From Transactions To Forever

“Diane, do you think I’m stupid for doing this?” Ella, the soon to be bride of billionaire Will Sanders, asked her best friend just when she was about to walk down the aisle.

“Definitely not! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I’m definitely rooting for you.” Diane urged.

Ella braced herself up to say “I do” to a man she had met just a few weeks ago.

Did she think she was stupid? Yes. Was she scared of what she’d face in the marriage? Definitely, but she would do it anyway. Will Sanders needed a bride, and she definitely needed money, so they signed a contract that would make them fake their love for each other.

Working as a waitress since she turned eighteen was definitely not beneficial to her, and she would definitely use the money she’d earn from the contract to setup her own business. Just like she had always dreamt of.

She walked down the aisle, and met face to face with Will Sanders. She had never imagined that she would get married to a man in such crazy circumstances.

“Miss Ella. Do you take Master Will Sanders to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, all the days of your life?” The priest said, his question jolting her back to reality.

She started off in a croaky voice; “Yes. Yes I do.”

“Speak up, or are you hungry?” Will said to her, and the priest’s hearing.

She cast him a deathly stare. That was a rude thing to say to her in the presence of the priest.

She however, did as he said. She cracked her throat and repeated; “Yes. Yes I do.”

A light applause followed her response, and it was time to kiss the bride.

Will looked down at her arrogantly, and gestured for her to come closer.

She felt insulted, but part of the contract agreement was to not expect any form of emotional support or empathy from each other.

She took his hand and he pulled her in, and planted a light kiss on her lips. The crowd continued to cheer them on even when the kiss was over.

Ella’s eyes met with the gaze of his mother. She knew that Mrs. Maria disliked her, and detested her entire existence as a human being, but she had to deal with the fact that she was tied to her son for life now.

Scratch that.

For a year now. Their contract would end in exactly one year.

She tried to smile at the woman but the sneer in Mrs. Maria’s eyes made her retrieve her smile.

“It’s not like I even like you too.” She said in what should’ve been a whisper, but Will heard her.

He tugged at her arm, and spoke directly into her ears, “You have to deal with her one way or another. Don’t just ruin this for both of us.”

Yeah, like she would willingly ruin a contract that would pay her fifty million dollars monthly.

Fifty million multiplied by 12 months is about 600,000,000 dollars. She would tolerate his mother until she got her complete payment for a year, and bounce.

Six hundred million dollars was more than enough for her to start her own restaurant business.

Just when she couldn’t wait to get home, wherever her new home was, a lady’s voice could be heard from the entrance of the hall. All eyes turned towards the direction of where the voice came from.

“Let me in! I deserve to see him! You don’t know who I am, I could make you lose your job in seconds!” The lady said, threatening the security that didn’t want to let her in.

It was Tracy. Will’s ex girlfriend, or friends with benefits that he kept on denying. He told Ella that he never had anything to do with Tracy, and that she was his mother’s choice for him, although he made it clear that he could never get married to her.

However, he struck a deal with his mother to get a bride on his next birthday, and if he failed to do so, he would go ahead to marry Tracy.

Ella sighed when she saw her force her way through the security.

“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” The security man said. She glared at him, her eye liner was coming off due to the fact that she was sweaty all over, and it looked like she had been crying.

“Let her be.” Mrs. Maria instructed, and the security man did as she asked since she was Will’s mother. “Come honey. Come stand by me.”

Mrs. Maria loved Tracy so much, and felt she was a good match for her son because of her background. She was from a rich home just like the Sanders, and she would definitely not embarrass their family in any way possible. Ella on the other hand, was poor, and she could only afford to be in their presence if she was hired as a worker.

“You!” Tracy screamed, pointing directly at Ella, and moving to attack her.

“Don’t do that, honey. Stand by me. Don’t bring yourself down in front of this lowlife.” Mrs. Maria said, holding her hand so that she wouldn’t move.

Ella rolled her eyes at the both of them. Will stood still, watching the scene unfold with an unbothered expression on his face.

The guests stared in bewilderment at the whole situation. Some of them brought their phones out to record what was going on. Others pretended to be composed, but deep down they were eager to find out what was going on.

“Will say something! I need an explanation for crying out loud!” Tracy yelled, her eyes glistening with a mixture of rage and sadness.

Will didn’t move a muscle on his face.

“You know he won’t respond to you, let’s just go.” Mrs. Maria urged, but Tracy stood her ground.

“No! Leave me! I need an explanation from you, Will. Tell me…no tell the whole world why you chose to dump me for this cheap, and uneducated brat!” Tracy spat out.

Will gestured to one of the security guards to come. When he did, Will gave him an unexpected punch across his face. All the guests gasped, they couldn’t hide their astonishment.

The security guard buried his face to the floor, probably waiting for another punch from his Master.

“What did I tell you about uninvited guests? Was her name on the guest list? Were you born a dummy, or you grew into one yourself?” Will’s outburst amazed everyone in the room, especially Ella.

She had never seen or heard him talk to someone like that before, and it bothered her. He sounded so pompous and arrogant. So disrespectful.

“So now you beat up your security guard for letting your girlfriend into your wedding.” Tracy said. The guests gasped again, a lot of them now really invested in this story. “After everything I’ve done for you. After all my efforts to keep you. After showing you what true love is. You dump me for this…this worthless ugly thing that calls herself a woman!”

Ella was not having anyone insult her, especially not on her own wedding day, “Watch your tongue, idiot!” She retorted, her statement shocking Mrs. Maria and Tracy.

“I can see that the beggar has a voice. How much did he offer to pay you? $500?” Tracy responded, stepping closer to where they stood.

“I think everyone here knows who the beggar is, and it’s definitely not me. How can you boldly barge into our wedding, and claim to be his girlfriend when he never had anything to do with you.” Tracy’s guilty look urged her to continue, it meant that Will was actually right, “Yes, he told me about your little obsession with him. You claim to have class, but you’re so shameless, and cheap. Begging a man to love you shows how much you don’t love yourself. What is class without self love? Pathetic!”

Will was definitely taken aback by Ella’s response to Tracy’s mean remarks. She looked so innocent, but she had something in common with him. She had a sharp mouth. At least that was one bright side to their marriage.

“How dare you open your mouth to speak? You dare talk to me in that manner? You? A lowly waitress that survives on tips from customers?”

“I see that you know me even more than I do. You’re a fan, and besides, it’s better to survive on customers generous tips, you’re clearly a goner without Will’s love. You’d probably be dead by next week since you’d be so starved of the love and affection that you so desire.” Ella responded back at her. The guests hummed in approval, because she was definitely winning Tracy at the fight.

Tracy was not going to let Ella beat her in that game, especially not after stealing Will away from her, even though he was never really hers.

“Swear on your life that you’re not getting married to Will because of what you stand to benefit.” Tracy said, her statement causing the whole atmosphere to become dead silent. “You’re a gold digger, and we know your kind.” Mrs. Maria hummed in agreement.

“That’s enough!” Will’s thunderous voice finally cut in, “throw her out, now!”

“You will do no such thing!” Mrs. Maria spoke up. “She is my guest, and she definitely wouldn’t leave unless I leave.”

“Good, now throw them both out!” Will ordered. The security men wasted no time in carrying out his orders. The guests were astonished that he could actually throw his own mother out of his wedding because she was doing too much.

“So you would chase your mother out because of this…this pauper?!” Mrs. Maria said, trying to hide the disgust she had for Ella.

“Enough! Get out!” Will repeated. He was vibrating now, and he looked really scary.

“Will, I think you’re being too harsh. She’s your mother.” Ella said, trying to calm him down.

He gave her a deathly stare, “No one asked for your opinion, madam! Now face your wedding!”

Okay he was arrogant, and felt like he ruled the world. She found it utterly disgusting, but she humbly did as he asked. What did Tracy even see in him? Who would willingly want to be with a self proclaimed god for the rest of her life? Well it wasn’t her concern anyway. She would mind the business that brought her, and steer clear of all their family issues.

She backed off, and watched as Mrs. Maria and Tracy were dragged out of the venue.

“You will pay for this! I will make your life a living hell, and you will dread the day you were born!” Mrs. Maria threatened, her voice becoming distant as she was dragged out of the venue.

Will adjusted his obviously expensive tuxedo. His expression changed in seconds from rage to no expression.

“Now where were we?” He asked, facing the priest who had just married them.

No one could respond, they all stared in astonishment. Ella was the most shocked, she looked over to where Diane sat, and she saw that she was also in awe of what had happened. Right there and then, Ella knew that she was likely in the worst situation ever.