My CEO's Proposal

Episode 3

She stood there wondering how he could possibly just ask her to marry him only after a few talks they shared. This was definitely a joke, a big prank at that.

"I'm sorry it came out that way Lisa, I honestly didn't mean to take you off guard." Max said as he noticed her facial expression was totally out of context. "It's just that my Mom will be back today and I told her I already had a girlfriend to introduce to her. Help me please her for just a week till she finally leaves and hands over the company to me." Lisa knew that Mr Max was a very serious man but she hadn't seen him look this desperate for something before.

She would definitely think about it though."Give me some time to think about it, sir"

Of course she had to call Brenda and fill her in on the shock of her day. " You won't believe what happened today at work, please guess babes"

Brenda couldn't tell if she was excited about something or something bad happened at work, there were mixed feelings in her voice.

Brenda was reluctant to respond back at her. "Girl please say something. And it had better be good news."

"Mr Max asked me to marry him" she seemed happy as she replied.

Brenda was silent for a while, she didn't say anything back to her. She was literally shocked and so many thoughts went through her mind. How was it possible that Mr Max suddenly asked Lisa to marry him barely a week after she left the office or could it be that Lisa also liked him even after she told her that she was into him too?.

"Brenda! Did you hear me at all?" Brenda got herself back after she heard her name for the third time on the phone. She was just surprised all this happened so fast and was disappointed of course that her friend went after the same man she told her she had feelings for - she thought.

She just had to respond back so things don't seem rather awkward over the phone. " Wow, I don't really know what to say. I didn't know you guys had something going on, you know?"

" We don't. I think. Girl, I don't know too but it just came as a shocker to me as well, it just happened."

" Alright then. I'll talk to you later okay, I have to go now" She hung up.

Lisa did not understand why she sounded like that, somewhat unhappy. Well, she didn't expect her to sound happy or something, the news was a hard one to understand.

Back at the office, Max got to explain his reasons for asking her to marry him. It was not going to be real, he just needed the fake relationship to work so he could please his Mom.

" This is not for free Lisa, I'm definitely going to pay for you for this. Do this for me please. It's just for the weekend." They both were not ready to settle down at the moment, he thought she would be the perfect person to play the role as girlfriend as there were no feelings involved too - he thought.

Of course it was not going to be for free. " I'll do it sir. But what if your Mom finds out?"

Max didn't think about that part, he just wanted to get through with his plan first. " Let's just hope things go well ok. She'll be in town this evening" he said, sitting on a chair with relief. " I really appreciate you helping me out. Thanks." He smiled at her again and held her hand.

Lisa was not so sure of what she was about getting herself into, she wanted to help him out. She also wanted to be closer to him.

Sounding reluctant at this point, she didn't want him knowing she was rather very excited to do this with him," So what do we do now?, Is there any way in particular I should act or talk, what does your Mom like?"

She liked Mr Max and this was the perfect opportunity to get closer - she thought.

They chatted for a while and he briefed her on how she should act and talk, also on what his mother likes and dislikes. It was not an easy task but she decided to go through with it.

Mrs Smith was arriving this weekend and everything set up to convince her that Max had a girlfriend, maybe a purported wife-to-be, was all in place.

2:25pm

They had all agreed to meet by 2pm at the Cafe with Mrs Smith. She was clearly running late. Max, Lisa and Brenda were already sitting, waiting for her to come in anytime soon.

Yes, Lisa had invited Brenda for the meet with Mrs Smith so it could look more realistic and convincing. Brenda knew about the whole lie. She had already promised to keep it a secret. Ten minutes were gone. There was still no sign of Mrs Smith's presence around or outside the Cafe. Max sat worried, wondering what was keeping her behind time, he looked a little nervous.

"It's going to be fine, ok?" Lisa stretched out her hand to his, she smiled.

Max smiled back at her. He felt relieved as she held him and spoke to her.

Brenda sat there, watching them with a tinge of jealousy. She really wanted to be the girl holding Mr Max's hands and smiling back at him. She felt betrayed that her best friend had to go for the man she was supposed to be in love with.

"I'm so sorry for my late arrival son" She said walking hurriedly towards the table they were at. " But it seems I'm not the only one late, right?"Max was confused and amused at his mother's words.

Mrs Smith's brown eyes roamed the room looking for the "girlfriend", as she could only see the two workers from the company. Of course she could recognize them, especially the clumsy one. She had a feeling that one of them was the one, but she tried so hard not to believe. "God, please let either of them not be my son's girlfriend" she thought.