Chapter 3

Jason has just arrived home after a long night of partying, after taking his bath and dressing up, he went to lie on his bed to try and get some rest since he was so tired.

He closed his eyes to sleep but the image of the girl he met last night flashed through his mind, and that caused him to be wide awake. Ever since what happened, he couldn't stop thinking about her, yes she pissed him off real bad and he made sure that he got back at her in his own way but still he can't just get her off his mind. She was so different from the other ladies he'd come in contract with. Othere ladies would flirt back at him and even beg for his attention but this one was different. He's so sure that she must know about his status, yet she didn't care and stood up to him, even went as far as slapping him in front of his friends and everyone else present at that moment.

He clearly remembers the look on people's face when she did that, and then she left like nothing happened, he knew so damn well that if it hadn't been for his presence there, those men would have laughed at him, yes they were shocked but they still would have laughed at him had he not been sitting right there with them.

He abruptly stood up, sleep has also vanished from his eyes. He wants to know who that girl is, he wants to know the woman that would have such gut and audacity.

Jason instantly grabbed his phone from the bedside table and placed a call through to his best friend Mike.

Mike picked up almost immediately. "Yo man, what's up with you?"

"I need you to do something for me Mike, and it's urgent so don't delay it." He replied with full seriousness.

"As long as you're not going to ask me to help you bury a body, then sure." Mike said, and Jason literally rolled his eyes at his words, there's hardly a time when Mike is ever serious.

"There's someone I need you to run a background check on."

"Who's that?''

"The lady from last night, the one from the restaurant who..." Jason trailed, saying those words was like hurting his pride.

"The one who hit you." Mike completed.

"Refrain from saying that word Mike, but yes that lady, I want to know every single detail about her, and I need you to get it done ASAP!"

"Alright Jason, I'll get it done." Mike replied, Jason thanked him before hanging up.

The minute Jason ended the call with Mike, his phone rang, he checked and saw it was his father calling, a huge frown appeared on Jason's face as he wondered what could possibly be this issue this time.

He sighed deeply before taking the call. "Hello Dad."

"Stop by at the house before you leave for work." His father said sternly and hung up.

Jason wasn't surprised by his father's behavior, his parents weren't pleased with the way he lived his life and they never fail to show their disapproval about it. They've also been bugging him to get a wife and give them grandkids but Jason doesn't want any of that and he already made it clear to them. He loves this playboy life that he's living at the moment and wouldn't want to ruin everything by getting tied down with one woman. After all, where's the fun in being with one woman for the rest of his life when he can actually stay single and live the way he wants by having different women at his beak and call.

The thing called love and marriage isn't for him, he doesn't even see himself getting married to anyone for a very very long time. He wasn't planning on going anywhere today, not even to work, but after his father's call, he has no choice but to go to work after stopping by his parents home.

Jason forced himself out of bed, dressed into some more appropriate clothing before leaving the house.

It didn't take too long for him to get to his parents mansion, when the car pulled up in front of the mansion, his driver got out and rushed to open his door for him, Jason got out of the car, he buttoned his suit before heading inside.

He met his parents having breakfast and his father asked him to join them.

"I need to be at the company early Dad, so I won't be able to join you for breakfast, just tell me why you called?'' Jason asked, still standing.

"If you're not going to eat then you should at least take a sit." His father replied and Jason had to obey.

His father dropped his cutlery, then used his napkin to wipe his lips before looking at Jason. "I'm not going to beat around the bush and just go straight to the point." He started. Jason's mother also dropped her cutlery.

"I've willed all the inheritance to an orphanage."

"What!?" Jason yelled and stood up. "What are you talking about Dad? What do you mean willed all the inheritance to an orphanage!?" He questioned in pure anger.

"You heard me right Jason, everything that belongs to you has been taken away and will be given out as charity on my demise."

Jason scoffed loudly. "You've seriously got to be kidding me Dad, you can't do this!" Jason argued, then he looked at his mother. "Mom! Are you going to sit here and watch him do this? You two know how hard I've worked for the sake of our company, I work my fucking ass out daily just to make sure the company keeps on progressing and stays as the overall best in not just our country but all over the world! I alone should have right to my inheritance and no one else." He fumed.

"Well Jason, you're my one and only child and everything I do is for your own best interest." His father replied calmly.

"My own best interest you say? Then what do you call giving away my inheritance? How's that for my own best interest!?" Jason raged on. He was trying so hard to contain his anger but it wasn't working, he's worked so hard to get all he has today and won't sit back and watch this happen.

"If you care so much about your inheritance and wish to get it all back, then you must be willing to make sacrifices."

"What are you talking about?"

"The only way for you to get back your inheritance is if you agree to get married and settle down, only then Jason, only then will I give it all back to you." His father said, looking him in the eyes to make sure he sees that he's dead serious about this.

Jason was shocked to hear this, he couldn't believe that his parents will go to such extents just to make sure he gets married.

"You can't be serious right now Dad, I already made it clear to you both that I don't want to get married! I don't want to be tied down with any woman, I just want to—"

"You just want to what Jason!" His mother angrily stood up. "Look at us, do we look like we're getting any younger to you huh? We've made so many sacrifices for you and the least you could do is get married and give us an heir to carry on the family name. We've been begging you for so long to get married Jason, but no! All you care about is messing around with different women and living a filthy lifestyle."

"If you're not going to do this little thing in order to get your inheritance, then you might as well forget about getting any damn thing from us!" She seethed. "I'm done with you Jason, I'm tired of your reckless behavior and if you're not willing to change, then I see no reason why we should entrust all that belongs to us to you. And do not forget that I and your father did work hard to build our company before you even came into the picture, so don't think that you deserve to take the credit for everything."

"Now listen to me well Jason Finn. You either get yourself a good lady and get married, or keep living like a vagabond and loose everything in the end, mind you, I will forget that I even have a son and won't think twice about giving everything away!" His mother stated before leaving the dining in anger.

"The choice is yours Jason, heavens know we've done our best to raise you right but then..." His father couldn't continue speaking, he also stood up and left the dining, leaving Jason all to himself.

Jason ran his hand through his hair, he was so frustrated at this point and doesn't even know what to do.

"Damn it!" He yelled in anger.

He thought about going to speak to his parents again, but knowing his parents, once their mind has been made up, nothing anyone do or says will change their mind. He simply gave up and left.

When Jason got outside his parents house, his phone rang, he angrily fetched it from his pocket and saw it was Mike who was calling him.

Jason answered the call. "Hello Mike."

"I got the information you asked for, where are you?"

"I'm heading to the company now, meet me there.'' Jason replied before hanging up.

His driver already had the door opened for him, he got in first before his driver did, and they left.

***

Jason was seated in his office, he couldn't even do anything, he was finding it so difficult to focus on his work because he couldn't stop thinking about what his parents told him, he would do anything at all for to keep his inheritance, but then the thought of getting married just wasn't sitting well with him.

A knock on the door brought him out of his reverie and Mike walked in.

Mike helped himself to a chair in front of Jason, he instantly noticed the look on Jason's face and knew that all wasn't well.

"What's with you? Why do you have that frustrated look on your face? Did something happen?" Mike asked.

Jason heaved a deep breath before explaining everything that happened to him.

"Well, it's a no brainer, just find someone to get married to and save your inheritance." Mike shrugged.

Jason looked at him like he would have want nothing more than to strangle him at that moment. "Do you even hear yourself Mike? And look how you said it like it's no big deal, you know me so well man, marriage isn't my thing, I don't want to get tied down to anyone, I don't want to get married!"

"As it is now Jason, you've got no other option than to get married, you know too well that nothing will change your parents mind, the only option left is for you to just get married." Mike stated.

"No Mike, there's got to be something else, there's got to be another way." Jason argued.

Mike fell silent for a while, he racked his brain for a solution to Jason's problem and he suddenly got one, he doesn't even know if Jason will like it, but then he's got no other option as this idea is their last resort.

"I...I got an idea." Mike said.

Jason sat up, giving him his full attention. "Go ahead, what's the idea?"

"Why...why don't you just get into a contract marriage with someone."

"What!?" Jason half yelled.

"What? It's no big deal, you find the person who will act as your wife for sometime, you offer her a huge amount of money and whatever thing you want to give to her, take her to see your parents and lie to them, they're happy and you're happy too because you'll be getting your inheritance, it's no big deal, you can always divorce after getting your inheritance and that's why it's called a contract marriage."

Jason was at loss for words after hearing Mike's suggestion, he doesn't even know what to say and simply stayed quiet.

"Anyways, that's it for me, I've done my best to help you and I think that's the only option you've got, if you don't want to do it, then you can just let your parents go ahead and use your inheritance as charity." Mike said, but Jason still said nothing.

"And here." He gave Jason a mini brown envelope. "Everything you need to know about the lady is in there."

Jason opened the envelope and brought out the documents inside, the first thing he saw was her name. "Amelia Morgan." He said.

"Yes, that's her name. I'm just going to give you a briefing about her since you obviously look too stressed out to go through the file. Trust me Jason, you'll be surprised once you know everything about this lady."

Mike then told him all he could gather about Amelia and how life has been for the poor lady, he also told Jason about her mother's condition and the hospital her mother was in.

When Mike was done, Jason could only smirk in satisfaction, yes her story was a really sad one, he doesn't even understand how someone would be able to live the way she's lived, but then it also gave him an idea.

If he was to get into a contract marriage with someone, then that person will be Amelia as she seems to be the perfect candidate for this job. Besides, she needs money badly and he was going to use that to his advantage.