CHAPTER 5

This can't be happening.

My contract husband cannot be him.

"You're joking. This has to be a mistake." I turned to Charles.

He didn't frown.

He didn't seem surprised.

He didn't seem irritated at my reaction to who his boss was.

I frowned at him.

He knew- Charles knew exactly what I was to his boss.

"You set me up!" I yelled at Charles, feeling betrayed.

"He offered you a contract and you signed it, Mischief." Christopher stepped forward, rolling his eyes at me.

He's always done that.

"Don't you dare call me that." I warned him.

"Or what? You're going to attack me? This is public space, Allison. If you're not going to be in your best behavior, you're going to get thrown out. I'm not going to let my future wife get thrown out of a restaurant." His teeth clenched as he pronounced 'wife'.

I fell silent, unable to think up a good comeback.

When we both looked at Charles, he was wearing a frustrated expression.

For the first time since I met Charles, he wasn't wearing his usual polite mask.

I cleared my throat and glared at Charles, "Is he seriously your boss?"

"He is," Charles nodded.

Christopher was wearing a smug grin I desperately wanted to punch off his face but I managed to keep my hands by my side.

"The meetup was suggested so you could go over the contract." Charles reminded me.

"After you," Christopher smiled tightly, gesturing toward the table he was sitting at.

Charles handed the contract over to Christopher after we were seated.

"I'll take it from here, Charles." He said, dismissing him.

For a good number of seconds, Charles remained where he stood, staring between us and probably considering remaining with us to avoid whatever he knew was bound to happen.

"Unlike her, I'm not wild and while she might be wild, I trust she'll put her leash on today." Christopher regarded Charles who still remained by our table.

"I have no intentions of breaking any of his arms, at least not today." I said to Charles who hesitantly nodded before leaving us, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to make sure we were keeping to our words.

"I am not a wild animal." I spoke immediately Charles was out of sight.

I knew he was hanging around somewhere, waiting to intervene the moment I flipped the table and attacked his boss.

While I eagerly wanted to do that, I wasn't going to.

I knew when to pick my fights and now was certainly not the time to pick a fight.

"No, you're not. I'm sorry." I was taken aback by his apology and almost believed it until he spoke again.

"You're worse than a wild animal, mischief."

"Of course. How stupid of me to have considered Christopher Jacobs could change."

"Let's go over the contract again for clarity reasons." He passed me a copy of the contract that I angrily snatched from him.

"What parts of the contract do you want us to work on?" He asked.

"Being married to you." I blurted out.

"Unfortunately for me, nothing can be done about that."

"Why are you doing this?" I dropped the paper on the table.

"I don't think you went through that part of the contract but that's the only piece of information you're not allowed to have access to." He frowned.

"What?" What the hell was he talking about?

How could I not have the right to know why my contract husband needed a contract wife.

"Not everyone goes around dragging people into their mess, mischief. I assure you, you're not getting dragged into anything incriminating."

The first part of what he said made my heart ache.

I always dragged people into my mess but I never really cared until I dragged my mother into one of my mess and lost her to it.

He noticed the change in my mood and unexpectedly didn't dwell on the matter.

"Why did you choose me then? You sent your butler to me and had him stalk me until I agreed to this weird arrangement. I know you planned all of this from the beginning."

"I have the right to know that, right?"

"You do." He cleared his throat.

"You're the best contract wife I could have. We hate each other to death and would probably do anything to make sure we do not co-exist on the same planet."

"It would be easier for you to walk away from me. Matter of fact, I think you would run away from me once the contract is over. That's what makes you the best candidate." He answered.

He was right.

If I knew he would be my contract husband, I would have gladly gone to jail again.

That explained why he had Charles hide information about him from me.

But something didn't seem right.

I would never admit it to him but Christopher was very logical.

The reason he gave was too basic to be his real reason for choosing me to be his contract wife.

However, I didn't push the conversation further.

"Anything else you would like to know regarding the contract?" He asked.

"No. I do not have a problem with any of the clauses. The pay is fine, I have no intentions of having sex with you and I most certainly will not fall for you."

"For once, we agree over something." He rearranged his copies of the contract and kept it away.

I expected him to stand up and leave but he didn't.

"Would you like to order anything?" His question surprised me but before I could say anything, he spoke again.

"Do not get your hopes high, mischief. We will be going on dates for the sake of the cameras. A little practice is necessary."

Of course, practice was necessary for him.

He needed to be prepared for absolutely anything and everything.

"That's a credit card in your name. Whenever you shop, your bill will be put on my tab but knowing you, I don't know if you would rather spend lavishly and throw your bill at me or spend from your own card so I prepared for both." His answer was so mechanical, I was sure the press will have no time figuring out we weren't a lovely couple.

"When do we have our first press meeting?" I asked him, keeping the card away.

"Next week. We're going to announce our engagement. We'll get wedded a week after then we will announce our wedding and release pictures."

"Wouldn't it be better to announce the wedding before the wedding day? What if rumours start going around about the pictures being fake?"

I hated being married to Christopher, even if it was just for show but if I was going to be married to him, I was going to do it impeccably.

"Personal reasons. I don't care if a few people think the pictures are fake as long as there are pictures on the Internet." His jaw flexed in anger so I nodded and dropped the issue.

"You won't have to work in the company you worked in. Charles will drive you to your new apartment and show you your new chauffeur. You will move in with me after our wedding. My number has been saved on your new phone already. Do not call me if you need anything." He got up and Charles immediately walked in, looking surprised that there were no signs of anyone attacking anyone.

"Charles' number has been saved on your phone too."

Because we both would rather have me call Charles.

"The contract mentioned that I was allowed to be with whoever I wanted." I got up and stopped him just before he would leave.

When he turned around and looked at me, his face had twisted in intense anger.

"William broke up with you and got together with Ava." He said that with so much harshness, I was tempted to rip the contract into shreds and lunge at him.

"My personal life was none of your business."

Why the hell was he pissed that I had mentioned that part of the contract?

"I didn't think anyone would be interested in signing off their peace by getting married to you but I i needed to be sure you weren't married." His anger was beginning to affect his words.

"The contract didn't state that you could disrespect and insult me." I bit back with as much harshness as I could use.

Charles held his breath, bracing himself for the worst.

"Moreover," I folded my arms under my chest.

"Liam isn't the only man existing on the planet."

"Do whatever you please but do not bring him into my house once we're married and if you must meet with Mr anonymous, do it where the Press will not get you. Although, I hardly think a place like that exists."

He didn't wait for my response before turning around to leave.

"What the hell is his problem?" I clicked my tongue as I watched him leave.

Charles and I left afterward.

I didn't bother to pay attention to the turns he took while he drove to my new house.

I just sat at the back, rethinking and reconsidering my decision.

The wedding hadn't happened yet, I could back out.

The thought of living in such pretence for two years made me feel so ashamed.

"We're here." Charles announced, getting out of the car and opening the door for me.

It was a small yet, beautiful house in the middle of healthy looking tulips.

The tulip detail about the house made me fall in love with it immediately.

"I'll introduce you to your Chauffeur." Charles' voice distracted.

"Sure." I followed him through the stone pathway, into the house.

"This is your driver." He gestured toward the young man standing in the middle of the living room who I recognized too well.

Finally, something about my day that didn't make me want to run back to jail.

With a big smile, I walked toward Liam and held out my hand for a handshake, "Nice to meet you."