Jill stirred. She didn't want to open her eyes. The pain in her head was beyond anything she could have ever imagined.
Is this what a splitting headache feels like?
She wanted to roll over so she could maybe roll out of bed.
It didn't happen.
She sighed and then panicked as she realized she had a client today and should be prepping right now. This made her bolt up right in bed. Her head swimming as she did so. She worked hard to focus and bring her thoughts forward to the here and now.
Wait! This wasn't her bed. She frowned in confusion and tried to focus.
"Get it together Jill!"
But this really wasn't her bed. She looked down at herself. These weren't her clothes. When did she ever even own a negligee?! She dramatically fell back onto the bed and tried to roll out of it again and only went to the other side of the bed and not off the edge.
That's when she felt it. It crumpled beneath her and for a moment she felt that it was none of her business. But then she realized that she could not remember anything so everything needed to be her business today.
She decided to just keep on rolling and get the paper. She looked at it but her eyes were still having trouble focusing.
She decided she better shower and then try to see what was written on the paper. The shower was amazing. This was a really nice place. Was it a hotel? "Why would I be in a hotel room?"
She froze and thought about showering away possible evidence. She shook her head rejecting that. She was not sore in anyway. When she showered she didn't see any bruises. It was just that the memory issue was a red flag.
She thought about the paper on the bed and sprinted to find it,
She looked at it in confusion for a long while Before she actually accepted what she read.
Clark County Nevada, Certified abstract of marriage
Party 1: Bridges, Taylor J
Party 2: Simms, Jill S
Date of the marriage: April 5, 2024
Her mind went blank. She blinked several times and realized she needed clothes. So she went looking for her clothes and only found expensive pieces that she had never seen before. They were all her size so she just put on a pair of black yoga pants and a black top and called it a day. She sat down and stood back up when she again remembered that she had a client today.
"I can just call Allison she will help me out." She reached for her phone and froze. That wedding certificate said she was married on the 5th. Wasn't today the fifth? She found her phone and almost passed out.
She found herself just staring at the screen and then she finally shook the entire phone hoping that it would fix itself.
How could it be the 8th. Had she slept for four days. The last day she remembered was the 4th.
At least the purse and the phone were actually hers. She balled up the marriage certificate and tossed it in her purse.
She began looking for her car keys when she realized that they were not in her purse.
Who could she talk to about this. Who would believe her? Her grandmother maybe?
She found her keys, on top of a short note:
I can not wait until our honeymoon begins my love. I will see you when I get back to town. I love you now and always
Taylor
She narrowed her eyes.
What was this crazy mickey mouse mess?! She just stood there staring for the longest time. This guy was insane, at most, and a criminal in the least. How could he actually write this like their marriage was real?
She would see her doctor and then her lawyer.
She fumbled her phone as she called Allison. She answered before the first ring had finished.
"Thank you so much Jill. Because of your recommendation to cover you with the Millers I already have a ton of new clients."
Recommendation?
"I admit your menu was complicated but I pulled it off. I sent you the money for the food you bought and for the referral. I hope that's enough."
There was a long silence and Allison became nervous. She stuttered as she tried to explain herself bit Jill cut her off.
"No. Whatever you sent is fine."
"Thank you so much Jill. That job has really propelled my business. And how are you? Did you take care of your emergency okay. I will admit that handsome man you were with could be an emergency for me anytime."
"What did you say?" Jill was shaken from her daze. Allison saw her with a man?
Allison paused before speaking again. "well. I mean. That man you were with Thursday. I think his name was Jaylen. No uumm…"
"Taylor?"
"Yes! Exactly. Taylor."
Something in Jill's chest sunk.
"So when you saw us did I look okay?"
"Well no. Of course not. I think you said you had been crying all that day. It is to be expected after that. Your eyes were puffy and you just didn't look your usual cheery self."
Jill nodded as she flopped down on the bed.
"Okay Allison. I better let you go. I have a ton of things to do. Congratulations on the success Friday."
"Thank you Jill. And do not worry I can handle all of your clients for the next three months just like I said. You be careful and take care of yourself."
"Wait! Allison? Allison!"
She was standing again. The phone clutched tightly in her hand and her mind bobbing between anger and disbelief.
Was her business gone?
Jill calmed herself as best she could, grabbed a jacket, that was kinda cute, and finally headed out of the bedroom. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw the size of the penthouse apartment she was in. Then she narrowed her eyes. Was this the company penthouse? The one her father left her and wrote a clause forbidding her from ever selling it no matter what?
What they hell!
Just as she was about to storm towards the private elevator it slowly slid open. The man was smiling broadly at her. He was extremely handsome, and tall, with sun kissed skin. Jill frowned.
"Were you about to leave? I did say I would be back today. Are you ready to leave?"
What the hell was he talking about? Was he a lunatic and how the hell did he get access to the private elevator?
"Jill we have to leave today if we are going to help Darren."
Everything about her froze. Her brother? She looked to the man with confusion and suspicion mingling in her eyes.
"And what do you know about my brother?"
The man looked at her for a long moment.
"He is the reason we married. We decided to marry to save his life. You agreed that was the only way to save Darren.
"What's wrong with you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about! I woke up with a splitting headache just now and I discovered the wedding certificate but I do not remember anything.
"I don't remember marrying you or anything about Darren."
She had moved to a sofa and flopped down. She seemed to be flopping a lot today.
Taylor moved to her, worry clear on his face. He took her wrist, as if he were checking her heart rate. He looked into her eyes.
"You don't remember anything?"
"No nothing."
"I still have the video from Darren. You can watch that again. But I do not understand how your memory became wiped." He spoke low as if he were speaking to himself.
He pulled a laptop from his computer and inserted a memory drive. The entire time she watched his hands intently.
"Hey sis."
It was her brother Darren but he was dressed oddly. He was dressed like some sort of army ranger. Her eyes widened as she realized his arms were bare and covered in tattoos. She frowned. When was the last time they had gone swimming? Suddenly she realized she had not seen her little brother without a shirt on in years.
How the hell was that possible?
"This is just a precaution. Only if I do not check in or I send out a distress signal. Other than that you will never know about any of this. You can trust Taylor. He is with MI6 and he is probably the only friend I have these days."
She had been brought out of her thoughts by her brother's statement that she would only know about this if he were in trouble and to trust Taylor.
"The plan is for you two to be married and go on a honeymoon. I know it is crazy but I do not want to ruin Taylor's cover and I need you along for the ride so this seems like the best course of action."
How the hell could this be the best course of action. Her getting married. She rolled her eyes at the absurdity of it.
The rest of the video was apologies, warnings to be safe, and another reminder to trust Taylor.
She sat in silence for a long time trying, with great difficulty to digest the information.
Finally she looked to Taylor.
"Okay. What's the plan?"
To say that the plan had annoyed Jill would be an understatement. Who traveled the world for their honeymoon? People had to work. Even Taylor's cover was of someone in upper management.
Hence she had to play the wealthy heiress and fund the entire thing
So now she was sitting with her grandmother explaining her current life choices.
Jill's grandmother sat with a large, half full coffee mug in front of her. The coffee long cooled. Her expression was one of confusion and her eyes were slightly narrowed in thought.
Jill looked at her a moment longer than handed her the balled up wedding certificate.
Her grandmother simply looked at it for a second and then looked back up at Jill.
Jill felt it before it happen. She knew it was about to erupt and she rolled her eyes. Of course her grandmother would react in this way.
Of course she would. She was her grandmother, this was the mother of her crazy ass father. The man who actually wrote in his will that if she sold a penthouse, that she did not want, her brother, mother, and this woman would all be cut off. Not one of them but all them. But of course not Jill. She would need to remain a billionaire and try to figure out how to surreptitiously support her family.
As this rant ran through her mind her loving grandmother rose, unceremoniously threw the remainder of her coffee into the sink and laughed raucously.
Jill rolled her eyes again and leaned back in her seat.
"Fine. I am married."
"It is actually pretty hilarious darling.
"Well at least you are not upset.'
"Upset? How can I be upset about you finally enjoying life a bit."
The smile fell from her face and she became very serious. Jill unconsciously sat up straighter in her seat.
"I will be upset if I do not get to meet this man before you leave."
Her Face broke into another wide smile.
"A trip around the world for your honeymoon. Wait until I tell your mother. And now that you will play the role of heiress she won't have to work so hard anymore. Maybe she and I can take a trip together."
Jill sat up straight again. Jeez she was a pompous ass. She never thought about her mother when she decide to refuse her father's controlling ways.
Her grandmother looked at coolly for a moment.
"She does it because she wants to. Not because she has to. It has nothing to do with you."
Jill smiled and stood.
"I will tell Taylor about the get together but we are leaving in three days so…"
Her grandmother waved her off.
"That gives us plenty of time. We will have it here day after tomorrow at 6pm.
"Make sure we get his family's information. They need to attend as well,"
She looked mischievous.
"So you will be selling your townhouse then."
"No. It is a good investment. I will rent it out and put the small revenue in an account to fund future business prospects."
Her grandmother smiled broadly.
"You know you and father never got along because you two are so much alike."
She rolled her eyes then kissed her grandmother's cheek. Smiling when her grandmother mumbled "…future business prospects" with a giggle.
"I love you gran. See you day after tomorrow."
"Mm hmm. Find me my phone before you leave! Why is your brother always booking his seminars out of town?'
Jill didn't respond, quickly handed her grandmother her phone and left.