Contracted Hearts

Chapter Two

Ethan’s pov.

‘Knock,knock’

I heard the sound on my office door.

“Come in,” I said calmly.

My secretary came in and walked towards where I sat at my office table.

She walked slowly and swayed her hips gently in order to get my attention, but I just directed my gaze back to the computer.

“Sir, the documents you requested for '' she said in a sultry voice that made me very irritated.

She pretended to be a very naive and innocent girl so she could get my attention, but I knew she was a fake. I hate keeping people like her around me, but she was good at her work, so I couldn’t just fire her and she never had the mind to seduce me because I kept everything at work professionally.

I felt in this world every girl I meet tried to be innocent and all good, hiding their dirty and bad character in order to please me, but I could see right through a person. It was easy to see right through them,when it came to a man like me.

And this is even the reason why I can’t even get married now, because I don’t trust, I don't love. I find it very hard to do. So I focus more on work.

“Drop it on the table and take your leave” I said coldly to her.

And she turned on her hills to leave, still swaying her hips. I just shook my head in disappointment and continued with my work on my computer.

My mother is pressuring me a lot to get married, complaining I was 28 years old and still single playing around with bimbos. I would always laugh at her remarks whenever I heard her say those things.

Buzz buzz

The sound of my phone ringing distracted my attention from the computer.

I picked my phone up and saw my mum was calling.

Hahaha speaks of the devil and she calls right up, making me smile.

I picked up the call and placed it in my ears.

“Ethan,what’s your problem? Why haven't you been picking up my calls? Do you want to kill this boy?” I heard her scream on the phone in a dramatic voice.

Ehh when did she call me?

“When did you call me?” I asked her in a calm voice.

“Ohh my neck, can the heavens hear what you just said,are you so busy that you don’t check your calls anymore?” She asked me clearly, pretending her neck hurt.

My mum was a big drama queen and I always asked her why she didn't act in dramas instead of doing business.

“Ohh maybe I missed your calls when I was in a meeting earlier and I haven’t checked my phone either because I have been busy” I replied to her.

Making her scoff from the phone and making a smile appear on my lips.

“Fine, let’s really pretend that’s what happened. How’s my boy doing?” She asked me, and cleared her throat.

“ I'm alright mum, just busy with work” I answered her.

“OK, that’s good to hear. Make sure to be home by 6pm today.I have an important matter to talk to you about and it’s not something we can discuss online”, she said with a stern voice.

“ Hmmm mum, are you sure it’s important?” I asked her because my mum rarely has important things to say except scolding me.

“Yes it is, it is about our Empire. It’s at stake now because of your actions ” she said.

“Make sure to be home by 6” she added before ending the call. I could not even say anything.

What did I do? Is my empire at stake?

She sure knows I don’t play with these things and I better hope it was serious and, at the same time, not serious enough to harm my empire.

When it was 6pm, I stopped all the work I was doing and headed downstairs to my car.

On my way out of the company, people bowed their heads to me and some even hurried and gave me space . They were all very scared of me, which I liked.

I loved being straight and strict when it came to my business.

I went straight to the front of my company and saw my driver already parked in the front of my company waiting for me outside and ready to open the door for me.

He opened it and went quickly to his driver's side and got in. He started the engines and we were on our way to my mother’s mansion.

In less than 30 mins, we were at the mansion. I stepped down and went straight inside the mansion.

I barely visited this place because of the memories I have here, especially the one of my late Dad. He died when I was 10 years old. He was one of the strongest men I have ever known in my life and it was

So unfortunate he had to die like that in a car accident.

I saw my mum and younger sis,sitting in the parlour obviously waiting for me. My younger sis was just 1 year old when my Dad died,so she had no idea about how he was, just pictures and stories she heard about him.

“Ethan,I’m happy to see you” she called out to me and stood up, walking towards my direction.

“How are you doing Mia?” I asked her as she stood in front of me.

“Am fine big bro,how are you doing? You look stressed out” she asked me with concern laced in her voice.

“Yeah I am good,just work stress” I replied to her.

She nodded her head at me and we walked to the couch in the parlour.

“Good evening mum” I said to my mum as I sat down on the couch.

“Evening Ethan, I thought you were not going to come” she said to me sarcastically.

And I rolled my eyes at her.

“As you can see,I'm here” I replied to her.

She nodded her head in approval and continued pressing her phone.

“Hello ooo why did you ask me to come over? I don't have all the time in the world to chit-chat you while you press your phone” I said to her, making her roll her eyes at me this time.

She was enjoying all this.I smiled inwardly but showed no expression on my face.

“The European investors refused to sign the contract,they said. I am a widow. There is no offence, they need a family man, a man with responsibilities to sign the contract with” she said calmly, and the way she looked serious I knew she heard every word she said and I saw pain flash through her face, but she quickly masked it up.

“Why didn’t you let me deal with them? I told you already I would’ve handled them better”, I said to her.

“Handle, what better? Me and you who have been in this business world for a long time? Do you think Europe's people are not smart? These men deal with maturity; they don’t care what you’ve achieved at your young age. They believe, as a man, if you can handle your home, then you can handle the world,and if we don’t sign this contract and come out of it, our reputation is over this Empire that your father, me and you suffered to build this far will all crumble because of this problem that looks minor to you.” She said in a stern and serious voice.

Yes, my mum was correct. This was how these people were. I was lucky to pull some stunts with some European investors, but this one's are stubborn.

“Hmmm” I let a sigh escape my lips.

“So what do we know, mum?” I asked.

“Obviously for you to get married” she said in a loud voice.

I looked at her with shock. She knew marriage was not on my list now but my empire. F*ck what do I do now?

“See Ethan, I know you aren’t really ready for marriage and all that, but trust me, you will enjoy it later in time,” she said softly.

“How can I marry a person I don’t love?” I asked her.

“ You are a business person,and business should be what you think first, love can come later" 'she said, trying to convince.

“Did Dad marry you because of business?” I asked her.

Making her look at me with shock and pain. She and Dad were the most lovely couple I knew. I envied their love so much.

“Don’t say that” she said softly, her voice getting cracked. She was about to cry. No, I didn't want to see her tears right now.

“Okay fine, I will get married” I said to her in a very lazy voice.

“Are you serious?” She asked me, her face bringing colour back. Only God knows if she had not pretended just now, but even, at that I never wanted to see her tears.

“Yes” I muttered.

“Ohh my boy, I’m so happy right now, I see I was looking at some girl’s pictures of some good families” she said, standing up to come show me.

Before she could get to where I was, I raised my hands up to her to stop her from coming close to me.

“On one condition, I will choose my own wife and not just any wife you show. I will bring my wife home in a week's time despite all odds and you will accept her”, I said to her, then stood up to leave.

I kissed her cheek and rubbed my sister's hair before dismissing myself from there before my mum would start saying but but.

I told the driver to take me to my regular bar. I needed a drink to cool my head off from all this drama.

When I got to the bar, I went in and went straight to the shots station.

I saw a lady sitting there swaying her hips as she sat on the chair. I could only see her back as she was facing the shots station. Her long straight blond hair felt so pretty drawn to this strange woman, I went and sat at her right side as I watched her singing and enjoying herself. She didn’t care who was looking at her, she just kept on doing her thing.

And when she turned to look at me I felt my breath hitch. She was so beautiful, her hazel eyes and perfect baby face and her lips that were very pink and pretty that I felt like kissing them? Gosh, why am I having these thoughts?

Then she broke the silence between us. Asking why I was staring at her. And God, her voice was heavenly for some unknown feelings. I couldn’t stop staring.

And when I replied to her in the face, she almost made me grab her and kiss her, but I restrained myself and kept an emotionless face.

She was funny and when I asked what she was doing here alone, her expression changed. I noticed her eyes were red and puffy. Did she cry a lot? Who made her cry like that?

Sensing the atmosphere, I distracted it by ordering more shots and she looked at me strangely.

She thought I wanted to get her drunk lol

And the next words she said made me shocked as hell.

“Let’s have a one-night stand” her voice echoed in my mind.

She looked drunk but her face showed she met every word she said.

“I'm not kidding around, I promise you I will forget you ever existed” she added.

I was truly amazed. I am not sure she recognized who I was.

“Do you know who I am?” I asked her, and she looked at me as if staring inside my soul with those beautiful hazel eyes.

“I don’t care who you are!” She said, raising her two hands up, showing she didn’t care.

What kind of strange woman was this? She didn’t care about anything hmmm.

“If you don’t want to,I will just look for another handsome dude like you. I must take my revenge tonight,” she said and hiccuped.

Is this girl crazy? What’s all this about revenge? I guess she’s drunk.

And I’m not letting her go any f*cking where to meet anybody.