Bargained Marriage

CHAPTER2

A Tricky Proposal II

Ella Samford's POV

As I walked down the highway after leaving Eileen's room, I saw a restaurant from faraway. I was walking down the highway to find a cab but seeing this restaurant made me stop.

The restaurant was an extravagant one. I knew it wasn't for people of my status. Regardless, I was attracted. I now had this mindset to be rich no matter what it took so to balance this fact, I chose to enter the restaurant. I still had the remainder of money which Eileen had sent to me to use as the transportation fare. I decided to pay for my meal using this money.

As I stepped into the restaurant, cold breeze from the air conditioner almost made me freeze. I entered and I had this luxurious feeling.

In my head, I was screaming 'you are living the posh life, baby'.

I sat on an empty table and waited for the waiter to attend to me. My stomach was already rumbling as I saw the picture of the meals attached to almost every part of their wall.

I could see different individuals sitting around while eating. They were affluent and rich people and I began to feel like them as well.

Later, one of the waiters approached me and handed me the menu.

"What would you like to have, ma'am?" The waiter asked me in courtesy.

I was impressed.

"Give me a bottle of chilled water while I check for the meal I would like to have…" I told him. I was using this bossy voice. The waiter began to move off now. He returned with the bottle of water soon.

I was busy checking the food without checking their prices.

"Here you go, ma'am…" the waiter served me. He opened the bottle of water and poured it in a glass cup for me to drink.

I took the glass cup and drank. It was really chill.

"Is this bottled water free or would it be paid for by me?" I asked the waiter shortly. I was asking this because I knew that different restaurants had different policies. They might choose to either make it free or paid.

"You have to pay for it, ma'am…" the waiter answered with a smile on his face. I loved the fact that they had good customer service and I made it a decision to give him a tip before I left the restaurant.

But meanwhile, I went through the menu to check the amount which bottled water was sold in the restaurant.

On seeing the price, my heart sank. I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing.

"One bottle of water costs one thousand and two hundred dollars!" I exclaimed in disbelief. My heart was literally beating harder. I had drank out of the water already and my whole budget for eating out wasn't even up to that amount.

"Yes and no, ma'am…" the waiter told me shortly still with a smile on his face. The smile had begun to irritate me and if he continued, I might end up slapping the smile away from his face. It was unusually annoying.

"How?" I asked. It was outrageous for me.

"There are different kinds of bottled water, ma'am…" the waiter explained. I had to praise his patience for doing this. "Some people like you want the chilled water like you. This one costs one thousand and two hundred dollars. The warm bottled water costs the same while the normal water which isn't either chilled nor warm costs only one thousand dollars!"

At this point, I was trembling. I didn't know how I would foot this bill now.

"Ohhhh…" I managed to say. I didn't want the waiter to see the fact that I was nervous.

"So, what would you like to order?" The waiter asked me now.

"Nothing for now," I replied. I had only six hundred dollars with me. This was only half payment for the bottled water.

"Alright ma'am! I will be back…" the waiter turned to leave now. In urgency, I called him back.

"Please, do you sell half bottled water?" I asked simply.

"What do you mean?" The waiter asked. He seemed confused about my question. I didn't mind as I was ready to expatiate.

I took a deep breath.

"You know I haven't drank up to half of this bottled water content and luckily, I didn't even drink directly from the bottle…" I expatiated. "I am only asking if you can resell the remaining content and allow me pay for the half I have drank already."

This got the waiter laughing. I didn't know why he was showcasing his ugly dentition.

"Wow! You have a nice sense of humor…" the waiter told me. "That was a joke, right?"

I sighed.

"No, Sir," I replied. I had began to use the formal word "sir" to address him now.

"What!" He exclaimed. "You mean you don't have one thousand and two hundred dollars and you came into this restaurant? This is simply unbelievable!"

At this point, my heart had begun to beat louder. I had heard of situations where someone who couldn't pay their restaurant bills had to be handed over to the police. I was sweating profusely already.

"Calm down, Sir," I told the waiter. "I will pay you in full!"

The waiter waited patiently.

I picked up my phone and called Eileen instantly. Luckily for me, she picked up after the first trial.

"Please help me, Eileen. I have a bill of one thousand and two hundred dollars to pay…" I told her over the phone. "I have only six hundred dollars."

Eileen's reply could strip metal.

"You found out that I've got money and you feel like I am your new money dispenser…" Eileen told me. "Cut the crap, Ella. I never knew you to be a beggar."

Eileen cut the call almost immediately.

Now, I knew I was left to myself. The waiter was also ready to embarrass me if I couldn't pay up.

Right at that moment, a young man walked up to me. At first, he turned to the waiter.

"I have heard all you have been saying…" the young man told the waiter. "I will take care of her bill."

I was shocked at how this good Samaritan had helped me. The waiter moved off instantly.

"Thank you, Sir," I told the young man.

"It's okay!" He replied. "Also, you don't have to be so formal. My name is Richard McDonald and I am interested in striking a deal with you. I am willing to pay you one hundred thousand dollars yearly as long as you agree to my deal."

I was attracted to this instantly.

"What's the deal?" I asked carefully. I knew this was a chance to finally get rich like I wanted badly.

"It's a simple task!" Richard began to tell me.

"Just say it!" I shouted at him. I wanted to know the real deal as fast as possible.

"Will you be my wife?" Richard asked carefully.

"What!" I shouted loudly.

"Oh, sorry…" Richard said fearfully. "Will you be my contracted wife?"