Mr CEO 's stubborn bride

"Look woman, you know what I hate in this life? It's pretense and fake tears. What are you waiting for? Sign the damn papers so I can get out of here! I have better and much more important things to do. I am a businessman and don't have time to waste on pretense and fake tears!"

Catherine stared at the man in front of her, the man who was to be her husband, bewildered at what she was seeing.

This was supposed to be an official marriage as both families had wanted them, but here she was, stunned and presented with what her husband-to-be called a fake marriage: a contract marriage.

She couldn't understand what this was that she found tears dropping from her eyes. Did her parents know that this was what she would come to meet?

She was going to live as a ghost to her husband; to who she was supposed to be able to call her home.

William's voice was icy as he spoke, his eyes fixed on hers with an unreadable expression.

"What? Do you think I will make this official? You're insanely dreaming. I'm only doing this because of what it holds. You should thank me for even agreeing to this. And I know it's what you also want."

That was not true, it was not what she wanted. She had only agreed to marry him, a stranger, just because her father had made this arrangement.

She wanted to voice out her anger, but also came to a second thought: he might disagree with the marriage if she did. If that happens, her parents will be so disappointed in her.

Fine, if it is what he wanted; then so be it.

He handed her the contract, his movements professional and precise.

Catherine's hands trembled as she took the pen, her heart racing with anxiety. She scanned the document, the words blurring together on the page.

That one clause caught her eyes, making her heart drum tremendously: The parties agree to maintain a strictly platonic relationship, with no physical intimacy or romantic involvement whatsoever.

This writing imprinted in black and white was written in glaring bold letters.

She felt a pang of discomfort but knew she had no choice. She was doing this for her family, for their business, for their company not to go bankrupt.

With a shaky hand, she penned down her signature.

William added his signature, his expression unchanging. "Good. Now, let's get one thing clear. This marriage is a sham. We will only pretend to be husband and wife in public, and within the view of my parents and yours too. Not just them but the entire public, but in private, we'll maintain our distance. Do you understand me?"

"Ye–Yes," Catherine nodded, feeling a chill run down her spine. He didn't have to over-emphasize it, did he? Every word was clear and had been documented in her mind already!

She knew what she was getting into. Looking at it in a good sense, it was better this way after all, since their marriage was based on a loveless agreement – a loveless, passionless marriage of convenience.

She had no other option but to do it, even as it tore her heart to pieces just signing the papers.

With the contract signed, William stood up, his eyes cold and detached.

Catherine stared blankly unsure of what next movement to make.

"The pictures. Do I have to say everything?" William indicated, feeling irritated.

Yes, that was true; they were also supposed to take beautiful fake pictures as a newly wedded couple. Yes, they were couples now; newly wedded husband and wife!

Catherine couldn't help but laugh inwardly. What a world for her. What was supposed to be the happy time of her life turned out like this.

She wiped her tears and adjusted her looks, trying to look as sweet as she was supposed to.

She felt his strong hands pull her closer to him, making her gasp silently, more shivers running down her spine. This was not good; he managed to make her heart thumb with his hands wrapped on her waist and him looking down at her.

He was handsome, indeed, a well-created man. After taking several fake beautiful pictures, he quickly took a distance from her.

"Make sure that no one finds out our marriage is fake. Do you understand me?" He said in a deep tone that shocked her more; a tone that explained it all.

So their parents didn't know about this fake marriage, They were not supposed to know. It clarified her questions; her parents didn't know.

She swallowed hard and also accepted everything was just better this way.

"And make sure you wipe those tears, it irks me to see it on your face." He scoffed.

She ignored his statement as he stormed out, with her trailing behind like a sheep.

Outside the venue was a fleet of cars parked in a light, waiting to take the bride and groom to the Bentley mansion. Catherine's parents stood outside waiting for her, "There she comes, our angel." Mckellen pitched.

As her eyes cast on them, the need to let her tears fall came, but she shouldn't. She needed to appear strong. And then, her mind went on a flashback.

That morning, the morning light sipped in through the window where it kissed the face of the awaiting bride, Catherine Mckellen. Feeling proud of her best friend, Felice said, "You look beautiful, Catherine."

Despite being the bride, Catherine did not look as proud as Felice complimented her. She sighed, regretting her decision to consent to the marriage even though it was for her father's benefit and his company.

All she could think about was what the marriage would be like. She never would have imagined herself getting married to a total stranger, but there she was, sitting in a stunning wedding gown, getting ready for her wedding.

Felice put her hand on her shoulders and said to her, staring at her through the mirror, "You are going to look even more stunning once we are done with the hair. The hairstylist is here. You are doing great, my love." Felice smiled encouragingly at her.

Much as Felice was there trying to encourage her and make her stop those tears from falling off her face, she couldn't; Catherine's tears began to trickle down her cheeks as she lost control of her emotions.

"Ma'am, I know you are happy today, but those happy tears will only smear your makeup." The hairstylist pitched in.

"Tears of joy?!" Felice hurried over right away and said, "I heard tears," noticing Catherine in tears.

"Oh, my dear Catherine, please calm down. I promise you, everything will work out." Felice began to worry for her friend. She comforted her with a hug and let the hairstylist continue his job.

The door opened and Catherine saw her father walk in.

"Catherine,"

She turned away from him, feeling her wedding gown crumple under her intense grip on it.

"You're going to ruin your dress, don't embarrass yourself that way." Her father sighed and moved forward.

"I'm sorry it has to come this way. Do not think that I ha..."

"Dad please, I'm better off not talked to. I'm doing this anyway. There's no point in sounding comforting to me, so please, leave me alone now."

Catherine was disappointed, they should have at least sat down and discussed this first, but they went behind her and made the arrangements already and left her with no other option than to accept.

"Cathe..."

"Leave!" Catherine's voice was stern as she finally burst into tears, leaving her father speechless as he turned to leave.

"Stop it, okay," Felice was wiping her tears again until the ruined makeup was amended.

And then, after some minutes, here she was, standing before them, holding hands with a total stranger, one she had never been able to get close to, not to talk of having feelings for him. And now they were married, a fake marriage they were not supposed to know.

She snapped out of her thoughts when her mother came rushing to her.

"Oh Catherine, you look so beautiful!" Her mother complimented her, touching her burning cheeks as her eyes glinted with happiness.

"Thank you so much for what you have done." Her father moved forward placing a kiss on her forward. "We are proud of you. I'm sure you will do well in your marriage."

Catherine laughed inwardly. Of course, she would do well with a fake marriage! So sarcastic.

She tried as much as possible to smile back at them. Not wanting to get into a conversation with them, she only nodded in response.

"Honey, we have sent your belongings to the Bentley mansion. Your dad and I will miss you!" Charlotte, Catherine's mother, added.

They had already sent her things over so fast and they were going to miss her so much. Yeah right. What else had she expected? A fairy send-off with a lot of kisses? Catherine thought to herself and scoffed inwardly before excusing herself.

She hitched her dress and hurriedly walked away from them heading towards the car.

"Don't say that Catherine. Don't you know, not everybody is willing to sacrifice themselves just for the sake of their family. What you did is very honorable. I doubt you would regret it. Cheer up okay? Now come, the parents are waiting, it's time to go." The words of Felice went through her mind. She sighed inwardly.

She waited as she heard her parents conversing with him. He sounded so delighted, so fake, as if happy. She wanted to look at his acting face but knew it would get her more angry, so she ignored it.

"Cathy, wait," Mrs McKellen called out just when she was about to step into the car.

"Catherine, you'll be fine okay? Your mother and I love you very much; you've made us proud, my dear. Goodbye." Her mother hugged her again, and this time, she hugged her back tightly. She couldn't hold her tears anymore, it was falling.

She loved her parents so very much, and that was one of the reasons she agreed to this in the first place, even though they had done many other things for her as her parents.

It was only right for their daughter to be useful to them now she had grown up. Wouldn't it be cruel not to pay them back by helping them in a difficult time like this when they expected her to? After all, they loved and cared for her.

They said and waved goodbye.

The driver helped her with her dress, while William sat on the other side of the car with his face glued outside. He never cared to look at her face, not even once until they arrived at the mansion.

As they arrived at the mansion, Catherine was struggling with her dress while William casually walked into the mansion. The drive to the mansion was the most awkward and uncomfortable drive she ever experienced from her husband.

"I'll have my assistant show you to your room. We leave for the company tomorrow morning." He said just like that.

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Catherine feeling like a pawn in a game she didn't understand.

"Everyone is thrilled to have you and Willy together at the mansion. We are really happy to welcome you." William's parents were there waiting as they entered. His mother rushed towards them after her statement.

"Thank you, Mother, Father," Catherine muttered, plastering a smile on her face; a smile as fake as their marriage.

Then Mrs Bentley, William's mother suddenly turned and glared at William.

"Willy?! Where do you think you're going?! His mother interrupted.

Bradley Bentley's son, William Bentley, possessed all of his Father's traits and was a self-assured, prosperous man. As the heir to his father's business, he was the next in line to enjoy the benefits of being a Bentley.

"What is the matter mother?!" With a tone full of irritation, William asked. 'What did I do this time?!' he thought to himself.

"You know you should be taking your lovely wife with you, silly Willy? And I do mean it, William." She continued.

With the looks of this, it seems his parents were aware he didn't want the marriage, too, but it was clear they didn't know they didn't know what other plans Williams had.

"Yes, William, your mother is right; you're meant to carry Catherine inside the mansion." Bentley supported his wife.

Catherine grew even more nervous. Neither she nor William wanted that.

William took a moment to compose himself before turning his attention from his parents to Catherine. All eyes turned to her as she simply stood there, her dress tightly clutched in one hand.

She sucked back her saliva as William walked over to her. "Hold me!" He whispered sternly.

He lifted her into his arms, carrying her in her bridal style as if she were as light as a feather. This act brought smiles to everyone's faces, including Mrs Bentley, who applauded lightly, but not to her husband. His looks...oh Lord, Catherine was sure she was going to faint should he continue with this dead attitude towards her. How will she cope with a marriage like this?

Catherine felt embarrassed by the situation at the moment. Her heart continued to race as if she had recently completed a marathon.

William's expressionless face seemed to be a mask to her as she stole a quick look at it. He didn't say a word to her, it was even more awkward than the ride back home.

William and Catherine walked into a well-decorated living room with a banner hanging across that read, "Welcome Mr and Mrs William Bentley."

"Oh my goodness," William muttered. He turned around and addressed his mother, saying, "Mother, I doubt any of this was necessary."

"William, did you believe that your mother and I would not take your wedding seriously?" Mrs Bentley said, smiling widely.

William swallowed his anger.

"Take Catherine upstairs. Both of you can change now and join us down here for the welcoming celebration." Bentley interrupted his son.

"Your father is right, Willy; the party had just begun." She chuckled. "Oh wait! There's one thing we're forgetting here and I want to see!" Mrs Bentley exclaimed. "I have not seen them kiss as husband and wife. Willy son, why don't you kiss your bride?" She said, looking happy that their son had finally gotten married.

Catherine's eyes went wide at Mrs Bentley's statement. It was obvious that Mrs Bentley didn't know what she was getting her into. She found her heart racing and wondered if William was going to do it.

There was a long silence before William suddenly muttered,

"Fine, if it's what you want, Mother," And Catherine felt her heart racing widely.

Catherine tried to look at him but failed, and that was when she felt his hand around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She closed her eyes; whatever came, she got her hands cold. Her very first kiss, with her newly wedded strange husband.

Without words, William lowered his head, placing his mouth into hers, and Catherine froze as she felt William's tongue dance slowly in her mouth. Even though there was no atom of feelings for each other, they had to show the world the opposite.

Catherine could feel his hands threading through her scalp, sending shivers down her spine. He deepened the kiss to the point she didn't know when a moan softly left her lips.

She had kissed him back, leaving her breathless and no space to think and when they broke the kiss, she wanted to take a look at his face, but the man had turned already, leaving her with a side profile that spoke volumes of things concealed; his expression was blank making her confused to understand the man's feelings.

And before she knew what was happening, he took her into his arms as his parents would want and headed towards the room while Mrs Bentley was screaming excitedly and clapping her hands together.

William took Catherine to his bedroom which will be Catherine's new bedroom.

As they step into the room, Catherine was immediately struck by the warmth and elegance that surrounds her. Soft, golden light poured in through the large windows, illuminating the rich, dark wood floors and accentuating the plush area rug in a vibrant shade of turquoise.

The walls were painted a soothing cream color, providing a serene backdrop for the exquisite furnishings. A very large and soft king-sized bed in the centre of the room tied everything together.

She didn't miss to see the stunning chandelier hanging from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the room. The air was filled with the sweet scent of fresh flowers, arranged beautifully in a crystal vase on the coffee table.

Every detail in this room was carefully considered, from the intricate molding on the walls to the delicate patterns on the throw pillows.

The result was a space that felt both luxurious and cozy, perfect for relaxing, entertaining, or simply enjoying a quiet moment to yourself, but she wondered, was it going to be possible to feel all these here?

But then, she was surprised by her husband's good sense of decorations.

"You heard Father, get changed." He ordered, quickly taking her off his arms. He ransacked his walk-in closet for something simple to wear for the occasion.

When he was done, he walked out and saw Catherine still seated on the bed like she didn't hear a word he spoke. "Are you deaf? Didn't you hear me?"

Catherine clung to her dress. She stared at him with an expressionless face and then asked, "William, am I supposed to dress up with you in here?!" Sounding slightly irritated.

"You think I'm interested in seeing your body. You better get that stupid thought out of your head." William scoffed and walked away. While she immediately started dressing.

As absurd as things were, Catherine didn't seem surprised. She didn't expect any caring expression from him; she was sure he hated this as much as she did.

"Willy my boy, where's your wife?" Michelle, William's mother asked, looking up at the staircase, hoping to see Catherine. "Both of you were supposed to come down together." She held his arm as she spoke.

"Mother, Catherine isn't co--"

"Oh, there she is," Michelle interrupted her son. William turned to see what was causing his mother's eyes to light up, and to his surprise, he saw Catherine coming down the stairs wearing a skittish, sleeveless wine-colored dress that revealed her curvaceous figure.

William experienced his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach and rise back up. He began to choke on his saliva before reaching over to one of the servants' trays for a drink. Michelle walked towards her to help her down the stairs, "Come here my love, you look amazing." She complimented with a wide smile.

"Willy! Get over here." Michelle ordered. "Mr. Dunlop is right down the corner, he has been asking of you since the party started. You and Catherine should go say hi to him. Go! Go!"

Catherine walked alongside William through the small crowd of people that had gathered for the party over to where Dunlop was standing. Dunlop was an old-time business partner to the Bentleys and a very close family friend she came to understand.

"There he is! William Louis Bentley, Newest husband in town." Dunlop laughed. "How are you, my boy?"

"I'm well Sir," William responded lightly.

"You must be William's wife." He stretched his hands and exchanged a handshake with Catherine.

"It's Catherine Sir, Catherine Bentley." Her voice was shaky.

"You caught a beautiful one William." He said and chuckled.

~~~

After the party was over, Mr and Mrs Bentley had already retired to their bedroom, while Catherine was stuck with William in his room. William got out of the shower and met Catherine lying on the couch, looking like she was almost deep in her sleep.

"What does she think she's doing now?" He approached her and called her, "Catherine? What are you doing?"

Catherine's eyes fluttered open, rubbing her hands on her eyes to get the sleep off. "William, obviously I'm trying to get some sleep--"

"I'm not daft Catherine. I mean are you trying to ruin my perfect couch by sleeping on it? That's why a bed was provided. Get off it!"

She looked confused; how was she supposed to sleep on the bed? Wouldn't that make their bodies touch? She couldn't help but glare daggers at him and tilted her head, thinking whether she should listen to him or not.

They stared at each other for what took some minutes before she finally stood up and walked over to the mattress, maintaining quite a distance away from him.

Williams also got to the other side, creating a wide bridge between them with the duvet.

They both awkwardly curled up in bed with two separate duvets facing each other's backs.

After some minutes of her heart racing with this wild feeling, she finally shut her eyes before the vibration of William's voice woke her up again.

"We have a meeting with Father tomorrow at the breakfast table. Be there! It's important." When he was done speaking, he adjusted his duvet.

Catherine didn't say anything to him. As she lay there, she grew curious about what his father wanted to tell them first thing the following morning.