Chapter 5 It's the D-Day.

Brittany's POV

"Just like that?" Mom seemed shocked after I had narrated everything to her, and she couldn't help but to ask for the second time.

This time, I only nodded whilst gulping down the chilled mocktail to swallow down my anger.

"Then that's good news. Now that we have the ball in our court, there's nothing to worry about anymore. But, I hope you've told him when the wedding would take place. You know, it's a day after tomorrow, right?" She uttered, raising her brows at the end of her statement.

Damn it! I almost thought I was forgetting something when I left his office.

"You mean you didn't?" Mom scoffed out.

I froze for a second before glancing at her slowly and I guessed she understood my message instantly because her look said it all.

"It's in the contract, he doesn't need to hear it from me." Those words came out seconds later to conceal my little incompetence.

Besides, I could send a message across to him when my secretary goes to pick up the contract tomorrow.

"If you say so but know better not to mess this up again."

"I won't." I replied simply as I signalled for another glass of mocktail from a maid.

She granted my request in a jiffy and I continued from where I stopped gulping. All to just cool my head off this marriage stuff.

What I clearly didn't want to happen was happening before me a day after tomorrow and I couldn't do anything to stop it except to follow along.

Mom was the sole mastermind behind all these. If she hadn't called me this morning to use the alternative of a contract she had drafted at the beginning of this marriage arrangements, then we wouldn't be here now.

At first, I was unsettled as just a contract wouldn't fix anything between Ace and me. Our relationship had become too broken to be mended, but mom wouldn't stop giving reasons the marriage should work.

Definitely, I reasoned with her because we were both pursuing the same thing-the company.

If I eventually got married to Ace like dad wanted, then I wouldn't have to worry about competing against my step-sister, Lora.

She would do anything to gain points from dad, and would use this as a chance to ruin my mother and me - like she'd always wanted.

Lora's mother used to be my father's mistress until she met her end, a few years after Lora was born. Even when she was just a mistress, I remembered how she'd always managed to get my father on her side, despite how she was the problem.

Lora wasn't any different from her mother even when I was a few years older than her and for that very reason, I'd vowed never to lose anything to her.

She was only an illegitimate child of the Anderson's and would remain that way except if she found something meaningful to do with her life.

Just then, mom's phone rang. "It's the wedding planner." She said when I shot her a glance.

"You can proceed with the plans. It'll still take place as said, so make it glamorous like the previous one."

"Yeah, bye."

"Not glamorous, please. Just something simple." I corrected immediately, mom put down her phone, but she only glanced at me and didn't say anything.

"Now that everything is going smoothly, you should apologize to your father and let him know you're ready to get married as planned." She said instead and nudged me when I didn't reply.

"Okay." I muttered after a while then took a sip of my mocktail.

The vexation in me was expressed through my tone, and mom only heaved a sigh, before resting back on her seat.

"Mom?" I suddenly called her attention to me once again, and she responded with a gaze.

"Never use my secret against me...." I turned to face her partly before proceeding with my voice low, "you promised."

I suddenly remembered I wanted to correct something with her - one of the reasons I visited instead. She'd used a secret of mine to threaten me earlier today - something I didn't want known to anyone, except for she, of course.

She stood up from her seat, "I wouldn't if you don't make me." Then she left the garden.

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Authoress POV

It was the wedding day today but unlike the previous wedding that took place, this was much scanty. Although, people showed up for the ceremony, it didn't bloom like the first one because this was done as per what Brittany wanted and of course, she didn't want it be glamorous like the first one.

"It was better not to waste more materials." She had told everyone who wished to listen when she was asked the reason.

"You know what to do, right?" Brittany's dad had asked before taking his daughter up to meet the groom on the altar.

"Yes." Brittany replied nonchalantly.

The vows and rings were exchanged within a short time and when it finally got to the kissing part, Brittany tried not to smack his face hard.

As much as she loved the kiss, she couldn't bring herself to admit it, obviously from the much hatred she had for him.

Ace, on the other hand, wished he didn't stop but like Brittany, he was unable to admit it.

Finally, they were done at the altar, and they didn't hesitate to walk down the aisle, holding hands like they meant it.

Just like Mr. Anderson, Brittany's father had been anticipating their presence too much, he gave Brittany a go ahead to approach the reporters outside.

Ace also understood the signal and walked his bride outside, where the paparazzi gathered immediately they were seen.

Brittany heaved a low sigh before she began, "I'm so sorry everyone for all the worries, anger, and drama I put you into. Actually, there was a misunderstanding that other day and I overreacted because I was ignorant of the situation, but after my darling husband explained everything with the help of the family, I realized I was at fault........" There was a short pause as she grabbed Ace much closer to her, and he didn't fail to hold her waist.

Brittany's anger was brewing inside already, especially since she had to do this, but none seemed to understand except her mother who was standing behind them.

Only she knew how hard it was for Brittany to practice and perfect those words.

"So, here I am, saying I'm sorry to all who showed me their sympathy." She finished with a feigned look of guilt on her face.

"Does that mean, you lied with the arranged marriage stuff?" A female reporter asked.

"No, I didn't. This is a marriage which fully has Ace and I's support. You could call it arranged because our family discussed it first, but later realized we were also having it planned. I hope that has cleared up the misunderstanding." She wrapped up her speech as she finally walked through the midst of the multitude of reporters with Ace by her side, and didn't stop smiling until they were inside the Lamborghini-a wedding gift from both of their fathers.