The Ceo's Secret Marriage

Maxim's mind was racing as he tried to process the bombshell dropped by Kaluna's parents. The weight of their demands hung heavily in the air, suffocating him with every passing second. He could feel the walls closing in around him, the reality of the situation crashing down like an avalanche.

"What do you mean I have to marry her?" Maxim managed to stammer, the incredulity clear in his voice. Kaluna's parents exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of anger and disappointment. They clearly believed he had put them in this predicament, and they weren't going to let him off the hook.

"Do you think we're going to let this incident slide?" Kaluna's father, a formidable man with a commanding presence, stepped forward. "You'll take responsibility for what you did last night. You owe it to our family, to Kaluna!"

Maxim felt the heat rise to his face. His stomach churned with a mix of anger and humiliation. "This is insane! I barely know her! How can you expect me to marry someone I just met?"

Kaluna's mother, a poised woman with a steely gaze, interjected. "You may think this is all a joke, but it isn't. You are a respected businessman in this city. Your reputation is on the line, and so is Kaluna's. We can't allow you to walk away from this."

Maxim shot a glance at Kaluna, who stood there, wide-eyed and silent. He could see the conflict in her expression-a blend of fear, resignation, and something else. He felt an impulse to reach out to her, but the moment was swallowed by the tension in the room.

"Perhaps we should call the police," Kaluna's father suggested, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let them decide what happens next."

"Wait!" Maxim interjected, panic flooding his veins. "Let's not escalate this situation. I'll... I'll think about it."

"Thinking isn't enough!" Kaluna's mother snapped. "You need to act. You've tarnished our family's name, and we won't let you get away with it."

Maxim felt cornered, trapped in a game he never intended to play. All he could think about was how this moment could ruin everything he had worked for. He didn't want a forced marriage; he didn't want to be tied to someone out of obligation, especially not after the heartbreak he had just experienced with Clara.

The gravity of the situation weighed on him like a lead balloon. He looked back at Kaluna, searching for any sign of support. To his surprise, she stepped forward, her expression resolute.

"Maybe... maybe we should just get it over with," she said, her voice steady. Maxim's heart sank. Was she really okay with this?

"Kaluna, you don't have to do this," he protested, the desperation creeping into his voice. "We can find a way out."

"No, I think this is what we need to do," she replied, surprising him. There was a strange glint in her eye, a determination that confused him. Was she truly willing to go along with this?

Maxim's mind spun as he weighed his options. He could walk away, but that would mean a public scandal for both of them. Or he could concede to this ridiculous demand and marry a woman he barely knew, which felt like a prison sentence.

"Fine. Let's... let's just talk about this later," he said, trying to regain some control over the spiraling situation. "I need some time to think."

Kaluna's parents exchanged glances, and he could see that they weren't pleased with the delay, but at least they seemed willing to give him some space.

"Fine. We'll be back," Kaluna's father said tersely before storming out of the room with his wife, leaving Maxim and Kaluna alone.

As soon as the door closed, a wave of relief washed over him. But it was quickly followed by an unsettling tension. Maxim turned to Kaluna, searching her face for answers.

"Are you really okay with this?" he asked cautiously. "You don't have to marry me just because of what happened."

Kaluna took a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I don't know, Maxim. I didn't plan for this either, but it's complicated. My parents think this is the only way to save face, and honestly... I'm not sure what else to do."

His heart ached for her. She didn't deserve to be dragged into this mess. "I'll figure something out. There has to be another way," he insisted.

Kaluna shook her head. "Sometimes you just have to face the consequences of your actions, even if it's not what you want. I can't be the reason my family is embarrassed."

Maxim felt an overwhelming sense of guilt settle over him. This was all his fault. If he hadn't gotten drunk and made that mistake, they wouldn't be in this situation. But the thought of marrying Kaluna felt like a punishment rather than a partnership.

"Let's not rush into anything," Maxim said, trying to find a middle ground. "Maybe we can come up with a plan, something that satisfies both our families without ruining our lives."

Kaluna looked thoughtful for a moment. "What if we staged it? We could pretend to be happily married while we figure things out. It would buy us time."

He frowned, considering her proposal. "You mean like a... fake marriage?"

"Exactly," she said, her eyes lighting up with the idea. "We could go through with the ceremony, but keep it casual. No one has to know it's not real."

Maxim couldn't help but admire her resourcefulness. She was thinking clearly amidst the chaos. "That could work. But we need to set some ground rules. I don't want to lead you on, Kaluna."

She nodded in agreement. "And I don't want to trap you either. This has to be mutual."

Relief flooded through Maxim as he felt a sense of camaraderie with her. Maybe they could navigate this together after all. But just as they began to feel a glimmer of hope, the atmosphere shifted.

A loud knock echoed from the door again, shattering their brief moment of peace. Kaluna's parents returned, their expressions even graver than before.

"We need to talk," Kaluna's father said, his voice low and ominous. "There's been a development."

Maxim's stomach sank. He glanced at Kaluna, who looked equally apprehensive. What could possibly be worse than the situation they were already in?

Before he could voice his concerns, Kaluna's mother stepped forward, her face pale. "We received a call from David."

Maxim's heart raced at the mention of his brother's name. "What did he say?"

Kaluna's parents exchanged uneasy glances before her mother continued, "He wants to speak with you. He knows what happened last night, and he... he isn't happy."

Maxim felt the blood drain from his face. David had every right to be furious. He had just married Clara, and now his brother was facing a scandal of epic proportions.

"Why would he want to speak to me?" Maxim asked, a lump forming in his throat.

"Because he's demanding answers," Kaluna's father said. "He wants to know if you're going to take responsibility for this... situation."

Maxim felt the walls closing in again. He had tried to avoid confrontation, but it looked like there was no escaping it now.

"Maxim, you have to be careful," Kaluna warned, her eyes wide with concern. "David won't take this lightly. He's protective of Clara, and now you're in the middle of it."

Before he could respond, another knock came at the door, and this time it swung open to reveal David standing there, his expression a mixture of rage and disbelief.

"Maxim," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "We need to talk. Now."

As David stepped into the room, Maxim felt his heart race with apprehension. He was standing on the edge of a precipice, and he had no idea how far he would fall. The air grew thick with tension as David's gaze bore down on him, demanding answers that Maxim wasn't sure he could give.

"What happened last night?" David asked, his tone sharp as a knife.

Maxim opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He was about to step into a confrontation that could change everything.

In that moment, as he faced his brother's fierce scrutiny, Maxim realized he was at a crossroads-one path leading to reconciliation, the other to devastation. What choice would he make, and would it be too late to take back the fatal mistake that had begun this entire spiral into chaos?

With the tension hanging thick in the air, the moment felt like an eternity, and Maxim knew that whatever happened next could alter the course of his life forever.