CHAPTER NINETEEN

Several calls and payoffs later, it was like the fiasco never happened. It had been days since Lucia's breakdown at Madame Bouche's event and Stefan had successfully dug his claws into everyone who was anyone in the media and entertainment industry; the stunt Lucia displayed in Monaco never saw the light of day.

But he could only dig so far, because despite the fact that the media outlets did not carry the news of her mental breakdown, they did carry something else.

"You're getting married to Stefan Baxter?!" Jenna and Janine yelled simultaneously over the phone.

Apparently, it got out that Stefan had a fiancée, and it did not take long for the news to spread like wildfire. Things were not looking good for Lucia.

"H..how..how? How did you guys find out about this?" Lucia stammered.

"Oh that's what you care about? How we found out? And not the fact that you lied to your best friends? Wow Lucia, just wow." Jenna said.

Lucia ran her hand through her hair. "Look, I'm so sorry guys. I wanted to tell you, I really did. It was an NDA"

"Like hell it was. So why is every social media page carrying the story? It's even on the news Lucia. That's how big of a story you kept from us."

"I'm sorry. I had-."

"So he's the work thing huh? Stefan fucking Baxter? You didn't even know who he was two months ago. And you suddenly work all the way in Monaco? Lue even when Darrio wanted to fly me out to Maldives without anyone knowing, I told you about it, that's how much our friendship means to me. Seems like it doesn't mean shit to you." Jenna said.

"No, Jenna don't be like that", Lucia was frustrated. She remembered the Darrio case. They had just graduated college and Darrio was one of the twins' parents' clients who needed a house sitter while he flew out on a vacation while his wife was away. He took an interest in Jenna and when he asked her to come with him, Janine opted to do the house sitting while she left with him. Till now, they all swore to take that information with them to their graves.

Now, with all that's going on with Stefan, she felt like a horrible friend.

"I had no choice, you have to believe me guys."

"No, Lue, there's always a choice", Janine said and ended the call before Lucia had a chance to say anything else.

She angrily threw her phone on the bed and buried her face in her hands.

"Am I interrupting?" At the sound of Stefan's voice, Lucia bolted up straight.

"Have you been standing there all this time?"

"Pretty much" he replied, leaning against the door, his tall frame a beauty to behold.

"So you heard?"

"Everything? No. Most of it? Yes."

Lucia sighed.

"You know this is your fault right?" Stefan said.

Lucia slowly rose her head to look at Stefan. "Are you being serious right now? My fault? You're the one who said this was an NDA, and you're doing absolutely nothing about the news of our marriage going viral" she yelled.

Stefan chuckled and shook his head, "Lucia, I knew you were dumb, but not this dumb."

"Excuse me?"

He casually strolled into the room, "the contract Lucia, you signing a contract to get legally married to me as reparations for assaulting me at the Kelman's party was the Non Disclosure Agreement. Not the marriage itself."

Lucia was dumbfounded. "Do you mean to tell me-"

"Whomever you wanted to know about the marriage could have known? Yes. Yes I mean to tell you that."

Lucia stared at him, dumbstruck. So all this time, she could have told the twins and her dad about it. But then a thought crossed her mind which made her rethink the whole thing.

Micheal was surely going to find out one way or the other. There was a problem. She had to go back to Seattle as soon as possible.

"There's something I need to tell you Ste— uh, babe", she immediately changed her tone and stood up to take his hand in hers when she sighted Caroline at the corner of her eye.

"There you are, lovebirds. How are you feeling Lucia?" Caroline asked.

"I feel great", she offered.

"You'll feel even greater when you hear the news"

Lucia turned to Stefan, "what news?" She saw a glint of mischief in his eyes. That wasn't a good sign.

"We're getting married tomorrow my love." He announced and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

Lucia felt like the rug had been pulled from under her feet.

********************************

"Tomorrow?! What do you mean we're getting married tomorrow?!" Lucia yelled. She waited until Caroline left the room then she and Stefan headed up to his study.

"Stop yelling"

"Fuck you Stefan!"

"Oh now you wanna fuck me?" He asked sarcastically.

"Ugh! You're insufferable! I haven't even told anyone about the stupid wedding yet, and it's tomorrow?"

"Relax babycakes, it's a court wedding"

"Court wedding?"

"Yes, it's just gonna be you and I and maybe my mum. It was her decision anyway. It's what she wanted."

"And what about you? What did you want?" Lucia asked him and watched him break into a lopsided grin.

"You see Lucia, this isn't just to get my mum off my back. I've got contenders in this world of business and to get more people on my side, I need to show that I'm a family man. And that's where you come in"

Lucia scoffed. "So I'm your pawn?"

"Even better", Stefan said and advanced towards her, only stopping when he was a breath away from her face. He could tell she was holding her breath by the way she pouted her lips. His eyes lingered on her lips a little too long. He imagined what it would feel like to kiss them. "You're my queen".

Those words knocked the air out of Lucia. For an arrogant bastard, Stefan sure knew how to woo a lady.

"And this is all a game of chess", he continued. "I wanted to have a grand wedding back at Washington. One for all to see. It's all a game Lucia."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

He shrugged, "you asked me what I wanted, so there it is."

"And what about what I want?" She asked.

"What about it?" He asked with an air of nonchalance.

"What if I decide that I have had enough? What if I decide to leave, right now and go back to Seattle, back to my old life?"

Stefan let out a throaty laugh. "Was that a threat?"

Lucia wished it was. Because with the news of her engagement to Stefan going viral, at this rate, she was sure Micheal had heard about it, and knowing the kind of person he was, she was sure he had something planned. Something that would harm her, her friends or even worse, her dad.