PASSION'S CONTRACT

CHAPTER 3

Mike and Marie sat in her empty restaurant with a cup of coffee in both their hands. The restaurant was deserted except for the two who sat there together.

"It's a cool evening. I wish we could go to the park after our meal. There's something I'd like to discuss with you." Marie finally broke the silence, looking imploringly into Mike's eyes.

She sighed before taking another sip of her coffee.

"What's it about? You sound reluctant." Mike spoke to Marie, tucking in her hair and making her smile lightly.

"I told you I was off to Antoine's company earlier today," Marie started, and Mike nodded, indicating he was listening.

"Continue," he said, not wanting to look careless in front of her.

"He gave me a contract to sign."

"Well, that's easy? What was the contract about?"

"He wants us to get married for a year."

Mike's eyes darkened. "What are the benefits?" was the first thing Mike asked, as he knew this was Marie's only chance of holding on to her family's legacy.

"I'd get a sum of twenty million every month, and my restaurant would be open again; it would also be given the best resources to grow. It also came with a condition: no s*x, no strings attached, and no seeing of other people."

Mike gulped, as the offer was quite reasonable yet unreasonable.

"And what was your reply?"

"I would do no such thing as marry him", she declared matter-of-factly.

"Look, it's nothing. It's just for a year. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right? The benefits could really help us."

"Really?" You're okay with it?" A curious look was on her face, but she also looked at his unemployed state and sighed. If he could start a business like hers, they would live just fine in the future.

"Yes, Marie," he called her name lovingly. "I mean, you need the money and also your business permit. These things are very important. It is too important to reject any promising offer. Also, I need the money. This is only for a year, and everything can go back to normal."

"But..." Marie had nothing to say.

But what?

"This offer could be a stepping stone for us. I know he said you shouldn't see other people while you both are together, but I understand he doesn't want to look like he is being cuckolded under his nose."

"So I won't see you for a year?" Marie's eyes watered, and Mike was quick to hold her face in his hand.

"Of course not; we would still meet in secret. I can't survive without you," Mike said, and that was the truth.

If she decided to leave him one day, he might really kill himself.

"Oh" was the only thing Sophia said, looking at her cup of coffee. The sweet coffee now tasted so bitter.

Marie dropped the cup and looked outside the transparent wall at the passersby who walked right past the restaurant like it wasn't there.

Some stopped for a second, but after that, they moved again. After all, whether we like it or not, when we leave, life will still move on without us. So why not hold on to this opportunity while it lasts?

Marie tossed from one side of the bed to the other, thinking frantically. She wondered about Mike's indifference towards the issue. She wondered if the contract marriage would not affect their relationship negatively. If she would even be able to manage both, and then her business. Would her marriage to the billionaire not require her to be at specific places at specific times? And even not to be at specific places at specific times?

She never wanted to do it. But at that moment, she seemed to have no choice. Her business was crashing, and there didn't seem to be any way out. But she didn't want to put her relationship at risk; there just had to be another way. Marie finally decided to visit Antoine's office to ask for another way. Anything other than a marriage could be done. She could do anything. But not marriage!

Marie woke up the following morning with a headache. Due to all the worries she had, she couldn't have a good sleep. She quickly had her morning routine and rushed out of her house, off to Antinio's office.

The secretary who recognized her from the previous day smiled brightly again like she never got tired or her cheeks never hurt.

"Are you here to see the boss?"

"Yes, I'm here to see your boss." Marie was nervous, she didn't know whether the contract would be cancelled after she rejected it yesterday, and she couldn't help but cross her fingers. The secretary made the call in one swift move.

"You can go in."

"Thank you," said Marie.

"You are welcome," replied the secretary, whom Marie had already named a robot in her head.

"Good morning," Antoine said coldly as Marie entered the office.

"Good morning, Antoine," Marie replied lightly, her voice as soft as the ocean breeze.

"Is that how you greet your customers? No wonder you don't have a business permit, he smirked.

Marie was upset. She had to be nice to the man. She just had to.

"I am sorry, sir," she said, forcing a smile.

"What do you want?"

"A change of plan."

"Be specific. I don't have the time."

"I don't want the contract marriage. I would do anything else."

"There's nothing else. It's either the marriage or nothing."

"I cannot marry you. Will all due respect, I"

"Get out," Antoine said, looking into her eyes for the first time since she entered his office, though his look looked more like he was suppressing something.

Anger? Does he have the right to be angry?

She is meant to be the angry one; he was the one who stopped her whole life just to give her a contract for a year. He never changed and is still as selfish as ever.

Marie felt like yelling; she felt like screaming at him. The feeling of wanting to throw her shoe at him gnawed at her heart, but she stopped herself from doing that.

She was at a dead end now.

The only option she had left was to agree.

"Okay," Marie finally said after five minutes of silence.

"I almost thought you were dead for a second," he gave her the player smirk before going back to signing documents, bipolar much! "Okay what?"

"I'll take the contract on my terms and conditions."

"We'll talk about that later. I have a meeting to attend to, Antoine said as he stood up and walked right past her without saying another word.