The Billionaire's Amnesia

Twelve | The Countdown to The Altar

L A Y L A

I stared at the invitation card in my hand, feeling a surge of mixed emotions. It was a simple but elegant design, with gold lettering on ivory paper. It read:

You are cordially invited to the wedding of
Layla Johnson and James Carter
on Saturday, May 6th, at 4 p.m.
at the Carter Resort, Virgin Islands

I turn my gaze back up and sigh as I look at the long list of names on my laptop screen. I have to invite them all to my wedding in two weeks, a wedding that I don't want to have.

"Angie, this is crazy. How am I supposed to marry a billionaire I barely know?" I ask.

Angie, my best friend, and maid of honor tried to cheer me up. "Come on, Layla. It's not that bad. You get to marry a billionaire. Think of all the perks. The money, the fame, the luxury..."

"The scandal, the paparazzi, the lies..." I muttered, cutting her off. " And I don't even know what James likes or dislikes. How am I supposed to act like his wife?" I ask.

She smiles. "Don't worry, I got you covered. I did some research on him online. He likes golf, classical music, and Italian food. He dislikes loud noises, spicy food, and dogs."

I raise an eyebrow. "Dogs? How can he dislike dogs? They're so cute and fluffy."

She shrugs again. "I don't know, maybe he's allergic or something. Anyway, just remember these things and you'll be fine."

I nod, but I feel uneasy. I don't want to lie to James or myself. I want to be myself, not someone else.

I look at the list of names again. I see Jade's name among them.

"Angie, do you think I should invite Jade?" I ask.

She frowns. "Are you sure? He might not come, or worse, he might cause a scene."

I bite my lip. I miss Jade so much. I want to see him again, even if it's just for one day.

"What do you think?" I ask her.

She sighs. "It's your wedding, Layla. You can invite whoever you want. But be careful what you wish for."

I nod again. I click on Jade's name and add it to the invitation list.

I hope I'm making the right decision.

"So this is the list then?" Angie asks.

"I think so. I hope none of them show up. I don't want to be humiliated when they find out that the wedding is a sham." I sigh.

Angie smiles at me sadly as I show little interest in my wedding. Well, it's not like I'm going to marry the man that I love.

"Oh sweetie, come on, the wedding is not a sham. Everything about it is real. The marriage is the fake one and it is completely different from the wedding." Angie says, trying to cheer me up like she always does.

She's right. The wedding is real. The flowers, the cake, the dress, the music, the guests. Everything is real. Except for the groom.

I can't take my eyes off the dazzling ring on my finger, the ring that James has slipped on my hand, the one that will announce to the world that I'm his fiancée. It's stunning, forged from pure white gold, with a round-cut orange diamond nestled in a delicate flower of sparkling white diamonds.

It's funny because orange is my favorite color, and now I have this stunning orange diamond as my engagement ring.

But despite how stunning it may be, I would choose to wear a cheap ring given to me by the man I love over an expensive one.

"I can't wait for you to try on the wedding dress. I just got a picture of it from James' assistant, and it is ridiculously stunning. But he insisted that I can't yet show it to you. James's orders, he added." Angie returns her focus to the laptop, but she still can't contain her excitement.

*__*

As the days go by, the world is shaken by the news of my engagement with James. He's not just a billionaire, he's also a mystery. No one knows much about his personal life, and now he's suddenly marrying me, a low-life waitress who was accused of cheating on her famous exes.

But before the media frenzy reaches its peak, James makes sure to clear my name. He exposes the lies and manipulations behind the scandalous stories that tarnished my reputation. He proves that I was never unfaithful or promiscuous and that I was the victim of a smear campaign.

The public opinion shifts in my favor, and I feel a surge of relief and gratitude. James has saved me from being labeled as a whore for the rest of my life.

The outlet that started the rumors pays a heavy price for their slander. James uses his influence and power to ruin their business and reputation. Their stock value plummets, their investors withdraw, and their employees resign. The last I hear, they are filing for bankruptcy and facing lawsuits.

My past relationship with Jade remains a secret, though. James respects my wish to keep it private, even though I don't understand why. He's not someone who compromises easily, but he has shown me more than once that he can be flexible and reasonable. Maybe he knows that going after my superstar ex-boyfriend would cause more trouble than it's worth.

Or maybe he has other plans for him.

I shudder at the thought of what James might do to Jade if he ever finds out the truth. The truth about how Jade broke my heart and betrayed me.

But I try not to think about that. I try to focus on the present and the future. The future that involves marrying James in less than two weeks.

two weeks that could change everything.

two weeks that could bring unexpected surprises and challenges.

two weeks that could make or break this wedding.

I wonder what his parents and his former fiancée think of our engagement. They must be furious and shocked. They must hate me for stealing their son and their heir.

I hope they won't try to stop us or sabotage us.

I hope they won't show up on our wedding day with a gun or a knife.

I hope they won't make me regret saying yes to James.