HIS STOLEN HEART

Nicole was pacing restlessly in her living room, her mind was in such turmoil that she could barely feel the tears tickling down her cheeks. "How could he be so mean, how could he demand a contract marriage from me, how could he take advantage of my situation like this? "This is not fair lord" she whimpered as her mind drifted back to the incident that occurred nearly 48 hours ago. Good afternoon sir, "please can I have a word with you," she asked nervously. He looked up from his laptop with his gaze penetrating every one of her defenses. "What can I do for you," he asked uninterestedly. Nicole stood transfixed and trembling with fear, she could barely lift her eye to his. "Are you going to say something or just stand there like a status?" he asked with his eyebrows raised in irritation. "Am sorry sir, I just wanted to tell you that we could help each other and solve our problems" she said. Now she had his attention. What do you mean by that he asked calmly? "Am sorry sir but I….I… overheard your conversation with your grandmother earlier" she said. with his eyebrows raised in anger, he asked "Were you eavesdropping on our conversation"? She trembled at the anger in his voice and simply said. "I am sorry sir I wasn't eavesdropping on your conversation, your voices were raised and I just overheard it" she answered avoiding his gaze. Before he could respond to that she quickly continued. "I can help you become the CEO of Campbell's multinational company but please you have to help me, sir," she said with her head bowed. Brandon looked at her for a few minutes with intense scrutiny wondering what gave her the guts to approach him, he asked her. "How can you help me"? He asked amusement "I can be your wife"!!she answered The silence that followed was deafening, he turned and said, "Can you repeat what you just said"? She looked at him nervously and repeated, "I said I can be your wife, sir". "My what!!! He thundered. "And why would you want to do that"? "Why would I want you as my bride"? "What makes you think you can stand before me and spit such nonsense''? He asked. "I know you are not interested in a committed relationship and neither am I, I just need money to clear my debts," she said plainly. She looked up and felt like she had his attention at that moment and continued. "I promised never to interfere in your private life or business all I want is to raise money and sort out some personal issues" Please sir she pleaded. After a few minutes of watching her intently with his piercing gaze, something clicked In his mind and he smiled mischievously. Brandon looked at her with a small smile lifting a corner of his lips that she found irritatingly attractive. "This sounds interesting I like the idea but there is only one way I am going to be absolutely sure that you will keep your word," he said coldly with a smile not reaching his eyes. "What way sir" she asked. He looked at her got up from his seat and moved towards her making her uncomfortable and aware of how handsome he looked, she swallowed hard when he stopped in front of her. "You would be my wife in paper only and act accordingly in public, you would sign a contract to that effect," he said loving the shock he saw in her eyes. "I don't understand, what are you trying to say"? She asked in shock "You would be married to me for Eighteen months only, in other words, you would be my contract wife"!!he said. Nicole stood still for a few seconds not sure she heard him right. "Your contract wife"!! she asked shocked. He looked like he had no worries in the world, he simply looked at her and said. "you would only be my wife on a contract basis for the next eighteen months and you have 48 hours to give me your reply". with a slight salute, he worked out of the study. Nicole was so lost in thought that she didn't notice her friend Julie calling her until she tapped her on her shoulder. "Come on girl what's going on you seem lost in thought, "Julie asked her. "I had a stressful day today" she replied taking a deep breath. ''Is that all? "you look like the world is on your slender shoulders" she asked sounding worried. "I feel that way" she responded truthfully. "You can talk to me, hun, a problem shared is half solved and two heads Are better than one," she said sounding encouraging, "Two good heads you mean," she asked with a slight smile. "Whatever just spilled am all ears," Julie said. She took a calming breath and said "I overheard my boss having a discussion or rather an argument earlier today with his grandmother so I saw an opportunity and took" She nodded encouraging her to go on she said," She looked at her friend for a while and continued. "he needs to get married before turning 35 or lose 40percent of their company being held by his grandmother who insists on him getting married or losing the shares to a total stranger," she said in a rush of words Julie looked at her trying to understand where all this was going so she asked" How do you come in"? " he must be legally married to become the CEO of Campbell's multinational company and highest shareholder or lose everything to total strangers," she said "And," Julie said "He was so restless and angry that he walked out on his grandmum and went into his private study with a bang of the door". "And with that bang came an Idea that seems reasonable to me at that point but a total disaster right now" she stated. "What have I gotten myself into" she lamented weakly. "What did you do Nicky," Julie asked calmly. After a few seconds, she composed herself and continued, "I approached him with an idea, I told him I would be his wife if he settled my family debts" she stated with tears streaming down her cheeks. Julie stared at her wild-eyed, "You did what"? "Have you gone nuts? She asked "I know it sounds stupid right now but it seemed like the logical thing to do at the time," she said. "So what did he say" she asked eagerly, "He accepted" she replied. "he did? Julie asked, surprised. "Yes he did, but", "But what? Julie asked anxiously. Nicole took a sharp breath and replied," He said he would only marry me on a contract basis." " I would only be his contract wife for eighteen months" she stated. "Julie stared at Nicole for a few seconds. She was too shocked to find the right words. "Say something Julie, you are making me nervous," Nicole said anxiously. Before she could get a response from Julie, her phone rang. She looked at the caller and went pale!