18

To get married quickly, Aaron needed Mike's help. He walked up to Mike in his office.

“What? Wedding?” Mike was very surprised. Moreover, he had never heard of Aaron being close to anyone before. “Don't tell me that you fell into the trap of a sneaky woman pretending to be pregnant!”

Aaron chuckled. “You could say that I framed my prospective bride.” He looked at Mike seriously, knowing that his friend wouldn't ask many questions unless he explained it. “I need your help to make it run perfectly.”

“I can take care of it. You can stay at my hotel there and for weddings, you can call this number. He was the one who took care of my marriage with Lia. Hope he can help you.” Mike handed Aaron a business card.

Aaron accepted it and smiled. “Thanks, Mike, you don't know how much this means to me.”

Mike studied Aaron calmly and analyzed. It was almost the same as Sean hastily marrying Renee a long time ago. However, Aaron seemed more desperate and panicked. Like holding a bomb that will explode in a certain time.

“The bride-to-be you said you were trapping, do you love her?”

Aaron smiled gently at the thought of Laurel. “Yeah, sure, otherwise why bother trapping her into this marriage?”

“And considering you needed to frame her, that means she doesn't feel the same way?”

“Maybe not right now, but I'll make her change her mind.”

Mike chuckled. “We men who initially felt so perfect and could conquer any woman, will eventually give up on women who make us curious half to death. Makes us guess, then without realizing it has fallen into such deep love.”

“Is that how you felt about your wife?”

“It is exactly like that,” Mike replied satisfied. “And that is the happiest thing in my life.”

Aaron studied Mike and smiled. “You're lucky.”

“And it looks like you too, considering that you will marry the woman you love.”

“Well, I'm lucky, even though so many painful secrets from the past haunt me. I still hope things won't turn to me later and destroy me.”

“What do you mean, Aaron?” Mike's voice turned alert.

Aaron laughed. “I'm not in any danger, Mike. It concerns my past and intertwined future. It's a long story and I'll tell you one day.”

“Okay.” Mike looked at Aaron and finally drew a conclusion. “This girl you are marrying is what has made you so cold and unapproachable all this tim, huh?”

Aaron smiled, not arguing.

_______________

“Maybe this is not a good idea.” Laurel gave Aaron a confused look. “Should this be done?”

“Yes, I was determined and you can't step back, Laurel, for your own sake, for Aamber's sake, remember?”

“B-but I didn't expect it to be this fast. I mean, you said we had a chance to get to know each other first, you said we had time for a long engagement so… so—”

“I've ordered tickets, everything is prepared there. Aamber will follow us later. It can't be undone and now we are on our way there.”

They head for the island, the island which is very famous as the island of dreams, the island where the gods once resided. A place where many couples get married in an exotic way, with an exotic atmosphere too. Laurel left without any prejudice.

This morning Aaron told her to get ready because she had an impromptu meeting with a client on the island and Laurel had to come along. Laurel had protested that she didn't prepare anything, but Aaron said everything was prepared. Even the man was kind enough to ask permission directly from her dormitory mother when he brought Laurel home to get her clothes and equipment.

It was only then on the plane that Aaron said they were leaving to get married. A surprise, he said, without guilt. Although not a very good surprise for Laurel. She was panicked, trembling and feeling trapped beyond compare. Taken to an island she had never been to in order to marry, without prior planning and notification. It's almost like she was kidnapped by Aaron. Or could this be the man's plan?

“You're on purpose.” Her gaze was accusing, but Aaron seemed unfazed, the man made a flat face.

“What purpose?”

“This is all, you planned it, purposely kept me from going back or running.”

The man smiled softly. “No, honey, I really didn't do that on purpose.” His gaze turned dreamy. “Actually this is because of Aamber, she was the one who insisted that this marriage be done immediately. I told her about the party night incident and she was crying. She remembered what happened to her and she urged me to be a responsible man, or she will be hostile to me. I hope you understand, Laurel.”

Laurel was stunned, then her gaze softened. “Oh, I see.”

Aaron nodded his head. “She will follow there, celebrate our wedding. Hopefully you can get along well later.” The man breathed a sigh of relief as he silently apologized to Aamber, for using his sister's name again to manipulate Laurel.