Accidental Bride

4

He felt her eyes on him and when their gazes locked, her soul left her body. This man was staring at her like he was a demon. He lacked emotions and intimidated her. She looked away and stared at her feet instead, as if they held so much importance.

"What do you mean send her in?" One of the men opposed. He looked way older than the other three and his hair was grey and thinning.

Roman shrugged one shoulder, his eyes on Louise. "Do exactly as I say."

Lily could not stop thinking about how she had spent the last few days on the internet, searching through this man's profile yet she had managed not to recognise him in their first encounter.

To be fair, he looked like a completely different person in that white shirt and black shorts. 

Louise clearly took Roman's words, and left the room to do just as she had been told. 

Lily wished she hadn't left because now her anxiety was rising above the charts. Taking the details of the office in, was the only decent distraction.

It was a rectangle shaped office. The view from the huge window was the company's parking lot.

The wooden floors appeared to have recently been polished, accented by a large vase at one end of the room and a white shelf hanging on the other end.

"Roman, why did you ask for another woman to be sent in?" The voice calmed Lily. He was seated next to Roman and had a pair of glasses sitting on his face. She recognised him as Adrian Dalmain, developer of Weber and Roman's older brother.

"I don't know what card fate is playing but interviewing two women and choosing only one seems like it might cause tension." Roman ran his fingers through his hair and smirked, boring his eyes into Lily's. "And I do love tension."

"What's there to choose?" The oldest man scoffed again, scrutinising Lily's appearance with a look of disgust.

That hurt her feelings and she could feel her legs wobble. Why were they having this discussion right in front of her?

Rich people needed rehab, she thought.

"Dad, I've listened to you this whole time and I have allowed you to force me into this, it's only fair that I choose how I want to do this." Roman stood firm on his decision.

Lily would have adored how he stood his ground if she wasn't worried that she had peed her pants. Being in her classroom would have been so much better right now.

As if things were not already bad enough, Louise walked in with this woman that caused Lily to wonder what she had been thinking.

Was she even ready for marriage? She was only here because millions of other girls would rather be in her place.

This woman was tall, not a pimple on her face nor a scar on her tanned skin.

She was an unhealthy beauty standard. Lily thought but she sighed knowing she was wrong. This woman was beautiful and she would rather look like her.

"Wow." The oldest man whom Lily now realised was Roman's father, blurted her thoughts.

"Mr. Dalmain, this is Kim, miss Kim Wilson." Louise introduced, "I will take my leave now." She said and left the office.

"Ladies, have your seats." His dad had lost his disgust and it was clear that Lily had no place here. They were obviously in love with this Kim.

"What a coincidence that you both got the email." He began to say.

"Uh- yeah." Lily stuttered, her eyes on the ground and a cracking bite in her tone. "I must have been chosen by glitch "

"You see, as you become part of the family, you will understand why we chose this method of matrimony. Until then, please introduce yourselves and tell us why you applied."

"F..first, I-" Lily couldn't make her words out.

"I've always adored the lifestyle if the Dalmains." Kim interrupted. "In fact, your daughter, Emily inspired me to be the model I am today. When I'm not out for shoots, I'm giving to charity and finding ways to help people around me." She paused with a proud smile, "marrying Roman would not only boost his public image, I mean, read the headlines when a woman as attractive as myself is his bride, sorry to toot my own horn."

"Impressive!" Their dad chuckled.

"So you're marrying me for my money?" Roman said with one raised eyebrow.

"What?" Kim's smile faded.

"I'm just teasing you." He laughed it off while she nodded and restored her smile.

"And you?" He looked at Lily.

"Uh- I teach maths. I'm a seventh grade maths teacher." She stopped. The look on their faces was proof that they needed more answers.

"I'm, I applied because I-"

"I think we've heard enough." Their impatient father groaned, palming his face then turning to look at Roman. "Son, the ball is in your court," he said. "Which one of these women is it?" His smile was bright as he stared at Kim.

"Lily." Roman nodded in her direction.

"What?!" Everyone at the desk blurted out.

"The wedding is this coming Sunday." Roman continued to say, "are you mentally prepared for this?"

"But that's only two days away..." Lily could barely find her voice.

"Will you marry me, or not?" Roman drummed his fingers against the desk.