The one operating the vehicle looked at us, I had the clothes that caught others eyes quickly, and people immediately knew that they're branded. When I sided with Sebastian, the man I proposed to, our clothes totally looked out of the place.
Sebastian.
This man, without further words, sat beside me. My pulse is quickening. I just proposed a marriage, not that I care who I marry, it just happened so quickly. As the high chemical emotions died down my brain started thinking. But still, since I made the choice based on logic and as a back up plan, with a man who says, he doesn't betray, though that sounds weird. This is what I'm going to do for now.
Then I looked at him and said, "You can still back out"
He looked at me slowly directly into my eyes and smiled, "I never back down or break promises. My friend likes to see me with a partner, he gave me this offer, if I come home with my partner, he would let that home be our home."
I chuckled lightly, nice way to put it I thought.
The marriage register office is filled with couples, probably like us too. We walked to the counter, the lady without even giving us a grace for a glance asked for our names.
"Name?".
"Sienna... Vane,"
"And you?" She didn't look up. "Sebastian," he said. "Cross."
"ID?" She asked in impatience.
Great I thought, when I checked in my pockets there is no id, I must have missed it.
"I... I don't have it," . "I left it at the office."
'Rejected' without ID, and license, it doesn't work. Next!" She didn't bother for explanations and called out for the next one.
I definitely shouldn't be missing an ID right now, before I try to talk something, Sebastian said "I'll handle this"
He took out a card from his worn out pocket and leaned forward, "Check the card and the override code over there"
The clerk looked bored and frowned but as soon as she glanced at it, her eyes went wide, her attitude changed, "Mr. Cross? I didn't recognize you. I'll complete the procedure for you, right away.
"Do you know each other?".
Sebastian shrugged lightly, "I'm a mechanic remember? An useful at that, I helped her once, she owes me one."
My exhausted brain refused to process the logic. Life isn't a series for me to marry a secret billionaire. Just as he said, he is an useful mechanic, that is how it is. Whatever I'll think later.
The process took the lightning speed, then the clerk's voice came.
"Rings?"
"I paid for this ring, as I said about my buddy,, so I'm carrying one, this ring I bought."
He took my hand, and the ring was on my finger, and it fit well, and perfectly.
"With this ring," he said, voice suddenly slow and gentle. "I thee wed."
I looked at his handsome face, and the ring, then I replied,
"I do,".
"I do," he repeated.
We walked out as Mr. and Mrs. Cross. The weather cleared, no more rain.
"Well, Mrs. Cross," Sebastian said, lighting up. "Done deal."
"We are, Mr. Vane," I said looking at him, and lighting up the one he passed to me.
He paused, the lighter still in his hand,
"Mr. Vane?" he echoed, his voice filled with amusement.
I deliberately attached my surname to his name.
"I'm taking your name, you're taking my name. I'm a Cross now. You're a Vane now. Does that sound scary to you?"
Sebastian, this man I proposed to, didn't get offended, while looking deep into my eyes, he said smoothly,
"Not even a little bit," completely unbothered. "Lead the way, wife."
Good, I thought, I needed flexibility. I needed someone who operated in the grey areas.
Sebastian stopped. "By the way who is this uncle of yours?"
"Vane," I said. "Marcus Vane.
Marcus Vane? His face filled with questions.
"Was, I fired him. Why? Do you know him?"
Sebastian's face gleamed with the hatred name.
"I know a little, but I hate him."
"That's great then, so be it." I said.
"Now we need to go home, let us go,"
"House?" I raised a brow. "Remember I'm currently searching for one too?"
He smirked. "Not quite. A buddy of mine... he's in Europe. Asked me to house-sit. It's not a palace, but it's dry. And as I told you, if I come unannounced with a wife, I can call his home officially our home."
House-sitting, that's quite something.
"Hot water?" I asked, though I don't mind.
"I can promise that."
He stepped to the curb and raised a hand. A sleek black sedan—not a yellow cab, but a town car with tinted windows—glided over.
I frowned. "We can't afford an Uber Black, Sebastian."
"It's... the owner's car," he said quickly. "Part of the gig. Gotta keep the battery charged."
He opened the door. The inside smelled like expensive leather and cedar.
I slid in. My god. Better than Marcus's limo.
Sebastian got in. Tapped the glass. "Drive."
"Where to, s—" the driver started.
Sebastian shot him a look that could freeze helium. "The apartment. The small one. In Brooklyn."
The driver tried to speak.
"Just drive," Sebastian replied fast.
I looked at him. "Bossy for a house-sitter."
He leaned back, closing his eyes. "I take the job seriously, Sienna."
As the car rolled into the night, I twisted the ring on my finger.
Married. Homeless. Free.
I wanted to crash Marcus's dinner, shove this ring right in his purple face. But we were both soaked rats. Pneumonia wasn't on the agenda.
But glancing at Sebastian's profile in the passing streetlights, I got a weird feeling.
My new husband was lying about something.