登入Elena Beaumont’s POV“What do you mean by that?”I threw back my question like a net, and my gaze, just like a ball, was aimed at his tense face.Jake Harold was trying so hard to look anywhere in the room except at me. He glanced at the window, the paper, the desk, the floor. I straightened my back; I wanted to see how far I could push him.“That—” Jake stopped himself. His jaw clamped shut, shifting to the side as he fought his own heavy breath. He cleared his throat, the sound echoing sharply in the quiet room.“Pregnancy is not an easy job. It brings about incredible changes to a woman’s body. I’ve heard it affects your appearance, your moods, your health. Everything changes. And on top of all that... you will actually become a mother. Permanently.”I didn't blink. I didn't give him an inch of breathing room.That was actually a very nice answer. If only I threw away the fact that the very man before me was keeping another woman a secret. Though, I know, none of that is my busines
Elena Beaumont’s POV“My grandfather wants a real great-grandchild,” Jake said, pinching the bridge of his nose with a deep sigh. “He gave me a two-year deadline. If we fail to give him a great-grandson by then, my position as his successor will be in danger.”“D-doesn’t t-that mean... I actually have to get pregnant?” The air left my lungs, and I suddenly felt my voice grow thin and tremble. “I-Isn’t that bad? Our contract, after all, is—”It did.The conditions were still burned into my mind, as vivid as if we’d signed them this morning.It was the very document that had kept me awake all night. I couldn't even sleep a wink until today.Just hours before our wedding party, Jake Harold set down a condition under our fake relationship.‘You need to meet this condition if you want me to help your family, Miss Beaumont.’‘I will make sure Gabriel won't ever touch your family again, and you will get your family’s company back from him.’‘That is, if you meet the condition and obey all my
Jake Harold’s POV“Gilbert. Hand me the paper.”A lump stuck my dry throat as the heavy atmosphere choked me.At the top of the thick document, my grandfather calmly put his signature. His private assistant who had been waiting there stepped forward toward the bed, along with another assistant who was holding a professional camera, ready to record.Trapped between them, right at my grandfather’s bedside, I stood with my fists clenched tightly against my thighs. All I could do was look on as he made a 'contract' with both our names on it.“Here. Sign your name right here,” my grandfather tapped the document, pressing the pen into my hand. “Write the date below. Once you are finished, hold the document up so the camera can see it.”As my hand moved on its own, my heart secretly hoped I could tear this document—though I could only dream about that.“Please look at this, President.” Gilbert tapped the camera lens. The other assistant lifted the camera’s viewfinder, waiting for me to show
Gabriel Beresford’s POV"You are late."Daniela walked down the stairs, just shrugged. She reached her hand out to my car's dashboard, grabbed a pack of cigarettes that I left there. That girl looked completely indifferent to the whole mess that just happened, in contrast to the fact that I still gasped for air, clutching my stomach where that bastard masked man dared to kick me.Daniela didn’t spare a single glance at me, completely enjoying my cigarette."Then again, you kept ignoring my warnings," she muttered, blowing out the smoke. "I told you to play it easy. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to make her come here? I went all the way here, and you messed it up.""Where were you when those men dragged her off?" I hissed, snatching back my cigarette. "I didn’t pay you just to sit back and enjoy the fucking moment."That damn girl just shrugged again. She tapped the car’s window, curled into a smile in front of the empty seat where Elena had been just moments ago.“Man, y
Gabriel Beresford’s POVA short notification flashed across my phone screen. My brows knit firmly at the short message my secretary, Jonathan, sent to me."Are you sure about this, Sir? Showing her this photo seems a little bit risky--"My finger aggressively tapped out the keyboard to reply to him."Then what? Do you want me to just sit back and watch my damn uncle marry my fiancée while I was on my business trip?""Of course not, Sir," Jonathan replied right away. "But once President Harold finds out, you are in big trouble, Sir. After all, you have been visiting that woman behind his back..."‘Ugh,’ my head throbbed. Just thinking about it was enough to give me a headache.“Then that’s your job to protect me,” my finger tapped fast, “I don’t pay you that much money just to act like a princess. Do your job. Make sure Jake Harold has no clue about this. And, don’t forget, keep doing what I have asked you before.”“Understood, Sir.”I threw my phone aside and rubbed my temple. Actuall
Gabriel Beresford’s POV"We broke up," I snapped, brushed off the fact that we were just in the same car before, and had a serious fight.I grasped Elena's hand, locked my fingers around her small wrist. "Listen, it's about my uncle. You will regret it if you don't listen to me. You barely know anything about him, right? I bet you don't. As if you two were close to each other.""You bastard—" Elena tried to slap my hand right away, but I moved faster to drag her into my car.My hand moved fast; I needed to make sure my cabin was clear of Catherine's stuff. Before Elena stepped inside, I grabbed her leftover bra from my car's seat and threw it out."Gabriel! I don't want to hear anything from you!" she yelled, completely out of her mind. "How dare you imply that I knew nothing about my husband? I love him! If you can cheat on me with that slut behind my back, then why can’t I? You are not the only one who can have an affair here!”'Oh, wow. She is truly a terrible liar,' I muttered to







