13
1235 Words
“You’re making me more nervous.” Elena said.
A faint smile appeared on Alexander’s face.
“I’m only trying to prep you for the worst.”
He closed his laptop and folded his hands on the desk.
“Patrick Hartwell is not easy to impress. In fact, most people fail before they even realize they’re being tested.”
Elena sighed. “That’s comforting.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.” He replied.
She rolled her eyes.
Alexander continued, “The strange thing is that he has always had a soft spot for Vanessa.”
The mention of the woman made Elena stiffen slightly but she pushed the thought away.
She didn’t have the luxury of caring about Alexander’s ex-girlfriends or involvements.
This was a contract.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
“But,” Alexander continued, “if you’re confident you can handle him, then I’ll trust your judgment.”
Elena looked at him.
Trust.
It was an odd word coming from someone like Alexander Vale.
She wasn’t sure she deserved it.
Or wanted it.
Still, she lifted her chin slightly.
“I’ll survive.”
The words came out flatter than she intended.
Alexander studied her for a moment before nodding.
“Yes. I think you will.”
The office became quiet again.
Elena looked down at the contract resting on the desk.
The signed contract.
The million dollars sitting in her account.
Everything had happened so quickly that she barely had time to process it.
A few hours ago she had been worrying about hospital bills.
Now she was preparing to become the future Mrs. Vale.
The entire situation felt surreal.
“We’ll be having dinner with my grandfather tomorrow evening.”
Elena’s head snapped up.
“What?”
Alexander remained calm.
“Dinner. Tomorrow evening.” He repeated.
“So soon?” Elena asked.
A wave of nervousness immediately washed over her.
Tomorrow?
She had assumed she would have at least a few days to prepare.
A week.
Something.
Anything.
Not tomorrow.
“Yes,” Alexander replied. “Now that the contract is signed, it’s important to begin making appearances as soon as possible.”
He stood from his chair and walked toward the large windows overlooking the city.
“The first and most important step is meeting my grandfather.”
“And hoping for his approval,” Elena added.
“Yes.”
The simplicity of his answer did absolutely nothing to calm her nerves.
She exhaled slowly.
“Okay.”
Alexander turned back toward her.
“Which brings us to another problem.”
Elena immediately groaned.
“Which is?”
“Tomorrow, Patrick is going to ask questions. Questions we need to know the answers to.”
Elena sat upright again.
“Then we’d better start preparing right?”
Alexander nodded.
“We need a story.”
“A story.”
“Our story.”
For some reason, hearing those words sent a strange feeling through Elena’s chest.
Their story.
A story that didn’t exist.
A relationship that wasn’t real.
Yet by tomorrow night, they would have to make it convincing enough to fool one of the sharpest men in the country.
Alexander returned to his seat.
“Let’s start with how we met.”
Elena immediately answered.
“At work.” She suggested.
“No.” Alexander replied.
She frowned.
“Why not?”
“That’s too trite. It will bore him and make him even more suspicious.” He explained.
“Isn’t the truth easier to remember?” Elena asked.
“Patrick won’t believe it.” Alexander said simply.
Elena sighed.
“Why?”
“Because my grandfather knows me.”
Alexander leaned forward slightly.
“He knows I don’t pay attention to employees.”
That stung more than Elena wanted to admit.
Alexander seemed to realize it immediately.
“Not because they’re unimportant," he added.
“Sure.” Elena said flatly.
“Because it’s just unlikely to interact with them personally.”
“Much better.” She teased.
He ignored the sarcasm.
“We need something believable.”
Elena thought for a moment.
“What if we met because of Daniel?”
Alexander looked interested.
“Go on.”
She shrugged.
“You helped sponsor a charity event at the hospital. I was there with Daniel. We met. You helped Daniel get his surgery done. I was really grateful and felt indebted and afterwards we kept running into each other until we eventually met again at work when you became the new CEO.”
Alexander considered it. “Not bad.”
“Not bad?” Elena asked.
“It’s believable.” He said.
“That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me all day.”
A tiny smile tugged at his lips.
This time she definitely saw it.
“We’ll use that.”
He reached for a notepad.
“Now the next question.”
Elena groaned.
“There’s more?”
“There will be hundreds more.”
“Wonderful.”
Alexander began writing.
“When did we meet and start dating?”
Elena blinked.
“Three months ago?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Too short.”
“Six months?”
“Better.”
“See? I’m good at this.”
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s not get carried away.”
Elena fought the urge to throw something at him.
He continued writing.
“Now comes the difficult part.”
“What?”
“Why you?”
Elena froze.
The question immediately hung between them.
Alexander’s grandfather would definitely ask that.
Why her?
Why would one of the richest men in the country choose an ordinary woman?
Even she wanted to know the answer.
Alexander seemed to read her thoughts.
His expression softened slightly.
“Because you’re different.” He said.
Elena blinked.
“What?”
“That’s what I’ll tell him.”
She stared at him.
Alexander continued calmly.
“You aren’t interested in my name.”
She almost laughed.
She had literally signed a contract for a million dollars.
But before she could say anything, he continued.
“You challenge me.”
His eyes held hers.
“You say what you think.”
Elena suddenly found it difficult to look away.
“And because,” he finished quietly, “you treat me like a normal person. Not just for my wealth.”
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Something shifted in the atmosphere.
Something neither of them understood.
Elena was the first to look away.
Her heart was suddenly beating a little too fast.
“Okay,” she muttered. “That’s believable.” She said.
Alexander cleared his throat.
“Yes. Well.”
The moment passed.
“Now,” he continued, “Patrick may ask us what we love about each other.”
Elena immediately laughed.
“Oh, we’re doomed.” She exclaimed.
“Don’t fret. Victor will send you a file that contains most of the things you need to know about me. My likes and dislikes. You shouldn’t have anything to worry about when you go through it.” He said.
Elena nodded. “What about me? Wouldn’t you want to know my likes and dislikes?”
“Grandfather will be asking you the questions since he knows me like the back of his hands.”
“I’ll send you a nice dress to wear for the dinner and pick you up at seven tomorrow evening.” He said.
- Writer
