Paid To Love

Episode 32

Paid To Love EPISODE 32

Henry's POV

My dad trying to force me into a relationship isn’t really a new thing to me. He’s been on m neck for the past five years and it’s sickening to find out that he doesn’t do it for m happiness but rather because he wants to strengthen business ties with his friend's companies. The girls he brought to me were absolutely awful human beings who were brought up exactly like their parents, they were greedy, manipulative and too high-end. All they cared about was the latest designer bags, latest fashion trends and the press seeking their attention. But usually we shared one pain that actually made me know more about them and that was the never ending task of trying to appease our parents.

Anyway I lived like this for a long time and I just kept telling myself that I could endure one more day. I said that every day and It made me resilient to the antics of my father. I knew I had to stand up for myself some day but honest I also knew that I was scared of loosing everything especially my house. It had a special place in my heart and my dad knew that all too well.

So in the end he got to me. He made me just like him— A monster who didn’t care who he hurt or what he said to people. A power hungry man who teaches his son to be just as greedy and uncompassionate as him. He thought me that money held more value than relationships. In the end this desire to be at the top has eaten my personal life and affected my relationship with people.

But then I met Victoria and there was a sudden change in the air and I could feel it inside me.

I actually cared about Victoria and I knew I didn’t want to hurt her anymore after the things she said to me on that drunken night.

And after what my father said to her I never wanted my dad near her when I wasn’t around. I couldn’t let her get hurt by that cruel man. She shouldn’t get exposed to that man and all his cruelty. Till today I don’t still know what I saw in her to give her this job but I just felt like she would be perfect to be my girlfriend. It all started with a business deal and now I cared a lot about her. Now I don't even care about the contract or the stupid plan.

She cared so much about that plan and it didn’t even care about the way it would affect her. It was dangerous playing these games with my dad. If he found out the game we were playing with him things could get really bad and he might try to come after her.

I didn’t know what to do if he tried that. No.. I couldn’t let that happen. She doesn’t know the risk that’s why she keeps insisting on this contract.

Could it be because she just wanted to prove a point to my Dad that she could be my girlfriend? Or was she just trying to impress him. Whatever it was, she needs to know that whatever she was doing was dangerous and I needed to explain these risks to her once again because this could be bad for her.

"Why don't you just cancel it Victoria?" I asked myself feeling confused.

Maybe like she said she just didn’t want to disappoint me. After all she did sign a contract and she might have just wanted to keep to the contract and she might have considered how hard it would be for me to find another girl and then introduce that girl to my dad. Shit... I hadn’t even thought of that and I was the one offering to end the contract. What was I thinking? Anyway this was just a job for Victoria and she needed the money, at least we got to be friends but she knows she has to follow the rules of the contract. The rules that I wrote.

Victoria just seemed to have a great work ethic. It wasn't about me at all.

I invited her to a popular boutique I found in town. They would surely have a lot of European brands and that would make sense for Victoria to be wearing European designers. I texted James and told him to bring Zoey with him again. For some reason he had Zoey's number and it looked pretty suspicious. I knew something mist have been happening with them but I chose to ignore it for now. James did need someone in his life too. He was sometimes as lonely as me but his was down to choice because he was always good with talking to the ladies.

James came to pick me up and we drove the coffee place in his car. Victoria and Zoey were already waiting outside.

“We’re doing this again, hope we keep it at just shopping this time.”

“If you remember to compliment me when I’m in something nice then we shouldn’t have a problem.” She replied jokingly as she got in the back seat with Zoey.

“Hi James.” Zoey said.

“Hello, you look nice.” James replied and the kept a lingering stare between them.

“Uh..Ughmmm” Me and Victoria interrupted them simultaneously.

They looked away and started smiling sheepishly. It seemed weird but like I said before I didn’t want to know till he told me.

We arrived at the European boutique. They had all sorts of designers from Gucci to Ferragamo and Armani... They seemed to have everything.

Zoey and Victoria went straight into the section with the Spanish designers and grabbed some clothes from the display and went into the changing room.

As she went back and forth changing into new clothes I felt like I couldn’t stop imagining her in different ways. She looked stunning in everything and I let her know every single time.

Sometimes I wondered if the contract was over and we succeed in deceiving my dad what would happen next? Would she just leave? What would happen to us? Maybe she would just take the money and disappear to some other country. Maybe even go to Spain for real.

I scowled a bit. I realised we just had a few months left to spend time together. What would happen if we go even closer than this. How would I be able to leave her and just let her go just like that.

I still had a few months with Victoria. Maybe I should make the most of this time and be an actual friend to her.

I brought out my phone from my pocket and dialled Gerald's number He picked up almost immediately. "Hello, Mr. Davies—"

"Gerald, can you help me find out when my father is leaving town next?"

I heard him typing on the computer he was with and in a moment he replied. "He is attending a conference in London on the thirty-first."

"Great, I will be needing you on the thirty-first then.”

“Ook sir, but why?”

“You’ll have to come to my house that day and help me do so security maintenance.”

“What do you mean by security maintenance?”

“I need you to get someone who can change all the locks in my house ."

"Change the locks? Did you have a break in sir?"

“No, give up with all the questions, either you find someone or you go learn it on YouTube. You have till the thirty-first."

"Wait sir how..."

"Bye," I said, hanging up purposely not letting him finish. Gerald a good employee but he asked too many questions sometimes. Plus I knew he wanted me to come to the office to come sign some stupid documents or to go check out a hotel somewhere in town.

I wasn’t ready for all that today. I still had to finish shopping with Victoria and we had places to go to. I didn’t feel like I was ready to go back to work anyway. Gerald would just handle all my work like I pay him to. I almost felt guilty but I make it up to him with a fat check every month. Sometimes I threaten to fire him but I always know I can’t afford to do that. Finding someone so loyal is very hard.

“I see you’re giving Gerald a hard time again.”

The sound of James's voice surprised me. I twisted around and saw him standing behind me. "No, I was just checking up on work."

He laughed.

"Oh please Henry don’t make me laugh. You hate work so how could you be checking up on it.”

“Oh please.”

“How bout this one?” Victoria stepped out again with a cherry red long dress with a similar slit with the black dress she wore at our first date. She looked stunning. James and I were speechless for a moment and then he elbowed me in the arm.

“You look absolutely stunning.”

I could see her blushing, she must have really liked that one. She seemed confident in the dress and the heels as she walked across the room with it this time.

"What happened.“ James asked.

“What do you mean?"

“I mean the last time we went shopping I noticed what happened between the both of you.”

"We're good now, it was about what my dad said to her."

"Hmm ok but remember she’s a strong girl, she can handle a lot. Don't be too worried about what your father will do next, he can’t control you forever though. But still we need her to be prepared for your father, it’s the only way to help Victoria out."

"We'll do whatever it takes."

He gave me a pat on the shoulder. "If you ever need help remember I'm always available."

“Yeah, I know.”

He would be very useful. He had. My back and I knew that all too well.

“Let's go see if they are done. I think I might have overheard them saying something about Victoria needing some underwear. Would you like to come with us to get some sexy lingerie for her. Maybe you could choose something sexy for her. You seem to know what suits her best." James said chuckling.

I almost choked on my own saliva. "W-what tha?"

He smirked. "Perv. I knew you’ve seen a thing or do all these days she spent in your house."

I decided to ignore that and the hot temptation of joining them to avoid Imagining her in every piece she grabbed. Instead I drifted away to another section.