Missing Piece

Chapter Five

Melanie

Some people have a habit of making a list at the start of a year, of the things they want to do in that year. I'm proud to say that I'm one of those amazing people. I can make a perfect list but when it comes to actually follow through with it, I suck miserably.

I remember a few things that I had on that list for this year. Like socializing more, buying a new pair of sneakers, bungee jumping or may be not the last one. But getting married certainly didn't make that list. Marriage was a faraway thought, even getting a boyfriend was not on my mind at all.

But life always has a way of surprising us.

I sealed the deal with Andrew one day. And on the very next day I found myself married to The Benjamin Wyatt. That had been over a week ago and I'm still having hard time trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I'm married to him. A nobody like me is actually in a marital bond with a freaking billionaire like him. He's an epitome of perfection while I'm the captain of 'Team Imperfection'. I'm riding in exact opposite direction of perfection. I'm like anti-perfection.

When I saw Benjamin at Andrew's house, I had a major freak-out session. I knew I was going to marry him, but it didn't actually occur to me until I saw him in person. I cringe every time I remember how I rambled like an idiot and made a complete fool out of myself in front of him.

Way to make a fabulous first impression on your supposed future-husband!

From what little interaction we had that day, it was very clear that Benjamin wasn't a willing participant in Andrew's Marriage Scheme. That makes me wonder how Andrew persuaded Benjamin to agree into this. Maybe he threatened Benjamin with his inheritance. I mean that was the plot in most of the novels I've read about 'Arranged Marriages'. I've gotta stop comparing reality with fiction.

The last time I saw my husband was on the day we got married. I haven't seen him since. As far as I know, Benjamin hates my guts or maybe me in general. And I can't blame him for that. So, it's no wonder that he hasn't tried to get in any contact with me. And neither have I. It's better this way.

I just hope Andrew deals with whatever threat that's been looming over Benjamin faster and releases Benjamin and I from these shackles of unwanted marriage.

Thinking about unwanted arranged marriages, made me think about the novel I was reading yesterday. The main protagonist, Bella or Ayla or was it Ella? Doesn't matter what her name was. Let's just call her Lyla instead. So, Lyla was in an arranged marriage with this hot businessman dude, Romano or Romeo or something that started with an R. During the whole course of story, he treated her like crap. Disrespected her, was unfaithful to her but still our precious Lyla fell for him. Throughout the reading I was screaming at Lyla, 'Drop his sorry ass, sis. Have some self-respect.' But Lyla never listened to me. And in the end when the trashy husband apologized to her, she accepted him with open arms. They both rode off into sunset and Lyla got her happy ending.

After completing the novel, I realized I wasted two precious hours of my life reading that crap. And then I realized another major thing. I am also in an arranged marriage. What if I ended up like Lyla? That thought alone was enough to scare the crap outta me. And that's what led me to read a few hundred novels about 'arranged marriages.' In every book the female-leads ended up falling for their spouses.

Is this how I'm gonna end up too?

Nah.

I'll make sure that I'd not end up like those stupid protagonists.

I won't be a Lyla. Sure, my life has suddenly turned into a cliché novel, marrying a stranger in exchange for money but I won't end up like those dumb protagonists.