Chapter 2: Cheating partner

Kate stood watching her surroundings, a town she wasn’t familiar with, she had no purse with her, no cards, no phone.

‘What was she even thinking when she ran away’

“Wait, I’d…I’d do it” she screamed before the escort shut the door. Avan signaled to the young man to open the door. He looked at her emotionless as she got back in the car.

“One way or the other, I’d have to marry a West, so what it doesn’t have to be Bryan” Kate said tugging the hem of her wedding gown sleeve.

Avan burst out a dismissive laugh.

Gosh so he can actually laugh, he looked cute in this facial expression.

In the next few hours there’d be news flying around town of her disappearance. Her mother would not stop at any length to make sure this wedding holds, the company is at the verge of collapse ever since her father died and this alliance was going to be the turning point of their lives. And Bryan, he won’t stop at any length to revenge this slap in his face..was she stupid for running away, she obviously may not be able to save herself and her mom on her own and at the end of the day may shamefully agree to marry Bryan. And considering what he did to her, she’s lost her spark for him. So if that’d be the case she’d rather settle with a better advantage, at least Avan’s more powerful and she can be able to rub it on Bryan’s face for cheating on her.

“Can you hear yourself?” Avan interrupted her internal monologue.

“That way you still win the wager and you’d benefit from my father’s company. One year and we’d go our separate ways”

Avan tilted his head to her

“I’m giving you three days ultimatum” She retorted

Avan looked bewildered, no one has ever dared to tell him what to do

“The narrative is going to be that you eloped with your fiance’s step-brother and married him. Do you realize the impact that has on my public image?”

“There’d be no need for that, I have videos and images of Bryan cheating on me, the impact would be on him not us…I mean you” She added as she touched her clothes realizing that her phone wasn’t with her

“Quite the evidence” he said sarcastically

“It’s in my purse at the wedding venue”

Avan considered the idea, he’d not only gain the shares but also put dirt on the West most preferred son.

“One of my men can retrieve the phone and if the evidence is still intact, then there’s a possibility”

“That’d be great” Kate said grinning as if closing a million dollar deal

“Don’t get too excited, I would make the rules of the contract agreement and it would tilt heavily to my favor. You may leave”

“Yeah, about that I don’t actually have any where to lay low for now..soo..”

Avan placed his hand on his forehead and grunted.

“Ave penthouse,” he instructed the driver.

***

Kate woke up with a throbbing headache as she looked around her unfamiliar surrounding and recounted the events that led her to this place.

At the private hotel the night before their wedding, she had conversed with Bryan on the rooftop lounge about their lives and beautiful future together and after what felt like two hours, he said she needed to have her beauty sleep in preparation of their big day tomorrow.

They both retired to their rooms but Kate couldn’t sleep and she opted for a midnight snack and went to tell her best friend, Fiona to escort her get one. But she didn’t find Ivy in her room. So she went down to the kitchen herself and got the snack. On her way back, she decided to check if Bryan was asleep already and went into the room and to her surprise she found the door open. She got in and went to the inner room but froze in her tracks when she heard funny noises coming from the inside.

The main bedroom door was slightly open and she could hear faint moaning sounds coming from there. She couldn’t believe her ears and roughly assumed that it was one of Bryan’s friend using the room.

Out of curiosity, she tiptoed closer to the door and the moaning became louder

“Harder baby, yeah…yeah right there.”

Kate felt a cold chill run down her spine and instantly froze with her mouth wide opened.

She held her mouth trying to stifle the uproar rising in her chest. She stifled her tears with her hands over her mouth and stepped back

'No, what am I thinking, I’d charge in there, catch them red-handed and alert everyone. How could they fool her all this while'

She can’t spend her life with a cheating partner. She can forgive and be considerate but could never condone cheating.

She held the door handle and retracted her hand. She realized she didn’t really have a say. The company her father left behind, the one her and her mother has been surviving on is at the verge of collapse, and Bryan has been helpful in putting them back on their foot. This marriage was to be their ticket to a better life and the West family would not easily retract the marriage in shame.

The best idea she could come up with was to take out her phone and get some pictures and videos just Incase they may try to deny it later on.

But the next day as she prepared for the wedding with her veil on and Fiona, her chief bridesmaid aided her glam up. Something struck her, she couldn’t choose this path for her life, even if she wanted to divorce what’s the guarantee that Bryan wouldn’t break her to pieces before the divorce.

She had met Bryan after their parents introduced them in a bid to advance their businesses. It wasn’t the first time they were meeting. They had met on a few occasions when her father was still alive and they both took a liking towards each other. So when the idea of marriage was brought up they both accepted. Bryan would help them with the company and in return receive a worthy profit while also married to Kate. Kate was overjoyed, getting married to the man of her dreams. Handsome, multi-billionaire, focused and every girls dream man.

“Good morning” Kate said as she got down the stairs with her hair in a messy bun.

Avan blankly stared. We retrieved the phone yesterday but you were slept off almost immediately the time you arrived

Kate sighed, “I needed it.”

“Here, unlock it and show me the evidence” Avan said mockingly

Kate unlocked the phone and stared at him, panic written all over her face.