The Accidental Marriage

THE Hall was adorned with only what could be described as opulence, the kind that Amelie could only wish for in her dreams. A cascade of crystal chandeliers shone over the exquisitely dressed guests who mingled beneath.

Her heart raced alongside the high-tempo ballroom music that echoed through the walls of the beautiful room. Her fingers toyed nervously with the stem of the champagne flute that she had collected from a waiter earlier on, hoping to blend into the crowd as one of them.

And blend in she did.

Dressed in a body-hugging emerald green silk gown that matched her bright eyes and left nothing to the imagination, her golden blonde hair cascaded down in soft waves, framing a face adorned with delicate features and lips that pouted, begging to be kissed.

Her best friend, Hailey, had wasted no effort to make her look sophisticated and elegant on the outside but on the inside, she was still the same Amelie Campbell, a blubbering shy mess.

She had only come to this gala because her paintings would be sold and she would get a reasonable amount for it. It was the first time a well-connected, wealthy individual had offered to showcase her drawings and she had jumped at the opportunity.

She left the centre of the ballroom to go to where her most favorite drawing sat, waiting for its owner to claim it.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A deep voice broke through her reverie.

Startled, she turned to face him, her emerald eyes meeting his grey stormy ones.

He had striking features- a strong jawline, piercing grey eyes that promised chaos and dark tousled hair. He was dressed in a tailored tuxedo that hugged his tall, athletic frame, accentuating the broadness of his shoulders. He exuded an allure of confidence and magnetism which only made Amelie blush when she saw him smile.

Nevertheless, she tilted her head and said in a soft voice, "It is."

Sebastian was captivated by the beautiful woman in front of him. The woman who looked like she belonged amongst the rich and yet seemed to want to flee.

He tilted his head at her, letting a smile grace his lips.

"What's your name, mia bellezza?"

Amelie could feel herself blush at the term.

My beauty.

"Amelie Campbell," She replied, wiling herself to stop blushing.

"Sebastian Romano, bella." He lifted her hand to his lips.

She could feel her heart's rate increasing, her face getting hot and her body tingling at the sound of his baritone and the feel of his hot lips.

She faced the artwork once more as Sebastian appraised her painting not knowing the true owner of the art. They spoke of art, nature and their music tastes and soon enough Sebastian invited her onto the dance floor as they opened the ball.

Looking back, maybe she should have wondered what his identity was that caused everyone there to part ways for him.

Would that have changed her choice as they left the hall to his home?

Maybe, maybe not.

All she knew that when he had extended an invitation to look at his collection of artwork in his home, she had jumped at the chance. Soon enough, they rode in a Rolls Royce- another detail she had overlooked.

The mansion was a testament to his wealth. The entrance to his home was guarded by towering gates and guards. Well-tended-gardens lined the driveway as they reached a palatial building that looked liked it would cost millions of dollars.

At this point, she faltered. Who was Sebastian Romano?

He gave her a smile and she smiled back shyly, he brought her here so there shouldn't be a problem, she thought.

Soon they entered the hallway which was adorned with priceless art pieces and modern furnishings. She admired all the paintings, wishing she could stay here for the rest of her life.

She frowned, where did that thought come from?

They spoke in hushed tones even though nobody else seemed to be around. The tension that had simmered between them finally reached its peak. Their gazes locked and without a word, Sebastian closed the distance between them, his lips capturing hers.

As their lips come together, there is an instant spark that pulls them even closer. It set their bodies ablaze with searing heat, starting gently and then escalating quickly into something fierce and all-consuming.

As the kiss deepens, there is an urgency in the way their bodies press together. Amelie finds herself suddenly with confidence she didn't know she has and she pulls him closer, wanting nothing between them.

It's as if the connection makes them read each others' minds as Sebastian soon grants her wish. He pulls her into his arms as he strides purposely to a room.

They fumbled with buttons and zippers and soon they succumb to the desire swirling through their entire body.

In the aftermath, Amelie lay beside Sebastian, her heart racing with uncertainty, guilt and exhilaration. She quickly got out of the bed, gathering her clothes and putting them on.

She paused for a moment, looking back at Sebastian's sleeping form and his features that softened in the moonlight. With regret now being the most central emotion in her heart, she scribbled a brief message to him.

"I'm sorry. Thank you for the night."- A.C.

Her heart heavy with conflicting emotions, she made sure to be quiet as she left the room, leaving behind the echoes of their passionate union.

Meanwhile, Sebastian woke up, reaching out for the soothing touch of the woman who had ignited him. He met cold sheets, a stark reminder of their fleeting connection.

Little did both of them know, fate had weaved their destinies together, setting the stage for a chaotic journey of emotions, unexpected revelations and love.

Amelie

As she rushed through the morning, trying to make up for the lost time she had wasted while asleep the previous night, her mind still reeled from the whirlwind of events that had happened the night before.

She was trying to prepare her younger twin siblings, Harrison and Harriet for school. Soon enough, she packed their bags and walked them to the doorstep where the school bus soon came to pick them up. She sighed in relief, glad that they hadn't missed the bus.

She kissed both of their cheeks, wishing them a happy day and also reminding Harrison to eat his meal as he always forgot to do so.

When she turned, she could feel the stares of the neighbors bore on her but whenever she turned to meet their eyes, they pretended to do something else.

Shaking her head, she went into her room where her curiosity took over.

Who was Sebastian Romano?

She brought out her phone and typed in his name into her search engine. In less than two seconds, it had brought up so many results.

Sebastian Romano hails from the prominent Romano family and is the eldest child and only son.

Sebastian Romano, the twenty-nine year old billionaire heir of the Eudora company will be taking over the company in one month.

Sebastian Romano continues to make headlines, solidifying his position as an influential figure.

Her eyes widened in disbelief as she uncovered articles and headlines of the billionaire heir, Sebastian Romano.

"I had no idea. He didn't mention anything." She whispered. She knew that he would definitely be rich but she didn't think he would be this wealthy.

She scrolls further, regretting the choice almost immediately. She paused as she noticed something alarming on the screen. Her eyes widen in alarm.

"No, no no, this can't be happening to me." She muttered to herself.

She clinks on a link that shows a series of pictures showing her with Sebastian in a bed. They were both asleep and she was wrapped in his arms, her face facing the camera. They were both naked and the only reason her nudity wasn't visible was because a blanket covered both their modesty.

"Oh no. How could this happen?"

She continued scrolling through the post until she reached the comments. She flinched at most them, bold rude and derogatory remarks about herself.

What a whore, I'm very sure that she had slept with him in order to get something in return.

Such a beauty wasted with that gold-digger mindset of hers.

It's not a surprise why the young billionaire has never had a girlfriend. It must be tiring knowing that every girl around you only wanted your money.

They spoke about him as if he was he was forced into it. As if he wasn't able to make his own decisions. As if he was a child just learning of the world.

They spoke about her like she was just a whore with a gold digger mindset.

Her mind raced, unsure of the impact the revelation would have on her present and future. She felt a variety of emotions- apprehension, shock and regret for not being careful.

As she wondered of what she was to do, the doorbell suddenly rang. She walked to the door, wondering who it was and opened it, meeting the one person she was involved in this with.

Sebastian stood there, impeccably dressed in a tailored dark blue suit and was wearing glasses that for some reason made him look even hotter. His dark hair was perfectly styled, brushed to the back and accentuating his sharp, stunning features.

"Se..Sebastian?"

If she thought that her neighbors had been looking at her before, then she was definitely correct now. They didn't even try to hide it this time around.

"Hi, Amelie. Can I come in?" He smiled at her.

Amelie hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside, allowing Sebastian and the man behind him to enter. It wasn't like people would say things that they hadn't said before. He entered into the room gracefully, his presence encompassing the place with confidence, authority and sophistication.

"Nice place you've got here." He said, sitting on one of the sofas.

The other guy, with brunette hair and blue eyes stood at his back. He was tall and jacked, he looked like he could pick her up with one hand and throw her like a rag doll.

"Thank you. Why.. what brings you here?" She asked, sitting on the sofa opposite him.

"Are you nervous?" He asked, tilting his head at her thoughtfully.

"No. Why would I be?" She chuckled nervously, ducking her head.

When she raised it back, he was smiling at her once again and faint butterflies fluttered in her belly at the sight of the Indian dimple that appeared on the left side of his face. It made him look younger and for some reason, made him even more attractive to her.

"I'm here to assure you that whatever it is that is circulating online, it is not what it seems. I would never do anything that would cause any discomfort to you." Sebastian said with genuine eyes.

Amelie was glad that he had come to her to explain things but that didn't mean that it was going to solve anything.

"But.. But you coming here isn't going to help matters. Everyone has already made their choice on what to believe. Even if you.. you didn't sell us out, someone close to you must have done so."

"I'm already on that. Whoever it is would be caught before noon today." His voice was sincere, a glint of determination shining in his eyes.

"But it still doesn't matter. Maybe I'll just lay low for a while." She replied.

"About this, I already have a proposal. I would be killing two stones with this. Fulfilling a promise I had made to my grandfather and protecting you at the same time. But before I lay it out, I must tell you that you listen to my reasons before giving me an answer."

She was surprised, she wondered what the proposition was for him to warn her about it.

"Ok, I will."

"I'm offering you a marriage contract." He dropped the bombshell.

"W..what?" She asked,

When he made no signs of saying any other thing to her, she continued.

"How can you propose such a thing? Marriage.. It's a very serious thing." She mumbled.

It did not matter if she liked him or not. she had always dreamt of marrying someone whom she was in love with. Someone that she could spend the entire day with, her entire years on this earth with and still love the person no matter what happened.

She didn't want to marry someone just because a scandal had broke out.

"I know it is." Sebastian affirmed.

"If you do, then why are you saying this? Is it because of your reputation? I saw that you are usually not seen with girls. Some even say you're gay." She blushed at her last sentence.

Sebastian suddenly laughed, a deep reverberating sound that echoed throughout her body and tingled everywhere from the top of her head down to her sole of her feet.

"Gay? Why don't you tell me, darling? Did I seem gay to you last night?" He asked, his voice deep and husky.

The bodyguard looked away.

He smirked at he noticed the flush that covered her face and her neck. She wondered what he would have done if he had known what she had been thinking.

"D.. don't say things like that." She whined.

"Why, mia bellezza? What happens to you when I say them?" He once again questioned.

He knew. With the way he was looking at her, there was no way he didn't know what was going on in her body right now. But how did he know?

His tone became solemn once more, "It's not just about my reputation. This scandal will follow you, tarnish your name and give several backlashes. I can offer you protection and shield from the fallout."

Amelie swallowed as she grappled with conflicting emotions- confusion, nervousness and fear. How was she supposed to make such a decision like this? She had always been bad at making life-changing decisions.

She wondered, today she had only seen the comments about herself but what of when she went out? How would she face confrontations that would surely come? Society had always been a vile place and she had just landed in the worst place of it all.

The rich degrading society.

She had read about how they backstabbed their own people. What would they do to her? The girl whom they would think was only out to get the billionaire's wealth.

She just wanted a peaceful life. Was that really hard to get?

"You don't have to look so conflicted. I'll give you two days to think about it. Time isn't on our side and we have to be quick in order to use it effectively." He stood up, handing his contact card to me.

"Give me a call whenever you have an answer."

He gave me one last smile before letting himself out the door.

Amelie let herself sink into her bed after she locked the door. She never thought that a day like this would come.

She wished she hadn't made the mistake of sleeping with him. Sebastian seemed like a good person but they were from different worlds and sooner than later, they would clash. It wasn't like she was the type to do one night stands.

Before she met Sebastian, she had been engaged to her childhood friend, Kingsley. They had only slept together twice but with Sebastian, it had been different. It didn't feel like it was only their bodies that had been moving together.

It had felt like their bodies, emotions and souls had been moving in unison.

At that moment, someone suddenly banged on the door.

"Open the damn door!" It was her father.

She hated him but she was too weak to do anything. Luckily he didn't hit them anymore, not after her teacher had reported him to the station after seeing a bruise around Amelie's eye in school.

She held her breath as she opened the door, moving to a side as Mr James Campbell entered the house, looking ready to kill.

"You ungrateful brat!" He sneered.

"W.. what's wrong, Dad? I..I didn't do anything bad this time..." She whispered.

He cut her off, advancing on her as she tried to slither backwards, away from him.

"Nothing wrong? NOTHING WRONG?" He cuts her off. "What is this that I'm hearing about you sleeping with the Romano son? You're a whore just like your mom." He sneered.

"We're not whores." She snapped, immediately regretting it.

She saw the flash in his eyes as soon as he decided it and then his hand was on her face. He hit her and she fell, hitting her head on a desk.

"Did you at least capture him?"

"No. He wan...wanted to marry me but.. I.. I refused."

If possible, James' face became even redder.

"Pick your phone up and call him. Tell him you'll marry him."

"But-"

"Shut your mouth! Tell him or I'll send Harriet and Harrison to foster homes. Different foster homes."

That got her to move. She would never sacrifice her siblings' happiness just for her own.

Soon he answered.

Her phone was on speak-out mode like her father had demanded.

"Sebastian." She whispered.

"Amelie? You made your decision so early?" His voice brought some calm to her but she couldn't get rid of the fear that came from looking into her father's eyes.

"I have thought about it. I'll marry you." I spit it out before I could stop myself.

A pause and then, "Are you okay?"

"What? I'm fine... I.. Why wouldn't I be?"

She heard a screeching sound in the background.

"Hmm. Take care of yourself, mia bellezza. I'll come to see you later."

"Ok. Bye." The call cut.

"I've done it. Please let go of me." His hands were digging into her hands up to the point that she felt like she couldn't feel it anymore.

He sneered at her, "Why should I do that?"

He dragged her by the hair and she screamed as he pulled her up to her feet. She stopped struggling when she heard a voice.

"What the fuck?"

Sebastian was standing at the door's entrance with a furious look on his face.