Contract of Hearts

Eva Presley Winston stood before the slightly tinted glass windows of her cramped apartment, looking out over the city of New York, her thoughts heavy with the weight of her situation. The faint sounds of traffic echoed below, a world full of people moving with purpose. But she stood still, her life in limbo, her thoughts processing rather slowly. Today was the day of her appointment. The phone call had come three days ago, an invitation to be interviewed for the position of an assistant secretary with a man literally everyone in the city feared. She sighed and got prepared in a hurry so as not to be late for her interview. Twenty minutes later, she stood in the pristine marbled lobby floor of King industries biting her lips, a bad habit that often showed her nervousness. Her hands clenched tightly around her worn out leather bag , a gift from her mother some years ago. She looked so out of place just standing in the middle of the hallway with her ridiculously wrinkled black gown frayed at the edges paired with her black ballet shoes. Her hair was tied in a cute little bun. She swallowed nervously as she approached the reception counter. Desperation truly had a way of making one do both the bravest and the stupidest of things such as applying for the position of an assistant secretary at Kings Corps. A young woman in her twenties, Eva had always dreamed of becoming a doctor but life got in the way of her laid out plans. Her father had died early and her mother was very ill. With her bills piling up, she had been forced to make ends meet working as a waitress in a local diner to enable her take care of her sick mother . It wasn't glamorous or the life she had imagined for herself growing up but it was survival. Forcing a smile she approached the receptionist and offered a warm greeting "Good morning ma" she said. The receptionist simply looked up a bored expression on her face "Miss Winston? Mr King will see you now." she replied coldly. Eva nodded , swallowing the nerves clawing up her throat. She stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the last floor watching the numbers climb. Every second was like a count down to a death sentence especially as the boss was hinted to be an organized crime boss. It was never proven though, but the were rumours of it. Lawrence King. He was an enigma, a force of action, a persona wrapped in mystery, fire and ice. He was everything the rumours had promised and more. His very name made men tremble and shudder. Tall and imposing with sharp features and an air of confidence that could fill and even overwhelm a room. He was a self made billionaire with a terrible reputation, cold, calculated and heartless. They had met once , briefly a year ago at a charity event. In a bid to make it through the night invisible, she had managed to embarrass herself by accidentally spilling champagne on him and his 20 million dollar tuxedo to which she had profusely apologized . She could still remember his blazing cold gray eyes and the furious expression he wore . It wasn't just his appearance that caught her attention, it was the power he held in his presence, the authority he commanded .He had smirked evilly at her his eyes glinting mischeviously in obvious annoyance and distaste before walking away with those long legs of his . And now she was walking straight into his office. Into the lion's den. “Miss Winston.” His voice was as cold and polished as the very glass office he stood in. Eva gulped visibly and forced a tight smile. “Mr. King.Nice to meet you ” she stammered a blubbering mess. He wasn't even polite enough to offer her a handshake, but with a flick of his wrist just motioned for her to sit. He was taller than she remembered. He stood over 6 ft tall. Sharp cheekbones and a jaw so sharp it could cut diamonds, a navy blue tailored suit, and an air of arrogance and complete control. His dark hair was perfectly styled with the tops longer than the sides and slicked back, his tie a deep navy blue color with white angular patterns. She took note of those stormy gray eyes , cold, calculating and unreadable which met hers without a flicker of warmth. “I assume you know why you're here,” he said curtly. "Yes Sir " she breathed shakily. " I'm here for the interview of the P.A work that was advertised some days ago. "I see" He said going through some files which appeared to contain her resume. " Well Miss Winston it appears you are underqualified for the job . I trust you know your way out" " No please "she begged I need this job I'll do anything". "Anything?" he asked slowly. " Anything" she reaffirmed. "Well although the position of my personal secretary is filled. There is one role you'll feel quite nicely" he said smirking. " I assume you know what I'm talking about take a guess". “Well Sir I assume that you're going to explain,” she shot back, lifting her chin on the verge of a nervous breakdown. A muscle in his jaw ticked. “I need a wife.” Eva blinked. “Excuse me?” “Its only a temporary arrangement. One year. Public appearances, events, holidays. You’ll be compensated generously. for your trouble of course , One million dollars ”. She laughed, but it sounded very hollow almost like a cough. “You want me to marry you?” “Yes Mrs Winston . It will be a marriage in name only.” “Um...Why me? Sir ? ” she asked still in a daze , her mind swirling in confusion. “Because I need someone the public doesn’t expect. Someone who has nothing to gain socially, so the investors will believe it’s real. You’re a waitress correct? not a socialite.” She nodded glumly “And suppose I decline the offer” she asked . " What happens then". " Well I suggest you start thinking about how to pay the $100,000 in debt for your mother's treatment” Eva froze and her stomach twisted. Bile rose to her throat “You did a background check on me.”she asked unbelievingly. He let out a dark chuckle. “ Well I like to do my homework Miss Winston” She stood up, furious and humiliated. “You think can invade people's privacy just because you're filthy rich . Don't you Mr King?” "You're so entitled you think that money is everything ". No, I don't” Lawrence said, his voice calm very calm given the situation. “But it does buy solutions, solves problem and gets the job done. Miss Winston make no mistake I am offering a solution to both our problems . You need the cash for your mother's treatment and I need a bride to appease my investors and business associates to secure a very huge deal. so it's a win win situation." Eva’s mind whirled, her thoughts jumbled. He was offering her financial freedom but that came at the cost of her pride, her dignity , her body but most importantly her freedom and independence. But damn it, she needed that money badly, so badly. Her mother's operation was due in a few months and she barely even had enough money to feed. “And the terms?” she asked stiffly mustering up courage and holding her head high. “ There will be no intimacy Miss Winston, no expectations beyond the public eye. You’ll have to move in with me of course and live with me in my mansion , attend social events , functions and charity with me , Pretend we’re in love and after a year, we file for a divorce and go back to our separate lives”. " Don't worry Miss Winston" he said " in one year it'll be like none of this ever happened." Her heart pounded. “What’s the catch?” Lawrence's lips curved into something that might’ve been a smirk. “The catch, Miss Clarke, is you’ll have to put up with me for twelve months.”