, just in case you fall in love with someone else and want to start a family.” Jake reasons. “Try not to whore around. Your mother-in-law wouldn’t be happy.” Lena reads the next term and snorts. “Someone is afraid of his mother.” “I didn’t even sleep with Caleb in the last six months. I think I can survive three years” Jake grimaces and says, “Jeez, he didn’t ask you to literally stop sleeping with men. He said don’t whore around…” Lena adds, “Maybe he is worried about his image…. Maybe you need to be discreet if you date or hook up with someone.” Hook up! I snort. “Next!” I ask. “If I request a live-in relationship. You have to comply…” I bite my lips. “I hope this never happens.” They both nod. “Sex is optional..” Lena wiggles her eyebrows, Jake chuckles and I roll my eyes. “I don’t even remember who he is!” I exclaim. “What if he is some 40-year-old asshole or worse, someone of my Grandfather’s age?” I am only 24 after all! “The contract does not mention his name?” Jake asks. “It says M. Miller.” I say. Lena cross checks and asks, ”How much did you receive again?” I swallow and say in a low voice, ”42 million!” “What!” they both exclaim. I shrink in my seat. Yea, it’s a big number. “This is for the whole year… or the whole contract term?” Lena asks wide eyed. “This is for a month.” I mumble. “WHAT!” they both exclaim again. Yeah, my reaction was the same. “I will sleep with a grandpa for that kind of money!” Lena says. “Hey!” Jake objects. I wrinkle my nose and cross my arms. I won’t. “I will give you 21 Million a month sweetie.” He draws his brow together and considers. “Yeah.. Although I am straight… I will sleep with any grandpa for that kind of money.” Jake says. I don’t want to. This is not fair… I wanted to earn my money. With hard work. I didn’t ask someone to just… give it to me. What will I do with so much money? It feels like I don’t have a purpose anymore. I don’t want to waste my life away… “Can you divorce him?” Lena asks. “Yeah… but he threw a lame joke.” I roll my eyes and show my chat to Lena. Me: ‘No No No this cannot happen. I want to terminate this contract..’ Hubby: ‘Contract Termination? Sorry Honey... In my family, couples don’t divorce.’ Me: ‘WHAT?’ Hubby: ’You are easy to scare. I was kidding. But Let’s catch-up after three years to end this shit. I don’t want this happy marriage to end any sooner.’ She chuckles. “This is some funny dude, I am sure.” She says. “You have his number. Why don’t you call him? Know him a little,” Jake suggests. I shake my head. “I don’t think I should... I am scared what might happen if I get to know him…. and I don’t want to sleep with a grandpa.” Just in case he is a grandpa. “He is not a grandpa.” Lena insists. “We could google him and see what comes up. He is rich, that’s for sure… I am sure we can find him on internet.” Jake says. We sit in front of the laptop and search for different keywords. M. Miller Millionaire. M. Miller Billionaire. M. Miller Las Vegas. and we don’t like our options. I am not sure if this will turn out to be some big mistake in my life or a golden opportunity. But the money is tempting. I am not sure what I will do with it. But it’s still very, very tempting. “Okay… I guess it would be better if you keep your distance from him… just in case he is one of them,” Lena says, making a face, disappointed at the search results. I sigh and agree.