As Remy read through the contract, she couldn't help but think that it seemed like a business arrangement rather than a marriage.
But, isn't that what it is?
Some of the terms of the contract left Remy puzzled. What does it mean that the termination of the contract won't affect our marriage.
The contract could only be terminated by mutual agreement after the two-year term had expired, but before then, Deth had the right to terminate it at any time.
And the confidentiality part! What was that? Remy raised a brow, thinking that it seemed like a roundabout way of saying that Deth had the final say in whether or not to announce their marriage. She mentally rolled her eyes, wondering why he didn't just say so outright.
Seriously, what was he trying to achieve with this contract?
However, since the terms weren't particularly unfair to her, she shrugged and proceeded to sign the contract. She was more surprised by the infidelity clause, but she didn't have anyone else interested in her anyway.
She signed and looked at him, "You don't have to make it seem like I'm rubbing off on your family. You've made it sound like you're doing me a favor." She pointed out before begrudgingly signing the contract.
Deth's response was a simple, "Suit yourself if you want to make little adjustments."
"It's fine."
Once they'd both signed, Deth called in the servants and guards present in the house to formally acknowledge Remy as their lady boss now.
They bowed in unison, saying, "Welcome, Mrs. Kaidën. You are now officially married to the boss and the lady of our house."
Remy acknowledged the greetings from the servants and guards, thanking them briefly for their warm welcome.
"Perfect!" Deth turned to Remy "I have some things to handle. I'm planning on embarking on a new project, so I'll be quite busy for the next few days or weeks."
He paused, looking at Remy seriously. "Also, be ready, because we might need to visit my parents at any day."
Remi nodded, taking mental note of Deth's words.
With that, Deth turned and left, accompanied by Max. Remy watched them go, noticing how Max seemed to be always by Deth's side.
She wondered if Max was Deth's bodyguard or assistant, as he seemed to fulfill both roles.
Her gaze drifted to the two other men who had been standing nearby, their faces similar enough to Max to suggest they might be siblings or even triplets.
Remy's curiosity was piqued, but she didn't have a chance to ask any questions before they disappeared from view.
And before she knew it, her new living arrangements were being taken care of. A new room adjacent to Deth's quarters was assigned to her, and within a few hours, it was transformed to suit her taste.
The walls were painted a warm gold, her favorite color, and the furniture was replaced with luxurious, cream-colored pieces. Designer clothes and everything she needed for daily living were brought in.
She was even more surprised when Avery, her loyal maid and best friend, showed up at her doorstep. It turned out that Deth had brought Avery back to continue assisting her.
Remy's eyes welled up with tears as she reunited with Avery. She had thought that Helena, her evil stepmother, must have done something terrible to Avery and the others.
But Deth had to track them down and hire them back, knowing how much Remy needed their companionship.
Remy sat with Avery, catching up on old times, she felt really grateful towards Deth. She would thank him for bringing Avery and the others back, including Jake, Drel, and Axel.
It turned out that Helena had banished them to the outskirts of the city, so they won't return or have any means of surviving.
Avery squeezed Remy tightly in excitement, hugging her and screaming her name. "Remy! Oh my gosh, I've missed you so much!"
Before Remy could respond, Avery exclaimed, "Wow, you're married! Gosh, he's really handsome!" She whispered in Remy's ear, "I'm so jealous!"
Remy rolled her eyes, chuckling. This was typical Avery's behavior.
Avery continued, "I've always told you, there's someone better! I don't even know what you liked in Julian. This is the ideal husband - handsome and wealthy! I can't wait to see Julian and Sophia's faces when they find out about this big news!"
Axel, standing behind them, his brow pulled together in a slight frown and he almost looked like he was pouting. "He's so handsome, you say? And I'm not?"
Avery playfully told Axel, "Go look at yourself in the mirror again, please." The group burst out laughing.
But the truth is Axel, was one hell of a pretty dude in fact. All of them were good looking.
Remy's heart swelled with happiness as she sat amidst her reunited friends, feeling like she was finally home.
~*~
Remy's phone rang, blasting her favorite song, 'Moonlight Serenade'. She looked at the caller ID and saw Alexandra's name. She picked up immediately.
"Remy, oh my gosh, finally! Where have you been? What happened? Been trying to reach you! Is it your father?!" Alexandra's worried voice rang out in Remy's ears, firing a barrage of questions.
Remy held back a laugh. "Whoa, you've got to calm down, okay? Which one do I answer first?"
Alexandra took a deep breath. "Sorry, Remy. I was just so worried sick. Seriously, what happened?"
"Deth took me away, don't worry."
"Death took you away?! What do you mean?!"
Remy narrated the whole situation to her, from what happened with her dad to her marriage to Deth. Alexandra listened attentively, her shock and surprise evident even over the phone.
Alexandra exclaimed, "You're married? Remy, I had no idea! I'm glad you're safe, though."
Their conversation was cut short as Alexandra mentioned she was about to attend a meeting. They decided to reschedule their meetup again, same place at East Cafe.
*
*
*
Remy set out with Avery and Axel in a gray SUV, dressed in a simple yet stunning sparkly golden gown that fitted her beauty. She wore a limited edition Gucci sandals.
A delicate, heart-shaped earring, a slim watch, and a tiny, elegant necklace were her only accessories. Her rose gold hair was swept over her shoulder as usual, framing her face perfectly.
They arrived at Elegance Wishes LTD, a high-end department store. As they entered, they were escorted to the VIP section, where she browsed through various items to find a suitable gift for Deth's parents.
Although Deth hasn't said the exact date of their visit, and he seemed to have disappeared into thin air again, Remy wanted to be prepared.
Also, Remy was well aware that she no longer controlled her mother's company, had given up modeling, and was no longer Vice President at Vaughn Glory. Though she would make sure to see Alexandra soon.
To make matters worse, her father never provided her with any financial support or access to the Harrison family's resources.
She sought to earn her own money now, from a source her father and step mother can't claim ownership of.
She decided to leverage her design and sewing skills to create and sell her own products.
Since she was proficient in fashion design and sewing, Remy picked essential items: sewing machines, tapes, kits, fabrics, threads, needles, and sketchbooks. Avery provided good suggestions as Remy carefully picked out the best tools and materials.
Her plan was to set up a small workspace at home, and she intended to discuss the details with Deth. The card she would use to make purchases, ironically, is a platinum card from Deth himself.
After getting all she needed her mind returned to the task at hand: finding a gift for Deth's parents. What was the best gift? She had no idea but she wanted to at least make a good impression, knowing that her condition might raise concerns about her worthiness as a daughter-in-law.
A thoughtful gift could increase her good daughter in law points.
Just as Remy turned around to call Axel who had been standing by idly, to ask him if he could suggest the best gift she could pick, since there were tons of luxury items, designer clothing, sparkling jewelry, exclusive fragrances, high-end watches, custom made items and premium home decor or tons of other things.
She saw his expression darkened as he was looking towards a direction, she followed his sight and upon seeing who he was looking at, her expression darkened as well.
Seriously, what was Sophia doing here right now? Couldn't she spare her, her presence for a whole straight year?!
Remy's eyes narrowed as she watched Sophia stepping into the VIP art gallery section of the store, where exclusive artworks and masterpieces were showcased.
Her heels clicked on the marble floor, she wore a stunning, skimpy red gown that hugged her body, showcasing the subtle bump in her stomach and hinting at a delicate change in her physique.
Over the red gown, she wore a luxurious, black fur coat. Her hair was styled perfectly, and a bright smile plastered on her face, looking as innocent and delicate as ever.
It was a perfect disguise, masking the wolf that was inside of her.
"What is she doing here?" Remy muttered under her breath. If Sophia would just buy whatever she wanted and leave without any drama, Remy would appreciated it.
But as Sophia turned and their eyes met, Remy knew that wasn't going to happen.