CEO'S WEALTHY CONTRACT BRIDE

Jessica

She’s typing away like a robot without a break, ignoring the pain in her fingers. Her heterochromic eyes are fixed on the screen while her mind simultaneously memorizes the report.

It’s nearly midnight and the precinct is quite empty. Jessica yawns and takes a large sip of her coffee before typing away like a mad woman again. Her usually silky red hair is tied into a messy knot. She has been working nonstop for the past three days and didn’t even return home to rest. The recent case has been taking up all her time and energy but this is exactly what she needs after her breakup.

Don’t think about that! She scolds herself. Just write the damn report!

“Detective Marshall!”

Jessica springs to her feet and instantly addresses her supervisor, Captain Brooke. Captain Brooke is a man in his early fifties with a smooth bald head and a strict demeanor. He’s known for his adherence to rules and expects efficiency from all the cops under him. Jessica is one of his most trusted employees and despite her young age, he assigns all the high profile cases to her.

“How are we coming up on the Jolene Valley Murder?” He asks.

“I’ve filed all the evidence and also submitted the report to the DA,” Jessica states. “He received them and will proceed to file the charges against the suspect tomorrow morning.”

“And the Drainer case?”

“The autopsy results show no signs of violent trauma or force on the victim’s body,” Jessica reports. “However, there are two marks on the neck. Those look like needle marks but there’s no sign of the blood being sucked through it.”

“What about the report?”

“I’m almost done with it. I’ll put it on your desk beforeI leave.”

Brooke nods, impressed and wishes only for the other detectives to be as efficient and smart as her. Jessica returns to her work. She’s engrossed in her work, not caring about anything else. Several times, her mind tries to dart back to the painful moment of her breakup with Jonathan, but she takes deep breaths before continuing to work.

Finally, after another hour, she’s done with her report. She carefully files it and places it on the Captain’s desk. He seems to have left already.

She heads to the toilet to freshen up a little. Splashing water on her face, she studies her face. Her one eye is a dark hazel color and the other one is bright green, which gives her a rather unique appeal. However, her usually smooth skin is pale and pearly. There are hints of dark circles under her eyes and her lips are dry. The past few weeks have been hard on her and it shows on her face now. People say that she has an angelic appearance, innocent and pure.

Now, it looks as if all the glow is gone. 

That rat b*stard! Jessica curses at her ex. Her beauty and brain couldn’t keep her ex-boyfriend faithful to her at all. Jonathan was her boyfriend from high school and they even went to the police academy together after graduating high school. Everyone expected them to get married.

Until the son of a b*tch cheated on her.

Jessica sighs and returns to her desk to pick up another file to report on when someone snatches it away from her.

“What the-”

“No more work!” A ginger haired girl exclaims. Jessica sighs as her best friend, Amy Bennett, frowns at her. Amy is in the final year of medical school and will start her internship soon. With a cropped pixie cut and sparkling dark eyes, Amy is cheerful and boisterous. Despite her hectic schedule, she tries to keep up with her social life because in her words, “No play and only work makes people dull. Especially Jessica.”

“Hey!” Jessica scowls. “I need to finish that!”

“No, you don’t. You haven’t even started this report!” Amy claims. “You’re coming with me.”

“Where?”

“To the club of course!”

Jessica shakes her head. “No,” she says. “I don’t wanna go to any club right now. I have work-”

“You’ve been off-duty for hours! I know your schedule by heart, Jess. You’re just trying to drown yourself in work to get over that sleazeball! This isn’t healthy. Just come with me and have some fun, okay?”

Amy makes a pleading face which makes Jessica sigh. “Fine!” She concedes. “I’ll come.”

“Yaii!”

Jessica puts her gun away and logs out of her computer before grabbing her bag.

“Let’s go,” she sighs.

“Are you seriously gonna go to a club dressed in that oversized shirt?” Amy groans as she follows her friend. “Don’t you wanna stop over at home and put on something sexy?”

“No.”

Amy groans but doesn’t say anything. At least Jessica will be able to loosen up after a few drinks. 

They take a cab to the nearest club. Once out of the precinct, Jessica is finally starting to feel a heavy weight lifting from her shoulders. She unties her hair and leans back on the seat.

“I’m swamped,” she mutters.

“You need to give yourself time to process your feelings,” Amy says in a sympathetic tone. “Jonathan cheated on you. He threw away everything for a skank and he doesn’t deserve you at all. You shouldn’t punish yourself with work. You need to have fun and show him that you can live without him! After all, you’re the youngest detective in the force! Within two years, you’ve accomplished what no one else could!”

Jessica flashes her a small smile. Even though she’s just twenty two years old, Jessica already gained a strong reputation as a competent officer. Having graduated from the Police Academy at twenty, Jessica joined the police force as an uniformed officer. In her first year, she worked in a high profile case involving the death of a supermodel and managed to put the criminal behind bars. She’s skilled in MMA and even aced her exams. She was recently promoted to the detective rank, a news which made her father very proud.

“We hardly celebrated your promotion so the drinks are on me tonight!” Amy declares. “And we’ll check out all the hot guys too, alright? Who knows, one of them might just sweep you off your feet!”

“Uh huh and he’ll run off once he sees my gun.”

“If you’re lucky you might just get to see his *gun*-”

“Amy!” 

Both the girls start to giggle loudly as they reach the club. The bouncers check their IDs and let them in. As soon as she enters the club, Jessica is frozen to her spot.

A strangely intoxicating scent of musky sandalwood hits her. Her heart is beating fast as the scent engulfs her senses, almost hypnotizing her. She can hear a faint whisper in her head but she can’t make out the words. The scent is too strong, too addictive. It’s pulling her and a fire is burning in her stomach which can be quenched only by this scent.

“Jess?”

“Huh? Amy’s voice brings her out of her reverie.

“What’s wrong?” Amy asks.

“Do you smell that?” Jessica inquires.

“Smell what?”

“That…musky sandalwood…”

Amy is confused. Seeing her expression, Jessica shakes her head.

“Nevermind. Let’s go and grab a drink.”