"Are you okay, Kate Bai?" Tash asked as she walked up to her, she stared at Kate with concern and took her hand.
Kate Bai was suddenly feeling down. She wasn't feeling well at all but she had to pretend that everything was good. She was used to it. She was used to pretending.
"Yes, I'm good. Very good." Kate told her and chuckled nervously. Tash watched her for a while before nodding her head.
"Okay, in less than an hour you will be leaving with him. Are you ready?" She asked her. After Kate found out that she would be the one marrying Julian, she had called Tash immediately. Tash told her to reject the arrangement but she couldn't.
How could she say no? She was a widow and people like her rarely get remarried. The fact that Julian Wang and his family were willing to put up with her alone made her hopeful for the future.
Maybe finally she would get to have her own happy ending.
"I am ready, Tash. You don't have to worry about me. I'm good. I've got this." Kate responded, she swallowed the lump in her throat and straightened her back.
"Excuse me? I'll like to talk to my wife." Julian said, as he walked up to them.
Tash glanced at Kate and then back at Julian.
"Oh..... Yeah..... Of course." She stammered.
First time they're interacting and she was already stammering.
Kate chuckled inwardly. Her friend was already starstruck.
Julian led her away from the crowded place and led her towards the hotels parking lot.
"Are we leaving?" She asked him.
"Yes."
She was surprised that he even responded to her. She wasn't expecting him to talk.
Kate followed him obediently towards the limousine that was waiting for them. A middle aged man opened the door for them, bowing his head slightly. Kate got inside the limousine and Julian soon followed right in.
The door was closed and everywhere became calm. Julian brought out his phone from his pants pocket and scrolled through it.
She watched him silently as he went through his phone. She wished that she could read him, but how could she read the cold Julian Wang? It was impossible.
The limousine started moving, Julian was still typing away on his phone and Kate kept watching him.
"Are we going to your house?" She asked him, trying to strike up a conversation. They were married but are like strangers. It was a awkward feeling.
He stopped typing and stared at her.
"Yes, we are going to my house, wife." He retorted, she could detect the irritation in his voice. He was tired of her even though she only asked him two questions.
The rest of the drive to his home was quiet Kate didn't say any more words, she didn't want to annoy him more than she already did.
After a long drive the limousine finally stopped, Julian put back his phone inside his pants pocket as the door was pulled opened, he stepped out of the car and she quickly followed him.
Kate Bai gazed up and her mouth dropped opened, she has never seen Julian Wang house before. It looked like how paradise was described to be. The lights all over the house and swimming pool added so much beauty to the environment. Since it was late she couldn't see everything clearly.
"Are you coming or not?" He asked all of a sudden. Kate didn't even know that he was watching her.
"Sorry," she mumbled before following him.
She couldn't believe just how much she has embarrassed herself before him, she just wanted to go to bed and sleep but first of all shd have to eat something, she was so f****** hungry and not even the piece of cake she ate earlier could help her.
When they got to the front door Five servants were already lined up, waiting for them, including the butler.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Mrs Wang, I am Roberto the butler. Tell me whenever you need something and I'll get it ready for you." The man said enthusiastically.
From his accent she already guessed he was an Italian man.
"You don't mind making something for me right now, do you? I am hungry and would like to eat something light please." Kate told him.
"I will fix you something really quick, before you finish your bath and come downstairs it will be ready, Mrs Wang." He retorted sharply.
"Thank you Roberto." She said and smiled at him.
The interior of the living room was fabulous. She has never seen anything like that before. The staircases were made with pure gold, she could tell by just looking at it. Julian Wang did spend a lot of money with his villa.
When she followed Julian to be master's bedroom she had to wipe her face with the back of her palm dramatically to know if indeed she wasn't dreaming.
It was too much for her to handle.
The bedroom was as big as the living room in her father's house.
While she was busy watching and admiring the room, Julian walked inside the closet, he changed from his suit to a sweatpants and shirt before walking out again to find Kate still admiring the room.
He glanced at her for a while before turning around and walked towards the door.
"Where are you going? I thought you are about to go to bed." She said to him. Lies! She wanted to say 'i thought you are going to touch me tonight'.
"You haven't been my wife for 15 hours but you have already be putting your nose to where it wasn't needed, to be frank with you I hate when people insert themselves into what doesn't concern them especially in my business, stay in your lane as a substitute bride which you are and that is the only thing you will ever be, so respect yourself, Kate Bai." The longest words he ever said to her came out misogynistic and rude.
You are wrong Julian, Bai was no longer her name, her name is Kate Wang now and she planned to keep it that way forever, she would do whatever it takes to keep it that way and nothing was going to stop her.