Novels by Jenine

I almost didn’t go. That was the embarrassing truth. After agreeing to meet Victor Hale, I spent nearly forty minutes standing in front of Elena’s mirror questioning every life decision that had brought me there. Including the decision to trust a rich lawyer with serial killer vibes. “You’re actually doing this.” I whispered to my reflection. My reflection looked equally concerned. I had changed outfits three times already. The first dress made me look like I was trying too hard. The second made me look like I sold illegal substances behind clubs. The third one, the black long sleeved top and jeans I finally settled on, at least made me look normal. Well, as normal as a woman going to discuss contract marriage terms with a stranger could look. Elena was still at work thankfully, which meant I didn’t have to explain why I was leaving the apartment dressed like I was preparing for a nervous breakdown. I grabbed my small purse from the bed before staring at myself one last time.

Two days.Two whole days and the card still sat in my room like some cursed object waiting to ruin my life.Honestly, maybe it already had.I stared at it through the reflection of my mirror while sitting on my bed, my oversized shirt slipping slightly off one shoulder.Victor Hale. Corporate Lawyer.The black card rested between my fingers as I turned it over slowly for probably the hundredth time that day.Nothing about it looked fake.Trust rich people to make even business cards intimidating. I sighed and dropped backward onto the mattress dramatically before holding the card above my face.“What kind of rich psychopath hires a wife through a lawyer?” I muttered.The ceiling obviously didn’t answer.Outside my window, the city buzzed faintly with evening life. Car horns echoed from down the street while music blasted somewhere in the neighborhood. Meanwhile I was sitting in my tiny room considering whether or not to call a mysterious lawyer offering me a contract marriage.God.I

“Have you been interviewed before?” The question sat carefully on my mind as I thought of the answer. Or rather, thought of what brought me to this situation. Nothing other than the cost of living would have made me all dressed up and uncomfortable. But it appears this company looks rich enough to get me rich too. I had researched about them for weeks, both online and onsite. From the glass walls to the polished floors, the way people walked around with expensive shoes and coffee cups, it spelt my agenda in words. Even the air inside the building smelled rich like people here didn’t sweat or cry or stay awake at night calculating how many days they had left before rent was due. And that was made me sit in the middle of the interview room trying not to tug at the blazer strangling my shoulders. God, I couldn’t breathe in this thing. The material dug into my skin every time I moved, and the skirt hugging my thighs felt one sneeze away from ripping apart. Elena was going to pay