Chapter 2 I Want to Watch You Get Married
Naomi's expression darkened instantly. She knew exactly who had sent that message.
Grace noticed her staring at her phone and nudged her. "What's got you so zoned out?"
"Nothing," Naomi snapped back to reality, her appetite suddenly gone.
With the Cavendish family's resources, if Jonathan wanted to find her, she had nowhere to hide. This cat-and-mouse game couldn't continue forever. The company acquisition was likely Jonathan's way of showing her just how easily he could corner her.
"Hey, where did you disappear to yesterday? I called like crazy. I was worried sick!"
Grace was burning with curiosity about what happened at James's engagement party.
Naomi opened her mouth, closed it, then finally admitted with resignation, "I got drunk and had a one-night stand."
"What? Are you serious? You wouldn't even kiss James after dating him for years, but yesterday you just hooked up with some random guy?" Grace's eyes widened in shock, her voice loud enough to turn heads at nearby tables.
"Keep it down, would you?" Naomi ducked her head, her cheeks burning crimson.
"Who was it? Did you even see his face clearly?" Grace leaned in, lowering her voice to an urgent whisper.
"Jonathan..." Naomi exhaled slowly. "And I lost one of his diamond cufflinks..."
Not to mention he was demanding compensation.
"WHAT!" Grace's voice spiked before she quickly hushed herself. "You're telling me you slept with the Cavendish heir? That ice-cold reaper Jonathan?"
Naomi nodded miserably.
"He's James's sworn enemy! You... Oh shit! Speak of the devil!" Grace started frantically signaling with her eyes.
Naomi's blood froze. She sat rigid, not daring to turn around, terrified of making eye contact with Jonathan.
"Ms. Kennedy, what a coincidence." Without waiting for her to turn, Jonathan appeared beside her.
Her heart was in turmoil.
She reluctantly turned to face him with an awkward smile. "What a surprise!"
Grace couldn't believe she was witnessing such drama unfold right before her eyes.
Naomi's face had gone deathly pale.
"I came specifically to find you," Jonathan said, gracefully taking the seat across from Naomi.
So he'd tracked her down after she hadn't responded to his message.
Naomi couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes, though she could feel his gaze fixed on her face.
Sensing her friend's distress, Grace squeezed Naomi's hand and whispered in her ear, "Live to fight another day. Just pay for the cufflink and say sorry. I'll give you all my savings if needed."
Jonathan let out a derisive chuckle from across the table. "Ms. Hernandez, you think I need your pocket money?"
Grace's hand turned ice-cold as she froze in fear.
The Hernandez family was wealthy, but they were nothing compared to Jonathan's empire.
Feeling Jonathan's mocking tone, Grace still summoned the courage to look at him. "Mr. Cavendish, Naomi losing your cufflink was certainly wrong—"
"You seem quite well-informed," Jonathan interrupted flatly, causing both women's clasped hands to tense.
An overwhelming sense of intimidation washed over them. Naomi felt her scalp tingle with dread.
But she managed a reassuring smile for Grace. "You should go. I need to speak with Mr. Cavendish alone."
Grace shook her head vigorously, but Naomi patted her hand. "We're in a public place. Mr. Cavendish is a gentleman. He won't do anything inappropriate."
Jonathan's lips curved into a slight smile as he gestured politely for Grace to leave.
Naomi gave Grace a gentle push. "I'll call you later."
Grace reluctantly stood, deliberately raising her voice. "Fine, but don't forget about tonight's gathering. My cousin who's a police officer will be there too."
Naomi nodded, though she knew inwardly that Jonathan would hardly be intimidated by the police.
"Have you considered my proposition from yesterday?" Jonathan asked directly once Grace had left.
His grandfather's condition couldn't wait. He needed to get married quickly to give the old man peace of mind.
And right now, Naomi was the most suitable candidate. He'd done his research—clean background, no complicated romantic history.
And last night had confirmed she was... untouched.
"Mr. Cavendish, I'm truly sorry about losing your cufflink. Could we discuss a compensation arrangement that works for both of us?"
In the few minutes she'd had to think, this was the only solution Naomi could come up with.
"Money? The diamond itself wasn't large—only five carats—but the cufflinks were personally designed by Tyler Thompson. How much do you think would be appropriate, Ms. Kennedy?"
His words left Naomi speechless. Tyler's designs were priceless treasures, never measured in mere monetary value, only sold to those deemed worthy.
She knew that in Tyler's twenty-plus-year career, he only agreed to sell two pieces annually. One of this year's pieces had clearly been Jonathan's cufflinks.
She closed her eyes briefly, accepting the harsh reality—she could never afford to compensate him.
But if she didn't, with Jonathan's influence, he could destroy her a hundred times over.
"Mr. Cavendish, you don't mind my past?" Naomi asked through gritted teeth, figuring she was doomed either way.
"Is that relevant to me?" Jonathan replied coldly, emotionless.
She had already given herself to him; the rest of her past meant nothing in his eyes.
"You have until tonight to find the cufflink. If you can't, be at the registry office tomorrow at 8:30 AM to get married."
With that, Jonathan stood and left.
He'd only come today to appease his grandfather, not to engage in prolonged conversation.
Just as Jonathan exited the restaurant, his grandfather called. "How did it go? When will you bring her to meet me?"
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you meet her," Jonathan replied casually.
"I don't have much time left. I just want to see you married before I go—then I can leave this world in peace." William Cavendish's frail voice came through the speaker.
Jonathan's expression grew complex, but he only responded with a quiet "Mm-hmm."
The next morning, Naomi arrived just as Jonathan was getting out of his car.
"Let's go in," he said, unsurprised by her presence, then walked toward the special processing channel with Naomi following behind.
She had spent the entire night thinking about it. From the beginning, there had only been one solution to this problem.
Naomi often found herself wondering why Jonathan had chosen her. Her family was ordinary, her looks unremarkable—nothing about her should have caught his attention.
Nothing, except that one reckless night they'd shared.
For a fleeting moment, she'd entertained the absurd thought that he might actually care for her. But they'd never met before that night; there was no way he could have fallen for her at first sight.
Naomi knew herself too well—she had neither the beauty to enchant him nor the strength to refuse him.
In the end, she had resigned herself to her fate and arrived early at the registry office to wait for him.
When Jonathan grew tired of her, he would let her go.
The marriage registration went smoothly. All Naomi had to do was sign.
Only when the marriage certificate was placed in her hands did Naomi truly realize—she was married, to a man she'd had a one-night stand with.
"I don't want many people knowing about our arrangement," Jonathan said before walking away.
Naomi stood there, marriage certificate in hand, feeling dazed.
Jonathan wanted to keep their marriage secret. He was probably just playing with her. Perhaps he'd lost a game of truth or dare and had to marry a random woman, planning to divorce her soon. Then she'd be free.
After registering their marriage, Naomi went straight to her office.
Just as she reached the company entrance, she received a call from her mother.
"Naomi, don't think hiding out there solves anything. I'm warning you—if you don't come home and settle down with a proper marriage soon, I'll come make a scene at your workplace!"