MARRIED ACCIDENTALLY

CHAPTER 11

Ann’s POV

Seated quietly in the SUV, I try to call Tessa one more time before Vince gets here.

I'm starting to worry about her silence. I can't reach her. I don't even know where she is yet.

Whether she is still in New York or if she is here in LA, I can't help but begin to wonder if something has happened.

The call goes to voicemail, and I sigh. I have dropped lots of voicemail messages for her, telling her to get back to me as soon as possible.

Just then, the door to the car opens, and Lucas peeps in. “Boss is here.”

I nod quickly, putting my phone back into my purse before stepping out of the car in a floor-length jewel-toned emerald green dress. It has a mermaid silhouette, perfectly hugging my curves.

Vince called me an hour ago to get ready and meet him here at the party because he wouldn't be able to come home to pick me up. He must have had a busy day at work today which explains why he is just arriving.

The gun I saw earlier might mean nothing. In today’s world, almost everyone owns a gun.

That gun might be there for protection and defense. Henceforth, I don't want to bother myself about who he is or what he does. This thing between us has a time limit, and discovering something disheartening will only ruin our civil relationship.

I wouldn't be able to pretend.

Vince is standing beside a black Mercedes, wearing a navy blue two-piece suit fitted to perfection.

He looks good.

But his face is expressionless.

When our eyes lock, I flash him a small smile, which he doesn't return. Instead, he grabs my hand and slips it through his arm's crook. Without a word, we begin to stroll to the entrance of the mansion, where the party is already in full swing.

I frown.

Did he have a terrible day at work?

“I want you to meet someone important to me today,” he suddenly announces, making me stare at his handsome face.

“Your mom?” I demand with a smile, hoping she will at least like me for him.

“No!” His sharp response nearly causes me to halt, but we've already arrived at the door. The butler opens it, and we enter a spacious living room that resembles a wedding hall.

The whole place is booming, and I suddenly realize I didn't even bother to ask him what the party was about.

An anniversary? A wedding party? A birthday party?

“I want you to meet my godfather,” he mutters, stopping to face me squarely. “Play along, ok?”

Even though I have numerous questions spinning in my head, I nod anyway.

Why does he want to introduce me to his godfather instead of his mom or dad? Is he on bad terms with them, like I am with my mom?

He mentioned his mother to me once, so I am sure he is not an orphan.

“Vincete, you made it,” a male voice utters, pulling us away. I turn to see a striking young man flashing me a smile before shifting his gaze to Vince. “Wife?”

Vince nods, and he examines me once more before nodding again, probably in approval.

"Nice to meet you," he finally said, stretching a hand at me, his smile so bright and contagious that it replaces the frown on my face. “I am Fernando, Vincete’s one and only friend.”

“Shut the hell up!” Vince thunders, making me let out a burst of laughter. I am amazed at this personality.

I can't believe he is friends with Vince. Vince doesn't appear to be the type to form friendships, so I am extremely grateful that he has a friend who is so cheerful and friendly.

Why hasn't he changed Vince's introverted personality?

When he squeezes my hand, I realize I haven't told him my name. Vince must have told him, but it would be rude not to do so myself.

“I am Annette. Annette Vasquez, but you can call me Ann. Nice to meet you too.”

"You are beautiful," he suddenly compliments, causing me to gasp and blush crimson.

Vince didn't even comment on my looks, and here's another man doing that.

“Enough!” Vince barks and tears my hand away from him. “This should be the first and last time you touch my wife.”

Fernando whistles and laughs out loud again. “Really? I never knew you had a possessive side.”

I smile as Vince pulls me closer to his side, a thrilling energy building through every part of my system.

“Your mom came,” Fernando informs Vince, his face in a serious mood now. “And Isabel.”

“I know.” Vince deadpans.

That means I will meet his mom tonight. I actually thought we came here for that; to meet his mom and let him achieve his aim of letting her off his back about the arranged marriage with that girl.

The two men continue to stare at each other without saying a word. They seem to be having a silent conversation with their eyes.

I am about to excuse myself when Vince mumbles. “Get a seat; I will be right back.”

Even though I don't feel good about him leaving my side when I am in the midst of total strangers, I nod.

I can't stop him from going wherever he intends to. Perhaps he wants to inform his godfather about my appearance.

Just as I am about to take a seat, someone familiar approaches with a smirk on her face.

“I see you could make it,” she comments, looking more beautiful than the other day in a strapless diamond dress.

I plaster a smile on her face without replying.

When she folds her arms around her bosom, with the smile on her face fading away quickly like it wasn't there before, I know she hasn't forgiven me yet.

Vince is not the enemy. I am.

She doesn't consider him an enemy, even when he outright rejects her. The enemy is me, who has all of Vince’s attention.

I wonder how she will react when she finally knows Vince and I are married.

“Aren't you done whoring around…”

I raise my finger immediately to show her in the wedding band on my finger. That cuts her short. Her mouth drops open in shock, and her eyes widen.

A thrill shoots through me.

But another person's appearance cuts it short.

A woman.

“Isabel, what's going on?” The woman asks, giving me a full view of her beautiful face.

She is the female version of Vince. I didn't need anyone to do the introduction for me to know who she really is.

Middle-aged.
Looking beautiful and classy. Blue eyes, just like Vince’s. Vince always maintains a cold expression on his face.

Isabel closes her mouth, tears watering in her eyes, but she forces them back, tapping my inner sympathy again.

“Who are you?” When Isabel won't answer, Vince's mother turns to me squarely. There is already attention on us, and I feel embarrassed and upset that Vince left me all alone when I don't even know anyone.

“I'm Ann,” I manage to reply to her, hoping that will at least satisfy her curiosity a bit. The other day, she sent Isabel to the house to have dinner with Vince, so she must have told her she met a woman there.

“I met her at Vince’s,” Isabel mutters as if hearing my thoughts. Stunned, I look up at her.

“What?!” The older woman exclaims. “You didn't have dinner with Vicente?” Isabel nods.

“She was with him. She seemed pretty comfortable there, so I guess they were dating or something, but…” She stops dead, doubt in her beautiful gray eyes.
She must be wondering if the ring on my fingers meant Vince's honest commitment, or if this is just a show-up.

As soon as the woman twirls around to watch me from head to toe with those judgy eyes, I decide I am done and quickly say, “Excuse me.”

I take long strides away from them, and the crowd begins to gather. When I see the direction of the toilet, I decide to go in there and calm my nerves instead of leaving the party without Vince’s notice.

Why would he leave me all alone? Why was his mother staring at me with those cold eyes? Why does it feel strange and intimidating to be among everyone here?

It didn't seem like a normal party. Even though I am dressed in a green dress, I stand out from everyone else.

Even Vince’s mother was putting on a black lavender dinner gown. Virtually everyone was in black, except for me and Isabel.

What is these people’s obsession with black? I thought it was just Vince’s favorite color, but now I am beginning to see meaning into it.

This isn't normal.

This family isn't normal.

If he is here to introduce me to his godfather and his mother is here, there is a high possibility that there are other members of his family here.

My thoughts are interrupted when I hit a hard wall and am pulled upward, preventing me from falling to the ground.

“Shit!” I mutter, wondering just how many times I will have to embarrass myself tonight.

“What were you doing with him?” The familiar voice that used to give me those electrifying jolts and shivers booms into my ears, making me stare up to see his brown eyes staring intensely at me with pure rage.

“Ann, what the hell were you doing with Vincete?!” His loud voice makes me realize this isn't a dream or one of my stupid, silly imaginations.

This is indeed Ryan standing before me.