Billionaire's Bride

"Hello." "I'm sorry, Miss Parker. There's been an accident." With shaky hands, I gripped the phone before I crumpled to the ground. My face was white from shock and my almond-shaped hazel eyes were red and puffy from tears. This was all my fault, I wailed. If I had just listened and not turned her out then this wouldn't have happened. Without saying a word I listened to what was being said over the phone. I couldn't understand much except that my grandmother was dead. That sentence had shut my brain down.

Out of all the people in the world it just had to be my grandma that was involved in that ghastly accident. Well, maybe if you hadn't sent her out then she'd still be alive, a tiny voice sneered in my mind. I was guilty and I would leave... "Hailey!" I blinked furiously, widening my eyes in full panic mode as I took in my surroundings. I had been rudely pulled out of my thoughts by... My eyes zeroed in on the man dressed in a white tuxedo and I swallowed looking around. I was in a church, standing in front of an altar with a priest before me and the handsome man was standing right in front of me. There was a crowd. Lots of them all staring back at me. I could have sworn that some were glaring at me with murder in their eyes. "Hailey, are you alright?" I focused back on the man staring at me, concern shining in his steel-blue eyes. I focused my attention on his hands instead and saw he was holding out a ring waiting for me to extend my hands. Ring? Church? Why does this sound so familiar? I wondered about scrunching up my brows. It's my wedding! The thought hit me so hard I staggered a bit taken aback. Slowly the memories of this morning came back to me and I bit the inside of my cheeks to prevent my tears from dripping. I had woken up this morning with a call from the hospital at 4 am informing me of my loss. I had been devastated and had barely spent thirty minutes at the hospital when I was brought back home to prepare for my wedding. That's why I kept drifting in and out of consciousness trying to acknowledge the fact that I was getting married on the day my grandmother died. "We need to do this!" His voice whispered in my ears. I nodded and took a deep breath before flashing the priest a wide smile. The priest nodded and prompted the question again. "Do you, Miss Hailey Parker, take Mr. Xavier Lowell as your lawfully wedded husband, to hold and to cherish till death do you apart?" I smiled and nodded. "I do." The cold metal ring slipped into my finger, the diamond stone glittering from the chandelier. I took the next band from the little girl standing beside me, I hadn't noticed her before probably because I was preoccupied with trying to face reality or remain in the past. "Do you, Mr. Xavier Lowell, take Miss Hailey Parker as your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you apart?" "I do." I slipped the ring on his finger as his velvet voice rang out in the church. If not for his beautiful face then any woman would have fallen in love with him for his silky voice. "I now pronounce you man and wife!" There was a standing ovation the moment the priest declared, "you may now kiss your bride" and I got lost in focusing on the velvet tongue that was intoxicating me like a drug. He tasted so good, just like my chocolate candy bar, I mused as he deepened the kiss. A groan escaped from my throat and he pulled away. "Congratulations to you, Mrs. Xavier Lowell." I chuckled staring at him. "I guess you're on your way to getting your dreams to come true." He nodded. "Let's talk about this later, I believe we have guest-bearing gifts." I turned away from my new husband and focused on the interior decoration of the church. There were neatly trimmed flowers and balloons tied all around the church. The decorations were nothing simple but elegant just how I wanted them. Soon, the audience formed a line and each of them came forward carrying either an envelope or other gifts. It was an elite wedding and nothing less than expensive and lavish gifts was expected. "Hailey, focus!" The sharp voice of Xavier jolted me back to reality once again and I saw the woman who was reaching out to hug me. Most likely a fake one, my subconscious snapped. "Congrats, darling," the woman beamed, giving me a side hug. Soon I was surrounded by a lot of unfamiliar people of both sexes. The woman gave me a poisonous smile while congratulating me, I could only hope no one tried to strangle me. Why wouldn't they after all I had snagged one of the wealthiest hot and sexy eligible bachelors of the century all to myself and I was a nobody. What they didn't know was that this was a marriage of convenience. No one was supposed to know that except Susie. Which reminds me, where is Susie? "Congrats, sweetie!" The fake display of affection caught my attention and I stared at Xavier that was now being cuddled by a redhead. The redhead pulled away and flashed me a smile before pulling me into a hug giggling happily. "Congrats, Hailey!" I winced as I was being squeezed to death. This was the only person aside from Xavier that I k knew here and wouldn't hesitate to strangle me with a shoelace should the need arise. She was Celine Lowry-Xavier's ex-girlfriend. "Enjoy it while it lasts, Hailey. I'm going to rip your life apart and show the world who you truly are," Celine whispered sweetly in my ear. I gaped at her while she strutted away and wondered how my life had spiraled downwards so quickly. My grandmother just died on my wedding day and now I was being threatened. How worse could my life be, I wondered. Only at this time, I didn't know this was just the beginning of an unending battle. Perhaps it would be best if I started from the beginning and what had led up to this very moment.

"Horrendous!" That bad? Who was I kidding? Anyway, everything Susie doesn't select or do herself was horrendous. But no kidding the dress was kind of archaic. "Quit battling with your mind and bloody speak up. You and I know that you know that the dress is bad!" My best friend yelled again. I sighed musing over my thoughts. This was a tradition in my family, to wear an ancestral dress for our wedding but deep down I knew this wasn't what I wanted. "Will. You. Speak. Up. Hailey!" "Susie, could you please keep your voice down.

You would wake grandma up," I pleaded, running a hand through the fabric of the dress as I stared at myself in the full-length mirror in my room that was the only thing I bought. The rest of the things in my room-the bed, recliner chair, bookcase, and books -- I bought some romance novels that I hid from my grandma. Those little things that made up my room were handed down to me by my mother before she passed away, God bless her soul though I scarcely knew her. Grandma... She didn't speak of her either and there was no picture lying carelessly in the house so I don't even know what she looks like. If I got my looks from her then she'd be the older version of my average height, a round face, plump pink lips, auburn hair, and hazel color eyes. Then my body curves were what grandma termed in her own words as, "A shape that would cause men to fall into sin. For that reason, you must always dress decently." The last thing I needed right now was for grandma Maggie to be awake while Susie talked. They don't speak the same language. "Oh, your grand maggie is around. Imma tell her my mind right this fucking instant!" My best friend yelled louder. This girl was gonna get me killed, she's breaking the golden rule-no swearing in the house. "Grand Maggie pie!" Susie yelled the more walking towards my door. Oh, fuck it! "Shut the fuck up, Susie!" I yelled in a harsh whisper, dragging her back from the door and placing my hand on her mouth. "Gtt ffr mmi!" I giggled, "You're right. No swearing in the house." "What was that, honey?" Oh, shit! I could feel Susie smirk and bite my hand. I yelped letting her go instantly, hopping on one foot and trying my hardest not to curse at her. "Grandmaggie, welcome." Susie smiled at her white teeth as the door swung open and my grandma stood there in all her glory, eying Susie suspiciously. What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word "grandma?" A wrinkly frail old lady probably using a wheelchair, hearing aid, or worse, a nursing home. Unfortunately, that's not what grandma Margaret looks like. She's a beautiful fair woman of average height, silver hair, and not a single wrinkle. She isn't frail nor uses a hearing aid. Quite the opposite she hears loud and clear and is very much strong and healthy. Oh and she's a staunch catholic and believer. "Why are you smiling like that, Suse? Something wrong with your teeth?" I failed to mention that my grandma has a firm voice and she teases Susie sometimes... most times, alright all the time. I smiled quietly as I watched Susie's face turn red. "Nothing is wrong with my face, grand maggie pie," she answered through gritted teeth. "Ah, good." Grandma didn't seem fazed by the awful nickname Susie gave her. Over the years, she was used to it now apparently. Then I noticed she was staring at me. Oh boy! "Pray do tell me why you're standing on one foot, Hailey?" Grandma asked in an amusing voice. Her lips were twitching and I knew she was holding back her smile. "More like hopping," my traitor friend sniggered then imitated grandma's voice, "yes, pray do tell." I glared at her before smiling sweetly at my grandma. "It's exercise. It's good for my Uhm... muscles." "Oh by all means carry on," my grandma said smiling then turned to Susie, "Do join her." "W...what!" Susie stuttered. "It's an exercise good for muscles, join in while I set the timer. Thirty minutes max." Grandma had a mischievous glint in her eyes. So I proceeded to carry out the strenuous exercise of hopping on one foot. My consolation was that the traitor was among. Hmmph serves her right, my subconscious snorted. "Do you have something to say, Suse?" I heard grandma's voice behind me. I knew she was sitting on the recliner chair in my room and from the tone of her voice I knew she was enjoying herself immensely. I saw Susie gulp nervously. She had the unfortunate fate of being in front of me. "I was talking about Hailey's wedding dress," Susie replied panting. I rolled my eyes. Grandma knew well that she couldn't talk and be hopping, it'd leave her exhausted too soon. "What about it, dear?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw grandma paste on a saccharine smile. Susie huffed before speaking, "It's an old dress. She needs a new one." "Oh, that's a lovely observation." Susie beamed in front of me. She has no idea what grandma is doing. "But perhaps, Hailey, did you mention needing a new wedding dress?" I almost laughed at Susie's sour expression...almost. Instead, I kept a straight face and gave a humble answer, "No, grandma." If looks could kill I'd be ten foot under with the glare Susie shot me. "She doesn't need to say it for crying out loud!" I noticed the exhaustion in her voice and I knew it wouldn't be long till she succumbs. "I believe the bride gets whatever she wants. Don't you think so, Susie?" Grandma asked. Just a few seconds more and...jackpot, grandma will win this round without moving a muscle. "I guess so," Susie grumbled under her breath. "What do you want as your wedding dress, Hailey?" Grandma asked in a sweet voice but I could hear the edge in her voice. She wasn't asking me what I want, she was telling me what I needed to respond. "The dress I'm wearing," I replied soberly. "Well, that's what the bride wants Susie," Grandma said, standing up. Susie grinned, "I guess she can wear that than the archaic wedding dress." She was panting and sweating now, officially exhausted. "Oh, good. That's settled. Time's up, girls." And my tactical grandma strutted out of my room. Susie collapsed instantly on the floor wincing. "Wait... What? What just happened?!" I gingerly sat down on my bed, careful not to stain my wedding dress, "You just accepted that I wear the dress I had on right now to the wedding." Susie smiled, "Yeah that's better than wearing the... Holy shit!" Susie's eyes widened when she realized that the dress I was wearing was the wedding dress. "You were wearing that the whole time?" I nodded. "I didn't think for a moment that you had that on doing the exercise," Susie replied looking confused. I gave her a pitying look. "I know and she knows it too. That's not the first time she has done something like this." "Your grandma is weird sometimes." Susie settled to say. I couldn't blame her really, I mean she was taken by surprise. One of grandma's favorite tactics, yeah she's got a whole lot of tactics. Then suddenly I remembered... "FYI, that wasn't an exercise, it was a form of punishment from her for disturbing her sleep." Susie's mouth hung open in surprise, "The fuck! Seriously!!" I groaned. "She has lots of punishment and different methods of getting you to do it so unless you're in for another round of punishment..." I barely finished what I was saying, I felt my zipper pull down and my gown slipped off. "Get dressed, we're going to my house where I can curse all day without the fear of serving a punishment without my knowledge." I groaned. That's to be expected of Susie. Always bossing me around.

"Mmh... Right there baby just go a little lower!" I stopped instantly raising my face to look at my boyfriend beneath my lashes. His eyes were closed and he was still moaning. Suddenly his brown eyes flew open and our eyes locked. No, sparks did not fly, I don't think any other sparks could fly with the way he was staring at me right now. "Why did you stop?" Duncan asked pouting rather childishly. I chuckled. "That look so does not suit you." He frowned sitting up on the bed and throwing his shirt over his head. "That's not what I asked." Ugh! Grumpy Pants, I mused.

"You said I should go lower," I replied shrugging. He blinked like he was trying to understand what I said. "Yes?" I rolled my eyes. "I can't go lower 'cause that would entail me to pull your briefs down and see your manhood and do whatever it was you were suggesting." He still looked confused. "And?" I groaned now, standing up from the bed and walking towards Susie's closet-yes we were in her room sinning, that's what grandma would have said I can't be making out with my boyfriend in my room. Have you met my grandma? My subconscious snickered. "And it's not okay for me to see your manhood before marriage," I replied with a sigh. He looked bewildered. "It's called a dick." I gave him a confused look. "What?" It was his turn to groan. "Manhood sounds archaic now it's known as a dick." I shook my head thoughtfully, "I'll pass on the name offer but seriously is that the only thing you picked out on what I was saying?" "I'm not asking for sex, Hailey. I only asked for a BJ. We'll be getting married in a few days. It's not wrong for us to start practicing now," he said calmly running a hand through his blonde hair. He looked calm but I knew better that whenever he ran his hand through his hair he was frustrated. But hold up I heard an unfamiliar acronym. What's a BJ? I wanted to ask but kept quiet. He came towards me again and captured my mouth in another kiss. I'm a hopeless romantic but I also know this kiss is sloppy, it wasn't turning me on or making sparks fly or all those other fantasizing stuff. Let's just try the BJ, my mind was on the verge of giving in. I could almost hear grandma's voice as clear as day, "Hailey don't fall into temptation that is coming from the devil." I pulled away hurriedly. I noticed the look of hurt on his face. "I'm sorry." He sighed pulling me down gently and I ended up on his lap. "I want you, Hailey. Can't you see that?" Sometimes I felt bad about doing this to him like we've been together for almost two years and we've done nothing except kiss a little and try to make out-try because I never let him. "Hailey I haven't even seen you naked before," he let out a frustrated groan. You haven't seen me in my undies, you're talking about naked, I swallowed the words, I didn't want to upset him the more. "I'm damn tired, Hailey this isn't alright with me," he continued his rants. No don't get me wrong I feel bad for him but I can't compromise my beliefs and training. Everything Grandma has been telling me, I just can't throw it all away. I didn't look up till he walked out of the room slamming the door shut. I pulled out one of my favorite books that I had hidden in Susie's room-her drawer. I began reading, got lost in the words till- "What happened, Hailey?" -Till Susie walked through the door. I rolled my eyes as I closed my book and looked up. "What do you mean?" Susie massaged my temples. "Are you scared, Hailey? You can tell me." She had a frown on her face. I still had no idea of what she was talking about so I gave her a blank look. "Tell me why you haven't had sex with your boyfriend!" I bless the lord we aren't in my home, Grandma will have my head. "Sex is what happens between two married people," I replied with a shrug. She gave me an incredulous look. "Are you serious right now? Who taught you that bullshit!" I giggled. "I'd love to see you try calling grandma's teachings bullshit to her face." Susie shot me a glare. "That is so not what we're talking about." I nodded. "I'm quite aware of that except that this conversation is boring, pointless, and irrelevant." Susie gasped-like she gasped not to fake it. "Sex education isn't pointless. I'm teaching you an important aspect as part of being educated sexually and you say it's irrelevant." I groaned. "Topic closed. I have been taught about sex education by my grandma." Susie threw her hands up in the air. "Exactly. Which makes the teaching archaic because it was taught by your old grandma." I cocked my brow at her smirking, "Really?" "Alright let me get this straight has he ever asked you for a BJ or an HJ?" Susie asked. I frowned. He has mentioned these acronyms before. "Yeah, he's mentioned them before." Susie smirked, "Did you do it?" I gave her a confused look, "I didn't know what it was and he wouldn't tell me. Just wanted me to strip him naked and I couldn't bring myself to do it." "OMG!" Susie covered her mouth with her hands. "You haven't seen your boyfriend's dick?" I rolled my eyes at her. "No. Now tell me what's a BJ and HJ?" Susie chuckled. "It's called Blow job and hand job." I frowned, still trying to understand what she meant. "I only know that both things have a job." Susie was on the verge of breaking down from laughter. Her friend's innocence was just too much sometimes. "Blow job is done with the mouth. You suck his dick and hand jobs are done with the hand. You massage his dick," Susie explained, still chortling. I made a face. Ew! Why would I suck a place where urine passes out from? Who does that? "I am not going to ever do that," I faked throwing up. She laughed at me, a small smirk playing on her lips. "How do you know you would like the size of his dick when you've not seen it before?" I glared at her. "I don't need to see it to know that it'll be okay for me." Susie chuckled with a coy smile. "Honey I'm yet to see the dick size that I love." Oh my God, this is the worst convo ever. I need to find a way to distract myself. I settled on looking around the room and its decoration. It was absolutely beautiful-the view from the balcony that is. I abandoned my sex educationist friend-if that's a word- and headed out to the balcony. The sun was shining already through the balcony casting a soft glow on the golden color silk cotton that hung on the window. I sighed. I could stay here all night watching this and never getting tired. "I was talking to you and you walked out on me." I heard her sharp voice behind me. I groaned. "I walked out because I was bored of listening to your sinful lectures." Susie laughed. "You're calling me a sinner now." I shook my head giggling, "I never said that. Everyone is a sinner." "Oh I know," she nodded at me with her signature smirk, "You are just a virgin of the body because I know damn well that you have disvirgined your mind." Truth be told I sometimes thought of what sex will be like but I guess you can only have the ability to imagine widely when you've seen and experienced some things. I on the other hand was not advanced there. Even the books I read don't reveal many details, I've heard people have sex while watching a movie or reading a book. I'm yet to find that kind of book. "Are you even listening to me?!" Her high-pitched angry voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I managed a small smile. "Yes?" "Ugh! You're impossible!" And she threw herself face down on the bed. I stood silently watching the reflection of the sun and wondered what he had meant by "being tired" and not "alright" by him. The more I replayed our conversation in mind, the more puzzled I became. Was he planning on calling off the wedding?