Chapter 1

ETHAN'S POV

“I'm very serious about this, Ethan. A married man is the best leader for my company. I won't give it to you just because you're my favorite!” My grandmother, Margaret yelled through the phone. 

I groaned and closed my eyes. This was definitely not what I wanted to hear from her at this moment. I had a lot going through my mind already. 

“Grandma, can we not talk about this?” I grumbled, unable to speak harshly to her. 

I knew she was saying all these because she cared. And wanted a great grandchild. 

“Ethan Cole! You won't shut me up!” She snapped. 

From the sound of her voice, I could already tell she was getting pissed.

“I'm not, Grandma. I'm actually in the office and have a meeting in the next two minutes. Why don't I call you back when I'm done?” I suggested. 

“No, I don't believe you. And stop lying to me. I asked Andre for your schedule before calling so I know you don't have any meetings for the next thirty minutes.” 

Oh shit!

Andre!!

Was she planning on talking about my marital status for the next thirty minutes? I didn't think I would be able to endure it. 

“Grandma, I won't lie to you. I really have to go. It's important,” I pleaded.

“Well if you want me to release you then you have to promise me that you will go to the blind date I planned. There's this young girl who just came back from London. What's her name?” 

I sighed, already dreading it. 

“Oh yes! It's Lily. My friend's granddaughter. I want you to get to know her. I'm sure you'll like her,” she said. 

“Grandma, in the past three months, I've gone to almost thirty blind dates! Thirty! That's one in every three to four days,” I groaned. “I can't do it anymore.” 

“Really? Then do you want me to give the company to Trevor?” She asked. “At least he will be a good representative for the company. A family man.” 

I gritted my teeth in annoyance. Here she goes again, threatening me with the company because she knew I wanted it. 

My door opened and Andre walked inside. I gestured that he kept quiet and cleared my throat. 

“Grandma, you know Trevor would be an awful leader,” I reminded her. 

“Hmph! I don't care. Whoever gets married will inherit the company and that's final!” 

Holy moly! This conversation was giving me a headache. 

“So, are you going to go to the blind date? I need to inform Lily so she doesn't waste her time flying to you.” 

At that, I frowned. 

“Wait, she isn't in the city?” 

“No, she is here with me. I told you she just came back from London!” 

Well thank goodness. I don't need another snobbish and fake looking heiress up in my shit. They were all the same. 

Fake hair, fake face, Botox gone wrong and always trying to have sex on the first night. Like that would make me like them. 

“In that case you don't need to bother. I… I uhm…” 

“What is it?” 

I closed my eyes and whispered. “I'm already in a relationship.” 

I wish the ground would swallow me now. 

The line went silent. 

“Grandma?” 

“Why didn't you say so? Oh who is she? Do I know her?” She sounded so excited. 

I swear I heard her giggle a little. Was she that happy? 

“Uhmm…” I didn't even know what to say. 

“Mr. Cole, your meeting is about to start,” Andre said aloud. 

“Oh, it seems you're busy. I'll let you go for now. But you have to tell me everything later.” She ended the call. 

I let out a loud sigh of relief. 

Andre had a small smile on his lips. 

“I didn't know you were in a relationship, Mr Cole.” 

“Shut up!” 

He chuckled, clearly enjoying seeing me suffer. 

Andre and I were good friends so we didn't have the strict boss and his assistant relationship.

“Well you just lied to one of the most influential women in the states. I guess you start preparing how to explain yourself very soon,” he said, dropping a file on my desk.

“Not yet. At least I'll have some hours to myself without the constant reminder to get married,” I muttered, and opened the file. 

My eyes scanned through the documents and then I closed it. 

“Why hasn't Mr. Owens signed the contract? Doesn't he want to work with us?” I looked up at Andre. 

Andre pulled out his phone and gave it to me. 

“I heard from my source that he is having second thoughts about our offer.” 

“Why? The offer is good enough. We are offering him the best hackers and even willing to help control his database. What else does he want?” I couldn't help but grumble. 

This deal with Mr. Owens had to happen. He was a tech guru, a man I had always looked up to. Now, he wanted to collaborate with my company due to my efficiency and effort over the years. 

It was like a wish came true. I even offered more services in the contract to show how genuine I was about working with him. 

“Well it seems Mr. Owens is just like your Grandma. He is a conservative man who trusts people that are in a stable relationship,” Andre explained. 

“What has that got to do with anything?” I yelled and started reading an old interview of Mr. Owens. 

In the interview, he stated that a man in a stable relationship was more reliable than a young hot blooded male. He gave a lot of reasons which I believed made no sense. 

After reading it, I threw the phone on the desk. 

“So what do we do now? I'm not married. I don't even have a girlfriend!” 

Andre cleared his throat. “Well we could ask Miss Becca to act as your girlfriend.” 

“You must be mad!” I snapped. 

Even if I had a gun point at my head, I would never call Becca for help. We had broken up a long time ago and I wasn't going to give her a chance to come back. 

Andre sighed loudly like I was being too stubborn. 

“Then what do you suggest that we do?” 

I thought about it yet couldn't come up with anything. At that moment I got a message from my grandma again. 

“I want you to come back and spend the holidays with me. Bring my future granddaughter in law too. I want to meet her. No excuses.” 

Okay, now I was fucked. 

Where was I going to get a granddaughter in law for my grandma in less than one week? 

“Mr. Cole?” 

“Andre, I want you to find me a girlfriend within the next one week.” 

Andre's jaw dropped in surprise. 

“Where am I going to see one so soon?” 

I smirked. “That's why it's your job. Don't disappoint me.” 

He frowned. “Yes, Mr. Cole.” Then he grabbed his phone and left. 

I relaxed into my seat and looked out the window. I had to find the perfect date or else I'd lose both the right to the company and the deal with Mr. Owens. 

And the person has to be really good at acting, else my grandma would know. 

The only issue was where would I find such a person.