Bond of Circumstance

CHAPTER 3

Rose stood at the door, her eyes brimming with tears. She held the papers in her hands, they were more bills, plus an eviction notice from the landlord. They had to leave the house within a week.

She walked towards her grandma’s room and stared at her for a while. She knew she couldn’t give her the news of her being retrenched from work just yet. She vowed to make sure she got another job without letting her grandmother know she had been laid off at work.

The proprietress had explained that the school would be closing down soon hence the need to lay off all the staff.

Things had gotten harder in the course of time, she had no money, no job, her grandma’s health had gotten worse and very soon there’ll be no house to live in. What she had in her savings wouldn't be able to cover for feeding not to talk of her medications for Grandma.

Sighing, she closed the door quietly. She walked towards her room and changed into a tight gown that showed her curves. There was a job opening at a bar and the manager in charge had instructed that she come looking sexy.

She bit her lip in disgust.

‘Is this what I have come to’ she thought.

She’d always wanted to own her own clothing store, but that dream had since been dashed ever since her parents died and grandma got diagnosed with diabetes. Now, every penny she makes goes into paying medical bills, rent, plus more bills.

Grabbing her keys from the dresser, she walked out of the room and exited the house quietly.

She walked down the street with her arms around her body. It was a really cold night but all she had on was a skimpy dress, she didn’t even carry along a scarf.

“Gosh how could I have been so stupid, it’s freezing out here” she muttered as she stood on the sidewalk waiting for a taxi.

Soon enough a cab drove by and she flagged it down.

“Uh, I’m going to Middle street”

“Alright, hop in”

Getting in the cab, she heaved a sigh of relief as the warmth of the car hit her skin. She checked her wristwatch; 8:45pm. Just 15 minutes left, the interview was scheduled for 9pm.

Rose grimaced, she’d better make it to the bar before 9pm. She knew it was a very odd time but she needed this job. At this point, any job would do. She was that desperate.

The cab stopped in front of the bar, and she paid him and got out.

Pulling her dress down a little bit she walked in. The smell of cigarettes and alcohol mixed with sweat hit her nostrils as she walked in. Her nose wrinkled in disgust at the stench.

Immediately she could feel stares on her. Looking round, she saw a couple of men at different tables openly gawking at her.

“Woohoo, who’s that fine looking thang” one man said, smacking his lips in licking motion.

“I bet she’ll taste as good as she looks,” another man said as the others laughed.

“Yeahh I’d like for her to serve me some of that fat ass”

“Hey sexy red, would ya like to marry me?” Another man hollered.

“Come here hottie, I could use some sweet lovin from you yuuno” one man who had a body full of hair said as he grabbed her arm.

Rose shook off his hands violently.

Oh no, what am I getting into, Rose thought, her heart beating fast. She could see the stares of the men, their dirty hunger for her beating down her skin.

“I can’t do this” Rose muttered, stepping back

“Hey wait!” A voice called out, it sounded like the voice of the bar manager but she didn’t care.

Rose turned round and blindly made her way out of the bar with the voices of the men trailing behind her.

As she walked out of the bar she hit a hard rock.

“Ow” Rose yelped in pain, her hands raising up to touch the area where the rock hit her.

“Hey watch it miss” a deep voice called out

That voice- I’ve heard it before, Rose thought. Raising up her head, her eyes widened in shock as she stood face to face with none other than Liam Wordsworth. The same nasty Greek god she met at preschool.

What’s he doing here, she thought.

Liam stared at her, his eyebrows raised

“You really had to bash into me didn’t you?”

“Uh- I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to”

Liam lowered his head slightly to gaze at her face

“Are those tears I see?”

“No it’s not, mind your business!” Rose muttered gruffly

“I’d love to, but I doubt Penelope would be happy that I ignored her teach-“

“Why are you here?” Rose asked cutting him short

Liam sighed and rolled his eyes. Raising his hands as if in surrender, he replied

“Alright. You see that cafe over there?”

“Uh huh”

“ I was right there sipping my coffee and thinking about work issues, then I saw you walk into the bar. I witnessed the whole thing. Something didn’t feel right so I thought to come over. Fortunately you came out just in time and bumped into me”

Rose stared unbelievingly at him. She didn’t know if she could trust anything the man said. She just wanted to go home.

“Hey, hey listen to me” Liam said with a snap of his fingers

“Look I don’t know why you’re here, but I’m smart enough to know that you’re in some sort of financial trouble and you need help- Is that right?”

Rose nodded her eyes teary again.

“I’d love to be a gentleman and ask us to sit and talk while asking for more details but I’m running out of time- you see I’m in a bit of a dilemma myself… I need a wife”

Liam watched Rose intently as he spoke, trying to decipher her reaction. Her brown eyes widened in shock. She took a step back, staring at him as if she was looking at a mad man.

“You’re crazy… you, you are a crazy man”

“Yes I'm a crazy man, I accept it. Listen, I need someone to pretend like my wife, or I’ll lose my position in my company… as crazy as this sounds, it’s the truth”

“And what has that got to do with me huh” Rose asked as she wiped her nose with her sleeves.

“Marry me”

“And what do I stand to gain from this ridiculous arrangement?” Rose asked sneering at him

“Whatever you wish to gain. A house to live in, money…”

“Why are you asking me?”

“You’re nothing special okay? You just happen to be the only choice I have… at least you’d be putting your beauty and body to good use in the right place cause you’re really sexy” Liam said as he sized her up.

Rose shook her head at him in disbelief.

“You are the worst man I ever met, you’re no better than the men in there”

“Deal or no deal? I’m a very busy man” Liam said unflinchingly, his eyes cold as ice.

“At least give me some time to think about this, like two days..”

“No! I need an answer now” Liam replied, his jaw tightening.

Silence stretched between them as each one of them stood awaiting the next sentence.

Liam checked his wristwatch and cursed under his breath, his time was running. Today was the last day before the three week timeframe given to him would elapse.

If this redhead refuses I’m cooked, he thought.

Sighing loudly, he twisted his neck from side to side and said

“I guess it’s a no-deal then”

He turned around to leave. Walking towards his car, he heard the sound of boots running towards him, a small fragile hand reached out and grabbed his arm tightly, pulling him to a stop.

“Wait…. I’ll marry you..”