Regency Hotel.
"Have you guys heard? This marriage alliance with the Ronald's family was brought back by the Simpson's family as an illegitimate daughter!"
"No way, isn't that a slap to the Ronald's family's face? The Simpson's family obviously thinks that you're a..."
"Shh! Do you want to die?"
Whispered words floated all around the grand hall. Many people had come to witness the most anticipated wedding between James Roberts and Catherine Simpson. It was an unlikely set up. What made it strange and the most talked about wedding, was that the bride, was poor, but drop-dead gorgeous, and the groom. . .well, the groom was handsome, but a cripple. He was also the richest man in the whole of Los Angeles and beyond.
Catherine Simpson wore a pure white wedding dress. Her hair was tied into a bun at the back of her head, while her hair was draped over her head and her white shoulders were partly hidden and partly visible. It was surreal to her, what had just happened. She couldn't believe she had just gotten married to a man forced on her by her father who she had just met.
When she heard the whispers among the guests, her bright eyes swept over the man in the wheelchair beside her, and a trace of bitterness flashed across her face.
James Roberts, a man who stood at the top of the pyramid of Los Angeles, was now out of the reach of countless girls, because of the car accident that happened half a year ago. He was in a coma for several months and finally woke up two days ago.
However, his two legs were crippled.
Even though he was sitting in a wheelchair, his temperament was not weak at all.
James facial features were well-defined, and under his dark and deep eyes, there was a king-like look of disdain. From the beginning to the end, he lowered his eyes and eyebrows, and there was a layer of coldness on his face.
It seemed that this wedding had nothing to do with him at all.
Suddenly, the big screen behind him turned black, and then a few strange photos appeared!
"What's going on?" A voice rang out.
And then another voice spoke. "Isn't that . . .Catherine?"
Yet another voice rang out loudly. This one, was filed with disbelief.
"But that's Catherine twerking on the bar table. Unbelievable!"
And then the voice that practically had everyone in the hall reeling with disbelief, rang out clearly. "Rumor has it that the bride's private life was a little out of line. She gave birth to a child before she got married. Oh my god, it seems to be true!"
In an instant, the guests were in an uproar.
Catherine looked at the photo on the screen and immediately panicked.
The person in the photo was most definitely her.
In order to cure her seriously ill mother, she worked part-time to sell wine in her friend's bar and also dance. She turned to James and opened her mouth to explain, but came face to face with his cold gaze.
"Ha! If James' leg wasn't disabled, the Roberts family will never ask him to marry a woman who behaved so disgracefully, I'm sure of it."
"No..."
Whispered words continued swirling all around Catherine, making her want to bury her head in shame. Her heart trembled, and her explanation was quickly swallowed by the noise around her.
"Mr. Roberts used to be so glorious, but now he has picked up a pair of worn shoes!" Someone to her left, said.
"That's perfect. I'm afraid that the disabled man can't take it anymore. It's so in appropriate to marry a good-for-nothing woman."
The whispers continued, until they were no longer whispers, but loud murmurings. They swelled all around the hall, making Catherine's head ache.
Fortunately, the emcee on the stage finally reacted and immediately ended the reception hastily.
As soon as it was over, Catherine was sent to the Robert's family's villa.
She waited in the empty bedroom in fear.
-- -- --
It wasn't until nightfall that Catherine summoned the courage to go and see James. As soon as she stepped into the room, she saw him sitting in his wheelchair facing the window. He didn't turn to her but she knew that she was there.
"Why are you here?" He demanded in a cold, bored voice.
Under the dim light, his handsome face became a little deeper and colder, exuding a temperament that kept people thousands of miles away.
It was said that even though this man had been unconscious for several months because of a car accident, his status in the family could not be shaken.
Catherine bit her lips, lowered her head and said, "I'm your wife, of course I have to stay here."
"Wife?" James spluttered. "You? You're such a vain, greedy slut. Do you actually think you're qualified to be one?" He asked sarcastically.
Catherine was so angry that she clenched her fists and didn't speak for a long time. Although she had a child before marriage, she was however not a vain, nor greedy woman.
She and her mother had been dependent on each other since she was a child. If it weren't for her father, who took her child away by force, and forced her to marry into the Robert family on behalf of her younger sister, Alicia, she would not be humiliated like this.
Catherine gazed at the cold mask on James' face, summoned up courage, and spoke. "No matter what, we're already married, so..."
"Get lost!"
At that precise moment, Duncan, her six year old son, rushed in. His big eyes filled with tears. Catherine knew he heard the words James said. She also knew her father was evil and must have been lurking around outside. What she didn't understand was why he brought Duncan here to witness her shame.
Being yelled at in front of her son, Duncan, was not something she would have expected from James. Duncan's little body couldn't take it. He began shivering, and his face turned pale.
James smirked evilly slightly, and there was a cold glint in his eyes. "Get out from my room. You're dirtying it up with your presence.
Catherine didn't care about being driven out on her wedding night. She knew that the Robert family would use her child to make things difficult for her.
Catherine bit her lips and said in a low voice, "Please, don't do this, remember I'm your wife."
However, James sneered. "You used to pretend to be wronged and hook up with those men in the bar, didn't you? I'm very curious. With your ugly appearance, how much can you sell for one night?"
Such unbearable words made Catherine frown. "It's not what you think."
"Do you mean the photos I saw, were fake?"
Catherine turned her gaze to the window briefly, before turning back to look at James. "No..."
"Stop arguing." James snorted. "I'll give you two choices..Pick one." His gaze turned gleeful, as if what he was about to say would shatter the very fabric of their marriage.
Catherine leaned subtly towards him, waiting with bated breathe.
"You either sign divorce papers, or. . . I marry another woman."
