April 12, 2019
Paula had definitely noticed that her husband had been different for the past few months, but every time she brought it up, he wouldn't even answer her and would deny it. So, day by day, she woke up alone in their bed, occasionally crossing paths with Harvey in the morning before he flew off to work, in the firm's corridors, or in the evening before he disappeared, god knows where — but that was it. She suspected that he was spending his nights either at Mike's, at a hotel, maybe his own place now, or in another woman's bed just to avoid her. And while not knowing bothered her, she didn't resort to following him or tracking him, hoping to avoid Harvey losing his temper and making her life a living hell in return, so for the moment, as he stayed married to her and remained calm, she said nothing. As frustrated as she was, she let him go, letting him live his life while hoping that one day he would open his eyes and realize that she was the one for him, that she had done right by trapping him into this marriage. Anyway, in the meantime, if he seemed happier and more relaxed, there was something else that intrigued the blonde: his wedding ring. The day after their wedding, he had taken it off as soon as he stepped through the door, a gesture he repeated over and over again until that day. Before, every morning, she saw him slip on his ring, taking it out of his jacket pocket before leaving the house, pretending it stayed there the entire time. In the evening, when he returned home, he would place it on his nightstand before heading out again, or he'd slip it into the inner pocket of his jacket the moment he walked into a bar. Harvey didn't wear his wedding ring because he wasn't a proud, loving husband to his wife, and probably also because the marriage was a fraud — something he hadn't wanted. So, when they crossed paths at home after yet another night out, Paula was surprised to see his wedding ring on his finger, as it stayed there the entire day, still in place in the evening when they went out on another double date with some of her friends. After a good meal, as they left the restaurant and Paula headed toward their car, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw that Harvey wasn't following her and was busy on his phone.
«What are you doing?»
«I'm ordering you an Uber to get home»
«You're kidding?»
«What? You want the car? I'll take the Uber then, I don't care»
«Aren't you coming home with me?»
«Is that a real question?» snorted Harvey, his gaze still fixed on his phone.
«Where are you going?»
«Mike»
«Again?»
«Yeah. You got something to say about it?»
«No»
«Good»
«Actually, I do. What's going on with your ring?»
«What about it?»
«You know, Sam and Rina are gone, you don't have to pretend anymore, huh? I know how much being tied to me is a burden for you»
«At least you know. I thought you forgot…»
«Why does this one seem thinner?»
«I lost my ring the other day, so I bought another one — anyway, here, take the keys, I'm going to grab an Uber»
Without another word, he handed her the car keys before walking toward the road where the car he had ordered was arriving. Without saying goodbye, he got into the car, and Paula watched him leave once again. Her gaze lingered on the ring that didn't leave his finger, a strange feeling washing over her as he disappeared.
In the small Soho flat, Donna and Harvey came with strangled moans as the lawyer collapsed on top of his exhausted girlfriend, their bodies sweating against each other as they kept kissing lazily. For a few minutes, both of them tried to catch their breath, while Donna ran her fingers through Harvey's hair and the lawyer placed tender kisses on the redhead's damp cleavage, feeling the salty taste of her skin on his lips. As neither of them said anything, too busy trying to regain consciousness, it was Harvey who whispered first, pulling Donna closer to him.
«Can you imagine? Six months together»
«Who would have thought?»
«If I had known how happy I'd be with you, I would have searched for you much earlier, my whole life if I had to»
«Harvey…»
«I love you — you have no idea»
«I love you too»
«You know, I always thought love would fade over time, that the passion would die down, and that I'd never feel the same way I did in the beginning. But I was wrong. In reality, every time, I discover more about you, and I fall even more in love with you than I ever thought possible. I can't wait to discover more»
«It's a good thing we have eternity then…» murmured Donna against his lips.
As Donna's words hit Harvey like a punch to the gut, the lawyer kissed his girlfriend passionately, pouring all his feelings for her into that kiss, before caressing her cheek and murmuring softly against her lips.
«Marry me, then»
«Honey…» giggled the redhead.
«What?» chuckled Harvey.
«Well, I'll remind you that you're already married»
«On paper, yeah»
«Alright — so I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure being married to two different people isn't possible, since the United States doesn't recognize polygamy as legal. Didn't you ever learn that in school? I thought Harvard was a prestigious university»
«Oh, please. I know all of that… But if I weren't married, would you have said yes?» whispered the lawyer.
«Of course, yeah. But like I said, we can't— not now » smiled Donna as she kissed him.
«Alright, then»
Without fully understanding what was happening, Donna watched as Harvey quickly got out of bed, slipped on his boxers, and tossed her his t-shirt, making it clear she needed to get dressed as that suited the redhead just fine, especially as she began to shiver from the thin layer of sweat covering her body. A few seconds later, after rummaging around in the living room, he returned, hiding something behind his back, and though she was intrigued, Donna said nothing. Now sitting on the bed in her boyfriend's old Harvard t-shirt, she watched him sit in front of her and pull out whatever he had been hiding, causing her to gasp as he whispered.
«Let's have a symbolic wedding or whatever this shit is called»
In front of her was a platinum band, adorned with a halo of diamonds, and a large oval-cut diamond sparkling above it — the sight making the redhead's eyes widen in awe, leaving her speechless as she could only murmur.
«Harvey, are you insane?»
«Insane about you, yeah»
«Honey, this is crazy. A symbolic wedding? What does that even mean?»
«It means that I want you to be my wife. I mean, in my head, you already are. On paper, it might not be possible for now, but that doesn't mean that when I talk about my wife, you won't be the one I'm thinking about»
«But what about —»
«We don't give a shit about her. Look, I know we won't be able to marry you for real for the moment still she's still technically my wife, but I know that you are the one I want to call my wife in reality»
«Harv —»
«I want to wear your ring. I want people to see your engagement ring and your wedding band and know that you're mine. Who cares if it's legal or not? The most important thing is that marriage is supposed to represent love, right? And I love you more than anything in this world. So, let's have a symbolic wedding, just you and me, so we know we're together for eternity. And as soon as I figure out how to divorce that witch without her ruining my life, I swear I'll marry you legally — hell, even in front of her if I have to. So, what do you think?»
«Harvey, this is insane»
«Maybe, but I really want you to become my wife. I can't stop thinking about it since I bought this ring almost five months ago»
«Five months?» gasped Donna.
«I told you, I really want you to become my wife — so, what do you think? Let's get married» smirked Harvey.
As Donna's gaze shifted between the huge diamond, Harvey's smile, and his sparkling eyes, the redhead lost the little bit of reason she had left as she nodded vigorously, grabbing Harvey's face with both hands to kiss him passionately until he slipped the ring onto her finger. A few hours later, as Harvey slept next to her, Donna admired her engagement ring. Slowly, the craziness of what she had just done started to sink in: she had accepted the proposal of a married man. How sick was that? It wasn't even possible… But deep down, she didn't care at all, she was too happy and in love to worry about the paperwork or the legal side of things, letting love triumph over everything else. The next morning, after their goodbye kiss, Harvey went back to sleep since he was starting later, while Donna left the apartment with a huge smile on her face, and when she met Rachel, the brunette gasped as soon as she saw the diamond on Donna's finger.
«No way»
«Yes way»
«Donna, I'm not sure I get it... Is that even possible?»
«He said we could have a symbolic wedding, and the day he divorces his wife, he'll marry me on the spot»
«That's insane»
«I know. I hesitated, but Rach, I'm so in love with him» moaned the redhead.
«And he loves you too, I swear»
«Yeah»
«So, you're going to be a wife soon»
«A non-legal wife, but a wife nonetheless»
As the two women laughed and talked about the huge diamond on Donna's finger and the surprising yet sweet proposal from the lawyer, they quickly had to get back to work as clients began arriving. While a tall brunette openly flirted with the redhead, both friends noticed the man stop dead in his tracks when he saw the engagement ring on Donna's finger while smiling, blushing as she imagined her fiancé — her fiancé, oh my fucking god — grinning at the thought of men approaching her less. Meanwhile, on the other side of Manhattan, Mike and Harvey were locked in the lawyer's office.
«You fucking kidding me»
«I'm not»
«Dude»
«Yeah?»
«What about Paula?»
«I told you, I'm trying to find a solution, but if I ask for a divorce now, she'll make my life a living hell. You know her like I do — she'll do everything to make sure I end up with nothing. No money, no job, and she'll manipulate her father to turn every lawyer in this country against me. I can't afford that right now, I don't want Donna to live that life. So trust me, I just need time»
«Why don't you wait to marry Donna?»
«Because I'm crazy in love with her, and I want her to know that I want everything with her. It's not just about waiting, she's not just my mistress — she's truly the love of my life, and it's with her that I want to spend the rest of my days»
«But you could do that the right way, with a real marriage, as soon as you're divorced»
«I don't know how long it's going to take to get rid of Paula»
«So what? How are you even going to do it? I remind you, you can't marry someone else»
«I've been thinking about it for months, and two solutions come to mind. Either we get married outside the United States and I don't report the marriage when we return here»
«But if it's discovered, you could be charged with bigamy, which is a crime in many states in the U.S»
«Exactly. Or we could have a symbolic marriage»
«A symbolic marriage?» murmured Mike, a bit lost.
«Yeah, it's like a real wedding, except it has no legal value. And once I've gotten rid of Paula, we'll make it official»
«And how do you plan to do that?»
«I just need two witnesses, some sort of officiant, and a location outside of New York»
«Brother... this is insane»
«I know, but every time I see that engagement ring on her finger, I'm about two seconds away from running off with her just so we can be happy together without this mess»
«I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm 100% with you — I'll be your best man»
«Really? Thank you, brother»
«And Donna's maid of honor?»
«I guess it'll be Rachel, she's the only one who knows about us»
«Good»
«More than good, huh?» chuckled Harvey.
«Oh please, stop... don't change the subject. I remind you, you're marrying your mistress behind your wife's back — you're the main topic here»
«Don't call her my mistress»
«My bad. No one talks badly about Mrs. Specter-to-be, right?» snorted Mike.
«I can't wait»
As they both laughed, they stopped abruptly when Mr. Agard entered the office, quickly pretending they were talking about a potential client who thought they could fool them. Facing the situation, the older man chuckled at the fabricated story Mike had made up, and both of them sighed in relief when their boss finally left, returning to their day without bringing up the redhead again. That evening, at the end of the day, as the lawyer was in a client meeting and Donna had already fallen asleep, she was surprised to hear Harvey shaking her gently.
«Baby?»
«Hmm?»
«Wake up»
«Harv…» moaned Donna.
«I need to talk to you about something»
«What time is it?»
«Almost two»
«Urgh…»
«Come on, it's about the wedding»
As Donna sighed, she turned onto her back, her eyes still closed, making a sound of approval while Harvey, in response, lay down on his stomach, his chin resting on her belly as he began to whisper.
«I talked to Mike, and I was thinking we could get married, just the two of us, with him and Rachel as witnesses. We could do it outside of New York with an officiant, we just wouldn't sign any papers — what do you think?»
«It's good»
«Where do you want to get married?»
«Harv?»
«Yeah?»
«It's two in the morning. Can we talk about it tomorrow?» whispered Donna.
«Oh, yeah. Sure — sorry»
«It's fine»
«I'm going to wash up, then I'll be right there»
«Hmm»
After Harvey planted a kiss on her clothed belly, her cleavage, her neck, and then her lips, the lawyer got up to head to the bathroom, while Donna snuggled back under the covers until Harvey joined her, falling asleep with the redhead in his arms. The next morning, as neither of them had to work and Donna was still asleep, Harvey waited impatiently for her to wake up. But seeing that it was already eight and she still seemed out cold, he decided to wake her up gently — well, his own version of gentle. Between the feeling of warmth invading her, the tingling in her lower abdomen, and the wetness between her legs, Donna opened her eyes to discover Harvey in front of her center, his two large hands around her thighs holding her legs on either side of his face as she moaned and closed her eyes again, slipping her finger into his hair and scratching his scalp. Five minutes later, she came hard as Harvey then placed tender kisses on her inner thighs, her hip, her stomach, her cleavage, her neck, and finally finished on her lips, murmuring softly against them.
«Good morning»
«Good morning indeed»
«We need to talk. You remember last night I mentioned the wedding, but you seemed out of it»
«It was two in the morning, Harv»
«True»
«What about it?»
«I did some research. A lot of people have symbolic weddings around the world. For example, a couple who wants to marry in a country where polygamy is illegal, a same-sex couple in a country where same-sex marriage isn't legal yet, couples who want to marry but keep it hidden from their families —»
«Or a couple where the man is already married and is having a secret relationship with a younger woman» chuckled Donna.
«Alright, touché — anyway, all this to say, it's possible. There just won't be any paperwork — only us and our two witnesses will know. We'll be husband and wife until the day I get rid of Paula from our lives and you officially become Mrs. Specter»
«I like the way you think»
«I won't be able to give you the wedding of your dreams right away, but I promise, as soon as I can, I'll give in to all your whims»
«My hero»
«But in the meantime, we've got rings to buy, a wedding officiant to pay, and a dream location to find, huh?»
«Yeah»
«You're free today, right?»
«I am. Why?»
«Because there's a Cartier store near Philadelphia waiting for our fingers — let's go»
Without giving her a chance to respond, he kissed her one last time with an excited grin, while the redhead saw her fiancé as enthusiastic as ever, as if he had left all his worries behind. After taking their shower and getting dressed, the two of them climbed into Harvey's car, heading for Philadelphia, more than an hour and a half away from their apartment in Soho. Even though they were no longer in Manhattan, Harvey remained an influential man, and the idea of them walking hand-in-hand was still complicated. So, they walked side by side before stepping into the store and making their way to the back room, where a salesperson presented them with a selection of rings. Despite the huge diamond already on her finger, the redhead was breathless, feeling Harvey place a kiss on her cheek as she heard the salesperson speaking.
«I'll leave you to look around, just call me when you've made your decision»
«Alright, thank you»
For a few seconds, they both looked at the tray of rings before Donna murmured.
«How are you going to handle your two wedding bands?»
«What do you mean?»
«I'm not really comfortable with you wearing your wedding ring from your marriage with her, while we're together»
«Baby, I told you, you're going to be my wife. I'm never putting that old wedding band back on. Only the one for our wedding»
«And what, you're going to walk around with our wedding band in front of her?»
«Yeah»
«She's going to notice... unless you get the same one back»
«No, not the same one. But don't worry, I'll figure it out. In the meantime, pick whichever one you want for you, and choose one for me too»
«Alright»
For a few minutes, they talked and commented on the different rings — something Harvey had never done the first time. When Paula had organized everything without him caring, he had simply gone to the courthouse as planned. Paula had slid a wedding band onto his finger that he had never seen before, just like the engagement ring she had secretly bought, but this time, it was different. He was with the love of his life, someone who considered what he liked or didn't like, what he was looking for while also offering her own opinion — finally, someone with good taste. In the end, Donna chose a sparkling band set with 16 diamonds all around, while Harvey picked a simple white gold band, thinner than the one he had before and more rounded compared to the flat one Paula had chosen — just as bland as their relationship had been. When the salesperson returned about twenty minutes later, they showed their choices, and the man smiled at them.
«An engraving?»
As they looked at each other with love, it was clear they wanted an engraving. As simple as the first letter of each other's name was, they both felt their hearts race at the thought of this secret — one invisible to the world, but known only to them. Once everything was settled, they headed back to New York, Harvey went shopping with Mike to find their wedding and witness suits, while Donna went to Saks to pick out a simple wedding dress and something for the maid of honor. The lawyer took charge of finding someone to officiate the wedding, while Donna searched for the perfect location. All four of them eagerly awaited the upcoming weekend, when they would come together for this atypical, completely non-legal wedding — one that felt more authentic than anything they had ever imagined.
«Are you ready, dude?» snorted Mike.
«I'm freaking out» whispered Harvey.
«Why? Because you're gonna married another one while you have your wife at home or because it's kind of illegal?»
«Shut up. I'm freaking out because I want to be perfect — well, as perfect as it could be with these circumstances»
«Hey, it's going to be alright. It's completely insane, but it's amazing. I mean, the last time I attended your wedding, you downed two glasses of whiskey beforehand, and we ended up playing PlayStation all night instead of celebrating your wedding in the luxurious hotel suite your father-in-law had rented for the occasion»
«God, even with all this time passed, I still can't understand what she was thinking, marrying me based on threats. Even now, I still can't figure out what she expected from me…»
«Who gives a shit. You're marrying Donna, dudeafter barely six months of secret relationship »
«Hell yeah»
As the two men continued laughing and getting ready, the women finished the final touches on their makeup while chatting about everything that was about to come next.
«Do you realize?» muttered Rachel.
«That I'm gonna marry him? I do. But what I don't realize is that I'm about to marry a guy who's already married to someone else that he hates. I mean, I'm Donna, I'm structured, organized, and straight-laced, but now? I'm finding myself in some sort of secret marriage with the ultimate New York bachelor — this is hard to realize» chuckled the redhead.
«I bet»
«Anyway, how do I look?»
«Like someone who's not going to keep her dress for long tonight»
As the two women burst into laughter, everyone made their way toward the venue, excitement palpable among the four adults. Donna had chosen to have their wedding by the water, so they arranged for an officiant to come to Wainscott in the Hamptons, where all five of them gathered on the dock of a private beach. Donna arrived in a simple white silk dress with a straight neckline and thin straps, and Harvey found himself once again awestruck by how beautiful his soon-to-be wife was. Standing face to face, their fingers intertwined and their gazes locked, Mike and Rachel stood on either side of their friend, with the officiant between them. It wasn't a long ceremony — just enough time to exchange vows, slip on their rings, and have the officiant declare them husband and wife. Then, Harvey and Donna kissed again and again, savoring the moment as Mike and Rachel cheered and applauded, shouting their congratulations. Without signing any papers, they thanked the officiant before finding themselves on the beach, wedding bands on their fingers and smile on their faces.
«Would my wife grant me this dance?»
«Of course»
As Mike queued a song on Spotify, the couple shared their first slow dance, the golden hues of the setting sun casting a warm glow over them as Harvey pressed gentle kisses to Donna's bare shoulder and neck, inhaling her familiar, intoxicating scent. Every touch, every moment felt perfect as he couldn't stop smiling. He was so happy, so deeply in love, that it almost seemed surreal — especially when he thought about how, not long ago, he'd considered marriage the worst possible thing in the world. As the four of them settled onto the sand, sitting on a blanket in their wedding attire with beers in hand, they laughed and talked about everything and nothing and even as the conversation flowed around him, Harvey couldn't help but reflect — it was all so different from what he had imagined. For the first time, everything felt like it was falling into place. He never thought he'd be here — so full of joy, so in love, with Donna by his side as his wife.
«You okay, honey?»
«Yeah. I'm just so happy»
A few years ago, he had experienced what was supposedly the dream wedding with Paula — the limousine, the reception at the St. Regis, the world-renowned chef catering, hundreds of guests, endless champagne, a sea of acquaintances — and yet, he had hated it. Now, sitting on the sand, Donna nestled between his legs, her back pressed against him, their conversation illuminated only by the crackling fire they had set up on the beach, Harvey watched as she grabbed the packet of pretzels Rachel handed her, snuggling back into his arms and bursting out laughing at Mike's botched impersonation. In that moment, Harvey realized this was the wedding of his dreams. He didn't need grandeur, hundreds of people, or any luxuries… he just needed her — this simple, perfect moment — just Donna. As the clock edged closer to three in the morning and Donna stifled a yawn, everyone headed back to the hotel they had rented nearby. However, the newlyweds couldn't keep their hands off each other for even a second once they stepped into the room. The door barely clicked shut before Harvey pulled Donna into his arms, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that was as eager as it was tender. It had been a whirlwind of a day, but nothing could stop them now — not when they had each other. In the end, they didn't really sleep, making love for hours under the sheets until Mike had woken them up barely an hour later, banging on their door like a madman, yelling.
«Come on, lovebirds, time for breakfast!»
In response, Harvey groaned and dragged himself out of bed, still unable to believe they hadn't even managed to get any real sleep. At the same time, Donna, still lying down and propped up on the pillow, smiled and shook her head, her disheveled hair framed her radiant face as she let out a soft moan.
«Already?»
«Apparently»
«Urgh…»
«Come on, Mrs. Specter, we're expected»
Even though he was still exhausted, Harvey couldn't help but smile, turning to Donna. His eyes sparkled with amusement and love as she bit her lip softly, looking at her now-husband — naked and irresistibly handsome — god, she still couldn't believe it. Reluctantly, they left the bed, hopped into the shower, and got ready before heading out to meet Mike and Rachel. After a quick breakfast, they piled into the car and headed back to Manhattan, and after dropping Rachel off at her place, then Mike, they finally made their way back to the Soho apartment. As soon as they were back in bed, they collapsed into a deep sleep, eager to recover the hours they'd lost the night before. It had been a whirlwind of emotions, excitement, and love, but now all they needed was rest. In the early afternoon, Harvey's phone rang, and both of them groaned as the redhead curled up in his arms.
«Who's that?» mumbled Donna, still half-asleep.
«I don't know, wait» whispered Harvey.
As he blindly searched for his phone on the nightstand, the screen lit up, and Donna's eyes fluttered open when she heard her husband sigh.
«Shit»
«What?»
«I've got this thing tonight. I completely forgot about it»
«What thing?»
«Double date»
«Wait, what?»
«She's friends with another psychologist and her husband, who's as boring as hell. She's been trying to organize this for months, and I've always found a way to avoid it, but now, I don't have a choice. She mentioned it to her dad, and now he's aware and asked me about it, so I have to go»
«Great» sighed Donna.
«Hey, baby — don't. I'm going tonight, but my heart's with you, and it's your ring I've got on my finger, alright? I'll spend the evening with them, pretending to be happy with Paula like I've pretended all these years, and tonight, I'll come back to you, and I'll fuck you until you and I both forget about this manipulative witch»
Seeing her thinking, he kissed her as she suddenly sat up, but before he had time to leave the bed, Donna hooked her hand on the back of his neck to pull him against him, the lawyer falling back into the bed as she flipped them over. Now on top of him, she kissed him on his lips, then his jaw, his neck, and as she placed her lips just above his collarbone, nibbling and sucking on his skin until a red spot appeared with little dots of blood from the suction. Now straddling him, she smiled, admiring her work of art before cupping his jaw and kissing him dirty, whispering against his lips.
«Mine»
«Yours. Always»
This time, it was Harvey who flipped them over, kissing her one last time before getting out of bed, getting dressed again, and leaving her apartment. That evening, after meeting Paula outside the restaurant, the two walked in without Harvey acknowledging the blonde's greeting, fretting she wasn't even there. Once seated, Harvey did what he did best — pretend and play. For nearly two hours, they talked about everything and nothing, all while he waited for the chance to leave and return to his real wife to finish the evening honoring his promise with hot sex and romantic moments. As if his prayers had been heard, and after nearly two hours of eating, they left the restaurant, while Harvey could see the surprise on Paula's face when he didn't get into the car with her.
«What are you doing?»
«I'm ordering you an Uber to get home»
«You're kidding?»
«What? You want the car? I'll take the Uber then, I don't care»
«Aren't you coming home with me?»
«Is that a real question?» snorted Harvey, his gaze still fixed on his phone.
«Where are you going?»
«Mike»
«Again?»
«Yeah. You got something to say about it?»
«No»
«Good»
«Actually, I do. What's going on with your ring?»
«What about it?»
«You know, Sam and Rina are gone, you don't have to pretend anymore, huh? I know how much being tied to me is a burden for you»
«At least you know. I thought you forgot…»
«Why does this one seem thinner?»
«I lost my ring the other day, so I bought another one — anyway, here, take the keys, I'm going to grab an Uber»
He hadn't expected her to notice the change in his wedding band, but luckily, his excuse about losing it and buying a new one seemed to work, and without a second glance, he climbed into the Uber he had ordered, his heart pounding in his chest, eager to get back to the woman who truly loved him. As soon as he stepped through the door, he saw Donna dressed in his Harvard t-shirt and panties going to the kitchen and without even greeting her, he undressed himself right in the hall, running towards the redhead who was screaming and laughing, not even having time to reach the room that Harvey threw her over his shoulder to fall into bed with her. That night, they lay side by side, the warmth of the sheets tangled around them, their bodies still humming with the electricity of everything they'd just shared. Harvey's arm was draped around Donna's neck, his fingers lazily tracing circles on her skin as she nestled into him, their laughter filling the space between them as they spoke in soft murmurs, sharing silly stories, small dreams, and teasing each other in that quiet, intimate way only they could. Their fingers intertwined, the gentle clink of their wedding made a noise, a soft, reassuring reminder of the promises they'd made. Everything felt so right in that moment — like the world outside didn't exist.
It was just them, here, in this small, perfect bubble.