Capítulo 12: The Fake Mrs. Wilford
She met Carter Wilford one year ago, at a charity party organized for celebrities. That night, Bella arrives without Cristine O'Neil, her agent. Christine had to fly to Texas to attend her mother in-laws' funeral. However, she still managed to send a clumsy intern named Fred to be her chauffeur and assistant.
Bella never liked those kinds of parties. A party for celebrities under the guise of charity, but really just a showcase for expensive fashion and new boyfriends. It's no secret that some people also come looking for one-night stands.
Bella's discomfort is compounded by a useless assistant, whose awkwardness becomes a burden. Fred, apparently younger than Bella, was an awkward, shy young man who didn't even dare to get Bella a drink. He looked down and was busy with his cell phone, pretending not to hear Bella's request.
"I'll get it for you." A voice sounded next to her. Bella turned her head and saw a handsome man smiling at her. He was tall and athletic. His neatly cut, trendy blonde hair accentuated his brilliant blue eyes. Like the other male guests, he was wearing a dark suit. "What would you like to drink? Scotch?"
Bella, who was still stunned, nodded. "Well... Yes, if you don't mind."
While Bella glared at the useless Fred, the man returned with a glass of scotch. A smile still played on his lips as he handed the glass to Bella.
"Thank you..."
"No problem." The man's smile gave rise to an adorable pair of cheekbones. "My name is Carter Wilford." He extended his hand for a handshake. "I know who you are," he said before Bella could say her name. "You're Isabella Ross. I read your last two novels. Very impressive. I love criminal stories spiced with romance. Or is it actually the other way around?" He laughed.
Bella was impressed. This was the first time she had met a book reader as cool as this man. His highly educated, even aristocratic appearance would not make anyone think that this man has time to reads novels.
"Thank you for reading my novels." Bella smiled. "You honestly don't look like someone who has a lot of time to read novels." He looks like an official or a businessman, Bella thought. He must be a very busy man. Was he lying to have something to talk to her about?
"To be honest, I didn't buy those novels. I saw them lying on my secretary's desk when I passed by. I saw your picture on the back cover. I wondered if the stories were as interesting as the red-haired woman who wrote them. My secretary said your book was very good, and had been translated into several foreign languages. She told me to bring them all to read."
Bella's face warmed. "Do you think it's as good as your secretary says?"
"Yes. Your plot is very interesting. You can really get into the soul of the antagonist, the murderer. He's both romantic and terrifying. I applaud your research."
"I know a police detective at the NYPD. He was very helpful in providing data and explanations. One of the other sources was a psychiatrist."
"You work hard. No wonder your books are always bestsellers."
Bella blushed. "And you, what do you do? I'm sure you're not an actor."
"Me?" Carter Wilford showed another peck on his cheek. "You can ask your father, Alexander Ross."
Bella was dumbfounded. "You knew my father?"
"Knew him very well." The man chuckled at the shock on Bella's face. "Well, it's look like I have to go, Miss Ross. I have a very important matter to attend to. It's a pity we can't chat longer until this party is over. But, I'm sure we'll meet again."
Carter Wilford was right. They did meet again afterward, and it was at her father's initiative.
****
Bella still can't believe how a casual introduction to Carter Wilford led to her marriage to him. They only met four times. The next three meetings couldn't even be called romantic dates.
It turns out that Carter is a lawyer like his father. His law firm, Wilford and Lewis, often works with the Ross and Partners law firm led by his father. Later, Bella learned that Carter had known about her before reading her secretary's novel.
"That day I saw your graduation photo in your father's office," Carter said one day. "You were laughing and throwing your toga in the air. Your red hair is the crown of your beauty. Your father was so proud of you when he told me about you. Since then I've been trying to get your father to introduce you to me with subtle insinuation every time we meet. And luck was on my side when I saw you at the party."
Their marriage came about because of her father's encouragement. Carter never even proposed to her directly. He expressed his intention to marry Bella to Alex Ross, who gave him permission to marry his daughter. Bella wasn't even given the chance to think for long. At that time, Aunt Ruth had just passed away six months earlier. Her father probably thought that his daughter's wedding to a famous lawyer from a prominent family could ease the grief of his aunt's death.
"You can't let someone so honorable as Carter Wilford go, Bella," her father said one day, in an attempt to persuade his daughter. "You already know about the Wilford family. They're a prominent family in England, and their ancestors have always been close to the royal family. Maybe it's because Carter is half American that he doesn't care much about his family's status. He built his career from the ground up without the help of his family. All his family members are successful businessmen. Carter is also a successful lawyer."
"I can't marry someone I don't love, Dad. I admire Carter, but it's very clear that it's not love."
"You've been too independent," her father snapped. "That's why you've become insensitive to your own feelings. You'll realize that you love Carter Wilford when you're married. That's what happened to me and your mother."
Bella had completely forgotten why she wanted to marry Carter in the first place. At first she doubted her father's optimism. Wasn't her parents' marriage not as perfect as others saw it? During her time as her father's wife, her mother was depressed because of her husband's selfishness. But eventually, she agreed to become Carter's wife.
Perhaps because she felt sorry for her father, who was still devastated by the loss of his wife and aunt. Maybe because she herself hoped the marriage would allow her to escape her father's control. Maybe it was because Carter was so sweet and charming at first. The wedding took place in England, three months after the charity ball, on a warm late spring day. It was just a church blessing and a simple party at a castle owned by Wilford's ancestors, near the Queen's estate. Bella had only invited Christine and two editors she liked. She didn't know any of the other guests, except for a few lawyers who were friends of her father.
In fact, their marriage did not go well from the first year. Carter Wilford was more democratic than Alex Ross, and gave Bella a voice in the household. However, he was a workaholic and perfectionist. Gradually, Bella found Carter to be a boring person. If Carter was preoccupied with one of the big cases, Bella, who felt neglected, would increasingly travel abroad with the excuse of doing research.
Then it was unbearable for her. She felt that she was only being used to complement Carter's status in the eyes of his family and relatives. The beautiful Mrs. Wilford, the daughter of a prominent American lawyer, and a famous author. Agnes, Carter's mother, was even indifferent to her when they met. It was no secret that Agnes Wilford had hoped Carter would marry the daughter of a duke, or if she has to be American–the daughter of a senator.
Three months ago, Bella filed for a marriage annulment. It shocked many people around them, especially her father
****
"Oh, you're back on your palace again!" It was the banter of Christine who loved to satirize the aristocratic status of the Wilford family. Instead of taking offense, Bella chuckled. "How's your hometown? Did you see your old friends?"
They were at a café, near the publisher's office. Christine had returned from Texas with many excited stories about the handsome cowboys on her husband's family ranch.
"Yes, I met my high school friends. It feels good to be reunited with them."
"Of course it does. I've always felt that way too. So, what happened? You should have come home sooner, right? You extended by three days."
"I have something to take care of." Bella had never told her agent about her past with Reef, even though their relationship over the years had become close. "I visited my childhood home. It hasn't changed at all. The old owner renovated the house without changing anything. I want to buy it back."
"Do you want to live in Saco again?"
"No. I don't. I don't know. To me, that house is like a museum. All the beautiful memories are recorded in every corner."
"Who owns it now?"
"A local businessman," Bella said. The figure of Reef and his seductive lopsided smile came to mind, and it made her heart ache. Reef had never been able to forgive her. "And I've asked if he'd be willing to sell it to me."
"Wow! You asked him without hesitation?"
"We'll never know if we don't ask, right?"
"Would he sell it to you?"
"Yeah. But, then I lost my interest."
"You're weird." Christine chuckled. "What are you buying a house for anyway? You could even live in Wilford Castle in England if you wanted to."
"You forget," Bella smiled blandly. "I won't be Mrs. Wilford forever, Christine. I'm awaiting the annulment of my marriage."
"The annulment that Carter is always stalling for?" snapped Christine. "You know, I don't think he really wants an annulment."
"I don't care. The annulment has to happen! Carter already said he'd sign the paperwork."
"I don't understand, Bella. Why an annulment? Why not a divorce? You'll lose your rights as Carter's ex-wife."
"I don't need divorce alimony. That's exactly what I'm avoiding, because it will cause a scene. Carter's mom won't let her son give me a dime, especially if the family name is still attached to his son's widow. She never liked me from the start. A marriage annulment was the most sensible solution. I would go back to being single and independent Bella Ross. As if the marriage never existed."
"You've been thinking about all this since the beginning of your marriage, haven't you?" Christine gave me a probing look. "I know you well enough to expect it. Is that why you kept your marriage a secret from the public? Because you knew it wouldn't work?"
"I think so." Bella nodded. "Because from the beginning I wasn't sure about my feeling to Carter. I felt like a fake Mrs. Wilford."
****
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