Till Divorce Do Us Part
1443 Words
Elijah was restless. He had moved the flower vase at the window around a few times, fidgeting with its placement, but was unsatisfied with how it looked in the office. Frustrated, he finally called his secretary to take it out.
He looked around the office once more. It looked professional–nothing out of place, and certainly not like he was trying to have a date with his guest. Finally satisfied, he heaved a sigh of relief and slumped into his chair.
He laid out the contract neatly on the table, a bottle of wine beside it to serve as a celebratory toast if things went according to plan.
Elijah was sure Elizabeth wouldn't take him up on his offer, but a week after visiting her, he got a text from Jason that said she would be in the office to discuss the terms of their marriage.
He couldn't ignore the pitch deep in his gut as he thought about encountering Elizabeth a second time. She had grown up, and the stories Jason shared with him painted a picture of a strong-willed woman.
He still had his doubts, and even though he didn't like her, he knew she was someone he could trust.
He reached for the intercom behind his chair to buzz his secretary, but the door to his office swung up at the same time and closed with a soft click.
He turned, and she was standing tall.
Deep Hazel eyes gazed straight at him, her bitterness clearly visible in the look of her eyes. She was brutally honest with her gaze and unwilling to bluff.
Her dark brown hair tumbled down her back in loose waves, framing her face with an effortless grace.
A delicate fringe swept across her forehead, drawing attention to her bright eyes.
Soft defined cheekbones set off smooth lips, full and plump. He had teased her about her slender lips while they were younger. Now the jokes were on him.
Men would die for subtle lips of honey like hers.
Elijah reeled himself, he was flustered by this tall package of female temptation wrapped up in an elegant and luxurious off-the-shoulder red velvet gown.
It had long sleeves, and a fitted bodice, accentuated by a black belt. Its floor-length skirt draped beautifully to her feet.
Elijah fought past his unsettled mind and relied on his professionalism to hide his reaction. Elizabeth Will looked too good to be real, but there was no need for her to know that.
He offered her a neutral smile, just like every other business associate, and pointed to the chair in front of her.
“Have a seat.”
Elizabeth frowned. “Good morning to you too,” she said in a snarky tone as she took a seat like he'd asked.
They shared an awkward few minutes of silence. The distance between both of them seemed to stretch into the horizon, as neither of them was willing to say a word.
“Wine?” Elijah asked, his weighted voice pierced through the silence as he reached for the bottle on the table.
“Sure.”
Elijah unscrewed the cork and popped the wine open. He poured a glass and offered it to her. Elizabeth stared at the glittering blood drink like it had been poisoned.
She took a sip only after Elijah poured himself a glass, raised his cup slightly in the air, and nodded his head gently while keeping his eyes fixed on hers.
Something about the sparkle between his deep, dark eyes caused her to shift uncomfortably on her chair. Maybe it was the way he still looked at her like she was a child.
Long strands of dark brown hair were pulled into a neat bun and framed his face with quiet intensity. A little gold cross dangling from his earrings.
The arc of his brows were like a gentle stroke of an artist's paintbrush, and his neatly groomed beards hugged the angles of his jaw.
Hell. Why did he have to be so gorgeous? Elizabeth growled in her mind. Unable to understand the surge of desire that had swept throughout her body.
“I heard about your grandfather,” she said before taking another sip of her wine. “I'm sorry about his condition.”
Elijah stroked his temple with his hand gently. “There's no need to be sorry. You didn't hurt him. Did you?”
Elizabeth frowned at his utter rejection of her sympathy. A curse word rose to her lips, but she forced it down and kept quiet.
“Did Jason tell you everything you need to know?” He inquired, and she nodded.
“Yes. What I don't understand is why. The whole thing sounds crazy.”
“Pa Moore believes to run a successful business, I have to run a successful home. That and he also fears that I'll end up all alone when he's gone.”
“But you will,” Elizabeth mocked, a faint smile spreading across her lips as she lifted her cup to her mouth.
Elijah scoffed. Clearly, her joke wasn't funny to him.
“You don't believe in marriage?”
He shrugged at her question. “I don't believe that two people could wake up one morning and decide to spend all eternity together. Their faith in a happily ever after just tells me how small-minded they are.”
Elizabeth crossed her hands across her chest and raised a brow. “You think I'm small minded?”
“To know that you wouldn't be able to pay off $200,000 worth of student loan and debts all by yourself in a year. Frankly, I consider you quite the businesswoman.”
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, and her body stiffened as she uncrossed her arms. "Wow," she said, her voice cold. "Tell me, do you always mask insults as compliments, or is it just when you're trying to be condescending?"
Elijah shrugged. “I don't know what you're talking about.” He pushed the document before him towards her and passed her a pen.
“About our contract,” He explained. “We'll stay married for a year. We wait a month or two after the contract ends, and we get a divorce.”
“Why not at the end of the contract?”
“It would be too obvious.” He explained.
Elizabeth gracefully studied the pages of the contract. He was offering to pay her double of what she needed, and in addition, he would cater for her daily needs. Clothes, cars, shopping, and everything she needed for the lifestyle he was about to toss her in would be taken care of by him.
“This all looks,” Elizabeth paused, looking for the right words and settled with, “promising.”
Elijah leaned forward towards her. “Is there something you'd like to add?”
Uncomfortable with the closed distance, she stood and paced behind her chair. “Where do we live?”
“My house. You're my wife.”
“My sister?”
“Also with us.”
“No. I'll take her to my aunt's place. If she spent just one night with us, she'd know our marriage is a fake.”
Elijah hummed and sank back into his seat. “Anything else?”
“I don't need the clothes, cars and shopping cards. I can foot my personal bills.”
“That isn't up for negotiations, Elizabeth. You'll be attending a lot of events by my side. It is paramount that I look good.”
Elizabeth turned her head towards himself slowly and glared at him. “You look good?” She repeated, her voice dripping with venom.
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and tugged at the collar of his shirt with his right hand. The tension in the room had become suffocating and unbearable, but Elizabeth didn't seem fazed by it.
“Elizabeth, do we have a deal?” Elijah asked.
Elizabeth hovered over the document, a pen poised between her fingers. She hesitated, her lips pressed into a tight line. With a resigned sigh, she signed the document, each stroke of her pen laden with the pressing weight of her decision.
“I guess we’re married,” she said, her voice clipped.
The air between them thickened, silent but heavy, as they both acknowledged what they’d just set in motion.
Elijah poured himself another glass of wine as he watched her finalize their agreement. His chest tightened, a slow, creeping dread seeping into his heart.
There was no going back now, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that, in this deal, it was more than just his business on the line.
- Writer
