Married To A Powerful Domineering Billionaire

Meeting The Family

Oh! Right. She was one of Eric’s acquaintances. Our eyes met across the room, and she smiled at me. I returned her smile. In addition to Elaina being here, It also felt good to have Jessica show up.

“Isn’t that Jessica Lawn, the famous fashion director slash designer?” Elaina asked when she first noticed Jessica by the door.

“Yes, that’s her,” I answered.

“She just smiled at you, are you two acquainted?”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Not until this morning.”

“Wait! Tell me she made your dress.”

Tilting toward her, I giggled at her expression. “She did. My makeup as well and my hair.” I replied and watched Elaina run her accessing eyes on me.

“Single-handedly?” She asked and I nodded.

“Wow!” She said, “He must really love you to hire a professional as Jessica Lawn to dress you up, and that too, single-handedly. Is this love that I’m seeing?” Elaina said dramatically.

I smiled and looked away from her, she already believed that it was love. If only she knew that the marriage was simply the result of blackmail. Looking away from her, my eyes wandered off to Jessica. I saw her walk over to the spot where Eric was standing with a grey-haired woman who looked like she had had a beautiful adolescent life and a dark-haired tall lady. Jessica said something to the women and then went ahead to kiss them each on both cheeks. It seemed she wasn’t only acquainted with Eric, but his acquaintances as well. Then she wrapped her hands around Eric’s torso, hugging him so closely. Then Eric pinched her nose and they all laughed. Something sank in my stomach at that action. I felt a certain strangeness tug at my chest. It was similar to the feeling I used to have whenever I saw Fred with some other woman. This wasn’t jealousy, right?

“Why’s she getting that close to Eric?” Elaina whispered into my ear. I jerked my eyes from them and turned to her with a shrug.

“She said they are childhood acquaintances. She told me earlier.”

“Well, in my opinion, it isn’t cool to hug a married man like that. Especially not on the day of his wedding.” Elaina said.

Elaina and I continued talking and occasionally, for some reason, I’d glance over at Eric until I noticed him walking over to me. My heart began to race, bringing me to a sudden awareness.

“Hey, wife!” He whispered into my neck. My heart jumped, doubling in adrenaline. I felt something flutter in the pit of my stomach. I felt heat creep under the surface of my skin. All these because of one action.

“Come, let’s go meet your in-laws.” He took my hand and walked me to the spot where he had been standing earlier with Jessica and the other people I didn’t know.

ERIC’s POV

I glanced in Rayne’s direction and caught her glancing occasionally in my direction. The women in my life had me surrounded and lectured me on how to and how not to treat my newlywed.

“Who are her parents?”

“That’s really not necessary grandma.” Jessica joined us just in time. “Rayne is really sweet, I’m most certain you’d love her.”

“Oh dear, now you’re beginning to sound like Eric.”

“She looks Fragile…”

“Innocent…”

“And beautiful.”

“She looks scared though.” My grandmother noted and I couldn’t deny that truth. She certainly did look apprehensive. It was all too visible, even from afar.

“Poor her! I’m sure she never imagined she’d be getting married this way.” Jessica added.

As Jessica said those words, something broke in me. The fact that I knew what pain I was causing her by blackmailing her into this marriage. Yet, I still couldn’t let her go, I didn’t want to.

As I walked towards her, I saw her glance at me, something registered briefly in her expression when she saw me, and then she looked away almost immediately. As I neared her, I knowingly but leaned in on her so that my breath could tickle her skin when I spoke…

“Hey, wife?” I called from behind her and felt her body freeze. I got my desired reaction.

“Let’s go meet your people-in-law.”

RAYNE’S POV

We walked amid the crowd until we were standing with the grey-haired lady from earlier and the woman who looked like the older version of… Jessica?

“Hello Rayne,” Jessica said, approaching me with a smile.

“Hi Jessica,” I replied, returning her smile.

“Mom, grandma, meet Rayne Edwards, my wife. Wife, meet my mother and grandmother. You’ve already met Jessica, my younger sister.”

“Younger Sister?” So they were siblings? I bit my lip as I thought about it.

‘Stupid you Rayne!’

“Come, my dear.” With a warm smile, the grey-haired lady Eric had introduced as his grandma beckoned on me. I took in deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. I couldn’t have them notice my cringing nerves. Just when I thought I was standing close enough, she pulled me into her frail arms and enveloped me in a warm hug. That hug, and the distinct smell of a rose that lingered around her, almost made me cry. When she pulled away, she patted my cheeks gently and smiled warmly at me.

“Welcome to the family.”

ERIC’s POV

I noticed the look in her eyes when I introduced Jessica as my sister, and it made me wonder what she had thought.

My family welcomed her warmly and in no time at all, she was having a great time with them and her cousin. I still was especially thankful to myself for having brought the model here. It made me happy to see Rayne smile genuinely for the first time since she came in contact with me.

“Your dad is over there.” I heard my mom whisper to me when she probably noticed me looking around for him. I followed her line of sight into the crowd where a poised curly haired man was standing amid three other men. Seeing those familiar faces, my eyes narrowed in on them and my blood boiled.