terms
1850 Words
NICOLAS
I glance at my wristwatch. Twelve twenty and Luna isn’t here yet. We have a standing agreement to meet at my office by twelve in the afternoon. She’s not here yet and I haven’t heard from her either. I drum my fingers on the desk, glaring at the sleek face of my watch. We agreed on twelve sharp. In my world, being late is the first sign of weakness. But apparently, in hers, it’s an art form.
Frankly, I was surprised she called yesterday. The whole episode was surprising, yet interesting. When I walked into that dinner yesterday, I was simply looking for a quiet place I could drink, brood and think. I wasn’t expecting to come across some beautiful, rude yet enigmatic woman. But I did. And as I stared at her, admired her, the answer suddenly struck me.
I glance at my wristwatch again and my frown deepens. I cast a stare at my phone, expecting her to at least call or text me with an excuse, but nothing.
There’s a sharp rap on my door. It opens and my assistant pokes her head in. “Mr Van Der Bilt? There’s a woman waiting outside for you,” she says. “She claims she has an appointment.”
“Let her in,” I respond.
My assistant nods, retreating. I cast a quick glance around my office to make sure everything looks perfect. My stomach tightens in a knot, something that has never happened to me before. I frown again, disturbed by the feeling.
There is another knock on the door.
“Come in,” I call.
The door opens slightly and a head full of brown hair stuck her neck in. Luna stares at me with wide eyes, peering around the office. When the door finally opens, she slips inside with an infuriating calm, as though she hasn’t just kept me waiting nearly half an hour. “Hey,” she says, her voice quiet.
“You are late,” I say, my voice hard. Despite my obvious annoyance, I cannot help raking my eyes down her body. She is dressed in a pink crop top, a pair of jeans and sneakers. I stare way too long at her exposed belly.
“Traffic,” she says, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. No apology. If she noticed me checking her out, she doesn’t mention it.
I snap my eyes back to her face, annoyed with myself and with her. “Or you just enjoy testing my patience,” I reply, standing.
Her lips curve, almost a smirk. “That is certainly a bonus,” she answers.
God help me, this woman. I shrug on my coat. “Come with me. We’re not having this conversation here.”
“Why did I have to come here then?” She questions, frowning at me as I walk towards her. “I could have met you anywhere else.”
“The place we are going is not very… public,’ I respond. “You wouldn’t have been able to locate it.” I open the door and step aside for her to walk past. “You first.”
“Oh wow, what a gentleman,” she says as she steps outside, her tone dipped fully in sarcasm.
I shake my head, walking after her and closing the door behind me. The both of us walk out of the office building, amidst the stares and whisperings of my employees, which I pointedly ignore.
“Is it me or is everyone staring and pointing at us?” Luna asks as we step outside the building.
“It’s to be expected,” I answer simply. “You are with me after all.”
“Humble too, wow,” she answers, rolling her eyes.
I simply shrug, as we come to a stop in front of my car.
Luna freezes, staring at my car, her mouth gaping open. “That’s… that’s your car?” She questions. “That s**t costs way more than my rent!”
“I’m not surprised,” I respond drily. “Get in,” I say, unlocking the car.
She climbs iñto the car, a frown on her face.
The ride to our destination takes us approximately thirty minutes. Thirty quiet minutes. Not one word is uttered by either of us until we arrive at our destination.
I bring the car to a stop in front of a small café. The door opens and the both of us climb out of the car. “Here we are,” I say. “Come on, let’s go in.”
She stares around as we walk towards the café. “Where exactly are we?”
“A café.”
She glares at me, offended by my tone and response. “Of course, I know it’s a café” she snaps. “I meant… I just… I’ve never been here before, and it doesn’t look like anyone has either,” she says, staring pointedly at the empty car park.
“It’s private owned,” I respond, pushing the door opens for us to walk in. “And it’s not exactly for business. It’s for the family.”
The café is empty except for a barista who knows better than to linger. One of my family’s quieter investments, tucked away for moments like this.
Luna takes in the space, the dark wood and muted lighting. “Of course this place belongs to your family,” she mutters. “You people collect businesses the way other people collect stamps.”
I let a corner of my mouth lift. “Jealous?”
“Suspicious,” she counters, sliding into the booth across from me. “There’s always a price with men like you.”
She’s not wrong.
“Do you want anything?” I ask her, merely to be polite.
“No,” she responds curtly. “I would like us to get down to business immediately,” she answers.
Focused and straight to the point. One point in her favour. “Alright, then. So.” I lean forward, folding my hands on the table. “The arrangement. I need a wife for at least a year. A way to convince my grandmother that I’m settled and equipped to be in charge of the family and the family’s businesses.”
“Wait, so your grandmother determines who gets to be in charge of the family and your… resources?”
“Our investments and businesses. She doesn’t get the full say but her recommendation goes a long way when the board of directors are making their decisions.”
“I see. And you need a wife to win her approval?” I can tell she finds all of the highly ridiculous.
“Grandmama takes pride in the family. For her, having a wife implies that I’m well settled and equipped to take on more responsibilities, such as being in charge of the family as a whole.”
“A little weird, but okay.”
I shrug. “My brother Theodore, my cousin Vincent and I are in the running for the… position. Vincent is married. He has been for two years. Theodore got engaged yesterday and will soon be married.”
“Ohhhh,” she exclaims as she finally realizes my condition. “And you, without a girlfriend, not to talk of a wife, are not likely to get your grand mother’s recommendation. Okay, I think I get it now.”
“Great. So, you will be posing as my girlfriend first. We will date for about one or two months. I will introduce you to my family, so they know I’m serious about you. Then, we get engaged and married.”
“Within two months? Isn’t that a little too fast? It will be suspicious.”
“Not if we sell it well enough,” I answer. “We can say I’m really in love with you and can’t wait to start a life with you.”
She smirks at that. “Of course, you can’t. Look at me.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “We stay married for a year till I convince my grandmother to recommend me. And a couple of months after that, we divorce.”
“I see.” She goes quiet for a while.
“So,” I say. “What do you think? Can you do it? Of course, I will pay you.”
“How much are you offering?” She says, staring at me in the eyes.
“Ten million dollars.” I hold her stare. “A five million dollars payment upfront if you agree to this and another five million after the contract ends.”
She blinks. “Wow.”
“So?”
“Fine, I will do it,” she concedes, just like I knew she would. “But I have conditions of my own.”
Amused, I relax into my seat, chuckling. “You do, don’t you?”
Her eyes flash with annoyance. “Yes. First, I want my independence. You don’t get to control where I go or what I do outside of… appearances.”
I raise a brow. “Appearances being the keyword. My wife won’t be photographed stumbling out of a bar at three in the morning.”
Her chin lifts. “That won’t happen. But I won’t be your puppet either.”
I almost laugh. “You’re already my paid actress, Luna. Don’t get sentimental about titles.”
Her nostrils flare, but she doesn’t look away. That fire, it’s exactly what I noticed at the diner the first night. She’d stared me down over a glass of terrible wine, like she was daring me to blink first.
“You’re still insufferable,” she mutters.
“And you’re still here,” I remind her smoothly.
She rolls her eyes but presses on. “Second, my family comes first. Always. If I need to be with them, I will be. No negotiations.”
I study her, curious. “That’s the real reason you agreed, isn’t it? Your family.”
Her expression tightens, but she doesn’t confirm or deny. Which tells me everything. I tap a finger against the table. “Fine. As long as it doesn’t interfere with business.”
Her lips twitch. “Business. You make marriage sound like a merger.”
“Isn’t it?” I counter, letting my gaze dip to her mouth for the briefest second.
The silence that follows is charged, heavier than it should be. She notices, I know she does but she’s too proud to look away.
Finally, she clears her throat. “Third, I want an out clause. If this gets… unbearable, I can leave.”
I smirk. “You’ll find, Luna, that once you’re in my world, walking away isn’t as simple as it sounds.”
She meets my gaze head-on, defiant. “We’ll see about that.”
And for the first time in years, I feel the faintest thrill. “So? Do we have a deal?”
Holding my gaze, she responds, “We have a deal.”
- Writer
