THE RUIN HE CHOSE

TWO OR NONE

AURELIA

He picked up the cup and walked towards my table to sit down. He didn't talk, instead he picked up stacks of papers on his desk and started scanning through each and every sheet until he came across one. He paused, looked at me and looked back at the paper.

“Celez Martins…” he read out. I clasped my hands on top of my knee, suddenly conscious that I was sitting right in front of the very man I was sent to spy on. That would explain the dangerous aura that radiated off him when I first set eyes on him.

“28, orphan, attended only high school before becoming a drop out….”

Vincenzo did a great job in putting my personal life out there on the report.

“Interesting,” he said and dropped the paper. He stood up, pressed something on his table and walked towards the window. Jade walked in seconds later, his arm still dangling awkwardly beside him.

“I need you to run a background check on her and get back to me.” Jade stared at Zayn in disbelief

“You're seriously not thinking of hiring someone like that, she's obviously going to be a big problem for you…”

“What matters is that she was able to take down my best bodyguard in seconds.” Zayn made emphasis on that phrase and Jade's jaw hardened. Zayn sipped his wine and turned to face him.

“You're still here?” He asked. Jade bowed his head and turned to leave, giving me a death glare on his way out. I shrugged.

“You're actually going to hire me without an interview? Just a background check?”

“What do you think I was going to ask you to do? Solve mathematics or speak Spanish? Obviously I needed to know if you were capable and you singlehandedly took down my best man, that's all the confirmation I needed, you're the right person for the job.”

“Speaking of that…” he pulled away from the window and headed back to his desk. He pulled out a drawer and brought out a brown envelope. Sitting down calmly, he tossed it towards me.

“I have another deal for you.” I curiously stared at him and the brown envelope. I hesitated before reaching for it. I pried it open and took out the papers. My eyes hurriedly scanned through the text and my heart rate increased as I read the next sentence. I finally finished reading the documents and dropped the envelope back on the table.

“You want me to pretend to be your bride for three years…” I started, finding it hard to believe what I just read.

“Yeah, I know you came here because you want to get a good pay, I'll triple your pay and I'll give you an additional bonus if you agree to pretend to be my wife for that estimated number of years.” There was no way I could say no to it. He thought I came here for money but I came here because Vincenzo sent me.

“What if I say no to that?” I asked

“Then you lose your job as the bodyguard… I need you for both. You can't just decide to pick one, you'll pick two or pick none.” I realized whatever he threw at me I had no choice but to accept it, I wasn't going to leave here unless I get what Vincenzo wants.

“It's logically impossible to be your fiancé and bodyguard at the same time,” I said.

“It is, which is exactly why I insisted that you have to be both. To anyone looking at us, we're going to look like two inseparable couples that can't stay away from each other while in reality you're just my bodyguard following wherever I go. Moreover I can't officially take over the position without a wife, that's where you come into the story.” I thought about it for a moment.

It wouldn't cost me anything to accept it, if anything Vincenzo will be pleased that I had even more reasons to be closer to the target. I wondered why he wanted a personal bodyguard when he had so many already at his disposal.

“I accept, I need to know how much I'm getting for this before I go fully into it.”

“You'll get 30 million dollars upfront for pretending to be my fake finance, the remaining will come later after you've stayed a full year, so before you complete the remaining two years, I'll balance you up with the remaining 70.”

I was stunned. He was paying me 100 million just to pretend to be his wife for three years. How desperate he was.

“Any buts?” He asked. I would be crazy if I had something to complain about.

“No… when do I officially start?” I asked.

“You're starting right now.”

“Wait what?” I was surprised.

“My dad already saw you come in when you came to interview for the bodyguard, I don't want anyone to know you're my bodyguard, your main role is to pretend to be my fiancee, you're my shadow bodyguard but no one has to know that, if he asks too much question I'll just tell him I asked you to come pretending to be coming for the bodyguard recruitment because you don't want to draw attention to yourself. We met at a club 6 months ago. You were working there as a waiter. I fell in love with you and proposed but I kept you as a secret for your safety. That's the story we're telling anyone that asks.” He said.

My brain couldn't process all of this at once but I nodded. The door opened and jade walked in with papers. He avoided my gaze and headed straight to Zayn. He collected the papers scanned through them and nodded before setting them aside.

“Get the car ready, I'll be going to the cemetery in a few minutes after I'm done here.’

Zayn reached into his pocket and took out a black credit card.

“Get her groomed properly, I'm taking her to my father the moment I'm back.”