Mission to Wealth

Chapter 9

Evening has arrived. The newlyweds who had exchanged their vows at the altar earlier in the morning were now inside a car.

"Where are we actually going, Calista?" Gibson asked as he drove.

"You'll find out soon enough, Gibson. Slow down, and take the next left turn up ahead," Calista instructed, still not looking at Gibson.

Gibson didn't ask any more questions. He followed all of Calista's directions until their car entered an elite area with rows of large, luxurious houses.

"Stop in front of that big white gate," Calista gave another directive.

It turned out they were moving to a very large house, which Calista claimed to be one of the most beautiful houses in the city. From the outside, it looked like a palace with a beautiful garden.

A man in a security uniform was seen running towards the large white gate. He promptly opened both gate doors wide.

"You've finally returned, Miss," Fred, the security guard at the front gate, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Of course, I'm coming back here because this is my home," Calista said.

Calista actually understood the meaning behind Fred's words, but she chose to feign ignorance.

"Not quite, Miss. Since you left your engagement party, this house has been visited by several of Mr. Gergeo's men, your father. Even all the staff in this house were threatened if they didn't disclose your whereabouts. While we genuinely had no idea where you were," Fred explained the events that occurred while Calista was with Gibson, especially since the confrontation between Gibson and the prospective groom's henchmen.

"I apologize, Fred. But everything is fine now, isn't it?" Calista asked.

"For now, yes, Miss."

"Good. Next time if any of my father's men or trusted individuals come here and ask about me, you simply tell them that I've returned with my husband. Let them ask me directly for anything else." Calista's face appeared emotionless and composed.

Gibson, who had glanced briefly at Calista while she was speaking with Fred, was somewhat surprised by the change in Calista's usually cheerful expression.

"Husband?" Fred furrowed his brow.

"That's right. And the man sitting next to me is Gibson, my husband!"

Fred was slightly taken aback by the news delivered by his young miss. "What about Mr. George?"

"No. He doesn't know about Gibson yet. But one thing's for sure, our marriage is valid religiously because we were married by a priest in front of the holy altar, and it's also registered with the civil registry office," she explained.

"Alright, Miss. I understand."

"Good." Calista turned to Gibson. "Continue driving, my love."

Although Gibson was momentarily surprised by Calista's attitude, he didn't want to ask too many questions. He pressed the gas pedal again, and the car moved forward.

At the moment, Gibson's eyes were treated to a breathtaking view along the road leading to the main house. Neatly arranged trees lined both sides of the road, and there was a beautiful garden with flowers and a fountain in the middle, topped with a statue of Cupid, which was a feast for Gibson's eyes.

"Is this your house, Calista?" Gibson asked when a house that could be called a palace was now in front of him.

The luxurious car had now stopped right in front of the opulent house.

"Yes, Gibson," Calista replied as she gracefully exited the car, reminiscent of a princess.

Gibson slowly got out of the car and followed Calista's steps as she began to enter the interior of the house.

"Is your father inside the house?" Gibson suddenly felt intimidated by his own thoughts about the middle-aged man, Calista's father, who was rumored to be a ruthless mafia who always managed to evade the law.

"No. This house is mine. It's the result of my hard work as an actress and a model," Calista answered without even turning around to acknowledge Gibson's presence behind her.

"Do you live here alone?" Gibson inquired.

"No. There's a head butler and three maids working here."

"Don't you have a personal assistant? Usually, a famous actress has a personal assistant," Gibson continued to admire the classy sculptures at the front of Calista's house.

"I did initially, but she betrayed me and tried to run away with all my assets. But I managed to uncover her deceit," Calista explained.

Gibson simply nodded in understanding. The main door slowly swung open. A woman in her mid-40s wearing the typical uniform of a head butler stood there.

"Welcome back, Miss. I'm truly delighted to see you return after being missing for three days. Thank goodness you're safe," Sofia, the head butler, slightly bowed.

"Thank you, Sofia. Oh, by the way, let me introduce you. This is Gibson. He's my husband," Calista glanced at Gibson, who was standing beside her.

"Your husband?" Sofia asked, clearly surprised.

"Yes, he's my husband. Please treat him kindly," Calista continued, holding Gibson's hand.

Calista was committed to her promise. She hadn't told anyone about Gibson, not even Sofia or the other household staff. The marriage contract was a secret between Calista and Gibson alone. She was determined to protect Gibson's dignity.

Not wanting to ask too many questions at the moment, Sofia welcomed the two of them into the house.

Though the house only had two floors, there was an elevator and stairs to reach the second floor.

Calista, still holding Gibson's hand, led him to the elevator. When they arrived on the second floor, Gibson was once again amazed by the luxurious and elegant interior.

"Thank you, Calista," Gibson said.

Calista, who was about to head to her room, stopped in her tracks and turned to Gibson.

"Thank you for what, Gibson? To me, you're the real savior here. You saved me from the man who was supposed to be my fiancé and from an unwanted engagement," Calista said, looking puzzled.

"Thank you for helping my mother regain her health and, most importantly, for preserving my dignity as a man," Gibson replied, smiling.

"We should be a supportive and mutually beneficial couple, Gibson. What I did is something I must do, no matter how it began. After all, you're still my husband, and I must respect that, contract or not," Calista said, returning Gibson's smile.

"Believe me, I will also look after you as my duty, with all my strength."

Regardless of the absence of love between them, it seemed they were both committed to their respective goals. Gibson hugged Calista as a partner.