Love Doesn't Always Hurt

In A Week's Time

Rosalyn's POV

What was Darren doing there? Was he there to meet uncle Parker or ran into him there? If that was the case, then it meant Darren went to the club to have 'fun'. When he saw me, he didn't say anything, but just turned his face away once more. Rude.

"Darren, this is Robert Jim's daughter, Rosalyn Jim", uncle Parker introduced, but there was no need, of course.

That made him turn to me with a smile, again, one of his millions of pretentious smiles.

"Nice to meet you, miss Jim", he said and outstretched his hand for a handshake.

From his tone, I could tell he didn't want me to act like I knew him. He was trying to hide our familiarity from uncle Parker. Well, I was more than happy to not be associated with him.

"The pleasure is mine, Mr King", I said and took his hand.

He gave me the 'well done' smile.

"Young brilliant minds like you two, it's a mystery you haven't met before",uncle Parker said, taking a sip of the drink in his hand.

Oh, we've met, just not in a very convenient way.

" Well, she is always away from the cameras. No one knows who she is, others that have met her just think she's one of the officials of Jim's Food",Darren explained gently to uncle Parker, a tone he had never used with me, except when he has to play the perfect fiance.

" Well, she had never liked attention "uncle Parker concurred.

I smiled and just decided to be lenient on him that day and not drop a double meaning remark about him.

" So, were you two scheduled to meet here?", I asked uncle Parker as I was sure as hell Darren wouldn't have answered me.

" Oh, no. I just happened to run into him here. He's pretty familiar with this place, you see",uncle Parker replied, wiggling his eyebrows at Darren.

So he really was a playboy. Wow, just another thing to add to his list of red flags. Wow, I was getting married to a playboy. Well done, Rosa, all those years, you ended up with a playboy, an arrogant playboy. Nice one.

"Hmmmmm. He must really like what is being offered here", I said in the tone that told him I knew exactly what he does.

He didn't look at me.

"Well, The Gold Society has the best of everything. It's no wonder he frequents here. Even I do", and he was a known womanizer, at least I knew that.

That just made things worse.

"Well, the heir of Kings must have the best, am I right?", I said and looked to Darren as he finally looked at me.

"Yes, you're right. But there's something I'll be getting and it's not good at all, talk less of being the best", he was referring to our marriage, I knew that.

"I guess we've all had bad things recently, such a coincidence ",I fired back.

Uncle Parker was grinning, probably thinking we were clicking, that there was something about us that screamed 'chemistry', not knowing we were talking about each other being the bad thing to happen recently.

Our discussion later took a more official turn as we went on. We just talked about the market and sales and all those "worky" things. I realized that when Darren was talking about work, he was very serious and he never actually gave my comments or remarks any 'special' attention as he would do (annoying, btw) on any normal day.

Talking business in a club? That wasn't in my to-do list. We were still talking when a lady, seemingly in her late thirties or early forties came towards us. Once Darren saw her, he got up, but she had already reached us.

"Oh, you're here", he said, rather nervously.

I guess he didn't want me to hear whatever it was that the lady had to say. She greeted us before turning to Darren.

"The......", she paused as Darren suddenly coughed, actually, fake coughed.

She understood and moved closer to him. She whispered something in his ears and left shortly after Darren nodded. Was his "good" ready for service?

After she left, I noticed he didn't really take part in the discussion like he did before the arrival of the lady. I bet it was to distance himself from the conversation so as to have an excuse to leave.

"I have to be on my way now. It was nice having this conversation with you, Mr Parker and Bo........Miss Jim",Darren said,checking his watch before standing up. Mission accomplished.

Was he just about to call me Bogus Rosa? He was insufferable, really.

Uncle Parker had a knowing smile on his face.

"Yes, I'm sure "someone" must be waiting for you. Run along now", he said in a teasing voice.

If Darren had tried hiding his escapade, then he was very bad at it.

"Yes,go on now", I said in a flat tone.

I wasn't one bit interested in his business. He forced a smile my way and walked away, towards the door the lady had disappeared into.

I spent a little more time with uncle Parker before heading to the office.

When I went to my parents' place for dinner the next day, my mom just wouldn't quit talking about how decent and responsible Darren is. If I hadn't met him at The Gold Society, I might've believed what my mom had said, but I already knew the truth.

He was far from decent. He was a playboy, a womanizer and I didn't exactly know how our marriage was ever gonna work. The odds were just too much. But then again, I could already picture myself leaving very early in the morning and coming back very late at night and he didn't strike me as someone that worked that much, at least like me.

I went two more days without talking to or seeing Darren, though each time I talked to my parents, he was always brought up one way or another.

Dad sent for me as I was preparing to go home, it was already dark and dad never allowed me work overtime. I wondered what he had to say. When I went to his office, I knocked once before opening the door and ushering myself in.

"Dad wh........", I paused when I spotted Darren sitting opposite dad on one of the couches in his office.

No doubt it had something to do with my marriage to that womanizing asshole.

Darren's POV

I didn't like the fact that I had to run into Bogus Rosa at the club. I mean,just why then of all time? But then again,I thought she would not mind. I mean,we both knew the marriage was a marriage of convenience and we would end up living like total stranger under one roof.

I didn't see her for two days,but I sure heard a lot about her in those two days. My mom was really going to all lengths to make me care about her,by talking about her a lot.

* * *

I was about to unhook the girl's brassiere when my phone rang out. I was currently at.....well,you know and was about to get into "business" when I got a call. I cursed out for forgetting to switch off my phone or keeping it in the car. I was about to put the phone in airplane mode when I saw it was Bogus Rosa's dad.

I looked to the girl in only her undergarments and could see the clear displeasure on her face. Not saying anything,I got up from the bed and went to the bathroom.

"Hello,Mr Jim"

"Darren,how are you doing?"

"Very fine. How about you?",ugh! The automatic pleasantries.

"Good,good. Are you busy right now?".

I was busy,but I felt like I had priorities,and besides,the girl was blond,and I no longer had a thing for them,just black haired ladies. I had wanted to go back to my old preference,but it hadn't gone that well.

"No,I'm free right now"

"Then can you head to my office right now?"

"I'm on my way",I replied and the line went dead.

Conversations with her dad were always short, compared to ones with her mom. I went back to the room and the girl was naked,stark naked,but I wasn't at all wavering on my decision to go meet Mr Jim. Still,I had to play it cool and not cold.

So,I smiled at her and picked up my suit from the chair.

" What's your name,pretty?"

"Rose",she replied in a sultry voice,one she perfected from several trainings.

" Hmmmm,what a delicate name for a delicate lady like you. I have something very important that needs my attention right now. But not to worry,the next time I'm here,I'll ask for Rose immediately",I said sweetly,even though I knew it was a lie.

I wasn't asking for her again.

A smile appeared on her face as she stood up,but I went out of the room immediately. She was gonna come to me,I knew it,try her best to seduce me to stay,which would have only brought out the coke side of me.

I got to Mr Jim's office and wasn't at all surprised when he said I should wait for Rosalyn to arrive so we could begin the topic for discussion. Bogus Rosa arrived not too long after and we entered the entire "perfect couple" mode.

" I called the both of you here because the date of the marriage has been decided",her dad said and I saw her face frown slightly.

Same,BR,same.

" It will take place in a week's time".

Wait,so fast?