Fake Marriage, Real Baby

Regina Flynn

Who gets married for revenge? Me, that's who.

I adjusted the straps of my white ornated wedding dress for what felt like the hundredth time, my hands shaky as I did. I was going to see Ryder Steele, my husband-to-be, at the alter in a few minutes and I couldn't even control my racing heart. How was I supposed to live with him as his wife?

"Reg, this is just crazy," Chelsea grunted, "You can't live with that cold hearted monster! He'll hurt you!"

I frowned, still standing in front of the mirror in the dressing room. I sighed heavily, put on my best fake smile and turned to look at Chelsea Miller. She was sitted a few feets away from me on a comfortable velvet-covered armchair.

She had that condescending smug smile on. It was for me, she would always give me that 'I know your deepest darkest secrets' smile every time she felt I was doing something all wrong.

"Ryder Steele doesn't deserve to be alive. The world needs to see the kind of person he really is and only I can do that," I said under my breath as I turned to look at the mirror again one last time.

There was no going back now. The wedding ceremony was starting in less than twenty minutes and I was ready. As I looked back into the mirror, the woman staring back at me seemed like a stranger. My face was painted with layers of makeup, my strawberry blonde hair was pulled back tightly, and my body was weighed down by heavy silks and diamonds.

I wondered how I had ended up making this decision. The decision to enter a life long commitment with the man who ruined my family. Ryder Steele. A name I had always loathed and somehow feared.

He was the cause of my father's death three years ago. He made my father a criminal, framed him for illegal real estate investing and market manipulation. He made him lose everything which ultimately led to his death. Ryder Steele was a murder, a heartless conman and I was going to be the end of him.

I heard Chelsea sigh, "You look good, by the way," she paused, "And as your best friend, I support you. I just hope you don't end up regretting this,"

I glanced at Chelsea through the mirror, she still had that smug smile on those beautiful lips of hers. I managed a weak smile, but my inside were turning to jelly and, I felt like screaming.

"Say something!" Chelsea huffed dramatically, adjusting her glasses.

Today, she wasn't wearing black plastic ones. They didn't have a prescription-her vision was perfect. But she claimed they made her face look slimmer and sexier.

I personally thought men who didn't approach her because of the glasses- or lack thereof-didn't deserve her. Chelsea was gorgeous, with her dark brown hair curling effortlessly around her shoulders. Her eyes matched the color of her hair perfectly, and the bright fire-engine-red lipstick she loved to wear did magical things to her lips.

She was in a black maxi black dress that stopped mid thigh with a pair of black heels.

I fidgeted when I heard a slight knock on the door, then came a feminine voice, "The ceremony is starting soon. We need the bride,"

Without hesitation, I slowly walked across the room, my dress rustling gently as I moved.

"Hey!" Chelsea's voice rattled me and I stopped by the door, "Even though I can't be the bridesmaid at your wedding, you have to be the bridesmaid at mine,"

"Get a man first," I snapped with a soft smile before stepping out of the room and into the quiet and dimly lit hallway.

As my footsteps echoed, I could also hear my heart thumping in my chest. My mouth suddenly went dry at the thought that Chelsea and I had vowed to be each other's bridesmaids since we were eight. It was like a friendship pact but once again Ryder Steele ruined that too.

He insisted on having his cousin, Ashley Morgan be my bridesmaid. How controlling could a man be to actually choose your own bridesmaids for your own wedding?

I couldn't refuse because I knew I needed to be obedient to him until I was at least into his life fully. I didn't want him to see me as a threat. But I knew that as soon as I got what I wanted, I wouldn't let him control me.

Unknowingly, I had let him control me for the past three years. After what he did to my family three years ago, I started looking into every aspect of his life, anything that could implicate him or at least prove that he was behind what happened to my father.

But Ryder Steele was as discreet as he was cunning. He kept his illegal dealings private, only people who were close to him could be able to get anything on him.

But now, it was as if he was finally willing to go down by inviting me into his home. He was making a terrible mistake. He doesn't know I know about what he did to my family. That alone gave me the upper hand.

As I walked further down the hallway, lost in thought, I didn't notice the person approaching in the dimly lit hallway until we collided. A bag fell to the floor, spilling it's content.

My eyes snapped up to meet an irritated gaze. It was a woman who I immediately recognized as Ashley, Ryder's cousin. She was somewhat short, her long black hair flowing over her shoulders. She had a cute button nose and full lips that were painted in hot red gloss.

She was wearing a long satiny red gown that flowed effortlessly to the ground. Obviously, her plan was to steal the spotlight from the bride. The problem wasn't just her outfit though, she definitely looked different from the last time I saw her at the dress fitting a week ago.

It might be the makeup. She was wearing tons of it, including fake lashes so long they looked like a dead butterfly antennae.

"I'm sorry," I said, jerking my chin as I tried to pick up her belongings that were scattered all over the place.

She shot me a saucy grin, "I'll pick it up myself. You need to get to the aisle. Your mum is waiting. I'll join you in a bit,"

Ashley went on her knees and started picking up the items on the floor and as she did, my eyes caught sight of a shiny earring or was it a ring? I wasn't quite sure so I ignored, mumbled a quick "thank you" and walked further towards the wedding reception.

I took another deep breath and steadied myself as I entered the beautifully decorated reception hall. Hundreds of eyes turned to me as I walked towards my mother who was waiting to walk me down the aisle. Everyone was smiling, but I had never felt more alone in my life.

As I walked down the aisle, I couldn't help but take in the sight of the beautiful wedding venue. The room was adorned with flower decorations in my favorite colors-which I was sure I never mentioned to anyone.

The soft glow of fairy lights casted a warm and magical atmosphere over the entire room. The soft music filled the air, adding to the overall ambiance of the event. It was a perfect setting for a wedding, and yet I couldn't help but feel a pang of unease as I approached Ryder Steele.

There was no doubt that Ryder Steele was gorgeous. Not just hot, but please-God-don't-let-me-lose-my-mind-from-just-staring-at-him hot!

Jaded green eyes, perfectly shaped cheekbones. He had broad, muscled shoulders and a trim waist. His hair was brown with dark-blond highlights. He was in a neat black suit and a pair of nicely polished shoes.

His gaze bore into my hazel eyes even though his eyes were cold and distant. With a smile, my mother let go of my hand and placed it in Ryder's. The touch sent a shiver down my spine and for a moment I questioned if I was really doing the right thing by getting married to this gorgeous monster.

My heart sank to my stomach. This was it, this was really happening.

The officiant began to speak, the words blending together as I struggled to steady my racing thoughts. As the vows were exchanged, I silently prayed that everything would be over soon.

As the officiant gestured for the ring bearer to open the ring box, I watched as the lid slowly lifted... but to my surprise, only one ring was inside.

Mine was missing. My breath immediately caught in my throat as gasps filled the room. And in that moment, my mind raced to my encounter with Ashley earlier. I definitely saw a ring in her bag. Or was it an earring? Maybe it was all a coincidence or could she have....?

Regina Flynn

As the gasps and whispers spread through the crowd, I felt my heart sink. The ring was gone. How could this have happened? Was I being too paranoid by suspecting Ashley?

But before I could even process what was happening, Ryder's hand slipped into his pocket and emerged with a small box. He opened it, revealing a beautiful ring that seemed to shine in the light.

My mind raced as he took my hand and slid the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly, as if it were made for me. I looked up at Ryder, searching for answers in his eyes. How did he have an extra ring? Could he have predicted this? What was happening right now?

Ryder threw me a smile, showing a rarely seen dimple, but his smile was wide and uncomfortable. Like he was forcing it. The exaggeration expression slowly slide off his face and he suddenly let go of my hand.

The uproar jilted my from my thoughts and that was it, the officiant had already declared us husband and wife.

"You may now kiss your bride" The officiant's voice, instead of cutting through the air, cut through my heart.

I clenched my shaky hands. Kiss the man who killed my father? My breath was shaking as I watched Ryder bring his hand up to cup my cheeks. My face flushed a deep shade of red and I clenched my fisted even tighter. So tight that my knuckles turned white. How could he be so stoic and shameless?

As if reading my thoughts, he smirked and closed the rest of the gap between us. His lips brushed mine possessively, he sharply inhaled before parting his lips and slowly bringing my bottom lip in between his, a guttural rumble vibrating from his throat.

My insides twisted and bounced all over the place, my heart rate picking up uncharacteristically. I couldn't resist the innate need to bring him closer. But something inside of me kept telling me I shouldn't be enjoying this.

I tore his lips away from his and stepped back a little. I avoided looking into his eyes and just concentrated on popping my knuckles instead.

The ceremony finally came to an end, followed by blessings. Ashley was the only one present from Ryder's family besides his business partners. From the info I gathered, he definitely had an uncle.

Why wasn't he present? Didn't he have other family besides those two? How was that even possible? Could that be the reason he was this cruel? Because he had nothing to lose. Or was there more to Ryder Steele than meets the eye?

Mum pulled me into a tight embrace, pulling me back from my trance. She whispered some words into my ears, "Do not forget our plan, Reg. We're doing this for your father,"

I nodded, even though I could feel a deep ache starting in my stomach. As Ryder as I turned away towards the car, my eyes welled up in tears.

I wasn't sure why but I just knew it was a lot to process. Leaving behind my mother who I had spent twenty-three years of my life with. But we were doing it for dad. For him to finally rest in heaven knowing fully well that the villain who ruined him and drive him to his death, had finally be brought to justice.

Mark my words, Ryder Steele, you're going to pay for everything you did to my family.

***

Ryder Steele obviously had no interest in me whatsoever. From the way he didn't even look at me throughout the ride to his home. But why did he choose me then? Why did he come with the marriage proposal himself?

He was a calculating man. Having studied him for three good years, I knew he was the type that wouldn't do anything unless he had something to gain from it. He had something to gain from me being his wife. I just couldn't figure out what it was.

But one thing I was sure of was the fact that as soon as he got what he wanted, he would toss me away like trash. He was like that. It was up to me to get things done before I became useless to him.

As our black limousine finally zoomed into the compound, I caught my breath. Sure, he probably didn't get all this through honest means. Who knew how many people he had to ruin and trample on to get to where he is today?

The sheer scale of his estate took me aback. The driveway wound through meticulously manicured lawns and gleaming fountains, leading to a majestic mansion that seemed to shimmer in the evening light.

The car halted before towering glass doors, which slid open with a soft whisper. Ryder offered me his hand, a soft smile on his face.

I wonder how long he can keep this mask on.

I shuddered and stepped out into a sumptuous foyer. Marble floors gleamed beneath my feet, and a chandelier above cast a kaleidoscope of colors across the walls.

A discreet maid, dressed in a crisp uniform, greeted us with a gentle curtsy. "Welcome, Mrs. Steele. Congratulations on your wedding."

She was a woman in her late fifties, golden hair and smooth skin.

Ryder nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "Thank you, Alice. Please show my wife to our room."

"My wife," a chill haze of unease randown my spine wen he called me that. I was never going to be a murder's wife.

Alice, the maid led me through a labyrinthine corridor, decorated with priceless artwork and plush carpets that silenced our footsteps. We ascended a grand staircase, and the maid pushed open a door, revealing a breathtaking suite.

Roses graced every surface – the bed, the dresser, even the floor. Their sweet fragrance filled the air, and I felt a pang in my chest. This was a fairy tale, but I knew the reality was far from it.

Alice helped me out of my suffocating dress, then walked to a closet to pull out a night dress. She gently placed it on the bed.

With a gentle smile, she departed, leaving me alone in room. I had just slipped off my wedding dress and was about to change into the red nightgown when the door opened.

Ryder strode in, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on me. I quickly grabbed the nightgown and pulled it over my head, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks.

His smirk grew wider as he approached me. "We're married, Bunny. I own you," he said, his voice dripping with possession.

I felt a surge of irritation at the nickname, and my skin crawled with discomfort. I hated being called "Bunny" - it was condescending and infuriating.

I bit back a retort, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. But Ryder seemed to enjoy my discomfort, his eyes glinting with amusement. He turned and walked into the bathroom, leaving me seething.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. I needed to keep my wits about me if I was going to survive this. I walked to the closet and grabbed a white duvet and a pillow. I needed to get out of this room first. Find somewhere else to sleep tonight.

I grabbed my phone on the dresser but as I was about to open the door, a cold voice stopped me.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ryder's stern voice echoed in the room.

I slowly turned around to look at him. He was standing by the dresser, a few feets away from me. When did he come out of the bathroom?

He was clad only in a towel around his waist, I couldn't help but hold my breath. Every detail of his muscular physique seemed to glow in the dim light. His broad shoulders, his toned chest, his muscular thighs. His jaded green eyes met mine, and I immediately looked away.

Ryder suddenly took a step towards me, causing me to step back. My heart pounded in my chest as each step I took drew me closer to the wall, until my back was against the cold concrete.

I felt him closing in, our chests almost touching. I watched as his arm rose above my head, landing on the wall above me, invading my personal space. I squeezed my eyes shut in fear.

He brought his other hand to my chin and lifted my head, whispering, "Look at me, Bunny," in a way that filled me with dread.

I opened my eyes and met his gaze, mustering the courage to speak, "What do you want?"

A smug smile graced his lips, "The ring. Give it back,"

Huh?

Regina Flynn

"The ring?" I managed to say through clenched teeth.

"Yes, the ring,"

My blood ran cold. The look on Ryder's face wasn't the kind that meant he was joking. I hesitated for a moment, my hand trembling as I reached for the ring. A lump formed in my throat as I slowly twisted the ring off my finger, the metal feeling cold. I held it out to Ryder, my palm open.

Ryder's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he took the ring from me. "Good girl, Bunny," he said, his voice condensing as always.

I felt a surge of anger but I held back and took deep breaths. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction. Instead, I turned, the duvet and pillow still held tightly to my chest.

"I'm going to find somewhere else to sleep," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ryder chuckled, the sound low. "Suit yourself, Bunny. But don't think you can escape me that easily."

I didn't respond, just turned and walked out of the room, the pillow and duvet clutched tightly in my arms. I felt a sense of relief wash over me as I closed the door behind me, but I knew it was only temporary. Ryder Steele was a psycho.

As I strolled down the quiet hall, my mind raced with thoughts of why he decided to take the ring back. Did he suddenly change his mind? Why did he have an extra ring at the altar in the first place?

Maybe it belonged to someone dear to him? His ex girlfriend? I shrugged at the thought. A man like Ryder Steele wasn't capable of love, he only saw people as a possession, a play thing. A pet-hence the nickname, "Bunny,"

I strolled further down the hallway, unsure of where I was headed. I stopped when I noticed a room with its door half opened. I peeked to see the inside, the room was a study.

Definitely Ryder's study. The walls lined with towering bookshelves and the air was thick with the scent of leather and wood polish. A massive oak desk dominated the space, papers and files scattered on it.

This was my chance.

My heart raced as I slipped into the room, my eyes scanning the space for anything incriminating. I approached the desk, my fingers trailed over the papers, searching for any clues. But before I could find anything useful, I heard the soft click of heels on the floor.

Alice stood in the doorway, her expression stern. "Mrs. Steele, what are you doing here?"

My heart froze in fear for a second, "I was... uh... looking for the guest room. I got lost."

Alice's eyes narrowed, but she didn't press further. "This is Mr. Steele's study, ma'am. You shouldn't be here. Follow me, please."

I hesitated, but Alice's firm tone brooked no argument. I trailed her out of the study, then watched her lock the room with a hug padlock.

Ryder being protective of this room meant there was something to hide. I guess that was were I would start my digging from. I'd just have to wait for another opportunity to snoop through his study.

Alice and I walked in silence as she led me to a cozy guest room on the opposite side of Ryder's.

"You can rest here, ma'am," she said, her voice softening. "If you need anything, just ring the bell."

I laid on the cozy bed and closed my eyes and before long, I drifted to sleep.

***

Next morning...

I opened my eyes at exactly seven, as usual. Normally, I would linger in bed for a couple of minutes in total silence, but today my phone started ringing at seven- oh-one.

Must be something important. I picked it up off the nightstand and frowned when I saw it was Chelsea calling.

She just couldn't wait!

The phone quit ringing. I shrugged. Then a text arrived with a ping.

–Chelsea: You're up yet? Let's talk!!!!!

I stared at the text for a while. The phone started ringing again, and I hit the green button.

"Hey, Chelsea," I said.

"Regina!!!!." Her tone was a mixture of impatient annoyance-probably over the fact that I didn't pick up earlier-and relief that she was getting to talk to me. "Why didn't you answer earlier?"

"I just got up," I lied. "I just needed to process," A beat of silence. "Good morning, by the way."

"Yeah, yeah. Did anything happen last night?"

I wasn't sure what she meant by "anything" but I just concluded it had something to do with the plan.

"Yeah...I found Ryder's study, last night. I think I'll start digging from there. But it's tightly sealed,"

"Not what I was asking about but okay." Chelsea made a vaguely flustered sound. "Please be careful, sweetie,"

I frowned, "Not you with the nickname too,"

"What nickname?"

"Ryder calls me Bunny. I hate it,"

"But it's cute,"

"In your context, yes. But it's a lot deeper in his context. I just hate it,"

"Okay, Bunny," Chelsea scoffed. I wished I could reach through the screen and backhanded her. "What about Anti-Muse? Weren't they supposed to send the interview results yesterday? Have you checked if you got the job?"

"Shit!" I exclaimed.

I had totally forgotten about applying to the company for a job as the Design Assistant. The interview results were supposed to come out yesterday but the whole wedding shinanigan had me forget about it.

"You're there?" Chelsea's voice resonated from the other end of the line.

I nodded, hard. "Yes, I need to check now. I'll call you back,"

Without waiting for a response, I hung up. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on my breathing for a few minutes.

Calm. Chill. You've got this.

I opened my phone and scrolled through it, I went through my email and there, I found it. The email was sent to me twenty four hours ago.

I took a deep breath and opened it,

"Congratulations, Miss Flynn. We are thrilled to inform you that after a rigorous selection process, you have been chosen as the top candidate for the Design Assistant position at Anti-muse!

As discussed, your responsibilities will include assisting our Creative Director, Luca Grande, in designing new collections, researching trends, and creating prototypes. Your talent and contributions will be invaluable to our brand's success.

Congratulations again on your new role! We look forward to welcoming you to Anti-muse on Monday.

Best regards,

Lisa Forester.

HR Representative.

Anti-muse.

I continued to stared at the email, my eyes fixed on the words 'Congratulations, Miss Flynn' as if they might disappear at any moment. My heart raced and my breath caught in my throat. I had done it. I had actually done it!

A gigantic grin spread across my face. I felt a lump form in my throat as I read the email again, my eyes almost welling up with tears. With shaking hands, I set my phone down and let out a squeal of delight. I had gotten the job! I was going to be a Design Assistant at Anti-muse!

This was really happening. I jumped on my feet and slipped into a pair flip flops. Today was the 'Monday'. I wasn't going to miss my first day at my dream job for anything.

I rushed into the bathroom, brushed my teeth, took a shower and threw on a robe. Then padded out of the room into Ryder's. I needed to get my clothes.

He wasn't in the room-probably already left for work-so I easily went through the closet and pulled out a white boat-neck top and dark brown slacks. Both looked fabulous on my slender figure. I put on a nude heel and pulled my strawberry blonde hair into a neat bun.

By the time I was done, I only had twenty minutes left to get to Anti-Muse which was just a ten minutes drive away. I booked a cab, stared at myself in the mirror one last time and turned to leave.

But I was thwarted by Ryder's sudden appearance. He was standing by the door to the bedroom. He was in a crispy black suit with black shoes that matched.

His eyes narrowed, his voice cold. "Where do you think you're going, Bunny?"

Where the hell did he come from? My heart almost jumped out of my chest. Why was I so fucking scared of him? Because I knew what this man was capable of. He was a monster with no human feelings.

I stood my ground and threw him my best fake smile, "I'm going to work."

A smirk twisted on Ryder's lips. "Oh, no, you're not."

He grabbed me by my wrist, holding me tightly. He gently forced me onto the bed, sitting me down onto the edge of the bed and standing in front of me. He was now towering over me with his massive frame.

My heart thumped as he leaned closer until his face was only inches away from mine. His voice was calm and deep and his eyes burning into mine as he spoke.

"You're not going anywhere near those predators who call themselves bosses. They can't have my wife... my property."

I swallowed hard.