Secrets of a Billionaire

Chapter 11

Mark’s POV

Mother and Donny decide to join us for the impromptu “pre-wedding meeting” that grandfather has demanded I attend. And it looks as if the invitation had been sent to a couple other key players, such as my cousin Elliott, my best man Robert, and my soon to be ex fiancee Corina.

We all head over to the church where the evening ceremony was to take place just before the photo shoot was scheduled, to find everyone waiting for us.

Corina is dressed in a white lacy wedding gown that somehow manages to look cheap and trashy, despite the bill for $3200 I paid for it. I gave her a modest budget of $25,000 for the wedding, and she had managed to spend every single penny and demand more. She had whined constantly about how cheap I was being and asking for more.

“Couldn’t you ask your mother to help?” Corina had tried to convince me. “This is our big day, and you’re her only son! I bet if you only ask, she has money tucked away somewhere earmarked for your wedding.”

How am I supposed to convince her that I’m basically an average dude if I’m throwing money around left and right on something that’s ultimately just a one day party? Besides, traditionally, isn’t it supposed to be the brides family that pays for the wedding? I came up with a little more though, when she said we couldn’t afford the drinks without a larger budget.

I thank god now that I have a much better wife than the big spending bimbo I nearly ended up with!

“Mark, you’re finally here!” Corina exclaims, running up to me and giving me a kiss on the lips before I can manage to shove her away. Then she notices Amanda standing slightly behind me, still in her thrift shop wedding dress, which looks far classier than her own expensive new one does. A suspicious look crosses her face. “Who is this?”

“Let’s go to a private room, shall we?” Grandfather suggests, and we all follow him, my uncle Elliott, and my cousin Elliott to whatever private meeting room they’ve managed to arrange in this place. I’m glad I already have an idea what this is all about, otherwise I would find this all very confusing.

“I agree, let’s talk in private!” Mother adds, having just entered the church as well as Donny.

“This doesn’t concern you, or your…friends,” grandfather says to mother and giving the stink eye to Donny and Amanda. We all just ignore him and mother continues to follow along like she’s deaf to anything the elder Elliot has to say. I can tell that grandfather isn’t very pleased. Apparently those two have never gotten along, although I’ve never heard a satisfactory explanation for why.

We all head into what looks like a medium sized conference room or church classroom of sorts, and people begin to take their seats at a rectangular folding table surrounded by folding metal chairs. But I decide to remain standing at first.

“One moment,” I say, addressing mainly Corina. The entire room will just have to be a witness to this unsavory scene, I suppose. I turn towards my ex bride to be and my ex best friend. “Corina. Robert. I just want to say… uh… last evening I went by the house. I know what you did, and you are both dead to me!”

“What?” Corina gasps, her hand covering her mouth in shock. Only I would swear that she actually looks happy. Robert looks confused.

“This wedding is off. I will not be marrying Corina Davenport today,” I continue without mercy. “In fact, I cannot marry Corina at all because of what’s on this document!”

I grab the document from my vest pocket and hand it to Grandfather, who opens it up and takes a look.

“This is an eviction notice,” he informs me, an unamused look on his face. He hands it back to me

“Whoops!” I exclaim, then grab the other document from my pocket and exchange it, then hand the eviction notice to Corina. “This one is for you, actually. You have 30 days to move from the rental house, or you will incur some huge fines.”

Corina slaps me hard across the face.

“You’re nothing but a CHEAP JERK, Marcus Reynolds!” She shouts at me. “And you’ve got a teeny tiny d**k. I’m glad now that someone paid me $100,000 to sleep with your best friend last night!”

And Corina stormed out of here, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake.

“Gee, cousin,” I say, turning towards the younger Elliot Reynolds. “I wonder who might have told my former fiancee my real name, and paid her to sleep with Rob?”

“It wasn’t me!” Cousin Elliot claims, but I’m guessing he does know who did based on the very smug look on his face. He’s obviously very happy about this turn of events, and thinks I’ll be out of the will now.

Robert, who was looking confused, suddenly spoke up. “I think I was set up! I remember going to your house yesterday because Corina claimed she had something you’d need for today, and she gave me a drink and wanted to toast to your health. I don’t recall what happened after that! But wait, isn’t your last name Shipton?”

“I was sent a video of you and Miss Davenport making out last night,” grandfather claims, handing his phone over to my friend, and everyone in the room can hear very obvious sounds of s****l activity. No need to even see the screen. Rob drops the phone after no more than 30 seconds. He looks up at me, and I’m pretty sure the look of loathing and disgust is genuine.

“She must have drugged me!” Rob claims, and I believe him. “I swear, I don’t remember any of this!”

“Well, that’s all water under the bridge now,” grandfather says calmly. “I never thought the young lady all that suitable anyway, after doing a little investigative work on her background. And according to this marriage license Marcus just handed to me, it appears that he is already married.”

I smile broadly as my cousin turns pale with shock. He starts sputtering about how impossible it was, but grandfather hands him the document briefly to prove that it is so. He storms out of the room angrily.

“Corina was nothing more than a trashy opportunistic gold digger. Whereas Amanda here is perfect for my son,” mother pipes up, and throws an arm around my wife’s shoulders. “She a successful children’s author, and I know her parents. They have more money than sense, but are otherwise quite respectable people. I’m looking forward to having many grandchildren, but hopefully not immediately! I’m too young to be a grandmother for a while yet.”

Amanda says nothing, but I get the feeling that she’s not quite on board with the grandchildren scheme quite yet. Even I might like a bit of time for us to get to know each other first before we might delve into the scary realm of parenthood.

“Has Marcus explained that you’ll be required to sign a document stating that in the event of divorce, you’ll receive only minimal compensation?” Grandfather grills Amanda, and I sincerely hope she doesn’t fall into the trap grandfather is setting out for her.

“We did discuss signing a prenup, yes,” Amanda claims, and my heart sinks just a bit. “And I have obviously agreed to it. I don’t believe Mark should be entitled to any of the royalties of my books if things don’t work out between us, or from my trust fund. So as you can see, I don’t need any of his money!”

I want to dance around in happiness.

“Royalties? Trust fund?” Grandfather asks, apparently not having listened to mother earlier about Amanda’s career.

“Yes, you crusty old fart!” Mother insults him quite handily. “Amanda has a very successful career writing and illustrating children’s books. Isn’t that right, my dear?”

“She’s obviously successful enough that she can afford to live in Harrogate Towers,” I add. I stand behind her, placing my hands lightly on her shoulders. “We met by chance very recently at a nearby bar, and I fell in love instantly. I had to beg her to marry me, as she was very reluctant at first.”

“Well, it was all so sudden!” Amanda adds dramatically, but she looks up at me with a genuine smile on her face. “It seems like I met Mark only yesterday! And yet at the same time I feel like I’ve known him all my life.”

“That’s so beautiful!” Donny says, taking a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbing at his eye.

Grandfather makes a sort of throat clearing sound of displeasure, and looks at the license once more.

“This document claims the marriage happened today,” Grandfather says reading the over. “How did you manage that, if the courthouse is closed, and the good reverend hasn’t arrived yet?”

“It’s not a forgery, if that’s what you’re thinking,” I angrily reply.

“My brother got married earlier today,” Amanda supplies the missing information. “We asked the minister of that church if he might marry us afterwards.”

Grandfather doesn’t seem to know what to say to that.

“Well, I’m sure you’re all welcome to stay for the party that my ex has provided for you all with the budget I gave her,” I say, deciding I’d spent enough time here already. “Knowing her, she might have already cancelled everything and kept the money minus the deposits, so don’t expect too much. In the meantime, my wife and I need to catch a plane to Maui tonight!”