Chapter 5

I pushed the duvet off my body and got down. I shivered as my foot came in contact with the floor.  Illinois winter is a bitch. 

I strode to the bathroom and brushed my teeth. I took a quick shower and changed my clothes. 

I wore a simple striped T-shirt and blue skinny jeans and threw a leather jacket on top. I just brushed my hair and let it down. I applied a little makeup and took my sunglasses.

I walked down and took my handbag and my car keys. Locking the door, I walked to my car and drove to the address Aeden had sent me.

We were going to discuss the clauses of our contract marriage today. I was nervous but was looking forward to ending it as soon as possible.

I parked my car and got out of it. I took out my phone and gave Aeden a call, despite looking for him everywhere, I didn’t find him. 

“Hello? Where are you?” I asked as he picked up the phone.

“Look behind,” he said and I turned. He stood behind me wearing a light blue polo shirt. The sleeves hugged his biceps, revealing half of it. My eyes traced one of his nerves that went up and hid under his sleeve. His light subtle still giving me a sneak peek of his extremely sharp jawline. 

Glasses? No glasses? He might have switched to his lenses. And he still looked handsome as ever. His eyes sparked with a very foreign emotion.

Holy hell! Who is this man? 

“Hi,” he said waving his hand and flashed a beautiful smile. His smile was just as intoxicating as him. 

I blinked a few times and licked my lips and gave him a tight-lipped smile. An unknown warmth filled inside me as he greeted me and smiled at me.

“Shall we,” he said and guided us to the table.

His lawyer kept glancing at me and I didn’t like it one bit. He was staring at me and he wasn’t even ashamed of it. I tucked a lock behind my ear as I moved my eyes from him and followed Aeden.

Aeden didn’t bother to introduce us to each other and I wasn’t keen on knowing who his attorney was too.

I sat down and to my dismay, the lawyer sat next to me and Aeden sat opposite of me. It was extremely uncomfortable. 

I shifted a little in my seat and from the corner of my eye, I saw that guy smirk at my actions. Ignoring him, I kept my eyes on Aeden.

“Let’s start,” he said and I just nodded.

Since I was a lawyer myself, I didn’t have one. I knew what I wanted and I was not going to compromise for it.

They began to explain everything. Like what we are allowed to do and what not. I was quite pleased with the contract till they mentioned the termination part of it.

“No. People will know.” I said looking up at Aeden.

“What?” He asked confused.

“2 months. It’s too short and predictable.” I said shaking my head.

“We want something that is believable. We know that this marriage is a sham but for them, it should look like an actual one.” I told.

He looked at me probably trying to process what I just told. We have to have a believable term to end this marriage. 

“6 months?” He asked after pondering upon what I just said.

“No, more,” I said but dread crept when I felt a heavy presence on my thigh. I twisted my head to the side to see his stupid attorney smirking, whiled he rested his hand on my thigh.

I didn’t want to make a scene. Therefore barring my teeth, I placed my hand on his and dug my perfectly manicured nails into his skin. He winced and I took the opportunity to pry his hand away from my thigh.

But that seemed to have irked him as he moved his hand upward. Dread filled me as he kept moving his hand up, despite my efforts to take it off.

“1 year?” I heard Aeden ask.

“No, too much,” I said. I cursed myself as anyone could note the agony in my voice.

He was smirking as he still didn’t stop. By this time, I was panicking. He had reached my inner thighs and since the time my ex-boyfriend, Jack left me, I haven't let any man come closer to me. 

“8 months,” I said in panic and I heard him say something but I couldn’t process any of it.

But the next second, I saw the stupid guy on the ground. I got up from my seat and looked at him horrified. 

I looked to my right to see a seething Aeden. He was breathing heavily. He looked so scary. His perfect jaw was clenched hard. He kept glaring at the idiot. His eyes were blood red and a nerve on his forehead popped. His hands were curled into tight fists as he looked at the man menacingly.

“Call the cops,” he growled and I jolted. I looked around to see everyone’s attention glued to us. I wasted no time taking out my phone to call 911 but I saw an officer appear with another man.

“I’m the manager here, we called the police because of the commotion.” He said calmly.

“Good. Arrest him. He was harassing her,” Aeden said still glaring at the guy on the ground.

“Is he right ma’am?” The cop asked me and I bobbed my head up and down in approval.

He bent down and handcuffed the idiot and pulled him up to his feet. “We would like you to drop by to register your complaint later,” he said I nodded. I was gonna let him go either.

“Thank you,” Aeden's gruff voice came out before I could answer. 

Next, he held my wrist as he pulled me with him. I stumbled a step or two, trying to match his steps but he didn’t stop. We reached a car soon and that is when he stopped.

“What was that?” I asked, shocked.

“He harassed you and I don’t like it when a man, touches a woman without her permission,” he said looking right into my eyes. His penetrating gaze burning through me.

He is everything a girl wants in her man but sadly, he will never be mine.