C4

CHAPTER FOUR

The d- day had finally arrived. The wedding was too take place in the civil bureau, the city clerk office for household and domestic affairs. He wanted this marriage to go as smooth as possible, he had opted for a customary wedding to minimize the number of entries, most especially to suppress the media's access.

He was already two hours late, the meeting had draged on longer than expected and he was in danger of missing his very own contractual marriage.

A marriage that could save him from a whole lot of mess, as he would like to believe.

As getting that deal was the only paramount thing to him, and if this marriage was going to help him with that, then it was important as well.

His private jet had suddenly developed issues, an incompetence from the management team, which he was going to have Amanda deal with in urgency. But for now, he had to fly public business class and the nearest available flight was to land in three hours time.

The last time he flew public was when his company had just started off and finances where at their minimal.

He settled into his seat and picked up the ' New york business day' papers to read, hoping to stay occupied for the remaining hour of the flight.

Right on the front page was his picture boldly printed with the caption "***Once a playboy, always a playboy. Luciano Pavarotti maybe running late to his own wedding**"

What a great day to pick such a caption. Calling him a playboy right on the day of his wedding.

However this people found out information, always came as a shock to him. He had taken extra measures to prevent the media from getting access to his wedding, yet, they still had a way of ruining his mood with their over efficiency.

Around him, he could see weird stares and murmurs all directed at him.

Yes, even business men gossip!

The industry is not as serious as most people presume it to be.

Well, not like he cared he was going to still keep them talking after he ended his contractual marriage.

Luciano glanced at his wrist watch again, only by a special miracle would he get to the wedding venue on time.

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Amanda was pacing back and forth.

For goodness sake she had given him a strict warning to wrap up everything on time, to even cut short the meeting halfway if need be.

The court had sent out three warnings already. Everybody was getting impatient.

The bride was in the car sitting with her parents waiting for him. She had earlier on, informed the bride's family to remain in the car to avoid being captured by the paparazzi lurking around until they were called for. Everything was set and in place.

Now, the only thing was for Luciano to get here as soon as possible.

For the life of her, this was definitely not a good state to be in.

Amanda had peeked at the bride from a distance, and she could tell she was very beautiful even though she had a very big and annoying veil covering her face.

She had sent an expensive beautiful designer dress over to a place earlier, and Amanda wondered why she had chosen to wear something so unfashionable.

Was she trying to be stubborn as well?.

What a perfect couple would they be!

Two stubborn pairs.

Whatever way, it was not in her place to interfere with her choice of a dress.

★★★

Inside the car.

The situation inside was tense. Karen was tense.

Her sisters sat close beside her, each sobbing silently. Her mother had been quiet all morning, sitting like a dead log of wood.

Karen was feeling all sort of emotions.

She and her family had been waiting in the limousine sent over to her place for almost two hours, yet there was no sign of him.

Was he having second thoughts like her?.

All through the night, she had been unable to sleep, wondering if she made the right decision.

The tears threatened to fall like a storm but she tried to hold them at bay not willing to cry and ruin all the effort the makeup artist and designers had done. His assistant, a very lovely lady, had been by a while ago telling them to calm down, that he had something to do and would be here soon.

Couldn't he atleast spare a few minutes and sign the darn marriage certificate and be on his way?. Would this be her new life now, waiting on a man who was too busy to even glance at her?.

" Karen, I'm happy you changed your mind. Thank you for doing this, my child." She could hear her Papa say.

For days now she had been avoiding her parent, not wanting to even speak with them.

" I hope you find a place to forgive us. Your husband is a good man and I'm sure you're in safe hands."

He said, his voice shaky.

" How could he possibly be a good man when you don't even know him?" She thundered, feeling the anger building up again.

She didn't want to have this conversation especially not with him, the foundation of all this mess.

A knock came on her side of the window, she rolled the glass down.

" Excuse me, Ma'am, you may alight now, Mr Luciano has arrived. The men outside would usher you all in safely."

A man in dark clothes said, with the physical build of one suitable to be a body guard.

At long last, it was time.

Karen could feel her heart pumping wildly inside her chest. All emotions kept rushing in. The feelings of fear for the unknown, regret and nervousness were dominant.

But alas, it was too late, she already signed up for this. She hugged her sisters once more, and proceeded to get off the car.

She and her family were escorted in, by several hefty men, dressed similarly like the previous one.

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Getting off the plane, Luciano had received several emails from Amanda.

He still had a lot of task to complete, several documents were waiting to be signed on his table. He had to get done with the marriage immediately.

He would sign the marriage documents and leave immediately then have Marcella settle things at home, he had no luxury of time to take a break even on a day like today.

Arriving at the venue, he walked straight to the bureau office. Luckily, he was just four hours late.

He was very well aware of the paparazzi taking photos of him in what they thought as discreetly.

" Goodness Luc, what took you so long?" Amanda said the moment she sighted him, as she walked alongside him, taking him to the office assigned for the marriage.

" I would have you direct that same question to the team that manages my jet. I want them all replaced by the end of today". He said simply.

" Hurry in, the bride and her family are already in and waiting for you." She said, noting his remark.

" Set up a reservation for dinner in a well secured place, for HER and her family. I wouldn't want the media lurking around. Order more security men if you have to. The place must be well secured. I don't want a situation like this again." He said strictly.

He planned on keeping her away from the public as much as he could, that way when this was all over and they finally got a divorce, it would save him from a lot of trouble.

" For just the bride and her family, won't you be joining them?" Amanda asked, stopping to look at him.

" I won't" He said, walking past her.

" Even for just a minute?"she asked, hurrying behind him.

" Yes!" He replied.

" Hmph. You're such a cold, brainless workaholic." She said, giving him a soft jab on his side.

" I'll have that deducted from your pay". He said, holding his side.

" I'm not working right now sir. Just so you know " She said, sticking her tongue out.

This ice cold man needed chastisement from time to time.

She reckoned.