Up Your Ass

ROSALIE’s POV

My body trembled at the audacity.

Elijah walked around the desk and plopped back on his seat, leaning on it with a sly smirk.

‘’If you succeed in making me fall out of love with you within those 90 days, I’ll give you whatever you want.’’ His voice was barely above a whisper as he turned in his chair, his nails softly drumming against the wooden desk.

My hand curled into fist by my side, my nails digging into the flesh of my palm enough to earn a wince.

‘’I don’t need anything from you, Elijah Blackwood!’’ I snapped, my face burning from anger. ‘’ Why are you doing this to me?! I hate you already, why make me hate you more?? You already agreed to the divorce before—‘’

‘’Triple the amount.’’ He interrupted, cutting in.

My breath hung in my throat, my knees buckling till they turned jelly.

‘’W-What do you mean…’’ I couldn’t help the way my chest constricted and lungs tightened at the offer.

‘’Isn’t your fiancé broke? At this point, is your wedding even going to hold?’’

It felt like a bucked of ice water had been poure all over me. 

‘’If you agree to my offer, I promise to give him whatever he wants.’’ He stopped his movement on the desk and leaned forward, arching a mocking brow up as he waited for my response.

My heart thumped loudly against my chest, threatening to burst out of my rib cage.

I bit into the inside of my cheeks till the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

‘’Shove your stupid OFFER up your ass!’’ My voice rose as I stared at him with defiance, my body trembling.

Without waiting for another word, I turned around and started to head for the door.

Before my hand could reach for the door handle, the sound of maniacal laughter filled the room.

I paused, slowly turning around.

‘’I see…triple the amount is still not enough.’’

He muttered under his breath after all the laughing.

My face twisted, my jaw tightening.

‘’You know what? Apart from the money, I’ll also make sure your fiancé gets the land he wants for his business as your honeymoon gift.’’

My breath caught.

Everything seemed to stop for a moment until my leg started to tremble.

H-How did he know about that??

He chuckled, as if already reading my mind. ‘’Just 90 days, Rina…’’

The way the pet name slipped off his lips…my heart toppled.

Just 90 days…

After that, Chris gets the property he wants for his business.

We wouldn’t need a loan anymore and I wouldn’t have to go through the bank as a married applicant with the ex-husband I deeply hated.

My lips quivered.

The offer was tempting, really….tempting. 

But at what cost?

My body?

My public image?

Betrayal against my fiancé?

Being Elijah Blackwood’s wife again meant being his in bed and in public.

He’d highlighted that clearly on the contract terms.

I unclenched my fist and walked to him, my heels drumming against the floor violently. ‘’I don’t care about your stupid money or any other thing you’re willing to offer! Neither me, nor my man would agree to such a ridiculous offer!’’

Elijah’s face hardened. ‘’Have you tried asking him?’’

I didn’t bother to retort. He had gone crazy.

I turned around and walked out of his study, of his home, of his offer!

By the time I got home, I was already seething with barely restrained anger.

I tossed my purse to the couch angrily, the sound reverbarating around the space. 

‘’ROSALIE? Is everything okay? You didn’t get the loan?’’

I turned around instantly to find a worried Chris walking up to me.

He stared at the purse on the couch before turning his gaze on me.

‘’Didn’t they already say your credit was okay? What—‘’

‘’Elijah! Elijah Blackwood happened!’’ My chest heaved angrily as my voice rose riddled with vulnerability as tears welled up in my eyes.

Christ face twisted. ‘’Your ex-husband?’’

‘’Yes! I can’t apply for the loan because I’m not a single applicant. Turns out, Elijah never processed the divorce papers. In paper and on records, we are still very much married.’’ The word tasted like ash on my tongue.

‘’I got so angry when I saw it that I went over to confront him. You wouldn’t believe what he said to me! What he dared to say to me. He handed me a paper with a clause that stated that I had to be involved with him Maritally and sexually for 90 days. That I had to make him fall out of love with me.’’ I huffed, crossing my hand against my chest and releasing a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

‘’He said if I succeeded in doing that, he would give me money. Like…lots of money.’’ A bitter chuckle escaped my lips. ‘’And that he would give me and my fiancé everything we wanted. Can you imagine that?! That son of a bitch thinks we would do anything for money. He thinks—‘’

‘’Did you accept the offer?’’ 

Chris question froze the next words in my mouth. 

What sort of question was that?

Did he get jealous over something I didn’t plan on agreeing to?

A nervous chuckle escaped my lips and I reached up to caress his cheeks, my voice softening. ‘’Of course not. I would never do that. I know you wouldn’t want that..’’

He reached for my hand on his cheek and slowly pulled it away. ‘’Accept it.’’

The smile on my lips froze. 

I forced out a small chuckle. ‘’I-I don’t understand…’’

Christ face softened. 

He reached for my hand and caressed it with his large palms.

On a normal day, the warmth of his palm against mine would have kept me assured.

Today, all I could feel was my heart about to explode.

‘’This is good news, ROSALIE. This would lift a huge weight off our shoulders. You wouldn’t need to stress about the loan anymore and we could even have a big wedding. Don’t you want a big wedding?’’

My mouth opened and closed but I could barely get a word out.

‘’If what you’re saying is true, it means the both of you are still legally married. It won’t be cheating if—‘’

I cut him off, my chest heaving heavily. ‘’Did you even hear a thing I said?! The offer means nothing! Elijah Blackwood only proposed it as a ploy to get me into his bed! To fuck me! We’re not legally married, he deceived me!’’

‘’I know…I know, baby. But there’s a lot at stake here. The investors, the developers, they’ll have my head if I don’t get that building in order. Just do this for me, okay? I’m not the only one gaining from this. You’ll be gaining a lot too.’’

I couldn’t help the disgust that rippled through me as I stared at him.

Because if the roles were reversed, I would never have agreed to it. No matter how desperately in need I was.

‘’Why are you saying this..?’’ My voice was barely above a whisper, filled with shakiness.

Chris leaned in a bit more, ignoring my question. ‘’I’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives.’’

My heart did a violent leap.

We had made plans about going to the Maldives for our honeymoon. But because we were low on funds, I had opted for a different location.

My chest fluttered.

Was he in support of Elijah’s offer because of me?

Before i could open my mouth, Chris cut in. ‘’It’s a good thing that you would be staying in New York while I’m out in the Maldives, creating a future for us.’’

His eyes flew to his watch. ‘’Oh Yh…I already booked a flight. Just need to arrange a few stuffs.’’

I froze.

My insides froze and the teardrop I had been holding finally slipped off my cheeks.

Chris didn’t notice.

He kissed my forehead and continued. ‘’Besides, I don’t have anything to be worried about. Your ex-husband might be powerful but he sure as hell can’t satisfy you in bed.’’