A Contract With Mr Handsome: One Touch Is All It Took

CHAPTER TWO

NICHOLAS

“You mean she's already there? It's 8 am for crying out loud and the meeting was scheduled for 9 am,” I said to my secretary, Mrs Moore, over the phone as I got into my car and sped off from our family’s residence or should I call it an estate.

“She said she has other things scheduled for today and you shouldn't keep her waiting,” Mrs Moore said and I angrily ended the call and slammed my hands on my steering wheel.

If not that Miss Florence was a popular investor in the business world and getting her to invest with us would fetch me zillions.

I wouldn't have been heading to work by now. I hated my beauty sleep being interrupted.

Being the son of my parent’s late age and the only son they had, I was spoiled silly, but I could boast that I didn't let the fact that I was a zillionaire affect the way I treated people who had nothing.

I always had the mindset that everyone needed to be treated with respect.

But the public had a different opinion of me. They called me the feared zillionaire.

Funny right?

All I did was not laugh with anyone at all unless necessary. I never disrespected or talked down on anybody.

But two older sisters, Susan and Sylvia, were the direct opposite of me and so were their children, David and Claire.

They looked down on people and unnecessarily bossed them around which I found really unfair.

The age gap between my older sister’s and I was large because my mom gave birth to me when she was 55 and by then my two older sisters were already married.

Hence making the age gap between I and their children not much.

I was called a miracle child because at that age my mom was when she had me, it was impossible for her to conceive again.

I felt pressured being the only son my parents have because the high expectations they had of me was sometimes too much for me to keep up with.

But nevertheless, I wanted to make them proud and prove to the board of directors in our company that I was worthy to become the next CEO of the company.

Especially now that my dad passed away a few months ago, the struggle for who would take charge in the company was getting worse.

My older sisters wanted their husbands to assume the CEO seat, but it was never going to happen. It rightfully belonged to me and I would prove it to them.

I stepped on the gas and zoomed off heading to the company.

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Thirty minutes later, I parked in the company’s underground parking lot and dashed into the elevator.

Luckily, no one was inside. I would have been too embarrassed if any of the workers saw me in this state because I was usually cold and collected. I liked to mind my business and focus on work whenever I was at the company.

Reaching the front of my office, I adjusted my tie even though it was okay. I was nervous because Miss Florence was a very difficult nut to crack in the business world.

After running a last check on how I looked, I opened the door and entered my office.

I instantly caught sight of Miss Florence sitting on her wheelchair with a frown on her face when she saw me come in.

“It's not right for you to keep a potential investor waiting. Don't you know that young man?” She said harshly.

“I'm sorry for the delay. It's because this wasn't the time we scheduled,” I apologized and forced a smile to my face hoping it looked genuine.

“As a business man, you should always be on guard. Always be ready. Now tell me about this Virtual assistant and the app you want me to invest in,” She went straight to the point without even waiting for me to sit.

Did I forget to tell you that our company was the most renowned tech company in the whole city? Yes it was.

“ASET is a virtual assistant programmed to help married couples sort out their differences. It is programmed in a way that there is no question or advice about marriage, relationships, love, and even s*x that it wouldn't be able to answer,” I said with a smug smile.

“Can I ask you a question?” She asked me with a straight face and I nodded in agreement.

“Are you married or in a relationship?” She asked me, catching me off guard and I paused.

“What does that have to do with the app I'm pitching Ma’am?” I stuttered as I asked her and watched as she snapped at me.

“Just answer the damn question Boy,” She snapped at me.

Boy?

Now I understood why at such an old age she wasn't still married. What man would put up with such a temper and nasty way of speaking?

“No Ma’am,” I answered truthfully and she let out a laughter of mockery.

“You aren't even in a relationship, nor are you married, and you want to create an app and a virtual assistant about marriage and relationships? I'm afraid I can't waste my money on it because you don't have experience in the field in which you are creating an app and virtual assistant for,” She said with a straight face.

“Actually Ma’am, I have a fiance and we'll be getting married in three days. I just said that to hear what you had to say,” I lied.

I f*****g lied.

I didn't know what came over me that made me lie.

No scratch that, I knew what came over me, it was desperation. I didn't even have a girlfriend, let alone a Fiancee.

“Alright then. Let's discuss this after you are married and I would like to see your wife,” She said with finality and clicked the button on her wheelchair making it begin to roll forward.

“Thank you for your time Ma’am.” I called out before the door was opened for her to leave but she didn't answer me.

What an arrogant and difficult woman.

When the door closed, Mrs Moore came in immediately. From the look on her face when she looked at mine, she knew there was a big problem.

“I need a girlfriend and I need one before dinner at my family residence today. I would introduce her to my family and propose to her,” I said to Mrs Moore, trying not to panic.

“But your love life is as empty as a waste land. No, scratch that, It is as empty as a desert. So what do we do?” She asked with a smirk and I glared at her.

Mrs Moore wasn't only just my secretary, she was like a second mother to me. I usually told her things about myself that I would never tell anyone.

“I have to get married in order to get Miss Florence to invest in the upcoming app and Virtual assistant that would be released,” I informed her in a rush and paused to calm down.

I didn't want to lose this deal. I wasn't going to. If getting married was the criteria for her to invest, then I would do it.

“Just look for someone who would act as my fiancee. I would pay the person a lot of money,” I stated and she sighed.

“This is coming under short notice. I'm not sure we can find someone to do that before the time for the dinner with your family. But I'll try my best. We truly can't afford to miss this deal with Miss Florence,” She said before walking out of my office to do as I instructed her.

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The rest of my day went on with me bumping into Susan’s husband, Tim, whose bossy attitude always annoyed the hell out of me.

An argument even ensued between him and Slyvia's husband, Greg, back at a meeting held in our company’s meeting room.

I stayed quiet and watched them embarrass themselves like I always did. Those two were always at each other’s throat.

On my way driving home because it was already getting dark, my phone began to ring and I saw it was my mom calling.

“Hello my sweet Mom,” I said sweetly after I answered my mom’s call.

“Please I need you to help me with something important at home,” My mom's voice boomed through my car stereo.

“I'm already on my way home mom. See you in a bit,” I answered.

“Alright Son. Thanks,” She replied and with that the call ended making me step on the gas.

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It was like time passed within a blink of an eye because when I went home and was done helping my mom sort out some documents that she didn’t allow me to read through, it was already dark and time for dinner.

I wanted to leave her room and head to my quarters to freshen up and prepare for the dinner, but then I remembered about the marriage stuff Miss Florence talked about.

I could hide things from other people, but I couldn't hide things from my mom and before you tag me as a mama’s boy, I'm not.

“Mom, I want to tell you something because I can lie to the other’s, but I can never lie to you. Miss Florence is a hard nut to crack and she refused to invest in my new project. Her reason for doing is because I’m not married,” I explained and paused.

“And?” She asked me calmly, urging me to finish what I was saying.

“I have decided to undergo a contract marriage just for the duration of the period we need to convince Miss Florence that I'm married. And you already know that this deal means a lot to me,” I said to her and watched as she smiled.

“Do all it takes, Son. You have my full support, only if the girl is beautiful. Even though it'll be a fake marriage, at least she should look beautiful,” My mom joked and winked, making me laugh.

“Of course. I’ve got to go freshen up, it's already time. Also, I would be introducing her to everyone at dinner,” I answered her and she nodded in acceptance.

I left her room afterward and headed to my own house in our estate.

My elder sisters and I all lived here with their husbands and children, but we all had our separate houses.

My mom was the only one who lived in the main building.

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After I went to my house, I hastily prepared for dinner and headed to the garden. But not without carrying the engagement ring I picked out for tonight.

I tried to call Mrs Moore severally but her phone number wasn't going through.

I began to panic when I walked to our garden and saw that everyone was already seated at the dining table.

I could see David, my eldest sister, Susan’s only son and child.

And Claire, Sylvia’s only daughter, and child was also there with her heavy makeup, which always made me wonder how she was always comfortable putting so much makeup on all the time.

“Oh!! Here is our man of the evening. He is going to introduce his girlfriend to us tonight,” My mom announced when I walked into the garden and they caught sight of me.

“What? Nick has been in a relationship all these while? Wow,” Sylvia and Susan chorused while David and Claire looked at me with creased brows.

I never smiled with both of them because they were two spoiled children who didn't have manners.

Both of my sister’s husbands didn't look excited about what my mom just said but who cares? This was the reason why I was always cold to them all except my mom.

All of them seated here were just a bunch of pretentious individuals, except my mom.

“Uhm…. Yeah…” I trailed off with a poker face.

I didn't know how to tell my mom that I wasn't sure if my plans would still hold for today since I couldn't reach Mrs Moores.

So, I sat down praying to God that Mrs Moore found someone. Susan and Sylvia’s husbands glared at me as I sat down.

Then I began to notice the heads of everyone seated at the table looking in a particular direction behind me.

When I turned to take a look at what they were looking at so keenly, That was when I saw her.

Holy f*****g s**t!!!

She stood in front of us all, looking as stunning and simple as she always was.

She was my mystery girl.

How the f**k did Mrs Moore manage to find her let alone get her to accept to my deal?