Clarisse’s thoughts were heavy and distant. Of course, who would want to marry someone like me? A woman who got married and divorced within a month, then shamelessly married another man two weeks later? Who would want to marry a woman like me, someone who’s not attractive? Alice tossed me aside, and I’m sure he’s angry, taking it out on me. When the time comes, she’ll come for it, and I’ll be divorced again…
She sighed, her expression blank. It didn’t move her anymore. Nor did it surprise her.
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll remain invisible. I won’t come around for you to see me so you won’t feel uncomfortable. I’ll stay away from your sight and also from your family. Once again, I’m sorry,” she said, still not looking at him, and she bowed slightly in apology.
Christian frowned, his tone deep and vibrant, making Clarisse’s heart skip a beat.
“And why would my woman do that?”
Christian frowned and spoke in a deep, vibrant tone that made Clarisse’s heart skip a beat. “And why would my woman do that?”
“Huh?”
Did I hear that right? Clarisse thought, confused. He’s been acting crazy since the wedding. I’m not Alice. Who’s his woman?
She looked up at him, meeting his gray eyes. Their gazes locked, and Chris felt his heart race. Her blue eyes were like an ocean-beautiful and drowning-but at the same time, they held so many emotions.
“I’m doing this because I know it isn’t me you want here, and I understand that,” she said, quickly looking away. She was sure that Patricia couldn’t just send her off to a good man like him, so this was what she assumed it had to be.
“What makes you think it’s another woman I want here?”
“Because I know it definitely can’t be me,” she said, her voice firm, but it puzzled Chris. He wondered if he was missing something.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, princess…”
“Clarisse, that’s my name,” she replied, feeling uneasy with him calling her ‘princess.’ There was nothing special about her.
“That’s a beautiful name, but I would take great pleasure in calling you that,” he said, his words unwavering as he again managed to make Clarisse look up at him. But she stared at him as if he were mad.
“Please, call me by my name,” she said, blinking her eyes and looking away.
“You can choose, princess, baby, or mama?” he teased. Each word sounded so sexy from his lips that it would make any woman’s head spin-but not Clarisse.
“Clarisse,” she answered firmly, closing her eyes and remaining resolute.
“Baby?”
“Clarisse,” she said again, her tone unyielding.
“Mama?”
“Clarisse,” she repeated, her voice steady, as she remained adamant.
“My wife is quite stubborn,” he remarked, a smile playing on his lips.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered, unsure whether he was serious or playing some cruel game.
“But I like that,” he said, smiling as he looked at her.
Clarisse frowned. There are many crazy people in this world. Is he playing with me? This must be some kind of torture.
Clarisse thought to herself.
“I can try, though. I’ll go by Ari. Ari, is that okay?”
She hated how it felt or sounded. No one had ever given her a nickname or shortened her name, and she didn’t want that from someone she saw as nothing, nor did she want anyone to see her as anything anymore. She was too broken and felt too empty.
“Clarisse. Call me Clarisse.”
“I’m sorry, princess,” he said, his tone soft. “You’re able to negotiate with me because you’re my woman. Like I said earlier, you’re free to ask me any question, and I’ll truthfully reply. And I’ll make it up to you for not showing up early today for our wedding. I’m so sorry about that. Right now, you must be so tired, so let’s eat and change because we’re having family dinner.”
“We can go for that now,” she replied.
“In that?” He gestured toward her wedding dress.
“Yes,” she responded, not thinking twice.
“Today’s going to be stressful, and now that I think about it, we haven’t registered our marriage or taken any wedding pictures.”
“That won’t be necessary,” she answered quickly.
Christian furrowed his brow as he watched her stand up.
Clarisse had been expecting him to live in the same compound as his parents, like Victor did. She didn’t want to change into her old clothes because they were tattered. She didn’t want to be seen in them, especially with the way reporters had rushed to their wedding. He must be a very important person, and she didn’t want a picture of her in those clothes, even though her wedding dress was oversized and not ideal. Still, it didn’t matter as much.
“Where’s their quarters?” she asked.
“Whose quarters?”
“The family quarters.”
Christian glanced sideways without moving his head. “Okay… that’s miles away. More than five miles away.”
“Is this house that big?” she asked, surprised.
“House? This…”
“I can understand, though. You all live together, probably. That’s why,” she said aloud, thinking it was in her mind. She looked at Christian, who laughed.
She stared at him, confused.
“This isn’t a house.”
“What is it, then?”
“This is a hotel, one of my hotels. We’re just here to have a meal, get changed, and sign our marriage documents before we meet our family, which will take a while. That’s why I didn’t want to take you there with your stomach grumbling.”
Clarisse’s face turned red with embarrassment. Her stomach had been growling during the helicopter ride, but she thought no one could hear it over the noise of the helicopter.
“And I don’t live with my family, so you have nothing to worry about,” he added, smiling at her flushed face. She looked cute, embarrassed like that. “So, wedding pictures first or food first?”
“Either,” she replied quietly.
Chris sighed and then looked more closely at her dress, noticing how lean she looked.
“Who chose that dress?” he asked.
“Miss Patricia.”
He nodded, already feeling anger rising, but then his phone rang, distracting him. “Hi, Mum.”
“Where are you two?”
“The hotel.”
“I knew it,” she said. Then, she told Christian to take Clarisse for some wedding pictures and to sign the marriage documents.
He hung up as soon as she finished.
“Mum called,” he said.
“Hm?”
“She said we should come take some wedding pictures.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.