Chapter Five
1388 Words
Miracle
I blinked off my confusion, wondering what demon from hell had gotten into Dani. She dragged me along, earning several stares from people, but when we got outside the establishment, I yanked my hand away.
"What the hell, Dani?" I scolded her, frustrated that she was almost six feet tall as against my five three. It was always annoying when I had to look up to talk to her.
"Read my lips. If you f**k this contract up, you're doomed for life. Didn't the contract state that you must never be seen with any other guy? Have you forgotten how powerful Leonel Hamilton is?”
"But Travis-”
"Forget whatever crush you have on Travis until after the contract is over,” she snapped. “Focus.”
“Stop yelling at me,” I snapped back. “Travis is our old friend and classmate. The contract doesn't stop me from connecting with family and friends.”
She shook her head impatiently. “Dude, that guy was stripping you naked with his eyes. Soon, he'll call and ask you for a date. Use your damn head for once, Miracle.”
"Alright, alright, I hear you, ma'am. Can we go now?"
After a long day, I was napping when I heard a knock on the door. Maria, Leonel's housekeeper stepped in with a tray of cookies and orange juice.
"Hello, Miss. The boss is downstairs; he wants to speak with you."
I almost asked her if everything was okay, but I remembered I had to pretend to be Leonel's girlfriend. She was the live-in housekeeper and probably noticed the awkwardness between Leonel and me.
"Please don't keep him waiting," she turned around and left.
I rushed to the dresser to check on my hair, hoping Leonel wouldn't dampen my mood. Despite getting my hair done, I still felt insecure and compared myself to his crazy girlfriend, whose perfume alone could be worth hundreds of thousands.
Walking down the stairs, I tried to act casual. Leonel sat on the sofa, wearing a gray suit with a black tie and holding a glass of whiskey. He looked up and gave me a casual glance. Then it became exploring, making me feel super uncomfortable.
"You sent for me," I said, breaking the silence. He pointed at the sofa opposite him, gesturing for me to sit.
He remained silent, and I felt a knot in my stomach, wondering what he was going to say. I was so nervous that my toes dug into the white shag rug that covered most of the floor.
"There's a party tomorrow night; it's a charity gala, and I'm one of the main sponsors. You have to come with me."
He watched my reaction, taking a sip of his drink. I clasped my hands, exhaling audibly, my heart pounding in my throat.
"I... I don't think I'm ready," I croaked.
Leonel shot me an annoyed glance from the corner of his eyes. "So what are you here for? To eat and sleep?"
"I didn't mean that. I thought I would be given some time to learn more about your circle."
"Learn on the job. You became my girlfriend when you signed that paper; and I need to introduce you to my friends and family—everyone who matters in the city," he said, sounding impatient, while I shut my eyes and took deep, controlled breaths.
"You can do this; remember the money at stake,” I heard Dani's voice in my head.
"This is business," Leonel's voice grew softer. "You agreed to this deal, and I expect you to honor it."
"But how do I act? What should I say?"
"Don't worry," he gave me a faint smile. "Calvin will take you somewhere tomorrow to brush up your... mannerisms."
True to his word, Calvin drove me to an etiquette school the next morning called Elegance Academy, where the teachers taught women how to behave with strangers and be polite.
I spent over an hour staring at mirrors trying to get myself to be presentable, while Calvin just smiled at me as if he was observing a particularly amusing child.
That evening, the housekeeper helped me with light makeup and my pulse increased with an intense feeling of worry.
The party could either go great or suck horribly.
"The lipstick is bold, and the bronze eye is a bit much," I groaned, amusing Maria.
"Stop complaining and stay still,” she laughed. “You look perfect.”
Leonel stood downstairs waiting for me. When he turned around, his eye contact was prolonged and I immediately looked away, feeling self-conscious.
"Do you need me to change?"
"No, this is fine. Looks good on you.”
Whoa. I wasn't expecting a sincere compliment. I swallowed hard, blushing madly.
An uncomfortable hush enveloped the car, leaving me at a loss for words on how to break the ice with him until he broke the silence.
"Did you have dinner?"
I shook my head, "I'm avoiding a bloated stomach."
His eyes roamed over my dress, making my skin prickle. His mouth curved into a small smile.
"Your females are weird."
The rest of the drive was silent, but sitting close to him was overwhelming. Thank God the human stomach wasn't transparent, else, he would have seen the butterflies fluttering in mine.
I remembered Travis and grimaced, with my brain already making a mental comparison between both men.
Travis seemed like a nice, put-together man, down to earth, and the kind of person I would love to spend the rest of my life with.
Leonel was a billionaire, hot with a great s*x appeal. With him, I won't have to lift a finger to work and my orgasms were assured. I shut my eyes, distracting myself by trying to remember the lessons from etiquette class.
"Are you nervous?"
I nodded, surprised Leonel was making an effort to break the silence.
“Just be yourself. People can smell fakery from miles away.”
The venue was a five-star hotel located outside an exclusive neighborhood and my eyes popped open at the sight of A-listers celebrities.
"Relax," Leonel said to me, hiding his amusement. “I'll go open your side of the door."
I managed a nod, and he helped me get out. I clutched my purse so tight when he hooked his arm alongside mine after handing our car to the valet.
"Welcome to the party, Mr. Hamilton," one member of the team of neatly dressed hostesses said to Leonel, completely ignoring me.
Ouch.
We went past the foyer into a huge ballroom where the party was in full swing, with everyone dressed to the nines, mingling and chatting over champagne.
Leonel did something unexpected and rubbed my back. It was a small gesture, but it made me feel a thousand percent better.
"Let's go say hi to the host. She's of my company's major shareholders. Don't forget to smile."
He smiled broadly at a middle-aged redhead who was so beautiful and flawless. She seemed smitten, like a schoolgirl.
"What a pleasant surprise, Mrs. Fitzpatrick. I had no idea you were back from Paris?"
I froze when he placed a hand around my waist and pulled me closer.
"Meet Miracle, my girlfriend. Darling, this is Jelena Fitzpatrick, our host and my family's business associate for decades."
"Nice to meet you, ma'am," I mustered a smile, offering my shaky hand.
She didn't take it.
"Keep smiling," Leonel whispered to me.
"Sorry for being rude," she said haughtily. "But I'm trying to remember where I have seen her. Is she Nasir Mohammed's daughter?"
"What?" Leonel laughed, trying to make light of the situation. "Of course not. And that's not a good impression of my girlfriend."
Mrs. Fitzpatrick snorted and ignored me. Fortunately, Leonel whisked me away.
"She's a piece of cake in comparison to other haughty and rude people you'll meet," he warned me and took me around for introductions.
This was real. People stared at me, some quizzical, some indifferent and a handful of women threw me hostile glares.
Leonel pulled me aside abruptly. "My family is walking in. I'm going to kiss you now."
"What!" I gasped in raw shock.
"It's part of the contract," he gritted his teeth and pulled me closer.
"Behave or it's over. Now lean forward and pretend to enjoy it."
- Writer
