My Disabled Stranger

"You sent for me, father," Mae said as soon as she was brought to meet Chris who she hadn't seen for months. Her head was lowered respectfully and her hand nervously played with the hem of her shirt.

She wondered why her father who never cared of her existence would reach for her out of the blue.

Chris was sitting with a wine glass in his hand facing the big window that showed the breathtaking view of the beach. "Yes, I did. Follow the lady outside and go get ready for your wedding" he replied in the most casual way.

What wedding?... Mae blinked confused, she thought she didn't hear him clearly, "Sorry, I don't understand" she blurted out.

Chris dropped his glass and turned to look at her with a familiar irritated look, he was always disgusted to see her.

"My business is about to go bankrupt, I need the support of my friend Mr. Greg so I had set up an arranged marriage between you and his son, it's scheduled to happen this evening..." he said with a calm composure while looking at her.

Mae staggered backwards a bit in shock, a marriage with a stranger was something she never imagined to happen in her wildest dreams. Firstly, she had no interest in getting married talk more of it being a stranger she was going to meet for the first time on her wedding day.

"I'm sorry father but I cannot agree to your request. I have no interest in getting married" she replied after she found her voice.

She was upset that she was so happy and nervous when she saw his message, she always expected his call and now that she got it, he was marrying her off to a stranger with no care at all.

Chris dropped his glass and with a frown on his face, he said "I wasn't asking you, Mae... I am telling you. Are you going to disrespect your father?"

She remained quiet, her head slightly bowed, she didn't know what to say.

"An illegitimate child like you has the guts to refuse my request, how ridiculous. You should be happy that your life is going to be better after you marry the billionaire, it's a privilege but instead of thanking me you are complaining" he added, getting more irritated.

"My life is already fine, I..." She was starting to say but he cut her off.

"You think your life is fine as a secret sex worker? Oh, you think I don't know about how you spread your legs for men just for a few pennies? You must think I'm a fool then" he countered, his voice raising a bit as his nose flared.

Mae was surprised to find out that he knew, she had made sure to keep her job a secret. Being an escort was not something she was proud of, she just had to do it to survive, funny how she was poor despite being blood related to the most famous shoe maker in town.

"This is your chance to stop that demeaning job and come out to the world as my daughter. Don't be foolish, be useful for once in your life" Chris added and stood up from his seat, he proceeded to calmly walk out of the room.

Mae stood transfixed. Her father's words hurt her deeply, she had always prayed for the day he would accept her as his daughter in front of everyone. He always treated her like a stranger, she was always the one reaching out.

But today was different. He wanted her to help him save his business from bankruptcy. The request wasn't easy but she found herself considering it, anything to make her father look at her as his own for once.

'Perhaps I could just help him until his business was standing firm again, then I'll run away afterwards or file for a divorce'... She weighed different options in her head for a while.

After a few minutes, she exhaled deeply and turned, walking out of the empty room. She met the lady at the door and she gave a small smile before saying, "My father said you would take me to go get ready for my wedding"

"Oh, he's your father? I never knew. Please follow me, you will be the most beautiful bride once we are done" The lady said with an even wider smile.

Mae nodded and followed while her head was still ringing from the decision she just made. She was getting married to a total stranger... what the hell was I doing? She kept asking herself.

"Mae Miller, do you take Elian Thompson as your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest asked Mae.

"I do" She answered looking at the handsome stranger in front of her.

My husband... Those two words kept ringing in her head as she stared at him. It felt weird to say it. Just yesterday she was telling her friend that she didn't think she would ever get married as she had no interest in it and now here she was, saying I do.

What consoled her was that at least he was a ridiculously handsome man. His icy blue eyes that looked at it could freeze anyone that stared and his short black curly hair, complimented his sharp jawline and made his face look very mature, mysterious and intimidating. He had no emotion on his face as they wedded like a blank bored cloak was shielding his expression.

Did he not find me attractive? Mae asked herself in bewilderment. At her secret job, she had been with many men and she was very much aware of how beautiful and sexy she looked. She was endowed in all the right places, it was why getting clients came easy to her. No man could walk past her without turning back to stare.

But this new husband of hers, looked emotionless and bored, she even saw him subtly yawn one time.

Or was he gay? She asked herself skeptically before shaking her head mentally to rearrange her thoughts. Why does she care? Is not like she wasn't planning to run away or file for divorce later, what he thought of her was simply none of her business.

In a few more minutes the ceremony proceedings were done and the couple began greeting guests. They had pretentious smiles on their face, putting up a facade just for the media. They never spoke to each other and maintained a distance, to them they were still strangers afterall... married or not.

They were heading to greet another guest when Elian's phone rang out, they stopped walking and he brought it out of his pocket to answer.

"What is it?" he asked immediately he picked up in a slightly irritated voice. Mae watched him, wondering who he was talking to.

"Really? Are you sure?" Elian asked again after listening in, his expression changing to surprise mixed with confusion.

"Wait for me, I'll be right there" he said and hung up. He then looked at Mae before saying "Follow the driver home, I am leaving, I have something important to do"

She could only open her mouth to speak but he was already gone.

What the hell? Who leaves their wedding like this? She questioned herself. Then she sighed... 'He may be as hot as a Greek god but his character is solely lacking, it was all for the better anyways. I wouldn't feel too bad when I dumped his ass' she murmured to herself before walking to the buffet to get some food. She was starving and wasn't able to say so with Elian cold expression around.

She spent some minutes eating, some guests came to greet as well and she replied halfheartedly with food stuffed in her mouth. They left gossiping about her but she didn't seem to care, she has never been to a buffet before and wanted to try every option available.

Time ticked by, perhaps thirty minutes or so, Mae was tired and so she decided to go home. She was surrounded by complete strangers and the fake smiles made her face ache. Her father and Elian's father were present anyways so they could hold down the forte.

She got up and was about to find her father when a man rushed into the hall, he was breathing heavy and his eyes were wide like saucers. Blood trailed down the side of his head and that drew everyone's attention.

The bouncers rushed towards him and they seemed confused on whether to send him out or let him stay while the guests gossipped among themselves as they watched on.

They were hurried footsteps from the crowd, Elian's father, Grey came forward with a mix of dread and confusion on his face, "You are Elian's driver right? What happened, where's my son?" He asked, his voice growing frantic with every passing second.

He is Elian's driver?... Mae asked herself in her mind as she walked closer to the scene that was slowly being created.

"He... he... we..." the man stammered seemingly in shock.

"What happened to my son, god damnit" Grey shouted, very agitated.

"We were involved in an accident few metres away from here" The man finally blurted out and the entire occupants in the hall was left in shock.