Re-edit as I realised I unknowingly changed the POV from 3rd to 1st
Exactly what I was thinking."
Mina stared at the man like he had grown three heads.
"I was joking," she explained.
"I know," he said with a smile. "I was not."
She opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to even form any words. The man chuckled.
"I understand that this is something sudden and unexpected."
"You think?" Mina exclaimed. "You are meant to be marrying someone else and I'm..."
"You're what? Marrying a man that only wants you for what he can get from you. As for me, I do not love the woman I was to marry. It was an arranged marriage. My grandmother had set it up," he explained.
"Your grandmother?" she asked, he nodded.
"Yes! my grandmother is Elle Danvers,"
The wheels in Mina's brain started working overtime.
"Elle Danvers? The owner of the largest hospital chain in the city?"
He nodded.
"Yes. I am currently her second in command and she is planning to retire soon. I will inherit the business once she does, but she wants me to get married before she leaves it to me. Partly because she said she wants grandchildren to spoil in her retirement."
Mina nodded. She could understand that but she was still confused as to why he would ask her.
"You've only just met me. You know nothing about me. For all you know I could be a gold digger, who just so conveniently happened to be jilted on the same day you are."
He looked like he was thinking that over, then the other man came in. He handed him an envelope and then left after a slight bow.
"Thank you, Daniel."
She stared at the envelope curiously.
"Because of my position, I have to be careful about who I am with and where I go. When I decided to have an arranged marriage I did a background on the woman chosen. Once I was satisfied I also checked who else was getting married here on the same day.
It turns out only your wedding was scheduled. So, to check that there wouldn't be any problems I had a background check done on you and your fiance."
Mina didn't know if she should feel violated or not as he handed her the envelope with what she was assuming was her information.
"I've had issues with people trying to get to me by being accidentally at the same place as me at the same time," he did air quotes when he said the word accidentally.
Mina nodded thinking that made sense, after all his family was very wealthy and successful. In high school, Mina had similar issues with fake friends and boyfriends.
"I know your family has a very successful chain of hotels all over the country. I also know that you were managing one of them here before you left. You are currently unemployed but your fiance is a manager of his family's small cosmetic company. His family are not as successful as yours or mine but they do well enough.
Obviously, both of our weddings have fallen through. My bride would rather sleep off a hangover than be here and yours would rather be with another woman."
Mina flinched a little at his last statement. She looked down at the engagement ring and sighed. His hand gripped hers, stopping her from looking at it.
"I'm sorry if my words hurt you, that was not my intention. How about this. We get married here today and stay married for let's say one year, if, at the end of that year, neither of us are happy with where we are then we can part ways amicably.
I will compensate you if that is to happen of course.…."
She shook her head at him, causing him to stop talking.
"I won't need to be compensated."
"Does that mean you agree?" he asked.
Mina stood up and paced, thinking it over. Then her phone buzzed again with another message and that quickly made up her mind.
'Sorry. Got held up. Ask them if they can do it again on another date.'
She turned to him and took a deep breath.
"I accept!"
He smiled before standing up.
"Can we keep this between us and your grandmother just for the time being? I think my ex will make a problem for us if he knows about this."
"He can try," he said. "My name is Aiden Danvers," only now was he introducing himself properly. She shook his pre-offered hand with a shy smile on her face.
"Amina Logan, but everyone calls me Mina."
As they shook hands the door opened and Daniel stepped through.
"It's time sir," he said before leaving again.
Aiden looked at her expectantly and held out his arm.
"Shall we?" he said with a smile.
With a smile of her own and a few butterflies in her stomach, she took hold of his arm and they walked out of the room.