Chapter 5
THE WORKING WIFE
AT CHURCH
"I pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride" the priest who had married them said and Marie who had stood numb through the whole process of her marriage was jolted to life when she heard that last phrase.
She looked up to see Romeo smiling down at her, he knew why she was looking apprehensive, she didn't want him kissing her but judging by that smile on his face, she could tell that he meant to do it.
Her veil was pulled open and as he moved towards her to kiss her, she took him off guard by kissing him on the cheek instead.
While Romeo knew why she did it, the few people in the church with them laughed at her action.
Taking hold of her hand, they both walk down the aisle and quickly she went to give Romeo grandmother and also his mother a hug.
After she had woken up from her accident, she had been introduced to his mother and grandmother who made her feel welcome.
She got to spend sometime in their company which got her getting close to them.
She wonder how they will feel once they know that she's not the real Develene.
"You look lovely my child" Alice, Romeo grand mother enthused happily.
"She's meant to, afterall we worked so hard to find the perfect gown for her" Genova, Romeo mother chipped in as she took hold of Marie hand.
"Am glad that my son got married to you. You will surely make him happy, I wish you both the best in life" Genova added squeezing Marie hand and Marie felt bad after hearing her words.
Romeo hates her just as much as she dislikes him, it would be hard to have a perfect marriage, she thought as she gave a smile in return.
"Its a shame that my grand son decided to make the whole thing private, it would have been great to have you pictured in this lovely dress" Alice said this time.
"Am just being cautious, you know how crazy the press gets and if they should know about my marriage, my wife and I won't be having any peace" he said suddenly as he wrapped his arms around her.
Marie tensed by this action and would have pulled away if he hadn't tightened his hold on her.
"Is that why you also chose not to have a party for the wedding?" His mother asked.
"No. The thought of having my wife all to myself got me cancelling the party too" He replied starring at Marie who was now looking at him.
"We are newly weds but we would also like to be alone" he said softly.
"When you keep talking about this marriage of yours, I couldn't picture you doing it but seeing you doing just that made me realise that my friend is now a real man" Blake Tyson, a close friend and also a partner to Romeo commented as he hugged his friend while he took hold of Marie hand kissing it.
"So I wasn't a real man when I wasn't married?" Romeo said to him a while later.
"Let's just say you were a playboy through and through" Blake replied which got them all laughing.
"Anything to say to your daughter before we leave?" Romeo asked Develene parents who had been quiet watching the whole thing.
"Take care of yourself" was Hannah cold words to her as she hugged Marie.
"Be happy" Develene father added before hugging her too.
She knew Develene father meant what he said but Develene mother only wanted to be rid of her while her own child is safe.
They waved at them all before getting into the limo that belong to Romeo.
This is it for her, she's married to Romeo and whatever happens will have to be faced head long, she thought starring at the wedding ring on her finger.
************
She walked into Romeo Pent house while he followed suit behind her.
Just like she dislike him, he also feels the same way about her but she doubts if he would let the wedding night pass without doing a thing to her, she thought as she watched him walk towards the drink cabinet to pour himself a drink.
"Stop looking like a frightened virgin, I won't leap on you" he told her smoothly reading her face.
"How can I be sure of that? You told me that you once desired me" She replied not trusting his words.
"That was when I still believed you to be the real Develene. I lost interest when I found out that you are nothing but fake" he returned.
"Well am glad that I don't seem to interest you and I can only hope that Develene would show up soon" she retorted.
"Do I sense a bit of jealousy in there?" He asked her.
"Jealous? Am far from feeling that. Now tell me about our sleeping arrangement cause I don't want to share the same room with you" she told him bluntly.
"I feel the same way and that's why I got the housekeeper to move your things to the other room" he told her.
"That's good then and another thing, I would like to continue working, don't be surprised when you see me work...."
"Never! No wife of mine works" he told her fiercely.
"So you expect me to seat back and let you provide for me?" She asked even as she watched him close the space between them.
"Its a luxurious life, the real Develene would certainly be ecstatic about that idea"
"But am not the real Develene and I won't seat around doing nothing all day" she retorted and angrily he pulled her into his arms.
"My wife is meant to stay home and do every of my bidding and as you are my wife, you will stay home and do what I say....any more word from you and I will claim my wedding night" he told her when she was about to protest.
"Very good, I love it when you are quiet. You look more enchanting" he mocked even as he let her go.
Marie turned to leave, heading to her room when his words stopped her.
"I will going on a business trip tomorrow and it will take a month" he told her softly.
"Fine" she muttered as she didn't spare him a glance.
"Aren't you going to miss me?" His words stopped her and this made her turn to him.
"I won't and am sure you will have someone with you to distract you during this trip" she retorted.
"Of course I will, you don't expect me to stay celibate" he replied and not bothering to give him a reply, she stormed off to her room.
*************
~A MONTH LATER~
"Glad to have you back" Blake said as he took a seat in Romeo office.
"I was only gone for a month, not like have been gone for years" Romeo replied as he went through his paper work.
"But to me you've been gone for quite a while. A married man shouldn't be doing that" Blake told him.
"I might be married but that doesn't stop me from going on business trips. My wife wouldn't be able to complain about that" Romeo replied still going through the file in front of him.
"Talking about your wife, do you know what she's been up to for a month now?" Blake asked and that got him stopping what he was doing to look up at his friend.
"What has she been doing?" He asked wanting to know if Marie has stirred up trouble cause it's been a month since he heard from her, ever since their wedding night, he hadn't heard from her.
"She....." Blake stopped when Romeo secretary walked into the room.
"The new workers in the company are here sir" Patricia announced.
"Let them in" he said to his secretary who left to do his bidding.
"And you stay back, we need to finish our disscussion" he told Blake.
"Of course I will stay, I also want to see the newly hired staff" Blake said as a smile lit his face.
The newly recruit are five In members and while four men walked into the room.
Romeo was stunned to see Marie amongst them which made her the fifth member.
Blake who already knew about Marie working in the company smiled as he stared at Romeo stunned face.
Romeo kept starring at Marie who was also starring at him while Patricia introduced the four men before getting to her.
"And she is Marie Raymond, a newly hired chef for the office cafeteria" Patricia announced.
As if working in his company hadn't been enough, she had to use her real name, he thought glaring at her.
"Am honoured to meet you all and I hope you will work hard like everyone else and make the company grow" Romeo said while they all gave him a reply.
Out of courtesy, he stood up to shake the men hands and when he got to Marie, he stretched fourth his hand and when she pull out her hand to meet his, he noticed that her wedding ring wasn't on her finger.
He glared at her while she returned a polite smile his way. There better be a good reason for you doing this, he thought within himself as he watched them all leave his office.
"You knew about this right?" He asked Blake.
"I did, I did the interview and I was surprised to see your wife and the most surprising part of all is that she's using another name. Marie Raymond" Blake told him.
Blake and his parents knew her as Develene, they didn't know that she's a fake and that her real name is Marie Raymond.
"She must have decided to come up with another name so I won't get a hold of it" Romeo lied.
"Probably but she had no reason to lie. It might have been a month since you got married but no one knows about it except for us who attended your wedding" Blake told him again.
"Maybe she had her own reasons" Romeo lied again knowing why she decided to use her real name instead of using Develene's name.
"You seem to be relaxed about this" Blake said crossing his legs while he stared at his friend.
"Should I be worried about my wife working in my company?" He asked.
"Of course you should. Your wife as you've put it is working in the office cafeteria" Blake told him.
"Should I be worried about that too?" Romeo asked as he went back to going through the file.
"Yes you should. The cafeteria as you put it is packed with four men working as the chef and let me tell you that this men are just not any men . They are all sexy and alluring, the female workers all eat at the cafeteria just to get a glimpse of them and your wife is the only female working amongst them, you should be worried" Blake told him and Romeo dropped his file just to stare at his friend.
"Are they all male?" He asked Blake who nodded.
"All four and sexy at that. Your wife would certainly be tempted by one of them If she keeps working at the cafeteria" Blake told him.
"Thanks for the warning and I will keep it in mind" Romeo told Blake.
"Does that mean you are telling me to mind my business?" Blake asked.
"Am just telling you that I will take it from here" he replied.
"Fine then but don't say I didn't warn you" Blake told him before heading to his own office.
As soon as Blake left, Romeo called his secretary telling her to tell Marie to come to his office.
He paced around his office while waiting for her to arrive.
Not only did she defy his order of not working, she also decide to use her real name and to make matter worse, she's working amongst four men.
Why that last thought bothered him most, he didn't know why but all thought flew out of the window as soon as the door opened and Marie walked into the room.
Once again he noticed her ringless finger and somehow that annoyed him.
"Just what kind of game are you playing?" He barked at her angrily.