Everything happened so fast. He barely had time to think. The next thing he knew, he was already standing at the altar, exchanging rings with a woman he had only met once years ago, and sharing vows that bound them till death tore them apart.
"Emily Davis," Nolan uttered her name as the image of her face flashed before his eyes. "Or should I say Emily Maxwell? That has a much nicer ring to it." He tapped his finger along the edge of the paper that bore their names and signatures.
For years, he had successfully avoided relationships of any kind, finding them a nuisance in his career. He even dodged the women that his mother had set up for him. He hated the complications that arose from the complexities of long-term relationships.
He preferred one-night stands to meet his physical urges, believing it saved him from gold diggers, clingy girlfriends, and women who just wanted to ride on his popularity.
Ironically, last night, he took the plunge without a hint of hesitation. But who was that girl that he made an exception for? What made her different from the other girls he had met before?
What started as an accidental bump in a club a few years back had led to an evening he would never forget. "Oh, I'm sorry. Are you ok?" Nolan asked when a stunning woman in a sexy red dress landed on his arms. Eventually, it led to a casual conversation and playful flirting over drinks at the bar.
When the band played a song both of them liked, he grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dancefloor. As expected, one passionate kiss sparked a fire that had them both wanting more. But like any other night, the flame burned until the wee hours of the morning. Then, it died when the sun came up.
Just like all the rest, any form of relationship ended even before anything began.
But what about last night?
She was different. When she showed up at the party, he couldn't look away. Usually, he would have forgotten about his one-night stand by now, but not her. Memories of that one night appeared still fresh in his mind. It was as if her face was etched deeply in his brain.
"Emily Davis." This time, he knew exactly who she was. In fact, he only came to the party to see her.
"Of course, Ms. Davis would say yes. She would be crazy to reject this project." Nolan confidently reassured Lee, his agent, when he offered her a role as his love interest in one of his movies. After all, who would dare say no to him? Besides, it was a great film. "Who would not want to work with me?"
"Emily would." Lee berated him, taking him down a peg. "Especially after the shit you pulled on her." His agent reminded him. "I think you're forgetting that she hates your guts."
Indeed, Emily never hid the fact that she loathed his existence. Nevertheless, he was not giving up without trying. At that moment, she was the hottest ticket in the industry. Everyone wanted to sign her. He believed working with her would be beneficial to both their careers.
As predicted by his agent, she refused to work with him, declining his offer to work with him in his latest project as his main leading actress. Nolan was ready to give up as the night progressed without seeing any results.
Until—
"Hey, you," Emily called to him. "Yeah, you." She repeated herself when he failed to notice her, as he had been busy discussing a project with one of the best producers in the entertainment business.
"Mr. Nolan Fucking Maxwell." This time, Emily enunciated every syllable of his name but failed miserably as she slurred her speech.
Nolan could easily tell that she already had her fair share of the champagne that was passing around as her body swerved as she walked toward him. But he wasn't expecting what happened next, knowing how Emily felt about him.
"Easy there." Nolan immediately came to her rescue when he saw her trip on her own foot, catching her before she hit the ground. She wiggled a bit in his arms as she tried to get back on her feet.
Naturally, Nolan expected it would be another one of those times where she would spit nasty words, knowing exactly what she thought of him. Surprisingly, that did not happen. Instead, her lips curved into a seductive smile as her arms clung to him tightly.
Obviously, Emily was flirting with him, which was incredibly odd. But it was also clear she was under the influence of alcohol. In his defense, he had tried to ward her off. But she was the first one who took advantage of the situation.
In truth, he could not even remember the sequence of events, as everything had blurred throughout the course of the night. Yet, he remembered clearly the moment he said "I do."
Did he regret it?
"No!" Definitely not.
---
A sharp knock outside his door alerted Nolan to another presence, making him pause on his rumination. Quickly, he fixed his tie and straightened his jacket before returning to his desk. But working was the last thing on his mind.
"Sir, Mr. Thomas requested a meeting to discuss his latest project," Pete, his assistant, informed him, setting a stack of fresh folders on his desk.
Besides being an award-winning actor, he also inherited his father's production company. As the new CEO of Flashbox Entertainment, he was overwhelmed with backlog work, documents that required his signature, and meetings that demanded his presence.
"Then, the contract for the..." Pete continued, enumerating the rest of his schedule for the day.
Nolan listened half-heartedly to his assistant, not exactly interested in getting back to work. In truth, he did not go to the office to handle business. He just needed a place to cool off before he proceeded to his next agenda for the day.
Besides, he doubted his new wife would be as welcoming to the idea of their marriage once she remembered what they impulsively did last night. He could picture her freaking out once she saw the headlines. In the meantime, he was giving her this day to get used to the fact that they were now husband and wife.
He grabbed the manuscript from his desk drawer and pushed it toward his assistant. "Tell Mr. Thomas that it's interesting and I like it. Can you set up a meeting with him for next week?" he instructed. "And Pete, can you cancel all my appointments today and for the rest of the week?"
"Damn, Nolan, it's only Monday, and you're slacking off already." The familiar voice of his friend resonated across the room. "And where are you off to? A vacation to the Maldives or a quick getaway to Bora Bora."
"William, I was not aware that we're meeting today." Nolan ignored his friend's jibe at him. "So, what do I owe this pleasure?" Although they were best friends, he knew William always had a full schedule, being one of the top lawyers in town. His friend did not just drop by to hang out and chat.
Unless—
"I think you already know why I'm here," William answered, as he sat on the empty chair, shifting into a more serious tone.
"So, you've heard. It figures." Nolan shook his head, not surprised at all. "Did Lee send you here to clean up my mess?" He surmised, knowing too well that his agent would do anything to salvage what was left of his image.
Even though he didn't care much about what people thought of him, Lee Atkinson viewed things differently. His agent always valued optics. It had nothing to do with what was right or wrong, but what it would mean to his career. However, Lee always ensured that he got the better end of the bargain.
On the other hand, William was not just his friend, but also his personal lawyer. Unlike his agent, Nolan knew that William would always think of what would be in his best interest. His friend usually handled all his legal cases, ensuring that he was always protected from vultures who would want to take advantage of his success and wealth.
"I think the entire world heard what you did last night." William mockingly replied, clearly amused. "But seriously, you actually married Emily Davis." His friend didn't mince his words. "No, I think the right question is, did she really agree to marry you?" William followed up his statement with a more blunt question.
Nolan pulled out an envelope from his side drawer and shoved it to his friend. "See for yourself." If his ring wasn't proof enough, that legal document should erase all doubts.
William examined the contract carefully. Eventually, the sigh that escaped his lips told him that his friend was finally convinced. "Don't tell me you kidnapped her and put a shotgun to her head to force her to say yes and sign this contract."
Nolan couldn't blame his friend for questioning the legitimacy of his marriage. Until now, he still could not believe it himself. He thought that if Emily had been sober, she would probably stick a knife in his guts rather than put a ring on his finger.
"Nope. Let's just say that it was luck, or better yet, it was fate." What else could it be?
"Or it could be alcohol, doing you a favor," William responded philosophically.
"That too." He admitted, unable to deny that it was a significant factor in the decision-making.
"So, do you want me to draw up a divorce agreement? I can ensure that she would not get a penny of your hard-earned..." William said.
"No, I don't want a divorce. Far from it." He vehemently rejected his friend's suggestion. The last thing he wanted was to end his marriage.
"I want you to draft a proposal," Nolan instructed his friend. He could only think of one thing that would make her stay. "I'm going to present her with an offer she could not refuse."