Chapter 9

The 26th arrives sooner than I expected. 

So here I am, in the courthouse, in a white lace dress, all alone, rocking back and forth on my heels, tossing my bouquet from one hand to the other. 

"Why aren't they here yet?" Fiona whispers to me. 

I shrug. 

"I swear if they ditched you, we're getting on the next flight to Vegas."

I hold a finger up. 

"I do not object to that decision. At all."

"Are you sure the date is today?" The official asks me after one hour, not including the 40 minutes I had waited before that. 

"Yes, I'm sure." He looks skeptical, but doesn't question me further. 

"Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Come on Char, we're going." 

I grin at her, despite the weight in my chest. I don't know why my heart feels so heavy, I should be happy that I'm not getting married. Maybe it's just the feeling of not being enough weighing me down. 

I throw my bouquet in a nearby trashcan outside the courthouse and loosen my hair from its updo. 

"That's right girl. Get ready to get wild in Vegas."

I suddenly bump into someone and apologize, before realizing I bumped into Sebastian Crosswalk. 

He looks angry. Furious even. Suddenly, I've had enough of it. 

I find Anthony right behind him, in a no better mood than Sebastian. 

"Anthony, you don't have to do this to him. Look how angry he is all the time." 

Anthony steps closer and closer till he's toe to toe with me. I have to crane my neck to see his face. 

"You don't tell me what to do young lady. I know what I have to do for my son. You are not his mother, so don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do."

I take a step back from him and look at the both of them. Same jaws, same brown eyes, just in different shades. Anthony's facial features are harder and sharper whereas Sebastian's features are more on the soft side. He must take after his mother in that department. 

"Let's go." Surprisingly, it's Sebastian who says this. 

"Are you sure you have to do this Char?" Fiona whispers into my ear. 

I give her a small smile. 

"I can't get out of this any more than he can."

Both father and son whip their heads in my direction. Was I that loud? 

"Geez, Charlotte, could you be any louder?" Fiona laughs at my side and my cheeks heat up, but I don't apologize. I don't feel the need to. 

The official looks at me, then looks at Anthony and Sebastian with pursed lips. Sebastian is dressed too casually in jeans and a baby blue button up shirt, whereas Anthony is dressed in a three piece suit. I don't think I've ever seen him in anything else. 

"Which one of you is the groom?" The official asks, making me blush and both the men scowl. Anthony urges Sebastian forward, making him stand right beside me. 

After about an hour, me and Sebastian are officially husband and wife. At least, on paper. 

The four of us celebrate by going to a restaurant for lunch. Much to his dismay, Sebastian is made to sit beside me. Anthony's phone rings while I'm in the middle of eating my lobster bisque. 

I assumed he would ignore it, but he answers and I hear my father's voice on the other end. 

"Anthony, Sebastian, congratulations are in order." My father decides to pretend I'm not there, which I'm pretty much used to. Nothing new about that. Nope. Nothing at all. I mean it hurts a little, but really, it's no big deal.  

I clean the plate and get a toffee pudding for desert. Fiona groans and I turn to look at her.

"Where do you fit all that?"

"I guess it goes here." I discretely point to my breasts. 

"Ugh. Your boobs are amazing. I'd totally do you if I were a guy."

I giggle at that. "You're such a pervert Fiona." 

She shrugs and sips her milkshake. Meanwhile, the waiter delivers my toffee pudding. 

It looks mouthwatering. I stare at my pudding in anticipation and catch Sebastian staring at me. 

I blink at him. "What?"

He shakes his head in a mixture of disgust and dismay. 

"Are you not done yet?"

"I've been waiting for this pudding. You guys can go ahead." I rub my hands on my thighs and pick up my fork. 

I hear a scoff. Anthony stares at me blankly and excuses himself to take another phone call, so I know it didn't come from him. Sebastian, on the other hand, has his lip curled upwards. 

"Who will pick up the bill? You?" He looks at me in disbelief and shakes his head. 

"Yes. I thought that was the plan?"

"I think I'll be in debt after feeding you." 

My cheeks flush hot with embarrassment. 

"Hey!" Fiona exclaims angrily. 

"You don't need to feed her. She's capable of doing it herself." Fiona says in my defense. 

"Can she even afford it without her Daddy's money?"

I open my mouth to tell him I'm right there, but Anthony cuts me to it. 

"Yes, Sebastian, she can most definitely afford it. She doesn't need your money, or my money, or her Father's money. She's Charlotte Daymond, a businesswoman, not Adeline Ruthfield, world class hoe."

I'm too surprised to register Sebastian's face turning red. I look at Anthony and find him glaring at Sebastian. The stare off is too intense, because neither of them relents. I clear my throat and say, "I'm done. Let's go."

Sebastian is the one who turns to me. 

"It's about time."

The waiter comes out with the receipt and I slip my black Amex card into it, leaving a twenty dollar tip for the waiter in cash. 

We leave after I stash my credit card back into my pocket. 

Apparently, I have to go in the same car as Anthony and Sebastian, but Franco is already there, since I assumed I would be going with him. 

I kiss Fiona's cheek and tell her to go with Franco. 

"Call me whenever, and wherever you need. I'll always be there." Her words cause my eyes to burn and I can only nod at her. 

"You bet your ass I will."

I get in the backseat of their black SUV, with Sebastian sitting beside me. 

I slap my hands on my thighs. 

"So your place or mine?" I grin when I see mild surprise on his face. 

"I mean I'll need to pack my things." I correct. 

"It's already done." Anthony says from the passenger seat. 

"What? How?"

"Your father had it arranged." I slump back in my seat. Typical of Charles Daymond. Doing everything without considering the other person's feelings. 

"Oh." It comes out more dejected than I had wanted it to.