LOVE AND STRATEGY

ChapterTHREE

Maya's Pov

I decided to drop by Mama's restaurant, the place where I work. I had a day off today so I wanted to spend the rest of the day here.

I winked at my manager and he flashed me a smile as the rest attended to the customers. I sat idle by the corner still reminiscing about the thought of getting married to Alexander.

"What was his plan for me?" I uttered, trying to understand what he processed to me at the park.

I've just met him after 2 years and he proposed something big to me which I knew it'd be so hard to choose, not when I still love my boyfriend, Dickson.

I sipped from my coffee and mocha when I saw someone in front of me. I looked up to see Ysabel.

"Oh, Ysabel!" I exclaimed. I wasn't expecting her to be here, and before I could offer her a seat she already grabbed one and sat opposite me.

"How have you been Maya? It's been a long I saw you, and I had to come to visit here to try and my luck if I would see you which I did" She said with garrulousness.

Ysabel was known to be talkative though.

"I've been doing great as you can see" I managed to force a smile at her, and she held her hands in hers giving me a warm look. "You're sure? Ever since mom chased you out of home I've been getting worried about you... And Dickison?"

Without any infringement, I stylishly smile trying to hide my dilemma before saying, "Dickson has been a good boyfriend to me, I stay with him now, and everything is going well for us"

She gave me an awkward look before nodding once which I knew wasn't yet convincing then I decided to drop the topic.

"So, you? How have things been going at home?" I asked, and she sighed. "Well, Mom's anger towards you increased and there's no day that goes by without her always blaming you for what's her fault. She hates it whenever I leave home in search of you" She responded.

"It's fine" I muttered, and drank from my coffee again. We chitchat all through before bidding ourselves bye till we see again.

I got home from the restaurant that day, releasing a tiring yawn as I stepped into the small but comfortable living room. I walked upstairs to change into something simple, and my eyes caught the bed I and Dickson normally sleep on, and the incident of Dickson having s*x without a b***h hit me hard and differently.

I tried not to release any tears but to act strong as I walked towards the closet to get simple bum shorts and a net crop top.

I wore it before heading out of the room. I walked to the kitchen to make dinner when I saw Dickson behind me, he was holding my waist from behind which got me tingling.

"H-how did you get here?" I asked surprised, and he hugged me tighter.

"I'm sorry baby. I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me that resulted in me doing what I did earlier but I'm sorry" He muttered, and I turned to face him only to meet his glistening eyes.

He held my hand and cupped my cheeks with the other hand as he leaned closer to kiss my lips. My mind instantly drifted to the thought of Alexander, and I pushed him away slightly.

For the first time, I was denying my boyfriend a kiss, just a mere kiss. Why? I was starting to feel different all of a sudden.

"Maya..." He called, his eyes filled with hurtfulness which I saw in his eyes. Dickson was not yielding results with me but he's still the guy to whom my heart had always belonged.

"I-i just need some time, I need to make dinner for us" I gave him a sickly smile, and returned to what I was doing.

And from the side of my eyes, I could see Dickson leaving for the living room rejectedly.

My subconscious mind drifted back to what Alex told me at the park again, and I pondered. "Why was he suddenly mentioning Marriage? What's exactly the problem?" I asked myself with desperate answers which I was searching for.

I rushed to get my bag, and I dipped my hands to bring out a piece of paper which Alex passed to me before leaving.

"See me at a five-star restaurant, we need to talk please" I read aloud, and took in my lower lip.

I hurriedly parked my head and did justice to my face as I rushed towards the main door to meet Dickson still in his sad state, but almost immediately he stood up when he saw me dressed up.

"Where are you going?" He asked, and I gulped, trying to harden my expression. "Um, I'm going to meet my friend, we planned on meeting tonight" I lied, giving him a fake smile but I could attest that he didn't buy it.

"Where? I'll take you there" He offered. "No, no, no, I'll just go there myself. Thanks" I cut him off.

"Maya, are you lying?" He asked, and I blinked. "No, not at all. I need to see her, bye!" I pecked his cheeks and ran out of the residence before getting an Uber at the roadside.

10 minutes later, I alighted from the Uber and walked into the fancy restaurant which was screaming prominent. I looked around to see elegant and classic people drinking and eating. Someone waved at me, and I smiled when I saw it was Alexander as I walked over to meet him at the reserved table.

"Hi, Maya," He said in a deep voice that sent shivers down my spine, and my heart made a dong sound.

"Tssk!!!"

"Hi, Alexander," I smiled. "How're you doing?" He asked again, and I nodded affirmatively. "I'm good"

"So is Dickson still in the picture?" He blurted, and I gawked at him. "Is this Hy he asked me to come here?"

"Um, he's fine at least..." I replied. Though I felt sad and heartbroken that I lied to him back there and he must have been happy that I left too. He was just pretending.

Alexander suddenly excused himself, and I wondered where he had gone to. Did he dump me or something?

I smacked my head at the silly thought, and I chuckled silently. "What was I thinking, not that we were on a date or something"

Suddenly, everyone started trooping out of the restaurant like they were being remoted and controlled till the place got empty, leaving me and the manager inside.

I stood up to leave also when Alex came back to me. "Alex, what's this?"

Suddenly, he threw a paper to the table and dipped his hands into his pants pocket. I looked from the paper to him and my eyes met a pleading eyes.

His eyes were like a wounded soldier, and his facial expression made me feel eccentric.

I looked at the paper properly and my eyes widened when I understood what this was all about.

"A contract marriage?!" I asked astonished.

"Get married to me for 1 year, Maya,"

"What!!" I shrieked with wide eyes.