Alia sat listlessly in the back seat of a newly acquired bulletproof Bentley that Blaze acquired for her protection. Her heart was heavy with the pain of silence and rejection by her father. She stared blankly at the side of her tinted window, watching trees, plain landscape and other motorists pass by in a blur.
She was oblivious to Blaze's intense stare as she fought hard to keep her emotions in check. So far, he had kept to his part of the deal, supporting her with all the resources she needed to succeed in her fight against her family. Now, it was her turn to perform the role of a real wife and wow his grandparents and other mbers of his family.
However, the thought of her father rejecting all her calls both at ho and at the office, including blocking her line after refusing to comnt on the email she sent him weighed heavily in Alia's heart
It has been three days since the ugly incident at the Shawls mansion and yet not a word from her father.
At first, Alia thought the silent treatnt was deserving, especially after Blaze's bitter lessons and her unsupported marriage to him. But now, she was beginning to feel frustrated and anxious. She wanted to speak with her dad and at least confirm that he was doing okay.
"Are you going to remain sullen for the rest of the journey to Fresh Spring Ville?" Blaze's deep but calm voice pulled Alia out of her depressing thoughts.
"Sullen?" Alia peeled her face away from the window to stare at Blaze. "I'm not sullen."
"Then why haven't you spoken a word to since we got into the car?"
Alia shrugged, eying his laptop which had been shut. "Because I thought you wanted to work on your laptop. By the way, whose idea was it that the venue of the rembrance ceremony should be changed to the countryside?"
Alia asked with a frown, recalling how she was made to pack up for a trip at the dying minute while she was preparing to go to her mother-in-law's house to see her supposed grandparents-in-law and other Anderson extended family mbers.
"My grandma's, Mamo Kelly Anderson," Blaze said, slowly taking Alia's interlocked hands into his. "She is a very observant old woman and I can't have you acting this depressed and sowhat aloof while we are together in her presence."
Blaze slowly interlocked his right hand with Alia's left hand, pulling her closer to himself until they were breaths away.
"Blaze, what are you doing?" Alia panicked, her heart racing in anticipation.
'Anticipation for what?' Alia stroked herself inwardly.
"Breath, Alia. I'm not going to kiss you unless you seduce any further." Blaze nuzzled the tip of her nose, drinking in her alluring beauty up close. He held her twitching gaze, hypnotized temporarily by those bewitching hazel eyes.
Alia held her breath, staring into his srizing grey eyes.
"It is Mamo's dream that I find true love before she dies. Although I'm not interested in that word, love, I still want to fulfil that dream of hers. So, I need us to pretend to be crazy about each other for these two days at Fresh Spring Ville."
"Pretend? Isn't that what we've been doing all this while?" Alia whispered, moistening her lips unintentionally.
"No." Blaze's warm breath fanned against her flushed face as he brushed his lips against hers in a feathery kiss. "All we've been doing so far is practice for this very mont."
"Practice?"
Alia gulped down the lump that had ford in her throat as she recalled everything she had given to this man on a platter of gold all in the na of a contract marriage. He had already taken her innocence, her body and her pride. How could all that be summarize as a practice?
Blaze pulled away from her to allow her to catch her breath. He lifted the back of her hand to his lips and planted a kiss on it. "All you have to do is follow my lead and act natural. Okay."
Alia inhaled and exhaled through her mouth. "Okay." She hesitates for a while before speaking. "Blaze, can I ask for one more favour?"
Blaze released her hands and leaned back on the seat, his gaze still locked on her.
"Yes, as long as it has nothing to do with your family." His expression was calm and unreadable but his voice bore a hint of disgust.
"Unfortunately it does. It's about my dad." Alia whispered the last word, afraid it might infuriate Blaze. She recalled how Blaze had ticulously attended to her that night after they returned ho from her father's mansion. He was furious that she had prevented him from dealing with her father.
"What about him?"
"I'm worried?"
"Worried about what?" Blaze looked away from her to hide his budding rage.
"He hasn't called after the email I sent him. I have this feeling that sothing is not right. No matter my offense, my father would never blacklist on his contact."
"But he did and now you should forget about him," Blaze said in a dismissive tone.
"I can't."
Blaze shot Alia a nasty glare. "Can we stop talking about your father? You're ruining my mood."
His cold and emotionless words fell on Alia's heart like a blow. She bit down on her inner lips and nodded her head, before turning her face to the window, tears clouding her eyes.
Blaze gritted his teeth, raking his hand through his smooth hair in frustration. Here he was trying to make her forget about those assholes but she remains stubborn and extrely infuriating.
"Fine!"
Alia blinked severally, trying to push back her tears. "Fine, what?" She asked without looking at him.
"I'll find out what's up with your father. I already have my people bug your entire mansion that night. I'm sure they will have information for ."
"Really!" Alia turned to face him, beaming.
"But..."
A single crease appeared on Alia's forehead.
"That will be after the weekend. I don't want you bringing up anything about your family for this entire weekend. You will focus on being my dutiful and loving wife. Nothing more. Can you do that?" Blaze asked in a stern tone.
"It's a deal." Alia extended her rigjt hand towards himself.
Blaze raised an eyebrow at her gesture.
"Oh... I forgot." Alia chuckled mischievously. "I'm supposed to be the loving and dutiful wife." She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath to expel all her worries.
"Cara, light, action." Alia opened her open, conjuring her most charming and endearing personality. "I'm ready to wow your grandma, my love."
-
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Dressed in an all-white elegantly flowing attire, Maria Anderson carefully climbed out of the helicopter, escorted by Eugene and Henry, who were also cladded in a white well-fitted suit. They made their way to the awaiting black limousine parked a few ters away from the chopper, where an overly excited Vera Anderson (Presley's older sister) was waiting to receive them.
"Maria!" Vera hurried to receive her endearing sister-in-law.
"Vera!" Maria opened her arms wide to receive her.
They both embraced passionately and even wept in each other's arms for a while before they began chatting enthusiastically like two sisters who hadn't seen themselves for decades.
"Hello Mom, I'm very fine." Eugene frowned at the way his mother completely ignored him as though he were not her son.
"I can see you fine silly," Vera said playfully plucking her youngest son's nose. "I can see your aunt and cousin are taking really good care of you. Look at how fat you've beco."
"Hahaha... Very funny, mum." Eugene left his mother's side before she could pinch him on the cheek like a kid.
"It's such a pleasure to et you, Madam Vera." Henry stepped forward, extending his hand like a gentleman.
"Oh, such a charming young man." Vera smiled as she took his hand, scrutinizing it from head to toe. "I can see you are still without a young woman by a side. I hope you're not planning to be a bachelor for the rest of your life."
"Umm..."
"Shh... I will take care of that this evening." Vera cut Henry off, pushing him aside. "By the way, where is my godson and his pretty new wife?" She asked, staring at the closed helicopter door, a look of disappointnt replacing her smile. "Didn't they co with you?"
"They are on the way, Vera. They took the long road probably to be alone." Maria said, wiggling her brows at Vera.
"Oh... I can imagine." Both won giggled before entering the car.
Henry and Eugene exchanged flustered glances before joining the won in the limo, while the guards outside took care of their luggage.
-
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"Alia, welco to my country ho of Fresh Spring Ville," Blaze said proudly as the car slowly made its way through a gigantic black iron gate that led through a winding road, with beautiful tall green trees on both sides.
At the end of the road was a breathtaking and magnificent mansion, more beautiful and luxurious than the one in the city. But this captivating scenery wasn't the thing that captured Alia's attention.
Rather, it was the large number of people gathered outside the mansion all dressed in white and obviously waiting to receive them. She could spot Maria in front of two older individuals waving excitedly at her as their car ca to a halt.
"Are you ready to et my family?" Blaze whispered in her ear in a sultry tone, ceasing her breath.
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