Chapter 4-PROPOSAL
1087 Words
“ Everything I'm doing is for your own good, Aaron,” Ava, Aaron's mother, said.
“Mum,” Aaron drawled, getting up from his chair and pacing,” I need a break, you didn't have to come all the way down from Atlanta to tell me this.”
Ava, a wealthy woman in her seventies, watched her son as he paced the length of his office.
She had already made up her mind to take the lady who she had arranged to get married to her son in the following week.
She didn't mind leaving behind her business empire to make sure her only son got married and gave her an heir to everything his late father had left behind.
She had gotten old herself, and soon she would retire and focus on her health. She needed to see her son married. It would make her at peace with herself.
“I am very serious about this, Aaron. You should know me better than thinking I'm joking about this,” She said, “As we speak, Lilian will be. Take the nearest flight down here to see you.”
Aaron spun around, “And who the hell is Lilian?”
Ava smiled, her face winkling as she did, she was old but had never failed to still look beautiful.
“She is the lady I have got for you. She is very pretty and from a very good family, and I'm sure you will like her”, She told him.
Aaron sighed, he knew his mother was being serious about what she had just told him. He had to do something and fast before he lived to regret it.
But what did he do? What could he do to advertise what was coming?
“I've seen someone” he blurted out.
Ava looked up at him, a surprised look fell on her features, she wondered if she had heard him right.
“What?” She asked.
Aaron turned to face her, he slipped his hands into his trousers pockets and put on a serious face.
“Yes, I have seen someone. I had been meaning to tell you, but I wanted to be sure first”, he said slowly.
“Really?” Ava asked, a smile spreading across her lush red lips, then she gave him a look, “Are you pulling my legs?”
He shook his head,” I'm being serious, mum.“
“Wow, why haven't you told me about all this before now? And I have wasted my time coming down here” She said, adjusting her chair, ”What is her name?”
Aaron looked at her, his heart was pounding softly, and he fought to keep the confident expression on his face.
What name did he come up with now?
“Ryla,” he blurted out without thinking, “Her name is Ryla Felstead.”
“That is nice, so when would I be meeting her?” She asked excitedly.
Aaron forced a smile, ”Soon, very soon.”
As soon as he had managed to convince his mother to go see Freda instead, he sat down troubled on his chair.
He wondered if she hadn't gotten the letter he had sent to her the day before, why hadn't she responded to it?
He was going to do something fast about that. He had freaking gotten his mother's hope up, and she'd practically have his neck if he didn't bring her.
_____________________________
Ryla took yet another letter from a postman, and he excused himself, going away.
She looked down at the letter, wondering what to do now. She had torn up the last letter, and somehow I made her relax.
She glanced down at the letter in her hand. What had Joshua come up with this time?
Ryla took a deep breath and opened the seal of the letter and slowly flipped the printer paper open, expecting the worst.
But then she blinked as she stared at the words, it hadn't been from Joshua.
The letter read:
I have an offer for you, Mrs Felstead. It's urgent. I'd help you take back your restaurant from your ex-husband.
Let's meet today in the same place we did the last time. Be early.
CEO, Aaron Rolfe
Ryla blinked again. Had the previous letter been from him and not Joshua?
What offer had he talked about, and why was he suddenly asking to meet up with her after what she did to him in their last encounter?
She thought about the offer. She didn't trust those rich people. What if he wanted to kidnap her or take revenge for what she did?
But he had decided to help. She needed it badly. There was only a day remaining before the lawyer would come back to claim the restaurant or take her to court.
What does she do now?
Ryla sighed deeply, she was going to meet up with him and know what he had wanted to offer her, and if he kidnapped her or anything, she'd simply resign to her fate.
She took a cab and met up with him. Surprisingly, he had decided not to come early, but still they had almost come at the same time.
“I thought you would turn down my request again” he said as she walked to him.
“What do you want?” Ryla asked, ”Do you want to take your revenge on me now?”
He laughed, a laugh which came quickly and went away as quickly as it came.
His face became serious now, “If I wanted to take revenge, you wouldn't be standing here today.”
Ryla crossed her arms across her chest, “So what do you want?”
Aaron slid his hands into his trousers pockets, standing in some sort of arrogant pose.
“Let me go straight to the point, because I'm a really busy man,” he told her.
She rolled her eyes, ”Indeed”
He ignored her and cleared his throat, “I want you to be my contracted wife.”
Ryla's head spun to look at him, a look of surprise slashing her features.
“What?” She whispered.
“Look, Ryla. I'm badly in need of someone who can act as my wife for two months and I need you to do it”, he said seriously.
Ryla stared at him as if he had gone mad. Maybe he had.
“Your what, now?” Slipped off her lips.
- Writer
