“Are you ready, dear?”
Chloe nodded confidently as Dylan picked her up directly from the hotel room. Once again, she checked her appearance in the mirror before heading towards the Ballroom where the event would take place. She was making sure in her heart that she would soon become the wife of Sebastian Edwardo Martin.
Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined marrying someone she despised so much. Chloe even wondered why life could be so ironic. To fulfill what had been planned from afar, she had to reluctantly marry the man she believed was behind Nathalie’s death.
Chloe was determined. Once this case was revealed, she would personally drag him to prison, redeeming every wrongdoing he had done to her sister.
“Chloe… Can Papa say something?” Dylan asked as they were about to leave the hotel room.
“What does Papa want to say?”
Dylan approached Chloe, took both her wrists, and spoke again, “When you become a wife, be good to your husband. Accompany him in good times and bad.” Dylan paused for a moment before continuing, “I know you might have to marry into the Martin family to comply with my request. But know that Edward is worthy of you. He is a good man. So it’s only fitting for you to marry him, a good woman.”
“Pa…” Chloe responded. “I know Papa wants the best for me. I’m also sure that Edward is the man who should stand by my side. So, what else is there to think about?”
Dylan smiled and immediately wrapped his daughter in a warm embrace. Unlike Chloe, who could only grimace and mumble to herself.
Forgive me, Pa.
Forgive me.
I’m doing all this for Nathalie.
After releasing her from the hug, Dylan led Chloe out of the room and quickly took her to the venue. The Four Seasons Hotel, owned by Kaivan, was where the wedding celebration was held.
Chloe was certain that the party would be extravagant and attended by many guests, considering that Alexander, Edward’s father, was a highly influential figure in England. It was evident that many important people would be present to celebrate their wedding.
And Chloe’s thoughts were proven right. As she entered the ballroom, hundreds of eyes gazed in awe at her. Camera flashes assaulted her every step as she walked. The song ‘Beautiful in White’ by Shane Filan echoed along the path as she approached Edward, who was already standing, welcoming her.
“Ed… I entrust my precious daughter to you,” Dylan said. He released his grip on Chloe’s hand, entrusting his beloved daughter to her chosen man with deep emotion. “If someday you no longer love her, please… return her to me in good terms.”
Edward smiled and nodded. “I promise to cherish your beautiful daughter until the end of my life, Pa. I promise that.”
Edward held Chloe’s finger and led her towards the altar. Preparing to begin the wedding ceremony.
“Are you ready to become Mrs. Martin?” Edward whispered as they both stood at the altar.
“Do I look like someone who’s not ready?” Chloe replied coldly.
Edward smiled meaningfully and said no more. He chose to focus on starting the wedding ceremony. With solemnity, he followed the procession until they were declared husband and wife.
Standing calmly, Chloe tried to navigate the party, welcoming the guests who came to celebrate the event. Then came the turn of Edward’s friends. One by one, they gave their congratulations.
“After that, I hope you and Chloe will have children right away, Ed. To be more responsible for the family,” Kenzi sincerely wished.
Edward embraced his friend with a smile. “Thank you, Ken. Just pray for the best for both of us.”
Jacob shifted his gaze to Chloe and spoke with a smile, “Chloe… welcome to our big family.” There was genuine warmth in his words. “I hope you’ll be happy as the wife of this rascal. As mischievous as Edward may be, he is a caring man. And I believe he can protect you.”
Chloe politely nodded and smiled. She had to maintain her image in front of Edward’s friends.
“Thank you for your attention. It seems I’ll have to work extra to get used to Edward’s silly antics,” she replied.
Kenzi chuckled softly. “Take your time. You have plenty of it.”
“And if I…” Richard spoke up, making everyone turn to him. “I wish both of you happiness and well-being. I hope this marriage brings joy, not tears or betrayal.” Richard glanced briefly at Chloe and smiled significantly. It was unclear what he meant with the words he uttered.
“Tsk!” Edward clicked his tongue. “Don’t tease me. Even though I used to be a playboy, you know I’m a responsible man. Especially now, this is a commitment and a promise directly to God. So, I won’t do anything beyond the limits.”
Yes, the public knew that Edward was a playboy. However, this reputation didn’t backfire; it even added to his charm. Despite changing partners frequently, there had never been any scandal that tarnished the reputation of his prominent family. Everyone saw Edward as a desirable catch. He even maintained good relationships with his ex-girlfriends. Perhaps this was what set him apart from other playboys.
“So, which country have you chosen for your honeymoon?” Kenzi asked enthusiastically. As a traveler, he knew Edward loved to explore different cities and countries. He was curious about where Edward would take his wife for their intimate time together.
“Unfortunately, there’s no honeymoon right after this, Ken,” Edward said regretfully. Without hesitation, he reached for Chloe’s wrist, gently kissing the back of her hand as he continued, “Our honeymoon will have to be postponed until I finish handling all the business matters. Moreover, I’m sure Chloe understands my position.”
Chloe took several deep breaths to calm her feelings. She couldn’t handle this treatment every day.
“I hope everything goes according to your plans. I’m like Richard; I always pray for the best for you,” she said.
****
From a distance, Edward observed how Chloe walked wearily from the ballroom to their room. The woman who had just been officially dubbed Mrs. Martin seemed to be silent, not uttering a single word. Edward guessed that perhaps his wife was feeling sad, annoyed, or angry about the situation. He couldn’t tell for sure, but her facial expression was visibly different from how it was during the reception.
The same thing happened when they entered the room. Chloe immediately went to the dressing table, starting to remove the accessories one by one and then cleaning off her makeup from her beautiful face.
Edward didn’t want to intrude, so he picked up the clothes that had been prepared and went to the bathroom to clean up. When he finished, he found Chloe still sitting there, struggling to unfasten the back zipper of her wedding dress.
“No need to hesitate to ask for help,” Edward decided to approach her. His strong hand reached out to help her unfasten the dress that she had been trying to remove. “You can ask for my help anytime. I’ll gladly assist you.”
That statement made Chloe almost breathless. Especially when Edward intentionally planted a brief, sensual kiss on her innocent back.
A heat surged through her entire body, but Chloe had to remain composed. She tried her best to regain control of herself. When the zipper of her dress was finally undone, Chloe stood up from her seat. She deliberately dropped the wedding gown, leaving her body bare, and walked nonchalantly towards the bathroom, ignoring Edward’s obvious gaze on her every move.
My goodness… this woman wants to test my patience, it seems.
Edward grinned, well aware that his wife was deliberately toying with his emotions.
Since you enjoy playing around… fine… I’ll indulge in all your games, my dear wife.
Edward then walked towards the bed, dimming all the lights in the room, creating a dim, intimate atmosphere, perfect for newlyweds. But, of course, this was not the first night for Chloe and Edward.
And when Chloe emerged from the bathroom, once again, Edward was treated to a sight that made his eyes unable to look away. She wore nothing but a thin towel, walking casually towards the wardrobe. She picked up a silk nightgown and intentionally put it on right in front of Edward, looking incredibly seductive and inviting to anyone who saw her.
After playing around, Chloe slowly made her way to the bed and sat down. Meanwhile, Edward calmly followed her lead, locking his gaze on his wife’s figure. He calculated each move as he climbed up onto the bed.
Chloe could even feel the atmosphere around them suddenly change drastically. An intimate aroma filled the air as Edward drew nearer. Gently, he guided her to lie down.
Chloe closed her eyes, responding to Edward’s actions. He softly kissed her back, trailing up to the nape of her neck. Continuing his way up until he finally reached her lips.
With tender care, Edward kissed her passionately, savoring every sensation. It was deep, intimate, and intoxicating, leaving Chloe completely defenseless.
Just as Chloe began to enjoy Edward’s every move, he withdrew without warning. His lips then moved to her forehead, placing a lingering kiss before whispering, “I won’t go further until you beg for it and ask me yourself.”
Edward then smirked teasingly. With a single motion, he shifted away from Chloe’s body, lying down and pulling the blanket over himself, deciding to go to sleep. Leaving Chloe, who could only curse under her breath.
Edward, you rascal!!!