Nerida stared at Kennedy. She could not understand the aggression laced all over his words.
She couldn't understand. Just what was he trying to imply.
This was the third time she would be meeting him. And obviously, this was the first time she was getting to know this part of his character.
Weren't billionaires all said to be easy going because they had no reasons to be frustrated in life?
"I don't quite understand what you mean, Kenny" she managed to mutter, not wanting to leave his words hanging in the air.
"Ofcourse you wouldn't understand because you have been caught Nerida" he blurted.
" Huh?" She barely whispered.
" First off Nerida or whatever your name is, while no one is watching,don't ever call me Kenny. I am not your Kenny and never will I be. Mr Damian or CEO Damian if you must call me, don't disobey the conditions you signed to abide by"
Nerida wondered why he was doing that and especially now.
People were watching and even if his tone was lowly, did he think people wouldn't notice the change in their facial expressions?
" This is a fake marriage Nerida Sylvester. A ruse. After six months it will all end. Don't you think you were smiling too much for a placeholder meant to be discarded after six months?"
That was the height of it.. Nerida thought.
Even if subtly, she would not stand being humiliated publicly on her wedding day this way, even if it were a fake.
"Placeholder or not, you'll belong to me for those six months, Mr Damian" Nerida replied smoothly, her eyes locking with a reporter that approached them.
As if she was unaware of the war she had just declared with what she said.
Kennedy blinked.
For a second, he wondered if he'd heard her right. But the defiant glint in her eyes told him he had.
"Placeholder or not, you'll belong to me for those six months, Mr. Damian."
Her words kept ringing in his head.
What did she mean by that and on what high horse was she on? Was she hoping to get him to make love to her or what? Was she hoping to become famous from this marriage? Was she hoping to secretly carry his child so he would be unable to discard her?
Opportunist would do anything. Had he entangled himself with one? A shameless one? Was she proud now because he had made her a Damian on paper?
His jaw tightened and the muscle in his cheek twitched. No one had ever spoken to him like that, not in that tone and definitely not with that nerve. Especially not someone who had everything to lose.
His pride bristled.
She was playing a dangerous game. One she wouldn't be able to save herself from if he were to teach her a lesson.
"Mr Damian, how does it feel to be a newlywed?"
"I have this unexplainable joy being married to the love of my life" he leaned in and managed to the mutter as a response to the reporter who had been interviewing Nerida.
She was brimming with smiles again and he wondered how it was easy for her to, despite what had just happened, it was still very easy for her to plaster a smile on her face.
A man dressed on a finely tailored black suit walked up to them.
"Congratulations on your wedding, artist Nerida. I can't believe that you are the artist behind that collection. Congratulations on your marriage, Me Damian" he said while handing an envelope to Nerida.
Kelvin who was behind them by now walked up to them and collected the envelope from him.
"Thank you so much sir. I truly appreciate the kind gesture" Nerida replied.
Kennedy said nothing but instead waiting for Kelvin to be done with the unwrapping of the content of the envelope.
He wondered if brides were congratulated first before their husbands during wedding occasions. Even if they were, he wouldn't know that Nerida was the artist behind his favorite painting collection if not for him.
The fact that he had mentioned Nerida's name first and before him has gentle but greatly bruised on his ego.
And here Nerida was thanking him without even knowing what his gift was. How cheap of her. Afterall she was from the lower class.
"It's an all expense paid honeymoon trip to the Sea green Island"
Nerida bowed before the man immediately in appreciation. Kennedy could not understand why but he could tell that their companion enjoyed the show, which he hated of course.
The fact that Nerida was getting all these attention was in fact a surprise to him.
"I made sure to secure her entire island for your honeymoon Nerida. Who knows what new collection we might be getting from the sea experience" he joked and Nerida smiled at him.
"Nerida have you seen my mother?" Kennedy asked to distract them from their ongoing conversation.
He had even prepared a wedding gift tailored for her specially. How about him who was the chairman's son and the associate he was used to. He just couldn't understand what was going on.
Nerida nodded in the negative. Kennedy's mother was dead according to reports, so she couldn't help but wonder whom he was talking about.
"Excuse us please" Kennedy said our of courtesy as he walked out of the hall with Nerida.
Kelvin followed them behind, making sure that no reporter went after them.
At the hallway of the massive ballroom when Kennedy noticed less people, he finally let all hell loose.
"What was the meaning of that Nerida Sylvester? What sort of embarrassment was that?" He blurted.
Nerida was taken aback.
"Why are you throwing yourself at every man you see Nerida? Is that how desperate you are to seduce another billionaire once your contract ends?" He chirped in.
"You signed a contract! Abide by it's rules!" He added finally, preventing Nerida from having the opportunity to say anything.
And when he was done,he walked away. Further making it impossible for her to say anything in her defense.
It was time she began to know her place. Kennedy thought as he walked out, leaving her all alone.
Not knowing what to do at the moment, Nerida recalled the envelope Ella had given her earlier, which she still held on to tightly.
Overcome by curiosity, she opened it and was dumbstruck when all she saw inside were photos.
She paused for a while. Had she given this to the wrong person or had she mistaken the gift she had wanted to give to her?
There was no way the cousin of a groom would pass this as a present to her in-law.
They were all photos. Photos of Kennedy in bed with the man he had been accused of being in a gay relationship with.
There were several of him shirtless on a bed with him. And next were of him sitting before strippers at clubs. There were several of them as well.
And next were of him in bed shirtless with numerous women.
As she was done viewing the photos that littered the envelope, she came across a letter at the end of the photos.
"Did you honestly believe you'd have a lovely married life with Kennedy Damian?"