My Husband Is A Stranger

Chapter Nine - Married

Clara sat patiently inside the stranger's car. She didn't have time to check what brand of car it was since she was preoccupied with the occurring issues in her life, although it's her habit to check numerous brands often.

She wanted to pay for the paperwork, but that stranger seemed to be more stubborn than her to accept it.

A genuine smile was forming on her lips as she felt her tears streaming down to her cheeks again, she couldn’t help but be happy at what just happened a while ago.

She couldn’t believe someone accepted her, she flinched when she heard the door on the other side open as the stranger sat on the driver’s seat, she secretly wiped her tears away before focusing her gaze on the front.

Clara whiffed the scent of sweet vanilla, she didn’t know that there are males that use vanilla scents. Usually, girls were the ones using it because it’s strong enough to attract some attention. She smiled because he smells so nice and he even looked intimidating because of his decent formal attire.

“Yes, would you just do what I told you to do? Enough questions and just bring my judge there,” he hissed before tapping his phone and buckling his seat belts.

“Sorry, my people are just much worse than taking care of chickens from the farm,” he sighed before looking at Clara. He still didn’t know the name of this beautiful young woman.

“Oh before we both forgot, I’m Tristan Jay Zaveri, just Tristan or Jay for short, you can call me TJ too,” he smiled while handing over his hands to Clara.

Clara nodded before shaking his hands, “I’m Clara Crayford Crest, pleased to meet you, Tristan,” she beamed before letting go of his hands.

Tristan was in a daze for a moment because he had never felt such soft hands. He shook his head before smiling.

“Whew, imagine getting married without us both knowing our names,” he tries to ease the air, so Clara just giggled.

“How old are you? Let’s at least get to know the basics while we’re at it,” Tristan suggested while starting the engine of his car.

Clara was confused because why do they have to get to know each other if she knew that after all this, they have to divorce one another? 

She just shrugged at the thought, it’s still too soon to think about it, “I’m 20, how about you?”

“Woah really? I’m four years older than you, I’m 24,” Tristan smiled, so Clara reflected on it for a moment. It’s better than the difference between the middle ’40s and 20.

Clara felt relieved because it’s easy to talk to this stranger, she didn’t feel awkward even for one minute despite the fact that they just met each other.

“So, what problem have you got yourself into? Are you still going to wear that ring? That’s the engagement ring thingy right?” Tristan gazed at her fingers, so she gasped and stared at her hand.

She closed her eyes in embarrassment because she couldn’t believe that she forgot to take it off despite everything that had happened. Clara immediately took it off before bitterly staring at that expensive-looking ring.

The stars were shining brightly today and it’s the same as what this ring does right now, it’s like it's waving her goodbye.

“I was shocked that I got engaged to an old man without my permission, it’s my aunt’s decision because she wanted to have her hands on some business that old man was selling and decided to sell me off since she found me,” she sighed before gently pushing the buttons to open the windows of Tristan’s car.

“I experienced a lot of trouble escaping that manor, I’m just glad that I’m out of there, I just hope they won’t find me,” Clara hopefully whispered, so Tristan wondered for a moment.

“D-Do you mind if I just throw it off here?” Clara politely asked, so Tristan just chuckled at her statement.

“You want to throw off a very expensive diamond ring on the road?” Tristan amusingly asked, so Clara just shrugged.

“Nothing even diamonds worth my freedom right now,” Clara directly answered, so Tristan secretly smiled.

“Do as you please,” he smirked before staring one last time at that ring that Clara was holding, he knew that only Klaus Ferdinand had that kind of business not just on the upper, but the underground too.

Tristan also heard about Klaus finding a young virgin and single wife in exchange for an underground business, so this woman was a victim of it, huh? He thought.

‘Bunch of assholes,’ he cursed on his mind as he stepped on the pedals after Clara threw it off the windows.

It was quiet after Clara did that gesture and they both stared at the outside of the windows after they noticed that they’ve arrived at their destination.

Tristan initially got out of his car and adjusted his coat before walking around to open Clara's door that she was preparing to open.

“O-Oh thank you, Tristan,” Clara sweetly smiled before she stepped out of the car, which caught Tristan off guard, it was a massive blow to his well-being.

“My pleasure, shall we get married?” he invited, so Clara just blushed before nodding as they went inside.

Clara’s eyes roamed around the city hall, there’s no people around but after they went inside, there’s a big man on the corner holding a black suitcase. He looked like he’s patiently waiting for someone while there’s three men in decent formal suits wearing masks.

She thought that they looked like secret agents that wanted to be the witnesses of their paper marriage, but that’s absurd, right? She thought.

“Is everything prepared?” Tristan suddenly stepped farther away from Clara, his booming voice was enough to capture the attention of those four people looking at them intently.

“Yes Mr. Zaveri, you both just have to sign and then you’re both married by law and paper,” the man greeted him as he handed him over some papers. He’s probably the judge.

Tristan gestured his hand to Clara to come closer for her to read the paper, “Clara Crest Zaveri, much better than Ferdinand, don’t you think?” Tristan winked at her before he signed the papers without hesitations.

“A-Are you sure that you’re accepting me as your bride?” Clara worriedly asked, which made Tristan stop.

An amused grin formed on his lips before looking at her, “It’s a shame that you’re still hesitating when you’re the one who proposed for this, I thought you’re not going to break my heart?” he raised his eyebrows, so Clara bit her lower lip.

“I-I just thought that you were too nice for me to trouble you for this,” Clara sighed, so Tristan immediately got what she meant.

“I don’t care about what’s going to happen next after this, I’ve never been so sure about signing a contract before,” Tristan reassured Clara, so she just gave him a small smile before nodding as she decided to look for a pen.

“Here, ma’am,” a slightly gruff voice offered her a pen, Clara glanced at that man on her side before accepting that pen.

“T-Thank you,” Clara sincerely thanked that man who immediately lined up with those two other men in a strange suit and mask. She gazed at Tristan, who was still signing numerous papers. She's wondering if Tristan knows these three men beside them.

“By the way, you’re also getting tied to me right now, you mentioned your freedom a while ago and by signing this, that does not mean you’re free yet, right?” Tristan remarked after signing the paperwork.

Clara flinched after signing her share of the paperwork, “It's different from you, you wouldn't ask me to do something I wouldn't like, right?” she c****d her head at Tristan, who was staring at her strangely.

“From all the things you’ll ask of me, I don’t think I could promise you that one thing,” Tristan firmly stated while stealing the papers from her hands.

Clara was bewildered at what she heard, but she just snapped back to reality after she saw Tristan handing those papers to the judge while giving him some reminders.

The judge went to see Clara before holding out his hands to her, “Congratulations on your marriage,” he greeted formally with a smile.

Clara was about to hold it when Tristan held his hands first and gripped them, “Thank you judge, but you may now leave,” he smiled, but there’s a hint of firmness in his tone.

The judge immediately grasped what Tristan Jay Zaveri was getting at on his hold, nodding nervously, he walked away for those newly wedded couples to celebrate.

Tristan then looked at her before smiling, “Now you’re officially a Zaveri,” he beamed at Clara, so she just blushed before nodding.

“T-Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this means to me,” Clara expressed her gratitude, and she appeared to be about to cry when Tristan intervened.

“Don’t cry please, I want you to be happy in our marriage today, and oh before I forget,” Tristan comforted her before turning at those three men that are still standing firmly on the corner. They’ve been silent ever since they’ve arrived.

“Leviticus, where is it?” Tristan changed his tone, but no one answered him. Clara wondered for a moment when those two on the sides slapped the head of the man standing in the center.

“Ugh! Why did you do that Julian! Do you know how long I took to fix my hair a while ago to make myself look presentable?! Well even without fixing myself, I look presentable enough as it is,” Clara heard that gruff voice confidently say while fixing his coat.

“Dude, shut up, we all know I’m more handsome than you, but our boss is calling you,” one of them whispered, so the other one just nodded his head.

“Oh is he calling me already? My apologies, I’m just so busy thinking about how many ladies are missing my very cool outfit today,” his two companions just grunted at what he said.

“Such a shame that this beauty is being kept in here,” the young man continued talking while brushing off some invisible dirt in his coat.

“Leviticus! Get your ass here this instant!” Tristan’s voice boomed all over the place, which surprised everyone, even Clara.

She didn’t know that Tristan could even shout at someone like that, he looks like he’s not the type to do that, she thought.

“I’ll attend your funeral, don’t worry,” one of them said casually.

“B-Bossing! Sorry to keep you waiting,” Raven Leviticus nervously laughed before sprinting towards their boss’s side and offered the red velvet box.

“Here’s the very expensive diamond that you picked yourself from the mining before bossing, like what you ordered a while ago, it was immediately formed into a ring with your request,” Raven Leviticus explained, so Clare tilted her head for a moment.

Tristan glared at him and harshly took the box to his hands, his aura changed after he glanced back at Clara.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I bought wedding rings for formality,” Tristan beamed while wearing it to Clara’s index finger.

“O-Oh you shouldn’t have, but thank you,” Clara sincerely thanked him, “Does this also mean, this is your first gift to me as your wife?” She inquired gently, her gaze fixed on the diamond ring her husband had given her.

It shone so much brighter than what she had previously received from that old geezer to whom she had been sold. Its structures we’re more defined and it’s made perfectly for her finger.

Tristan thought about what she said before smiling, “Wife...hm, that sounds wonderful,” he didn’t know that he could smile like that up until today.

Clara and Tristan continued talking with each other while those three men that were watching them were wondering.

“Didn't the boss say he just met that woman today?” Julian Luke asked before wiping his sweat with a hanky.

“I don’t know man, but all I know is that I’m very handsome today, you should take me some pictures quick,” Raven Leviticus offered Julian his phone, but he just glared at him.

“Dude for real, stop for a moment and look, isn’t it weird? Boss seemed to look so happy although he just had his heartbroken yesterday,” Julian asked before glancing at their other friend, “Isn’t that right Gen?”

Both of them looked at the quiet one in their group, but he didn’t answer them as he kept grunting like he’s controlling his emotions.

“Why do we have to dress like this? It’s awful and tiring,” Genesis Craig finally blurted out while loosening his necktie, he was getting pissed off with what he was wearing.

“Why do you mean awful and tiring?! Of course, we need to flaunt our handsomeness around the world! What would happen to the ladies if we didn’t?!” Raven Leviticus exclaimed, so he just sighed before slumping on the corner.

“Raven Leviticus, Julian Luke, and Genesis Craig are you testing my patience?” those three flinched before looking at the main doors of the city hall.

Tristan was there standing firmly like he was ready to pull out some gun in his pockets, they noticed that his wife was already inside the car. They immediately sprinted out before saluting to their boss.

“S-Sorry bossing! You know every handsome being needs to be late sometimes,” Raven commented, so Tristan just glared at them.

“One more word, Leviticus, I’m telling you,” he warned before entering the car where his wife was waiting patiently.

To be continued…