Richard's eyes didn't leave his laptop until they got to the department store.
There was no soul shopping inside the department store, because Richard wanted to change how Kristin looked before announcing to the public that she is his wife.
He wants to turn her into the classy woman everyone will believe he'd go out with. Kristin was far from being classy, it was so obvious she grew up in the poorest neighborhood in Glenwood.
Kristin kept looking at the department store, grinning. It was luxurious.
Richard shook his head, when he noticed the way she was lost looking at the department store.
A man with gray hair approached them, he owns the store and he is with a few male workers, cuz Luke strictly told him Richard hated the presence of women.
"It's an honor to see you here, Mr. Richard, my employees will be at your service" The gray hair man smiled at him.
Richard ignored him and walked away, but Kristin wasn't following him, she was still admiring the structure of the department store.
He walked back to her, and grabbed her hand unannounced, glaring at her.
Kristin looked somewhere else knowing the reason for his glare, while Luke chuckled at their drama.
In no time, the shopping for Kristin began, the best designer dresses, bags and heels were being selected out for her, and Kristin kept wishing Richard had given her the money.
The next step was her hair, her hairstyle was changed, and with the makeup applied on her face, her expensive strapless dress and heels transformed Kristin from a farmer's daughter into a classy billionaire's wife.
Luke could barely recognize her when she came out from the dressing room.
"Is this you or something else?" Luke teased, making Kristin laugh.
"Do I look beautiful?" She asked, Luke gave her a thumbs up and she grins.
"Isn't she done yet?" Richard asked, walking up to them. He was looking for Kristin unaware she was in front of him.
"She is standing in front of you," Luke said.
"Where?"
"I'm here, Mr. Grouchy" Kristin waved at him, so he'd noticed she was present in front of him, her dazzling smile lighting up the room.
Richard's eyes fell on her, and before he could realize it, the newspaper he was holding fell from him.
Richard's eyes didn't leave Kristin, she was totally different from the girl he met yesterday.
He kept looking at her, stunned by her new transformation, until Luke tapped him.
"Here's the newspaper you were reading, boss," Luke said, smiling. His smile was a bad one, cuz he knew Richard was stunned by Kristin's new look.
"You kept staring at me, do I look beautiful?" Kristin asked.
"No" He answered curtly and left without taking the newspaper from Luke.
"I'm still asking how you manage to cope with his behavior. He didn't have to be so cold" Kristin frowned.
Somehow she wished Richard had complimented her new look, the way Luke did.
After the payments were made, Luke went back to Richard's house to drop the things they got for Kristin, while Richard and Kristin left to register their marriage.
^
^
It came as shocking news to the lady in charge of the registering of marriage, but with the coldness of Richard's face, she was too scared to ask questions.
She did everything according to Richard's wishes. Rings were exchanged between Kristin and Richard.
They also did all the necessary signings and taking of pictures. These were all what Richard needed to prove to the public that he wasn't gay, and with the new transformation of Kristin, it'd be easy to believe.
He was secretly looking at her, until the lady in charge of registration announced to them.
"Congratulations, you're hereby pronounced as husband and wife"
That word stung into Kristin's heart, she is now married to Richard.
It's just a year, and after a year, all of this will be over, Kristin thought within her.
^
^
The moment Luke uploaded the news about Richard being married to Kristin, it went viral within a minute.
Lots of comments kept coming, and they were all curious on who Kristin is, since nobody in Las Vegas knows her.
"You're more like a celebrity, Richard. Everyone is eager to know about your wife. I told you the rumors about you being gay will die down if you provide solid proof. People only believe what they see, their focus now is knowing how you met Kristin, forgetting they once ridiculed you" Luke said.
Though Richard was satisfied by the turnout of events,but it wasn't shown in his face, cuz it was plain and cold as always.
"What's next?" Luke asked.
"I won't involve Peanut in any of the public's demands. I already cleared my name, so don't accept any interviews. Peanut isn't used to the spotlight, and I don't want to involve her in it"
"Whoa! You are trying to protect her, aren't you?" Luke asked, grinning.
"Do you have a death wish?" Richard asked, and Luke stopped smiling.
"Here's the information I got about Kristin, it was easy to run a background check on cuz she told me she is from Glenwood"
"I didn't ask you to do so"
"Everyone knows you're married to her, Ophelia will be determined to know more about her, you should know a few things about Kristin, so you'd be ready for her question"
"I won't be giving answers to her stupid questions, and there's no need to know about Peanut. We'd go out separate ways after a year"
"Just in case, you need it" Luke said and dropped the document on the table for Richard.
"The hotel?"
"It's back to normal"
^
^
Lewis angrily drew his glass of vodka on the ground after watching the news about Richard being married.
"It's impossible for him to get married! He hates women!" Lewis spats.
Funny fact is that Lewis isn't a rival of Richard, in fact his company isn't related to what Richard does.
His company is a movie production company.
All Lewis just wants is to see the downfall of Richard. He loathes Richard a lot, because of what happened in the past.
"The public shouldn't be believing him! There's no way he'd get married!" He spat out again.
"Hating on Richard won't do you any good" Natalie who happens to be his wife said.
She was sitting on a wheelchair cuz she is crippled, an accident cuz by Lewis.
"Did I ask for your opinion?" Lewis asked.
"All you ever did was wish for Richard's downfall! In the quest to see his downfall, I got involved in an accident that landed me on a wheelchair! What on earth did Richard do to you for you to have so much hatred for him!" Natalie shouted.
Lewis might be annoying, but isn't the kind of man to raise his hand on a woman, else a slap on the face would have shut Natalie up.
"This conflict is between Richard and I, so stay out of this! He thinks getting married will solve everything, well he just added to the burning flames, by involving a second party... Kristin!" Lewis clenched his fist, angrily.
^
^
•THE HERNANDEZ'S MANSION•
Ophelia squeezed the paperwork she was holding as she angrily watched the news on TV.
Every broadcasting station has been announcing Richard's marriage with Kristin, a woman who's identity isn't known in Las Vegas.
Ophelia angrily turned off the TV, when she could no longer listen to the news that was in Richard's favor.
She anonymously announced to the public that Richard was gay, just to ruin him, but his marriage with this unknown woman, boasted his reputation, his hotel and the numerous properties he has in Vegas.
She hated the fact that Richard was successful, despite being adopted.
Ophelia picked up her phone and quickly dialed a number.
"I have a job for you. Look into Richard's wife... Kristin"
^
^
•RICHARD'S VILLA•
Coming out from the bathroom, Richard sees Kristin sitting on the couch in the living room watching Tv. She has the ring Richard gave to her in her left finger.
Kristin was focused on the hamburgers being shown on Tv, unaware that Richard was watching her.
Richard's eyes were on her, reminiscing on how beautiful she looked when she dressed elegantly earlier.
Even until now, her beauty was sparkling like a morning sun, she was so attractive that Richard's eyes glued on her face.
He shook his head to snap out of his thought. He hates women, and he shouldn't be getting attracted to Kristin.
He loathes women, and he'd continue doing so, Kristin isn't exceptional, she is just a commoner from Glenwood, Richard thought to himself. He was going back to his room, when Kristin's voice stopped him.
"Wow, those hamburgers will be so delicious. I wish I could have one now, I haven't eaten hamburgers before cuz I live in the poorest part of Glenwood '' Kristin muttered to herself, craving for the hamburgers on Tv.
Richard ignored her and went to his room. He tried concentrating on working with his laptop, but Kristin's words kept disturbing him.
He didn't know why he was bothered by her words, but he just couldn't concentrate on working.
Richard sighed and dropped his laptop, he took his phone from the cabinet.
He turned on the TV in his room, and switched to the channel where the hamburgers were still being broadcasted.
He took a picture of the hamburger on the Tv, he sent the picture to a hamburger restaurant and called the restaurant.
"I just sent a picture of hamburger to you, prepare it exactly the way it is"
"But we can't ..."
"That's what my wife wants to eat, prepare it the way my wife wants it, or you'll be dead" Richard cut him short, dominantly.