Chapter Two

LEAH’S POV:

Vvvvvvvvv,vvvvvvvvv, I wake up to the sound of my phone vibrating none stop and as I look at the screen I know what’s coming if I don’t leave this house and hide somewhere.

From the time I lost all I had I’ve been unable to get back on my feet and live life like a normal person, am always on the run unable to pay my bills much less pay my debt. I never took school seriously and I was a brat so even chores are a challenge, am learning to do better but it’s always a mess. We try again today.

I avoid picking up the calls as I run to take a quick shower so I can start my part-time job as a cleaner. It’s not much but it’s a start and am happy about it I laugh to myself at least I now have a pay cheque.

I look at the clothes I have and shake my head. It doesn’t matter what I wear am a cleaner, not an office worker I smile again. So I throw on a black top and blue jeans. Am short with curves so I look good in anything anyway. I take a banana and run to the bus stop so am not late on my first day.

I arrive on time and head straight to Madam Angela, a sweet old lady in charge of the cleaning crew. This place is huge I stare in awe. Everything is beautiful and advanced luckily, I find her standing near the entry it’s like she knew I’d get lost for at least six months if she doesn’t stand there.

“good morning Leah,” she says,

“good morning Madam “ I smile.

“wow this place is huge and beautiful “ I add.

“It sure is, now are you ready to work?” she asks.

“yes! Very much ready but I have a question, it’s important “ I smile shyly

“ask quickly “ she answers irritated

“Do you think, the Crazy guy who owns this thing can give me some money as an upfront payment then I work and not get paid?"

“How will he know you won’t run away after getting the cash”? A deep voice asks behind me.

I turn and what my eyes see I feel like kneeling and praying to God to thank him for creating something so beautiful.

“Mr kings!!! “ Old Angie jumps with fear

Well don’t know what’s scary here all I see is beauty and money, but I don’t say that out loud because, from the way people are vanishing and quickening their footsteps, I can guess his my boss’s boss’s boss.

“I can sign a contract to bind me that will show I can’t run to anywhere” I reply calmly while battling my eyelashes

“I see, “ he says and walks away with his bodyguard following closely

“I see”??"

"Is that all he can say after raising my hopes?" I ask Old Angie

“if you don’t shut up this instant you are fired are the next words that will come out of his mouth or I'll transfer you to the branch, you’re here to work not to talk.!"

But why is she angry I did nothing. Can't a desperate girl try her luck?

"You’re even lucky he said something your way. He talks to no one and he likes to find the reception empty so next time you see people moving quietly follow suit" she adds as she walks away.

I nod to what she has said, but I don’t agree that man can give me freedom without even saying a word so I’ll get it no matter what.

Xavier’S POV:

As I walk out to my car I find this girl who catches my attention and that rarely happens and so I respond to her question. She needs money and I need a wife perfect solution but first I need to be sure of my decision so I turn to Dave.

“get me all the information there is about that girl within an hour” I instruct

“Yes sir” he quickly responds as he opens my car door.

Well, I need a wife by 8 tomorrow so my options are pretty slim. I need to save the stocks for the sake of the investors who trusted me if it were only men like Dante this would have been much easier because I would do absolutely nothing.

But then I need to be careful so I don’t regret my choice. I just need someone to be with me for a year until the ongoing project is over then we can divorce.

Am drowned in so many online meetings I don’t even notice time flying only to realize that it’s past midnight and I need a girl to marry. I hold the bridge of my nose as I read through my email.

All the information I need is right before my eyes, so she is in debt and has no educational background what’s even more interesting is her relatives are unknown. She has been alone since she lost her parents and now this is a perfect solution with minimal problems.

So I do the only thing I can do right now; make her an offer she won’t refuse.

I call her cell and she picks on a third ring

“Hello, look I told you I’ll pay you I just need more time and am trying the best I can so please give me a break, I mean calling me on a private line at this hour! Is that even legal?! She screams

“Hi, I need a girl to marry for a year and you’ll get all your debts paid if you successfully fulfill your role. If you are interested sign the contract that will be with you in 10 minutes and collect the wedding gown.” I go straight to the point

“Is this some kind of prank?” she asks irritated

“Do I sound like someone who has time for pranks?” I ask irritated

“well I don’t even know you, and you’ve called at this hour what am I supposed to think?” she laughs

Am losing patience so I hang up. Maybe this is a bad idea, I think to myself. Should I just cancel the whole thing and refund the affected? Honestly, I don’t even know why am picking marriage as an option being so irritated I feel sorry for whoever will piss me off.

I stare at my computer looking at the pictures with all the information below for my soon-to-be bride. Am not worried about rejection, I mean if my looks don’t make you want to marry me my fortune will and I barely even reach the fortune part.

Dave shouldn’t make any mistakes he knows the implications of it better than anyone. Am so tired but I can’t sleep I rarely sleep on time because my mind is always thinking. So I walk to my pool to release some steam as I wait to decide what I will do if she says no, she can’t but if she did what will I do?

Leah’s POV:

“I mean who the hell was that? Can my life get more dramatic making me get high hopes for nothing” I say sadly as I get into bed

But just as I pull down the sheets I hear a car pull down the driveway and I wonder who it is. No one ever visits me at least not by car I laugh to myself as I dress up to open the door.

But then I stop midway to think

“what if am being robbed, not that there is anything to rob, or what if what that mad man said is happening, or the police have come to take me away or or or ….. “ I panic

“Hello?” someone says as he softly knocks

I keep quiet, so quiet you’d think someone killed me because I am never quiet. Failing to believe how dumbfounded I must be for me not to say a word.

“Look, I know you’re in there and I’ve Been sent to deliver a parcel and get you to sign. I am sure you went over the conditions and if you don’t open the door now I’ll take it that you’ve rejected the proposal and report back to him” he speaks so softly

“There is no way that voice would hurt anyone” I laugh as I open the door

And oh my was I right. He's a funny-looking fellow with glasses I truly am a good judge of character.

“What are you talking about?” I ask

“My name is Dave and I work for Mr. Kings am told you’re to sign this contract and collect the wedding gown in my hands” he speaks so softly

“well I think you have the wrong person, but I don’t want to send you back this late for nothing, come in I’ll take a look at the contract and maybe I could sign it” I smile

“I doubt you have a choice in this,” he says as he walks in

“What!?”

“What?”

He ignores my threatening look and hands me the contract without even flinching it’s like he's been through much worse and nothing can shake him despite his nerdy look. Shockingly it’s impressive I think to myself. Because this world is a war zone you can’t go round getting intimidated by every face you see. I open the envelope to read through the contract and I can’t believe my eyes.

So such things exist and I wasn’t dreaming. My life could change just by me signing this thing and following the conditions which are not so many except he adds one thing that breaks me and shatters all my happy ending dreams. A loveless marriage!

I thought it was a prank at first but it’s real and deep down I wished for this because I was willing to do so much worse just to get back on my feet and leave this shitty place. My life is about to change but it couldn’t get worse than this. He sure sounded like hell over the phone but I’ve been through it and I didn’t die. At least this new hell has a decent paycheck to compensate for the pain am about to go through.

I think critically about it while Dave patiently waits without saying anything to rush my decision it’s like his silently praying I say no. I get the pen and change my life overnight.

“Here you go,” I say

He gets the document from me with a face that tells me exactly what I don’t want to come face to face with. So I decide to be a rude bitch to avoid him seeing me cry.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then, am tired and I have a wedding to attend so please see yourself out,” I say with a weak smile

He nods and walks out softly closing the door but before he could completely close it a slim blond-haired lady walks in straight to me and slaps me so hard I take time to recollect myself.

“So you’re the whore who has stolen my man!” she says disgustingly

Am I losing my senses or is she ridiculous? Is everyone delusional these days?

“ I stole your what!"?