THEM AND HER FLEETING ROMANCES

Chapter 4

Sarah's first book that let her be recognized as a rising star in her new world came from her experience as an ARDEA employee. It was based on a love story told to by one of her clients while he's venting out his depressions at her. It's already done. She's already over writing his tragic love story with his teenage girlfriend. But the one she's sitting on right now, the new plot Sarah is threading on is about a problematic student who found his solace in his classmate's arms. She finds it too fictional but then quite true too because she's facing that problematic student's model right now — Lyonel Ferriol.

Three years ago, Sarah received her first ever job at ARDEA. That's when she met the frail man who introduced himself as Lyon. He's tall but his wrists are relatively thin, almost malnourished, if not because of her branded clothes, he can be mistaken for someone homeless.

The sickly prince looked straight at her eyes when she entered the room where the finalization of the contract will be done. Dead. His paleness, fragility and dead eyes make him look like someone who forcibly returned from his grave. His long silver locks do not even help to make him look like a living person.

The manager introduced him as Lyon and he wished for someone to act as a short-term girlfriend for him for their family banquet. The twist is, she needs to act pregnant.

She glanced at the fragile man. Is he serious? But Lyon just smiled at him creepily, thinking about the consequences of this stunt he's about to do now.

"You don't mind getting married, right?"

Baffled at his words, Sarah returned gaze to her manager, pleading for assistance on how to answer that question.

The manager apologized and informed Lyon that that is not part of the contract. "On the contrary, we don't meddle with our employees' personal lives. So, if the lady have intentions of marrying you for personal reasons then—"

"Hey, who's marrying who?," Sarah butted in. "You can just stop after the confirmation that that wasn't part of my job. Don't put my personal life on the table," annoyed, she can't help but grumble her thoughts.

The manager chuckled.

After the meeting was closed and everything was made clear to both of them, all that's left is to wait for the schedule of Lyon's family occasion.

And that day arrived shortly.

It was out of Lyon's generosity and perfectionism that Sarah managed to wear decent clothes with designer labels that night. It was morning on the same day that they'll have the evening banquet with Lyon's family when bags of clothes lined up in front of Sarah. According to her manager, she can take all of it to dress her best for the role she's about to play.

It's not a grand ball that requires someone to wear something flashy like prom gowns but a casual gathering with the whole family so she went with the white dress with long sleeves and flared skirt. Its design is minimal with only a few buttons on the side of its top.

"You don't need to say anything," Lyon reassured her once both of them are already inside his car. "My mom is the hysterical type, she always passes out when I do something extreme. Don't mind her. Father, on the other note, would turn a blind eye on me. But the other family members will surely gossip around. Don't mind them too."

She nodded and nodded. Sarah does not want to talk with him because of the uncomfortable feeling she's having about this odd job.

After a long silence inside the car with no music to console any of them, the couple arrived in front of a grand mansion. Someone stopped them at the gate but after confirming that the owner of the car is Lyon, they welcomed them and let the vehicle come inside.

He said that it's nothing grand but the amount of visitors alone makes the event look grander than Sarah's first thoughts. Foods were being served on the table and a live orchestra was performing on the side.

Once they set foot on the venue, most heads turned their way. She could hear them whispering about Lyon. The prodigy.

Prodigy?

Sarah glanced at the man once more. Prodigy in what?

It looks like Lyon gathers all the attention that he wishes for but for Sarah, those attention and hole-boring stares could make her tremble and fall which happens eventually as they walk to the center of the party.

In an instant, Lyon caught him with his hand. "Are you alright?," he asked, fully concerned for her well-being.

"Y-yes. I'm..." Oh god, Sarah! She yelled internally. Are you going to blush now?

"I told you not to push yourself. It's bad for you and our baby."

For you and our baby.

OUR BABY.

The last words echoed not only inside Sarah's consciousness but to the whole room.

Then murmurs followed.

Having said that, Lyon grinned at her.

What? She wanted to ask. But his flashiness continued and he carried Sarah to a seat. How come a frail and thin person carry someone who's having issues with her weight gains recently?

After he perfectly laid her down, Lyon knelt beside her and touched her belly. "Are you fine now?"

Thoughts battling inside her, uncomfortness running under her skin but Sarah slapped herself mentally that she's here for the job and Lyon paid for some good acting.

"Nothing to worry about," Sarah calmly said and touched Lyon's ears sweetly.

The action made the people silent altogether and Lyon smiled at her.

Is she doing it well?

If that's it, then she can do more crazy girlfriend antics. So she slightly raised her hand and combed the tips of Lyon's hair. "When are we—"

"Lyonel!"

Both of them look at the person who suddenly squealed in between their romantic performance.

"What is this this time, my dear?"