"Yes, I expected you to do so. Right now, nothing is more important than this marriage. Don't forget that all these things I'm doing are for your own good. If you don't get married to Electra, you don't get promoted. Likewise for the Cunningham family: if this marriage doesn't happen, they go bankrupt," she stated authoritatively.
As much as he would have liked to stay single, Ryker knew his mother was right, and he would love to get promoted to a senior manager, so he had no choice other than to get married to Electra Cunningham.
"Okay, I'll wrap these up and we'll be on our way."
---
A few minutes later, they were walking into the city hall. Ryker spotted a gorgeous woman dressed in full white: a white dress shirt that reached her mid-thighs, white lace-up boots, and a white purse.
Her ginger-colored wavy hair cascaded down her back and shoulders, making her look like a fairy princess. The only things missing were wings, then he would have believed she was a mystical being.
"Elle est jolie, n'est-ce pas?" Ryker hadn't realized he was checking the woman out until he heard his mother's voice, snapping him out of his thoughts.
The reason his mother got on his nerves so much was that she knew him too well. One look from him and she could understand what he was thinking, how he felt, and what he planned to say. She made him feel like a child around her.
"It doesn't matter if I think she's pretty or not. I'm here to get my marriage license with another woman anyway," he responded, facing his mother.
"What if I tell you that she is Electra Cunningham? Would you stop your whining and let this marriage happen peacefully?" Just as Ryker was about to answer, the woman turned to face them and smiled; she looked even more beautiful.
"Mrs. Fountaine-Cadel!" she called and walked towards them with a man Ryker presumed was either her assistant or her father. "Electra," his mother called, and his jaw dropped.
Maybe the marriage wouldn't be so bad after all.
He never expected Electra Cunningham to be so gorgeous. She was his perfect style in women: perfect height, perfect body, perfect face.
The closer she got, the more visible her ocean-blue eyes became, and he couldn't help but gulp at the goddess walking towards them. He could have sworn there was a spotlight placed on her, and she was walking in slow motion, making her ginger hair bounce with every step she took while choirs sang a cappella.
She was the goddess of beauty.
His body convulsed discreetly and when he reached a certain level of arousal, he wanted to escape being around her as soon as he could.
"Good morning, Mrs. Fountaine-Cadel. I hope you had a good night's rest," Electra greeted his mother. "And also, Mr. Cadel, it's so nice to finally meet you," she added, stretching her hand forward for a handshake. But Ryker didn't take it, too lost in imagining how her hand would look wrapped around his cock.
"Let's get this done and over with. I don't have all day," Ryker said, and Electra's smile faltered. "Oh," she let out.
Their parents exchanged greetings as well, and the process of getting the license issued felt longer than it actually was. Ryker was in excruciating pain from being blue-balled.
As soon as the license was issued, Ryker sprinted up and was about to leave the room but was stopped by Electra. "Do you want to get lunch with me?" she asked, and without thinking twice, he replied, "No."
"Sh-shouldn't we get to know each other before the wedding?" she stuttered, clearly intimidated by him. Batting her lashes like a porcelain doll and tugging on her lower lip with her teeth, she made him squirm. Ryker felt like ripping the clothes off her body and enjoy her into oblivion.
"I have better things to do than getting to know you," he stated coldly.
---
Electra's heart sank at Ryker's harsh words, but she maintained her composure. "Très bien, Mr. Cadel. I hope we can find time to get acquainted before the wedding," she said softly.
Ryker said nothing and stormed out of the city hall, leaving Electra standing there with a mix of confusion and disappointment. She had hoped their first meeting would go better, but it seemed Ryker had other plans.
Céline placed a hand on Electra's shoulder. "Don't worry, ma chère. He will come around. Ryker is just... difficult sometimes," she said reassuringly.
Electra nodded, forcing a smile. "I hope so, Madame Fountaine-Cadel. I really do."
As Ryker drove back to his office, his thoughts were a whirlwind of frustration and arousal. He couldn't deny his physical attraction to Electra, but the idea of marriage, especially an arranged one, was something he resented deeply. He needed to clear his mind and focus on work, but Electra's image kept intruding.
Back at Cadel Law Firm, Ryker tried to immerse himself in his cases, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Electra. He imagined her ginger hair cascading over her shoulders, her ocean-blue eyes staring up at him, and her lips parting in a soft moan. The vivid imagery only intensified his frustration.
Finally, unable to concentrate, Ryker picked up his phone and called Gloriana... a hookup girl. "I need to see you tonight," he said curtly.
"Again? You just saw me last night," Gloriana responded, slightly amused.
"Yes, again. Same place, same time," he ordered before hanging up.
That evening, Ryker met Gloriana at their usual spot, a hotel room far from the big city and prying eyes. They wasted no time, and soon Ryker was lost in the physical release he craved. But even as he pounded into Gloriana, Electra's image lingered in his mind, frustrating him further.
As he lay in bed afterward, Ryker stared at the ceiling, feeling both satisfaction and emptiness. The marriage was happening, and he had to find a way to deal with it. Maybe he could learn to tolerate her, even if he couldn't love her. And maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to make the best of the situation for both of them.