CHAPTER 2 ~ IS IT A CRIME TO BE FAT?

LOUIS'S POV

I can't believe it, I can't believe that Emily can do this to me just two weeks to our wedding after everything that I have done for her. "Fucking hell." We were fucking perfect together, we were in a good place.

"Take it easy Louis, you will drive yourself crazy if you continue like that."

"I know you are my best friend but you can't understand how I feel, you are still with the same lady you got married to two years ago but I have already been divorced twice and people are already talking, do you know what they will say when they find out that my third marriage has already crashed even before the wedding day?" I paced around my living room when I realized how fucked I am. "I am going to trend again for the wrong reason."

"Calm down Louis, it's not that bad."

"It's not that bad?" I asked in disbelief because I must have heard him wrong. "Do you even have an idea of what they are saying about me or are you just acting blind? Look, if I don't get married on the 28th of this month as planned, everyone will just believe that I am the fucking problem. They will believe that I am the reason for all my failed marriages and we both know that it's not true, I am kind, nice, caring, sweet and very generous, it is not my fault that my marriages failed." I honestly have no ideas why people will think I am the one with the issue, is it a crime to be fat?

"Look, we will figure it out. Maybe it's time we actually address the rumors and let them know the real truth." Tommy suggested but it's too late for that.

"I can't, if I explain anything now, they will think that I am lying because my relationship has failed again. I should have said something when they first started peddling the rumors but it's late now."

"So what do we do? We can't force Emily to marry you, which means that the wedding is off and we have to move on." I wish I could just move on like it's nothing but I can't.

It's so unfair that I am a billionaire and I have all the money in the world, yet I can't keep a steady relationship or marriage. Divorce twice and now Emily is leaving me just two weeks to the wedding and even though I have been nothing but good to all my ex's, I am the one getting all the backlash for their wickedness.

"I don't know, I just know that I don't need any negative publicity right now, you know we have a big deal coming up and any backlash during this time can ruin things completely." Mr Richard is a very private guy and he doesn't like to get involved with companies that are surrounded by scandals, so I need to maintain a good reputation at this period. "You know what, I am going to get married on the 28." I started confidently even though it looks impossible.

"Please don't make me laugh, are you going to get married without a bride or do you have another fiancee that I don't know about?" He started laughing but it's not funny to me.

"I'm fucking serious man, yes I don't have a bride right now but you are going to help me find a substitute Bride and we have two weeks." I stated as I finally sat down.

It can't be so difficult to find a bride right? I have the money to pay, so I think I can actually make it happen.

"Can you just stop it because it's getting too ridiculous, do you think there is a place we can go and just pick up a new bride? Besides you have a reputation to protect, so what if we talk to the wrong person and they sell the news to the blog?" Well that will be more disgraceful than my current situation right now.

"That will be a disaster but all we need is to be very careful and discreet but as for the wedding, it's happening because I can't afford to lose the deal with Mr Richard."

If I am being honest, I am not just getting married because of the deal with Mr Richard, I am a billionaire and I don't exactly need him. I don't mean to brag but I can never be broke even if I refuse to work for the rest of my life. So aside from the deal, I really want to get married because of everything people are saying about me because if I don't, then it will confirm the remorse and I don't want it because to the best of my knowledge, I am a decent guy and I don't deserve everything happening to me.

"I know this has nothing to do with Mr Richard but I will indulge, so how do we go about this? Do we call all your ex girlfriends or what's the plan?" He asked curiously but I don't think any of my ex is the solution.

"No, we can't involve my ex. We can try dating apps or maybe clubs, anything but my ex." I clarified.

"So you are serious?"

"Of course I am serious Tommy, I need to get married on the 28th."

"Alright then, let's do this."

Over the next two hours, Tommy and I opened a fake profile on a dating app and we talked to a few ladies that looks good enough for the role of a substitute Bride.

"I think this might actually work, there are a lot of good looking ladies here." Tommy pointed out and I am having a good feeling too because I just really need it to work.

"Yeah, I think so too but we have to leave now if we are going to meet up with the appointment." One of the ladies we chatted with is available for a quick interview, so I need to see her now.

She beautiful but I still need to know if she's good for the job or not.

...

"That can't be her right?" I asked curiously when I saw a lady walking towards our table.

"Of course not, that's definitely not the lady we saw on the profile picture." He confirmed because to be honest, the lady approaching our table is way older than I am and there is no way anyone will believe she's my wife.

"Hi guys, I am Stella."

"Hell no, it can't be." I whispered to Tommy as I mentally thought of an escape plan.