Bound by Tension
39

"Hey, Lila. Can you come over here?" I asked, crossing my legs while sipping from the juice box.

"I already left home and I'm heading to your house right now. I'll be there in a few seconds, or a minute. Bye, I have to check something in this stupid car." She groaned.

"Thanks, babe." I ended the call, dropped the phone and juice box on the table, resting my head and legs on each arm of the chair and resumed watching the television. I had lost interest in the movie long ago but I hadn't turned it off due to the situation at hand ringing in my head.

Nikita chuckled. I glanced at the dining chair she had pulled to sit in a corner of the living room. She was grinning from ear to ear and her face was crimson.

"What's going on?" I lifted an eyebrow at her.

She glanced at me, still grinning. "It's Dash."

"Your loverboy? This isn't the first time you're smiling because of him. I'm certain he's not a one-night stand person." I smirked.

"Definitely not, I'm really interested in him." She returned her gaze to her phone.

"I'll assume he's rich."

"Yeah, duh." She scoffed. "Would I ever date a broke dude? Anyway, he's also charming and I believe I've fallen madly in love with him."

"Or his money?"

"Both, shut up." She waved a hand dismissively.

The doorbell rang. Was it Lila? I prayed so.

"Nikita, please answer the door." I pleaded.

"Why can't you answer it?" She frowned.

"I have a sprained ankle." I pouted.

"You've been walking all day long, now you remember your ankle is sprained because of the doorbell?" She rolled her eyes.

"Just answer it!" I snapped.

She sighed and rose to her feet, sauntered to the door and opened it after unlocking it. I paid close attention to the door, surprised that Lila could be here so soon.

"Hi." It was confirmed that it was Lila but Nikita slammed the door shut and turned around. "Why is she always here? Doesn't she have a house?" She returned to the chair. "You're so mean." I shook my head, sitting up straight

Lila reopened the door and strolled in, wearing a frown. "Nikita, what was that for?"

"That's for taking my perfume home and shattering it!" She soat.

"I thought it was Imogen's."

"It's still mine and you broke it, it's gone. A rich dude bought that for me as a gift, it cost a fortune but you destroyed it."

"I'll repay the money for the perfume if it's not above what I can afford." She suggested.

"I don't need your money."

"Then what do you need?!" She threw her hands up.

Nikita didn't say a word but returned her gaze to her phone and her smile returned.

Lila stared at her in bewilderment but shook her head and ambled to me.

I pulled her to sit beside me. "You must've heard the news of Mr. Hawthorn's company being set on fire, right?"

"I guess so, I don't think I paid attention to it. What's wrong?"

"I caused the fire. There were candles around because the idiot was trying to propose in his office, then I wanted to view fireworks. You know how much I love them, right?" "Yeah, so?"

"Then I made the curtains catch fire which spread throughout the company." I summarized.

"Gosh, that's crazy. That's a huge loss for him." Pity filled her face.

"He said I was going to repay the loss, a sum of Forty Million dollars." I said.

Nikita burst into laughter. "Where on Earth would you replace such an amount of money?"

"I know right? Hames agreed to pay it on my behalf."

"What?!" They exclaimed in unison.

Nikita got up from the chair and ran to us to crouch in front of me. "Is he crazy or something?"

"He's only paying it on the condition that I'll get married to him." I announced and Nikita burst into laughter again.

A grin formed on Lila's lips. "Wow! That's great. It's a win-win. You don't have to pay the forty million dollars though it isn't entirely your fault, and you'll also get married to Hames Hendrix." "You're so lucky. What was your response?"

"I agreed but I'll divorce him immediately after the wedding." I folded my arms across my chest.

I received smacks from both of them. "Are you crazy? Why would you divorce him?" Lila frowned. "Ouch." I yelped.

"Yeah. Why? If you won't accept to stick with him for his money, you should at least be with him because he loves you." Nikita also frowned. "You're wasting such an opportunity. I can assure you that you'll never replace anyone who'll love you as much as he does. Has any of your ex-boyfriends ever loved you for two years or was ready to do what's equal to throwing forty million dollars away for your sake? You're fucking crazy, girl."

"I agree with Nikita for the first time. Hames clearly loves you and you're being stupid. He has come to me countless times to ask about you, directly or indirectly."

"He has? How does he know you?" I lifted an eyebrow.

"Probably from Kade, duh. Kade knows we're best friends. Please receive my advice and be with me, whether or not your marriage will be rushed. If I had someone like Hames who'd love me this much, and wants to marry me, I'd marry him in a blink of an eye."

"Me too. If you don't agree, and leave this hot piece of cake, I'll do plastic surgery to look like you and be with him on your behalf." Nikita said with a serious face.

"Yeah, me too. That's how much you have to be with him because millions of ladies are wishing to be loved by Hames. He's the type of man we've always dreamed of marrying. Don't let this opportunity slip." She held my shoulder with pleading eyes. "Please."

They sounded so serious about their words. Gosh, was I really being stubborn?

The doorbell rang again.

"I'm not getting it this time." Nikita said, standing up straight.

I rolled my eyes at her and rose to my feet too. "You're so mean." I slid my feet into my bunny slippers, pulling my mid-thigh-length gown by the hem since it folded way too upwards.

"I don't mind being mean." She shrugged.

I rambled to the door and opened it. I was quite shocked to see Hames standing in front of me.

"Hames? Why are you here?" I asked with my eyebrows furrowed in befuddlement..

"Can't I pay a visit to my future wife?" He chuckled. "Anyway, I'm here for you. We have to choose your wedding dress right now." He grasped my hand and began pulling me gently. "Wait!" I stopped him. "I can't go now."

"Why? We don't have enough time."

"I have to change my clothes." I took my hand from his grasp to fold my arms across my chest. "What's wrong with your clothes? You look great." He shrugged, scanning me from head to toe. "You don't like me wearing short dresses that are revealing." I reminded him of that.

"When did I ever say that? You look great in this dress." He stared at my chest.

"My face is right here." I rolled my eyes.

"I know, but you're "

"Okay, I'm changing this dress." I waved a hand and turned around.

He held my wrists, automatically stopping by movement and made me face him again. "It's really okay, soon-to-be Mrs. Imogen Hames Hendrix." That was very weird to my hearing; I couldn't stop myself from cringing. "How is your sprained ankle? Do I have to carry you" he attempted to lift me up my feet.

"No!" I stopped him, holding his hands. "It's fine, you don't have to carry me again."

"Okay, let's leave."

"Won't you meet my friends? They are in."

"I'd love to but we won't have enough time. When we return, I'll meet them." He pulled me with him, and to his car.

"You could've at least given me the chance to wear sensible shoes." I got into the car then he did the same.

"I'll buy you a new pair, remind me."