The CEO’ s second choice novel Chapter 13

　　Elena

　　Was this the woman Sebastian was supposedly in love with? It would make sense since he keeps on going back to her. I walk down the stairs, feeling drained and despondent; couldn’t this darn wedding reception be over by now? Scanning the crowd for Mirabelle, I find her chatting to another couple. I walk over to her, and motion for her from the side until I manage to get her attention.

　　She smiles politely at the couple, then excuses herself before walking over to me. “Elena, darling, is something the matter?” She asks me and I nod, “It has been a long day, mother and it is 8 pm already. Can we please toss the bouquet and call the celebration to a close? I am exhausted.” I say and wait for her to reprimand me and tell me I am a Dumont now and have to accept the social standing that comes with it.

　　But it never came, Mirabelle just beams at me and nods her head, “Of course, love. I understand completely. Let me just find Spencer and Sebastian and inform them.” She says lightly as she pats my hand before disappearing into the crowd.

　　This woman was a god sent. If anything good came from this marriage, it was my budding relationship with Mirabelle.

　　Fifteen minutes later, Mirabelle calls for everyone’s attention by tapping her champagne flute. “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. As the wedding of Sebastian and Elena draws to a close, the time has come for the bride to toss the bouquet!” Mirabelle exclaims, to the excitement of the other ladies.

　　The smile drops from my face when I see Sebastian walking up to me. Mirabelle sees him and a sly grin flashes on her face, “Let us not forget about the garter!”

　　I am screaming internally right now while smiling and wishing Mirabelle a slow death. I did not want Sebastian’s hands on me after seeing where they were earlier. Why was she always trying so hard to get us together? I cannot stand the man!

　　The single women all line up behind me, “Ready?” I call, and a murmur of excitement ripples through the crowd. I fling the bouquet behind me and hear the women scrambling. Turning around with a smile, my eyes fell on the woman who caught it.

　　It was the blonde Sebastian had on her knees, and she flashed me a knowing smirk. My smile was a thin line, and I turned around, ready to leave. I was done with this evening, heck I was done with this damn marriage.

　　But I feel a pair of arms around my waist; Sebastian pulls me close to him and I smell the bourbon on his breath again. Was he drunk?

　　“Not so fast, petite pâquerette, the people want a show.” He whispers in my ear, and a wave of nausea crashes over me.

　　“Stop calling me that,” I say through gritted teeth, maintaining the smile on my face and gently pushing away from him. This man truly disgusted me. How Eliana kept up the pretence for so long, I would never know.

　　I could tell that my words did nothing to him, but he goes down on his knees in front of me, anyway. The crowd heckles him as he takes my foot, slips off my heel and places my foot on his knee. He grazes my inner thigh and I freeze up, flashing him a glare. This only causes him to chuckle as he pushes my dress up, showing everyone the garter on my upper thigh.

　　“Please get this over with, Sebastian,” I tell him through a forced smile, but all he does is wink at me and lower his head towards my garter.

　　HE WAS GOING TO REMOVE IT WITH HIS TEETH.

　　This could not be happening and right in front of everyone. RIGHT IN FRONT OF MIRABELLE. My eyes search for my mother-in-law, but I see that she’s one of the hecklers and roll my eyes at the excitement in her eyes. Thanks a lot, mom.

　　Sebastian grips the garter with his teeth, lightly grazing my skin with his teeth, and starts pulling it down slowly. It felt like hours, but he eventually pulled it all the way down and slipped my heel back on.

　　What game was this man playing? After seeing him in a very compromising position earlier, I realize that his touch makes my skin crawl.

　　He tosses the garter into the waiting bachelor crowd and a man I did not know caught it.

　　After a few more congratulatory pats and conversations, I bid goodnight to my parents and in-laws, then we left Dumont Hall. Sebastian holds the limousine door open for me and I clamber in, not looking at him. I don’t think I would ever see him in a different light after tonight. It was only day one of the next 5 years together and I already felt drained.

　　Sebastian gets in next to me, and then we are off.

　　The drive to his villa in Kensington was quiet and awkward. It finally hit me that I was now married to this man sitting next to me, a man I tried to ignore for the last three years after he had insulted my body type. Yeah, I didn’t have a waif built like my sister, but I wasn’t chubby or podgy as he called me. I had curves, my boobs were slightly too big for my body type and had to squeeze into jeans, but I was a decent size and happy.

　　This silence was starting to drive me crazy. How long could the drive to Kensington possibly be??

　　I feel Sebastian’s eyes on me as I stare out of the window and a blush creeps onto my cheeks. “Elena, I apologize for what you walked in on this evening.” He says, and I feel a burning in my chest that could only be described as anger.

　　“So I am not allowed to say goodbye to the man I love, but you get to have sex with any woman of your choosing?” I start, “Double standards, Sebastian.”

　　“I’m trying to apologize here, Elena.”

　　“Screw your apology. You clearly have zero respect for me as a person, to sleep with someone while our wedding was still in full swing downstairs? I know I mean little to you, Sebastian, but you could have spared me the disrespect.” I exclaim and realize to my horror that I was crying.

　　My supposed husband regards me with surprise at my outburst. Yeah, he was definitely not used to any woman talking back to him. Well, he’s going to be in for a treat the next 5 years then.

　　This seems to silence him, and he takes a defensive stance, then nods. “Understood.”

　　I resume my staring out the window and sigh. This hurt me more than I cared to admit. Not the act itself, but the insult. Sebastian really had zero respect for me as a person, and it honestly hurt me to my core. A tear slips down my cheek and I quickly move to wipe it away. This was definitely not how I pictured my wedding day to go, and now I would spend my wedding night wallowing.

　　A few minutes later, we stopped in front of tall wrought-iron gates. Sebastian takes out his cellphone, taps a few numbers and the gate opens. He looks towards me, “Only the two of us can open these gates with our cell phones. I have texted you the number to call when you want to get into our estate.” He explains.

　　Our estate. Wow.

　　As we enter the estate, I am blown away by what I see. The Wiltshire Estate was beautiful, but this was something else. Knee height boxwood hedges held in sweeping gardens on either side of a gorgeous moderately sized villa set in a French Provincial design. The villa wasn’t too big and I actually think I am in love with it.

　　“Wow…” I whisper, taking in the beauty of the home. “I’m glad you like it.” Sebastian remarks next to me, and I look at him, intending to respond with a witty remark, but I’m taken aback at the shame I see in his eyes. Swallowing my reply, I look away from him before I forgive him for hurting me.

　　The limousine comes to an abrupt stop, and the chauffeur gets out of the car. He opens the door for me, and I marvel at the beautiful exterior yet again.

　　The front door opens, and a butler steps out to welcome us home, congratulating us both as he does so. I was about to respond to him when suddenly I was swept off my feet!

　　No literally, I am swept off my feet, Sebastian had picked me up. I put my arms around his neck unconsciously and looked at him wide-eyed and confused. “Sebastian…?” I ask incredulously.

　　He looks straight ahead, “Carrying you over the threshold.” was all he said before setting me down once we were inside. If I thought the outside looked beautiful, it was nothing compared to the inside of the villa. There was a broad staircase to the left of the foyer, which opened up into a beautiful living room. They set the colour scheme in natural warm tones, feeling gorgeously homey. Sebastian spared no expense when it came to interior decorating; everything took my breath away.

　　I would have to take a tour tomorrow, for now, I am exhausted.

　　“You have a beautiful home, Sebastian,” I tell him honestly, then look at him. He had pride written all over his face, which was understandable, this was his home.

　　“Thank you. When I saw it, I knew I had to have it.” He says and I roll my eyes at him, “How very CEO of you,” I remark and hear him chuckle.

　　Then I frown, “I don’t understand though, Eliana hated anything in Provincial interior design. She was more of a post-modern type. So why buy it if you knew your wife-to-be wouldn’t like it?” I suddenly ask, confused. My sister hated what she called ‘old-timeydesign’ and preferred the stark contrasts of post-modern interior decorating. She wanted a home designed in bursts of colour, not the warm tones displayed here.

　　Sebastian shrugs, “I bought this home for me, Elena. I bought a mansion for Eliana and me to live in when we were to get married but sold it last month. She has never been here.” He says then walks towards the staircase, “Now if you don’t mind, I will be going to bed. Ilse will show you to your room.” He says and then proceeds to walk up the stairs, but then stops when he gets halfway. “Oh, and Elena, never mention your sister’s name in my presence again.”

　　“What an arsehole,” I whisper as I watch him disappear up the stairs.