2-Flash marriage

"The money will be wired to your account in two hours," Lucas stated firmly.

Patrick stared down at his watch. It was already 10 p.m, and he wondered what relevance midnight held for him to receive money at that inauspicious hour.

Lucas sensed his confusion and explained. "The people from the Lim family are outside. They reached out yesterday to inform us that the wedding has to happen tonight, before midnight," he revealed.

Patrick felt his heart drop to his stomach. His brother was truly diabolical to have waited until the last minute to inform him that he was being sold to the devil before midnight.

Knowing the Andrada family, the deal wasn't simply orchestrated by Lucas alone. He figured the whole family took a vote and decided to sell him out rather than lose their golden boy to a criminal through marriage.

Lucas alone wouldn't be capable of shooing off Autumn Anderton in a matter of hours, but with the help of the family's support, it was possible.

"Also father says if you refuse, you'll never see your mother again. Keep that in mind."

Before Patrick could understand anything he was already in a car leading away from the Andrada mansion. Escorted by fierce-looking men in black who barely smiled or talked with him.

He opened his pendant and brushed his finger over his mother's picture. Dread filling his stomach and twisting his insides into knots.

The thought of becoming Erica Lim's husband made his heart skitter, threatening to escape its cage and run away.

The drive to the prison took an hour and a half. The three black cars drove in through the back gate and through all the walls that kept the bad and worse people of the city under lock and key.

Patrick stared at the huge walls with electric wires on them and swallowed hard. His body was shaking tremendously; he was a twenty-year-old young man who was preparing to enroll in college, and he wasn't ready to lose his innocence in a dark place like a prison.

"This way," the warden personally came down to welcome them.

Patrick alighted and followed his lead. A priest and a lawyer followed behind him; bodyguards stood on either side of them, armed to the teeth, while guiding them inside.

"Miss Lim requested a small ceremony so the wedding will be held in my office. My deputy and I will stand as your witnesses," the warden informed Patrick.

"Co...cool," Patrick acted composed but his voice betrayed his feelings.

Five minutes later, Patrick stood in front of the priest in a three-piece tailored white suit in the warden's office that had been decorated in pure white colors to look like a mini wedding hall.

His hair combed and spiked like that of a model in magazines. The accessories he paired with the look were his pendant and the golden watch he received from one of the Lim family bodyguards.

"Get the bride," the warden instructed his deputy.

Before she could make a move to fulfill the order, Erica Lim entered through the door in a white topdress, official white pants, and white heels. Her hair was held up in a braided bun with white flower crown pinned to her sides, next to her ears.

She donned beautiful diamond earrings and a pearl necklace to cover her exposed bare neck. Her bangs nearly covered her clear brown eyes, but were styled to sway away from her eyes.

Erica stared up to the so-called altar and examined her groom, her features hard with an unreadable expression.

"Erica, your father has arranged your wedding. He's Patrick Andrada, your would-be husband," one of the guards approached Erica with a detailed file on Patrick.

She looked down at the file without making a move to seize it or show an interest in reading it.

"Where's the marriage contract?" She asked, her voice soft but sharp and firm.

The lawyer stepped forward and presented the well-crafted marriage certificates. Two copies, one for her to keep and the other for Patrick.

"Pen," she whispered. All the bodyguards retrieved pens from their pockets.

Erica stared at all the pens emotionlessly. She took the nearest one, took the certificates from the lawyer, and walked over to the altar.

In seven firm steps, she was standing in front of Patrick and staring up at him. Even with her heels, Patrick was slightly taller than her.

"Sign," she ordered Patrick. She shot a cold-hearted gaze at the warden, "Turn around and bend," she ordered.

Patrick watched the warden of the prison accept the order without a word. He veered around and bent down; Erica placed the certificates on his back and used him as a table. She signed where her name was and handed the pen over to Patrick.

He didn't dare delay; his mother depended on him, and on top of that, he felt immense fear in his heart. His wife terrified him.

Once he signed the certificates, the lawyer stamped the legal seal on them and made them valid.

Erica shooed the warden off. Ushered the rings to be brought over. "We exchange the rings and kiss, right?" She asked the priest.

The priest nodded. It wasn't the way a wedding was normally conducted, but he didn't dare to voice out a complaint. He didn't understand why he was fetched to conduct a wedding when the bride was running the whole thing.

"Your hand," Erica demanded of Patrick.

Patrick raised his shaking hand and placed it on hers. Erica took a ring out of the ring box and locked eyes with him. "I, Erica Lim, take you, Patrick Andrada, to be my lawfully wedded husband till death do us part," she uttered her vow, short and to the point, and put the ring on his finger.

She stretched out her left hand over to him. Patrick stared down at the ring and up at his bride; his heartbeat hastened. This was far from the plans he had for his life and it broke his heart to swear his life to a criminal.

Nevertheless, he picked up the diamond ring and took her hand. "I, Patrick Andrada, take you as my lawfully wedded wife until we are parted by death," he followed her lead, and he put the ring on her finger with a heavy heart.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the priest declared.

Patrick pressed his lips shut and trembled. The bride in question was a tyrant criminal in jail. He didn't have the heart to kiss her.

Erica stepped forward, lifted herself to stand on her toes, and kissed him on the cheek. "There. The wedding is over," she declared.

"Congratulations, young miss, congratulations, young master!" The bodyguards threw flower petals at the newly wedded couple.

"I hope your family informed you that you'll be a matrilocal husband. I won't take your last name, you'll take mine," Erica uttered, "Any complaints?"

Patrick shook his head. He had been thrown at the devil's lair unprepared, he didn't want to make rush moves and provoke anyone.

"It's been a pleasure, warden," she turned away from Patrick. "I can't say we'll see each other again. So take care of yourself," she added.

The warden stared at his watch and it was already midnight. "It's now tomorrow; you are a free woman, Ms. Lim," he declared. "I wish you a long happy married life," he shared his wishes and handed her her release forms.

Erica took the papers and handed them to her head of security. "Let's go home, husband," she said, smiling for the first time.

She anticipated the scent of fresh air. Her body released the tension in her muscles as the awaited day to say goodbye to the prison arrived.