CHAPTER 8 Contract Marriage

　　Autumn's head shot in his direction immediately, and so did Mr. Moore's. He recognized Autumn as soon as he walked in as the smart woman he had hired a couple of days back.

　　He was surprised to see his son introducing this same lady to him as his wife.

　　"What?!" Mr. Moore replied, still staring at Perry in shock, while Autumn was dumbfounded to hear what he had just said.

　　"This is my wife," he repeated himself, making sure to let his father know he heard him right. Then, he turned to Autumn. "Meet my dad," he said to her.

　　Autumn glared at him because she couldn't believe her ears. A minute ago she was leaving her work because she wasn't ready to accept his proposal, another minute he was introducing him to his father as his wife.

　　Returning to reality from her trance, she turned to Mr. Moore. "I know nothing about what he's saying," she blurted out.

　　"Aren't you the new employee?" Mr. Moore asked her with raised eyebrows, wanting to make sure he wasn't just making assumptions.

　　"Yes! Yes, I am, sir." Autumn replied and began to explain herself. "You told me to resume work this morning, and that's why I'm here. I have no idea what he's—"

　　Perry cut in as he turned to his father. "Father, why are you here?" He tried to change the topic of discussion.

　　The way he interrupted Autumn made her irritated, with the way she looked at him, one could tell that if she had the power to devour him at that moment, she would without any hesitation.

　　"When you both sort this out, do yourself a favour by doing the right thing, bring her home, and introduce her to me formally," Mr. Moore replied sternly and turned to leave the office. He was already at the door before he turned back and said from where he stood.

　　"I have a meeting with the CEO of Azra Tech Company, he has an important and juicy deal for us, but I won't be available, so I wanted to tell you to represent me." He turned back and opened the door.

　　"What time is it?" Perry asked.

　　"3 pm prompt." His back to Perry's direction, Mr. Moore replied before walking out and shutting the door behind him.

　　As soon as Mr. Moore left, Autumn started to rant. "What the heck did you just do a couple of minutes ago? That was absurd and if you don't know it, that is harassment on your part!" She raised her voice at him.

　　Perry scoffed. "Your only job back there was to play along, but what did you do? Act like you don't have an idea of what was happening."

　　"Well, maybe that's because I don't have an idea of what's happening!" She snapped at him.

　　It isn't every day that one goes to work on the first day of their new job and they're introduced to their boss' father as their boss' wife. She was pissed and she could not hide it from him.

　　"Then you ask when you don't know something!" Perry shot back at her.

　　"Oh, maybe you should break it down then?" She said and folded her arms, staring intently at him.

　　He was about to snap at her one more time, but he resisted the urge. Yelling or arguing with her wouldn't get him what he wanted, so he needed to do whatever would make her accept his proposal. "Of course, I will. You just have to calm down to listen to me."

　　"Whatever this is, I won't be a part of it, you'll need to call your father right away and clear this misunderstanding with him, if you so badly need a wife, you know where to get one." She suddenly remembered the tag her friends had given him. She chuckled and decided to attack him with it. "Besides, aren't you the city's golden bachelor?"

　　"I see you've done some research about me," Perry replied proudly.

　　He was aware of how ladies fantasized about him in the city, and if he needed just any woman, he could always get one, but his father didn't want that.

　　His father wanted him to get married to someone sincerely, most especially someone that loved him, as that is the only way he could legally access his grandfather's shares.

　　But where was he supposed to find someone that loved him sincerely and not because he was famous or rich?

　　"You wish," Autumn replied and rolled her eyes at him. "Since you're the golden bachelor, you can as well pick a wife from the streets and do whatever you want to do with them."

　　Only then did a thought crosses her mind. She looked at him with a confused expression on her face. "By the way, why are you so bent on getting married?"

　　"Now, you're thinking logically." A small smile tugged at his face. "You see, this contract marriage would work fine for both of us if you agree and stop being stubborn. If you accept this contract, you get to keep your job."

　　She expected him to say his part, but when he didn't, she asked him. "And you?"

　　Perry cleared his throat. He couldn't tell her the real reason behind the marriage, so he had to find something more convincing to say to her.

　　"The thing here is that my father won't let me rest until I settle down with the person he has chosen for me, so marrying you would stop the arranged marriage my dad has for me, it's that simple," he lied, hoping that will convince her to accept the proposal.

　　"That's it?" She asked, unsure of whether or not to believe him or not. "No ulterior motives?"

　　He shrugged. "Of course not." Then he chuckled lightly. "If I had an ulterior motive, you think I'd tell you I do?"

　　She rolled her eyes at him as she had a second thought about the proposal. She walked past Perry and went to sit on the chair she was offered by him when she had first walked in, leaving Perry on his feet.

　　He rested on the wall behind her and watched as she ruminated about the proposal.