As we walk out the restaurant, I start to wonder why Kaleah was getting nervous again. Turns out, in grandmother's whole plan she had assumed that Kaleah and I would be in good terms enough to not send her a driver to take her home. Yes, I know, how smart of her.
"I will call a taxi; you do not have to drive me home."
She shyly exclaimed, the more she speaks, the more she exposes her true feelings. She still avoided my gaze and would stop at nothing to be away from me, it sends a sharp pain in my heart.
"I do not mind driving you home, I am sure letting my fiancé who was stalked, walk home wouldn't make me a good partner would it?"
"But you have prior engagements you need to rush to" she flashes a genuine smile, a smile I wish she would causally show me, "I can always call Cyan to come pick me up."
I pause to examine her for a moment, though she still was physical anxious, her trembling fingers fondling with her purse profoundly. Her eyes radiated confidence, and so did her posture. I examine her magnificent body one more time, the dress clearly made for her.
Our eyes meet, and she got startled and looked away, I could see her nape flash red immediately.
"No, it is not safe to leave you out here alone, I will drive you."
"Thank you" she still adorns a precious cute face, still avoiding eye contact, the more I am with her the more I do not regret accepting grandmother's bogus plan.
She reluctantly gets into the car, glancing at me constantly so I do not do anything crazy. 'She looks like a cute meerkat' I thought as I chuckled.
"What…" she is confused by my sudden chuckle.
"I just think you are cute right now." I reply to her unfinished question.
"I didn't say anything." She defended, before pouting.
I continue to observe my dose of cuteness, it was sure amazing how beautiful she gets with just a few actions. Marrying her over Hailee sure is a plus, having a cute wife who sometimes unconsciously speaks her thoughts aloud. Before I could even enjoy the rest of her constant cute actions we had already arrived home.
"Thank you for the ride" she said immediately opening the door. She had walked a few steps away before returning.
"I left the food, please eat, grandmother said you have a bad diet, and it might affect your health if you do not take care of yourself."
I couldn't help but widening my eyes in surprise by her statement. 'when she speaks like that she makes it seems like she really does like me.'
"Already taking care of your wifely duties?" I sarcastically said, "how about a kiss goodnight?"
She pauses for a bit as if she is contemplating her options. Before replying, "is this a test to see if I would break your boundaries?" she asks, ugh, the stupid thing I said coming back to bite me in the behind.
"Yes, and you passed." I lie to protect my pride.
"Oh, okay, then goodnight, and don't forget to eat."
She waves before heading to the door enthusiastically. I watch her every step with awe, 'you are beautiful' I murmur, hoping I had told her tonight how stunning she looked, maybe telling her will make her think of me more, or make her forget about the jerk who married his cousin.
The drive to Cain's house was quite quick, I had just went there to know what Kaleah Huxley wanted from me and my family, that way I can counter her attacks quickly and efficiently.
"Boss, what brings you here."
"You knew who my date was?" his reaction clearly gave me the answer I needed, "where are the real background check results?"
"Mrs. Beckett said I should not give you."
"Just give me I will not tell them you gave me; I can get the information elsewhere you know?."
He sighs before heading to his study to retrieve the documents, I sit to eat the food I had been ordered to eat. Hailee had done this a few times, but it had felt different now that Kaleah was telling me. I felt obligated to follow her orders like a marionette, and it didn't feel terrible one bit.
Cain returned to give me the documents shortly after, I browse through my future-wife's pitiful life. I cannot help but clench my fist in anger with every detail, how dare that man run away from his responsibilities.
"Please don't confront them, Mrs. Beckett will skin me alive if she finds out I gave this to you."
"I will not, but even if you told me, this document makes me want to marry her even more, so grandmother would love you for giving it to me." I reasoned, knowing she is marrying me only because she had been backed into a corner makes me sad, but her marrying in general makes my heart full.
'She is finally mine, and I don't have to even lift a finger,' I can feel my heart jump with excitement. Just thinking of her in a wedding dress how beautiful she will be.
I want to show her off, show the entire world who makes me smile like a school kid, show them how beautiful my wife is until they are envious of me, envious they never were smart enough to marry the angel I married.
"Make sure you start the permanent residence application this instant. We need to speed up the process, so she doesn't run away."
I can feel Cain's bemused eyes on me as I leave the room, but I care not. Cyan screamed at the right time to make the family disapprove of Hailee and Kaleah fell on my lap just in time to be trapped with me forever. Though I wasn't smart enough to come up with a full proof plan like this, fate fought for me until I get my very own precious wife.
I arrived home soon after my conversation with Cain, but I am greeted by a frantic Kaleah in the kitchen who is trying to rock her baby sister to sleep. Zoey is crying stridently in her arms; I could see her exhausted eyes worry.
She wore a cute pink night gown and her tucked her hair, but both her nightgown and Zoey's jumper adorned with white liquid the child had just puked.
"Is everything okay?" I asked, pretty dumb to do so with the scene I am witnessing sure indicated how this was not an okay situation.
"Clayton, oh, um welcome back, don't worry, everything is okay." She said, but I could see how her eyes were wet with tears of her own, "Zoey is just having her daily cries, nothing is wrong, I will keep her noise to a minimum, she will not disturb you sleep I promise."
I sigh with her words, I had grumbled that the child was noisy one time, but that was because I didn't have anything to say. I was too dazed by her beauty; I said the first insult that pop in my mind.
"Let me," I extend my hand to hold the child.
"She is not really good with strangers." She explains, but my persistence makes her reluctantly give Zoey to me.
I quickly deduce the problem with just one instance. "She has a fever."
"What? How? Let us take her to the hospital, how could I not have noticed." She panickily puts her bag together, I do not stop her, even if her cry had calmed down a little she still had a raging fever and going to the hospital was the best option.
She runs to change into some sneakers, a blue dress, and a hoodie before running back. She had collected all the needed things for Zoey, before extending her hands to take her. "Thank you, I will borrow Cyan's car and drive to the hospital."
"Huh?" I am really confused with this action, "do you intend to drive a child with fever alone, in this late hour?"
"I….." she takes a deep breathe before speaking, "may I trouble you to drive us to the hospital. I know you are busy and all. I…."
"Of course, I was going to accompany you anyway." I say handing Zoey back to her, but Zoey doesn't reach Kaleah's arms because she cries again.
Kaleah looks disappointed at me before sighing, I can see the tears start falling. Her beautiful eyes sadly look at me, I hate watching her so helpless, watching her so sad. Huh, now I know what grandmother meant when she called grandpa an emotional mess.
"Can you hold her? I will drive, I have a licence I swear. I will not damage your car."
I hate not being able to hold her and wipe her tears and comfort her in my arms. Tell her to be hopeful because I would take care of everything.
"I will hold her; she seems to be comfortable in my arms."
"Yeah" she bows her head, "seems she is fed up with my incompetence. We should rush to the hospital." She wipes the tears wetting her eyes, before forcing a smile.
I could feel how dejected she was her face still looked terrified and sad. "Are you sure you can drive?" I asked, "it is fine I can drive, I need to do something helpful." She had said, I shouldn't have listened to her words, she wasn't emotional ready to drive. I say this looking at the bright light coming at us in full speed, tires screeching sounds penetrate my ears my brain shut down.
I only could close my eyes and hold Zoey closer to me, hug her tightly that she is not harmed. I only hoped, hoped we come out unscratched, come out safe. I don't want to die this soon after tasting the sweet nectar that is love.