Chapter 39

He could not deny that he could not look away when his eyes spotted her standing at the top of the stairs. Indeed, she was beautiful, standing on what seemed to be her pedestal.

"It is time to meet my family," Damon whispered in her ears once he had joined her to escort her down to meet the growing crowd, including his family and guests.

He could already tell she would be the loveliest woman in the room. And damn! Men's eyes would, without a doubt, be following her around.

And double damn! 

It seemed his brother was once again the first victim. He could already see his brother's eyes fixating on her. He was, no doubt, watching her every move.

He had hoped that Dale would finally move on from her. Dale had already found someone else. His brother was about to get married. 

Besides, it had been years since his brother mentioned her name. But it was apparent that he was mistaken, judging from his young brother's reaction. It would appear he was not over her just yet. 

"How could she do this to me?" He recalled his brother's words when Jules failed to attend their wedding and left him hanging at the altar.

She only left a note, remembering seeing the piece of paper when his brother dropped it on the floor. He immediately picked it up, wondering what she said to him.

DALE

I'M SORRY.

THERE ARE NO ENOUGH WORDS TO EXPLAIN WHAT I DID, BUT ONE THING IS FOR SURE. I CAN'T MARRY YOU.

I DON'T EXPECT YOUR FORGIVENESS. SO, PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO LOOK FOR ME.

JULES

It was a short note done in haste, based on the scrawly handwriting. It also had traces of what seemed to be droplets of tears from the marks on its surface.

He wished to applaud her for the effort. It almost convinced him that she was for real. But he knew the truth about her. And he knew this was just a show.

"Nicely done," Damon silently thought, praising the woman for her creativity.

Truthfully, he thought she would show up and pretend nothing happened between them. But it was surprising that she effortlessly backed away without much of a fight.

Still, he would not let his guard down, believing he had not seen the last of her. She would be back with something more explosive. And he had to protect his brother from her return.

"The newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Damon and Jules Hawkins." That was his cue to guide his new wife into his world, where he would teach her a lesson she would never forget. 

Never to mess with his family. 

"Shall we join the others?" He gradually pulled her downstairs. "Relax and smile." He whispered again through his teeth, feeling the stiffness of her movements beside him.

He could not help but question whether she was nervous about meeting all these people. Or it had something to do with his brother, who was nailed on his spot, just staring at her.

"Is this necessary?" She had asked him this question once. But it would appear she was not ready for the task as her body hesitated to move forward.

"You are already paid to do this. And if you succeeded in fooling everyone. I am sure to compensate you generously for your efforts." He lowered his voice, ensuring she was the only one who could hear his words.

He was not letting her get his money while she worked on getting his brother back. That was not going to happen. He would make sure of that.

"You don't have to keep reminding me that you are paying me to act as your wife. But let me remind you that I only did this to save your son's life." She angrily countered while maintaining a forced smile on her lips.

"Stop acting like you are Mother Teresa. I don't buy it." He could feel his insides were boiling. He could not control the irritation that had crept into his mind as he looked at her, staring back at his brother.

Did she think that she could still have a future with him? What about his brother? Think again because he would not allow that to happen.

"Suit yourself." She seemed done arguing with him as she finally looked at him before glancing down at her feet as they stepped on the last flight of stairs.

"Congratulations." His friends greeted them as they mingled with the crowd. But he could see their curious gazes directed at his wife.

Of course, everybody would be questioning his choice. After all, nobody knew about his plan to tie himself in a knot. On the contrary, everybody knew how much he had dodged the matrimonial trap.

More importantly, all of them would be wondering about the identity of his wife and challenging his choice. He could already see the disapproving look his mother sent in his direction. He concluded she deplored this union.

"Thank you." He welcomed the best wishes, acting as an excellent host to his guests. 

"Thanks." He also heard his wife follow his lead. But he also noticed the lack of enthusiasm in them. Still, she remained smiling, acting the part.

But as they mingled with the crowd, he saw how his mother interceded on his behalf. He already saw Dale, like a raging bull, ready to charge and confront them.

Somehow, his mother stopped him, probably trying to calm him down. However, it did not seem to work as his brother continued in his path to meet them halfway across the hall.

"What does Dale know about this?" He could hear the slight tremble in his wife's voice.

It seemed, just like him, she might have seen her ex-fiancee charging toward them. He could not help but wonder if her concern could have something to do with his brother's current facial expression. Or if it had more to do with their connection in the past.

"As much as everybody present in this celebration." He informed her.

Of course, he would not give his brother a heads-up about his plan. One of the reasons why he married Jules was to get her out of the picture in his brother's life.

"I hope you are not planning to rekindle your relationship with my brother. Remember, that is part of the contract you signed." He uttered near her ears, ensuring she was the only one who could hear him. "Now, smile before anyone thinks we are fighting."

Then, he shifted his face, angling his body until he captured her lips. His action meant to give their guest a show. 

To others, it looked like he was whispering sweet nothings to his wife. They were two people who could not get enough of each other.

But in his brother's eyes, it meant betrayal. And hopefully, it would be the end of whatever feelings he had left for this woman.