*Lexie's POV
"You must be very happy. Seeing as you are dressing up this way." Naomi said making me smile.
She was right. I was beyond happy at this point. Today was my boyfriend's birthday. Although I knew that this could very well turn out to be another bad day, I shake it off wanting to be positive right now. Princeton Hall. He was not only my knight in shining armor but he had also been my pillar and friend when I needed him. We had been together for 10 years and now, I believed it was time to take it further.
"Although Princeton told you that he is going to propose, I would advise you not to get your hopes up. You know his family doesn't like you. And Princeton isn't the time to stand up to his family at all. What if he stands you up? That would be embarrassing." My best friend says making me sigh as I look at myself in the mirror.
All the loads of positivity I had gathered suddenly disappears after hearing what my beloved friend said. She was right. It would be beyond embarrassing if Prince didn't propose. Suddenly my phone rings gaining my attention. Spotting Prince's name on my phone, I smile showing my friend my phone before opening his message.
Princeton: How is my lovely angel doing? See you at the party. Wear a gown of nude color. I will also be doing the same. Love you.
Smiling happily, I reply to his text immediately before dropping my phone on the table.
"What did I tell you? Prince won't disappoint me. Your words almost made me go into depression. Don't say anything like that again. Princeton is going to propose to me." I say sticking out my tongue as I continue to look through the option of clothes that the saleswoman had brought me.
Leaning the store with a few bags, I can't help but be even happier as I start to imagine how the party will be. Once I am finally married to Prince, his family would definitely become more receptive of me. They will love me more.
"Excuse me. I am so sorry " I say apologizing after I realize I had mistakenly hit someone.
A handsome stranger. Although he is wearing a black glasses so I can't see his eyes, I know he is handsome. Watching him gaze at me, I smile once more apologizing before I turn to leave.
" Wait. Are you Lexie?" He asked gaining my attention immediately.
How did he know my name?
"Have we met before? How do you know my name?" I ask staring at him as he takes off his glasses.
Gasping in shock, I look at my best friend wondering if I was the only one seeing what I was seeing. Spotting the surprised look on her face, I know I am not the only one. This handsome stranger in front of me looked exactly like my boyfriend, Princeton.
"Kingston? Oh my goodness, you're Kingston." I shout gasping in shock as I watch him smile.
He was definitely so handsome.
"It's definitely a surprise to meet you here. Are you here to shop for a dress? Do you need my help? I heard that my beloved brother was going to propose." King said smiling as he looked at me making me stunned. I could only nod my head in agreement.
"Lexie. We have to get going." Naomi says reminding me.
" You're right. We have to go. Excuse us." I say trying to leave when King suddenly grabs my hand.
"I will be there at the party." King says before winking at me and leaving.
Once he leaves, I turn my gaze to Naomi watching her stare at me.
"What? We have to go." I say dragging her hand as we leave the store.
Getting ready a few minutes later, I walk out of the house in the beautiful nude dress I had bought. Watching Naomi gasp in shock, I smile feeling beautiful just the way I wanted. Noami had a snack for making people beautiful especially when they needed it. Like I did today.
"You look like a goddess. I am telling you. Maybe the reason why Prince's family doesn't like you is because of how beautiful you are. You outshine all of them." My best friend says making me laugh.
"Stop. We're already late. Let's go quickly." I say looking down at my watch in shock realizing I was late for my boyfriend's birthday party.
Entering the car, Naomi drives us straight to my boyfriend's family mansion. The mansion is so huge that I couldn't help but be intimated by it the first day he had brought me to see his family. His father was a wealthy businessman who had taken the construction industry by storm when he entered. Not only was he strict and disciplined, he was also handsome and kind. Meanwhile, Prince's mother was different.
"Lexie? What are you doing here?" Prince's mother asked making me stunned.
"Prince invited me. I came here with my friend. Is there a problem?" I ask looking for Prince as his mother sighs looking at me with disgust.
"Prince invited you? As what? You're not his wife, friend or colleague. So what are you doing here?" Prince's mother asked.
" I'm his gi-" I say stopping as the crowd starts clapping all of a sudden.
Spotting Prince and King enter together, a smile forms on my lips as I watch him wave the crowd as he enters. The both of them were indeed a work of perfection. Handsome identical twins that had very different personalities and styles.
"Before the birthday boys blow out their candles, I believe there is something one of them has as a surprise for us." The MC says gaining my attention.
Looking back at Naomi, I watch as she stares at me shocked that it was actually happening. Yes, Prince was going to propose to me.
"I would like to invite my girlfriend on stage. She has been with me through very difficult times and I am very grateful to have her. My girlfriend, Victoria Morgan." Prince says making me stunned.
Watching everyone clap their hands, a woman in white dress appears walking up the stage to hug Prince right in front of me. It is only now that I realize that their outfits match each other. Prince and King were both wearing white suits along with Victoria.
I had been fooled.
"Not only is he introducing his girlfriend but the both of them are expecting a child together. Isn't that the best news?" The MC asks making Prince laugh.
"I was supposed to tell you guys myself but, yes. We are expecting our first child together." Prince says laughing as he places his hand on her belly.
Staggering back from the shock, my mind goes blank for a second. Was u dreaming? I had to be. I had come to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday but here I was standing like a fool unable to speak. He had lied to me.
"Lexie." King says calling my name immediately he sees me and that catches Prince's attention.
Watching him gaze at me, tears fall down my eyes as I look at him. How could he do this to me?
"Let's go. Lexie, I said let's go!" King says catching my attention as he drags my hand. He had come down from the stage to meet me.
Letting him take my hand, I walk out of the mansion following him as he brings me to his car.
"Where are we going?" I ask staring at him as he opens the door for me.
"Where do you want to go?" King asks me.
Staring at him, I look down at my hands sobbing. I had no idea what I wanted right now. My brain couldn't process anything at the moment.
" A hotel." I say speaking without thinking about it further.
"Your wish is my command." King says smiling as he looks at me.
Immediately we arrive at our hotel room, King opens the door and enters inside while I follow behind. In order not to allow myself to start to think, I reach for King's hand taking the lead as I drag him towards me and kiss him. Things happen too fast for me to comprehend but I just decide to go for my gut feeling as we fall back on the bed. He was Prince's twin brother. This was only being done for revenge.
"Are you sure about this, Lexie?" King's voice brings me out of my thoughts immediately making me shudder.
"Hmmm. I am sure." I say trying my best to sound cool about what we were doing even though I wasn't.
" Don't regret it later," King says staring at me for a few seconds as if he is reading me before he leans down to kiss me.
"Breathe, Breathe Lexie." Naomi said as she patted my back trying to help me through the pain.
The contractions were getting worse by the second. I thought I had already prepared myself. Since the day I had found out I was pregnant, I had already thought of preparing myself for the cruel pain of labor. Yet I wasn't ready. I didn't want to die like my mother did.
"Naomi, promise me. If I die here, you must give the baby up for adoption. Don't even think of trying to raise the child " I said looking at my best friend because I knew her personality.
"Stop saying rubbish. You won't die. Plus, are you still considering the adoption stuff?" Naomi asked me making me nod my head.
I was in the final year of my masters. Raising a child right now was considered madness in every definition. It was a risk I wasn't willing to take at all since I had to fulfill my mother's dying wish. To graduate.
"Nurse, please help her. She's in labor." Naomi said as she explained things to the nurse while they brought me out of the cab.
Watching the nurse nod her head, I grip the arm rest of my wheelchair groaning. It was as if the pain was all over my body. Now I finally understood why my mother had given up the ghost in labor. It would be a miracle to survive this.
"Help me! " I scream anxiously as I take deep breaths.
Once the doctors enter the room a few minutes later, I can't wait to finally get this baby out of me. The faster, the better. While I am here suffering in pain, I can't help but think of Kingston. He had dragged me out to save the pain of being humiliated. I had been the fool that seduced him without thinking of the consequences. Now, I was about to give birth to his baby.
"Do you want to stay? She might need someone to encourage her." The doctor said to Naomi making her nod my head.
Watching her grab my hand, I try to force a smile at her assuring her I am okay even if I am not. Few minutes later, I finally give birth to King's baby. A baby boy.
"It's a baby boy, Lexie. Look at him. He is perfection, I swear. He's so handsome even though he's a baby." Naomie said hyping the baby up as she carries him over to me.
Looking down at my baby, I can't help by suddenly feel like crying. Not because he was handsome just the way Naomi had said, but because he resembled Kingston. Kingston and Princeton were brothers. They looked so identical that sometimes it would be hard to differentiate them. My baby looked like Kingston but he could very well pass off as Princeton's baby too.
"Have you let the adoptive parents know I have given birth? They can come and take him anytime they want." I say coldly before turning my face away.
"Lexie. Even after good through that, you still want to give your son away?" Naomi asked making me nod my head.
" I want to. There is no need for me to keep him here. I am going to sleep for a while. I feel very tired." I said closing my eyes while Naomi sighed leaving the room.
Waking up a few minutes later, I groan in pain feeling very bad for some unknown reason. Reaching for the button on the side of my bed, I try to press it so I call for the nurse but my hand falls down weakly making me close my eyes.
"Are you okay? How do you feel?" I hear someone ask making me open my eyes.
Looking at the person walking towards me, my mouth falls open slightly from the shock of seeing him. The last person I wanted to see in this world.
"How?" I ask surprised as I watch King press the button for me.
The door opens immediately in a second and the doctors come rushing to check on me. After they are done, Kingston talks to them while I reach for my phon texting Naomi. It must be her. No one would have called King here if it wasn't for her. Did she tell him about his baby? Looking around the room, I spot my son sleeping soundly in his crib. I had not even heard him when he cried for the first time.
"What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?" I ask King as I watch him enter back into the room.
"Doesn't matter how I knew? What matters is that I know you just gave birth. Is he my son?" King asks getting straight to point with his question stunning me.
Turning my gaze from him, I look towards the crib where our son is sleeping soundly. I didn't want to have anything to do with Kingston and his family. This baby was something that could bound us together and I didn't want that at all. Opening my mouth, I want to deny that he is not the father of the baby but King beats me to it.
"Don't even bother to try denying it. I asked the hospital to do a DNA test already. I know I am the father. Besides, the baby looks exactly on me." King says making me clench my hand.
I had no other option but to say the unthinkable.
"He also looks like your brother. He could be your brother's child." I say hoping that would get him to give up. It would be much better if he though the child was Prince's.
Instead, a smile formed on his lips as he leaned in to stare at me making me frown. What was he up to?
"Is that so? Then why don't we go and tell my brother? You hid his child from him and secretly have birth. You even want to give the child up for adoption." King says making me gasp.
"Naomi told you everything, didn't she? How could she?" I ask looking away from him as he stands back.
"Is it because he hurt you? Is that why you want to give his baby away as revenge? Why don't you just tell him so you can stop his marriage? You know he hasn't gotten married to his secret girlfriend yet. This could be your opportunity." King said.
" I am not that kind of girl. I won't force myself on anyone." I say sternly as I look at him.
"Then I will adopt the child. You don't want the child. I can help you relieve your burden and take the child. Prince will not know that the baby is his." King said making me shake my head.
"You can't."
"Why? Why can't I? Didn't you want to give the baby away in the first place?" King asked making me close my eyes as I sigh in frustration.
I couldn't let him adopt his own child.
"Anyone else. Anyone except you or anyone from your family. I am not giving my baby to any of you. Do you understand? Now leave " I say to King pointing at the door signaling him to leave.
"Then you leave me no other option but to say the baby is mine. After all, we had a one night stand. The baby looks like me and Prince. Doesn't matter if the baby isn't mine, I can take you to court and claim he is mine. With a fake paternity test, I can take him away." King says leaving me stunned.
"Why are you doing this?" I ask staring at him shocked by his words while he walks around the room in front of me.
"Because I don't want my life to end up like Prince's. Once my beloved mother is done arranging Prince's marriage, she will come for me. And I don't want that. How about this? Pretend to be my wife for 3 years. With the fact that you have my baby, she will have no option but to give in." King said .
" No. Don't even dream of it. I won't do it." I say sternly as I get out of bed staggering weakly as I try to get to my son.
Catching me just before I can fall, King carries me back to bed before sitting down beside me so I don't get back up.
" You don't have a choice. Only two options. Be in a contract marriage with me for 3 years or I will take away your beloved child. Choose one." King said smiling as he looks at me.
The fact that he is even smiling makes everything worse for me. How could I be affected by my ex boyfriend's twin brother? Looking down at my son once again, I can't imagine leaving him in the hands of Kingston's evil family all alone.
"You're the worst person I've ever met, do you know that? Fine. I agree to your request. I will act as your wife. Happy? Now get out. Leave." I say harshly before turning my gaze from him.
After they discharge me from the hospital, I walk out of the hospital with Naomi thinking of a way to get home. Although my stay in the hospital hadn't been that bad, I didn't want to have to meet Kingston here again. I had promised to marry him. But I had no intention of keeping to that promise. I wanted to run away with my baby.
" Have you prepared the plane tickets? You better not betray me this time." I say sternly looking at Naomi who was helping me carry my baby.
" I only did that before because you were going to give him up for adoption. You know the way I am. I hate when children are seperated from their mothers. Kingston wants to do the same thing to you so of course I won't allow him." Naomi said making me nod my head. I had no other option but to trust her.
Catching a cab in front of the hospital, we head straight to the airport to leave. I had already planned everything and my Aunt said I could come and stay with her for a while. This was good because I knew I couldn't stay in the country right now. Although it will definitely affect my studies, it was just for a little while before Kingston got married.
"When you arrive at your Aunt's place, please let me know. You still have to finish your degree so I know you might have to leave your son there. Let me kiss him one last time." Naomi says dramatically making me roll my eyes.
"You can always come to see him when he's older, you know. We should get going immediately." I said taking my son from her before waving her goodbye.
Heading to the counter, we go to get ourselves checked in. Although the airport had a rule about newborns flying because of their bodies, a friend of mine who was the pilot already had everything sorted out for me so it was okay. After they done checking our tickets, I head up in the direction of the plane about to board it when someone pulls my hand.
"King. What are you doing here?" I asked looking at him in shock as he pants heavily in front of me.
"What were you planning to do? Where you trying to run? To leave to another country so I couldn't find you? You already promised me." King said angrily making me step back.
"I won't let you take my baby from me. I also won't marry you. You're my ex's twin brother, how can you think that I would want to marry you?" I asked removing my hand from his.
"Just for 3 years. I'm not asking you to stay with me forever. Just for 3 years, Lexie. What do you want? Money? Shares? Even if you run away from me and hide, how do you plan to support yourselves? Do you think anyone will agree to hire you when you're with a baby? Tell me what you want. I will give it to you." King said making me stunned.
The fact that he was willing to do anything just to make me marry him showed there was something much more to what he was letting on. Looking down at my baby, I can't help but feel like this deal might be for me. King had more than enough money to take care of our child too. I could go to school and finish while being our marriage.
" Just being your wife in name? You have to promise that nothing else will happen between us. And you have to help me take care of my baby while I go to school." I said looking at Kingston to see if he would agree.
After all, he must think the baby is Prince's since I told him so. No one in this world be so kind as to take care of another man's child without any conditions of his own. Whatever his conditions might be, I had to make myself clear and state my boundaries so he won't cross them or me.
Running his hands through his hair, King nods his head frustrated before sighing.
"He is my nephew, Lexie. Even if you don't ask me to take care of him, I would have still taken care of him. As for what happened between us before, don't forget that you're the one who came on to me. Nothing will happen unless you want it to. Do we understand each other?" Kingston asked staring at me.
I understood it loud and clear. He was telling me that the ball was in my court. Although he was right about me coming onto him before, I had been heartbroken that night. Obviously I wasn't thinking clearly or I won't have dreamed about having a one night stand with my ex-boyfriend's twin brother.
"Nothing like that will happen so don't worry." I said confidently looking at Kingston as he walks up to me smiling.
" Let's go home then." Kingston said smiling as he takes my bag and suitcase from my hand leading me to his car.
Driving me back to his house, Kingston opened the door helping me out as I carry our son in my arms. Things were definitely not going to be easy for me and I know it. Apart from becoming his contract wife, I had to make sure to carefully keep my secret hidden to the end without making Kingston suspect anything.
" This is my house. Our house. You will be staying here with me for the next three years. Our room is upstairs. Don't worry, we will be sleeping in different rooms. No one comes to my house easily so don't worry." King said making me glance around.
It was much more than just a house. It was a castle. Looking up the stairs, I can't help but feel like I had made the right decision. We were going to be living seperate lives without getting in each other's faces. The only thing connecting us would be our marital status as husband and wife.
" Come. Let me show you your room." Kingston said as he climbed up leading me upstairs to an elevator.
Once the elevator stops, we step out and head in the direction of my new room. Opening the door, King steps inside signaling me to do the same.
"This is my room? Are you sure?" I asked gasping in shock as I look around.
Just as I had expected, my new room was also behind my imagination. The room was ten times more bigger than my current house put together. And the bed? I couldn't imagine myself sleeping in it and having a backache at all. Not to mention our son's crib. It was so beautiful.
"I made sure to get a comfortable and nice crib for him. He won't have any problems sleeping. It also has an inbuilt music player for babies to sleep." King said explaining as he showed me everything.
"Tell me what exactly I need to do. In exchange for all these things? Because I am sure they are definitely not for free, are they? You must be doing all these things for a reason." I said laying our son down in his crib.
He looks so tiny bit just as King had said, he immediately falls asleep surprising me.
"Let's have a seat, shall we?" King asked leading me over to the chairs so we can sit.
"Say it immediately. I need to know your conditions so I can know what exactly your deal is."
" Okay, here is my terms and conditions. One, your son is to take on our family name for the time being. While you are still married to me." King said making me shudder in shock. Why didn't I think of it? Of course our son was also part of the deal.
" No. I don't want my son anywhere near your family. No offense." I said immediately shaking my head.
"None taken. That's exactly why I am running away from getting married to the woman my mother wants me to marry. They might not believe our relationship easily which is why we need your son. Your son is the only way to make them accept you." King said making me sigh.
He had a point.
"And Princeton? What if he suspects that the baby is his? We were together for a long time and-"
" That won't happen. I will have a fake DNA test prepared so that he doesn't question our story. Everyone will believe that he is mine." King said with determination making name nod my head.
"And what else? What other conditions do you have for me?" I asked.
"We just pretend to be in love. That means you have to put on an act with me. No matter what happens. Don't let anyone in my house provoke you. If you know what I mean." King said making my eyes narrow.
"You mean Prince. Do you think I am going to try to get back together with him? For heaven sake, he must be married already. To his pregnant girlfriend." I said rolling my eyes as I rest my back against my seat.
"He hasn't. We are going to get married on the same day as him. That's another thing you should know." King said in a low tone making me stand up in shock.
Did I just hear him well?
"We are getting married on the same day as Prince?" I asked shocked by the sudden information I had just heard.