2. Chapter 2
Chapter 2
-Kace-
“ S o, when does the wife arrive?” Cody asked, and I looked behind me, giving him an annoyed look.
I wanted him out of here before Annabella arrived because I knew he could never pull off the entire act I had prepared. He would laugh his ass off, and I’d want to punch him in the nuts for it. I needed this to go well.
As I stood in my closet, I pulled on a shirt, covering the scars from the horrible accident I had a few years ago. I had almost been paralyzed, but eventually, I regained feeling.
Throughout my many months of recovery, only Cody had been there for me, and it made me realize how hollow my life had been.
“Soon, and you will be out of here before she does,” I warned and turned to him.
He smiled, looking so satisfied. “I never knew you could be so cruel.”
“Don’t know what you mean.”
“You trapped the woman in this marriage, and you will act like you have never recovered from your accident. You are making her think you’re disabled,” he pointed out.
“And?” I pressed.
“And what will you gain from that?” he asked. “Why trap her?”
“Because I have little time.”
“Little time? You’re twenty-nine!” he said.
“Yes, and I spent almost two years coming back from what happened. I wasted time before that. Now I need to make things happen fast.”
“You were shocked, scared, and traumatized. Don’t trap this woman with your sorry ass,” he advised.
“She signed the papers. I never forced her,” I defended.
“No, but we also know that daughter doesn’t have a spine.”
“I didn’t force her,” I said once more.
“Her family could have.”
“My hands are clean.” I held them up, and Cody shook his head.
We had known each other since we were kids. His family practically became mine after my parents died, but he couldn’t understand why I would go so far as to suggest marriage. But it was a coincidence that I had chosen Annabella.
I had heard news of the engagement a little while ago: an old business partner’s eldest daughter and Zac Moore were getting married. And I remembered he had a second daughter, whom I had seen very few pictures of. In that moment, I felt ready to take a chance. I was determined to try something completely new.
“You’re a bastard,” he said.
“I know,” I replied.
“And you’re not even sorry for it.”
“I am not,” I declared.
“Why not just date again?” he inquired.
“Oh yes, go through the long process of figuring out if this person even cares about me or my money,” I spat.
“Annabella could just care about money,” he countered.
“She has money. Her family is fucking rich.”
“Yes, but maybe she wants more.”
“Could be. But I will not waste my time trying to date her. Besides, wasn’t she smitten with her sister’s fiancé?”
“How do you know this?” he asked.
“Everyone does. I remembered meeting him once or twice, constantly talking about the stalker sister,” I replied.
“And now you married her?” he questioned, confused.
“I did.”
“Why? I can’t see any reason behind it. It’s fucking madness!”
“I know,” I replied.
“Then WHY? Explain it to me!”
“I have tried,” I reminded him.
“You just said you were tired of feeling like people loved you for your things, but nothing is guaranteed with Annabella,” he reminded me.
“She is different from those I usually date,” I explained.
“I’m aware. But that again guarantees nothing. So give me a reason. A big one.”
“All right…” I had hoped to keep it a secret for a little while longer, because there was something that pushed me even more to get married. “My grandfather has decided to pay me a visit.”
Cody turned terrified, looking like how I felt when I read the letter. Yes, he sent me a fucking letter. Not an email.
“No…” he whispered.
“Yes,” I shot back.
“That old fucker is coming here? After all these years? He wasn’t there when you needed him!”
“I know, and it thrilled me that he wasn’t,” I said.
“Now he is coming here? From Russia?” he inquired.
“Yes, and we both know why that is.”
“He wants you to move there,” Cody concluded.
“Yes, but he also wants me to marry a Russian,” I said.
“Fuck!”
“I'm saving myself.”
“At least it is making some sense now. Wanting to know who could love you besides your money is fucking ridiculous,” Cody laughed, yet I was only smiling a little.
A part of me wanted to know what it was like. I knew the woman my grandfather had in mind would never show me love, and I wanted to experience that.
“Well, I can only wish you two all the best,” he teased, making me shake my head. “Now you get to enjoy the honeymoon.”
“Funny,” I said dryly.
“I know. You love my humor.”
“Just go before she sees you. I need to set it all up.”
“I still think you’re taking it too far,” he admitted.
“I don’t,” I stated.
“Of course not. You never think you take things too far.”
“Just go!” I ordered.
He laughed as he walked away, and I shook my head. After my motorcycle accident, I stopped leaving the house. I didn’t want my pictures to be taken again. I didn’t want to be in the spotlight.
I wanted to find something real—someone who could actually make me feel something. Was Annabella the one to do that? I was unsure, but I was going to find out.