Chapter 1: Marriage for Money?!

[Klaea]

"Oh no! I'm late!" I shouted to myself as I saw the time in my wrist watch. I hurriedly called a taxi. 

"To the Iverson Company sir." I said to the taxi driver as I got in to the car. He immediately drove to where my destination is. "I'll be dead for sure." I wisphered to myself as I started to bite my nails.

I'm sure that I'll be scold by Gretta my manager for being late, especially now that Mr. Iverson, our boss will be visiting the company.

"Ah sir, can you drive fast? I'm in a hurry now." I asked politely to the driver who just nodded to me and drive faster this time.

I looked at my phone when it rang, it was Mylene my co-worker at the same time my bestfriend here. I answered her call and I immediately heard her loud voice.

"Hey Klaea Gray! Where are you?!" She loudly asked that's why I need to put the phone away from my ear. I sighed before answering her.

"I'm almost there. Is Mr. Iverson there already?" I asked her nervously. I prayed silently that Mr. Iverson is not there yet 'coz I'll be surely fired if I'm not in the company on time.

"Mr. Iverson is not here yet, but you should worried about Manager Gretta! She looks like she would eat all of us here!" She exaggeratedly say that makes me rolled my eyes. 

"I'm almost there, I gotta hang up this now, see you there." As I hang up the phone call, I pay for my taxi bill and immediately got out from the car. 

"Good morning." The guard greeted me before I enter the entrance of the Iverson Company. I greeted him back before running to the elevator.

"Wait—wait!" I shouted and stopped the closing door of the elevator. Good thing there's no employees around the lobby since they're all preparing for Mr. Iverson's arrival.

I saw a tall guy inside the elevator. He's wearing a black suit, messy hair with a pair of blue eyes, perfect eyebrows and pinkish lips. Perfect!

"Are you coming in or not?" The guy asked me coldly that wake me up from appreciating his face—wait what?!

"Oh. I'm sorry." I apologize and got in to the elevator. That's embarrassing Klaea. I pressed the 8th floor button because that's where my office is. I am an employee in marketing, I may not be able to graduate but I am glad that I'm smart enough to educate myself.

"Why are you late miss?" The guy asked suddenly that made me look at him. I still need to look up to see his gorgeous face. 

"Ah. I visited someone and I didn't notice the time." I asked shyly and I don't know why. I just feel like not to talk to him.

"How unprofessional." The guy whispered but I still heard it. I scoffed and glared at this guy. He just looked at me with his expressionless face that made me more irritated.

"Mr. Whoever you are, you don't care about my business and also just shut your mouth because you know nothing!" I shouted at his face before going out the elevator. But before that I saw him smirked. 

I walked irritatedly inside the office. "Ms. Klaea Gray!" A loud voice echoed in the four corners of the office that made me stopped. 

I slowly looked at the person who shouted with my eyes widely opened. I gulped as I nervously looked at Gretta. "Manager Gretta." I greeted and lower my head. I can't look at her, she might eat me alive because of her madness.

"Why are you late Ms. Klaea?!" She asked angrily to me that almost made me jump. "I visited my sister and I didn't notice the time." I answered nervously and look at Gretta but immediately lowered my head again because of the looks she's giving me. If looks can kill, I might be lying here now with a lifeless body.

"Is that more important than your work?! Didn't we talked about this already yesterday?! Everyone should be on time because Mr. Iverson is visiting us!" She shouted again to us, or it's better if I'll say to me.

"I'm sorry Gretta, it will never happen again I promise." I politely said to her. "Of course! This will never happen again! Bacause once you're late again you're fired!" She shouted and stormed off the office. 

I sighed as I watch her walking away from the marketing office. "Hey Klaea!" I looked at the familiar voice and I saw Mylene walking to my direction. 

"Hey Mylene." I greeted as I approach her. I pouted after I realized what an embarrassing moment that is. I playfully glared at Mylene who's laughing nmher ass off now when she saw my expression. 

"Oh my gosh! She surely didn't like you since your first day here!" Mylene exclaimed as she laughed like a psychopath again. I didn't bother to stopped her but instead I walked into my desk. 

Mylene is right, for the 2 years that I'm working here, Gretta is always mad at me. Other says bacause of the great feedbacks and impression I'm getting in the board members, but the others also said because of the beauty I've got.

Not that I'm bragging about that but it's true, I have the beauty that every guys would dream of. I've got an ash eye color, long eyelashes, perfect eyebrows and reddish soft lips. My hair is naturally shoulder length hair is naturally color black that perfectly combined with my face.

They said Gretta is jealous of me, having the attention of everyone, including the boys inside the company that's why she's always shouting and mad at me. I sighed on that thought.

I readied myself because of the first appearance of Mr. Iverson here in the company. Mylene said that for the passed 5 years, Mr. Iverson didn't showed himself in his employees excluding his secretary. But there were rumors that Mr. Iverson is hella gorgeous that's why most of the girls here is wearing a slutty dress.

"You know Klaea, wear something sexy, you're always wearing those long pencil skirt and that white long sleeves. You're wasting your beauty." Janella said, one of my co-workers that always compliment my beauty and I don't know why.

Mostly of my co-workers agreed to what Janella just said that made my face looked like tomato because of the attention they're giving me now. I hate attentions!

I ignored them, and picked my phone up before leaving the office. I used the elevator to bring me to a peaceful place. 

As I got in the rooftop, my phone rang. The corner of my lips curved into a smile when I saw the name of my mother on the screen.

I answered the call and greeted her happily. "Mom!" I happily said, but instead of getting a simple greet from her, I've heard her sobs on the line.

"Mom? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" I asked worriedly as my eyes started to water also. I'm always like this whenever my love one's is crying. 

"Klaea, we have a big problem." My mother said between her sobs. I calmed her down because I can't understand her. 

"Mom, calm down, I can't understand you."

It took her ten minutes before she finally calmed down. I asked her again what's wrong and why is she crying. My mother is a brave person that she won't easily cry, and I know that this is a serious matter. 

"We brought your sister in the hospital just now, and the doctor said that her leukemia came back, she needs operation." She said and starts to cry again. 

As I heard what my mom said, my tears started to fall like a waterfalls, this can't be. I lowered my head and started to copy my mother's sob on the other line. 

"How much does it cost?" I asked between my sobs. The operation is not a problem, the problem is how much will it cost. I forgot about Mr. Iverson's arrival since my sister is more important now. 

"Almost half a million Klaea." My mother answered that made me lose my balance. Half million? Where can I get that kind of money? I desperately messed my hair as I kept thinking where should I get half million just to save my sister's life.

"Klaea, what should we do? The doctor said they won't perform an operation to Klouie if we're not paying half of thr bills." My mom asked worriedly on the other line and I can't find any words to answer her because I also don't know what to do.

"I'll try to find a way to give you the money mom, give me some time. I promised to give you the money before the end of the month." I said to her and immediately hung up the call.

I can't stand to hear her sobs anymore. My family is the most important to me right now especially my sister. My sister Klouie is nine years old when we found out she has leukemia, just 4 years ago when tlher doctors said that she's okay already but now it came back. My sister's life is at risk again. 

I just visited her earlier but now she's in the hospital again. I continued crying like a lost child because this is what I can do for now. Do I deserve this kind of life? Does my sister deserve this kind of pain? 

"I can give you the money you need miss." 

I instantly froze upon hearing that voice. I slowly lift my head up and saw the guy in the elevator earlier standing infront of me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. I stand up and fixed myself. Gosh! I'm sure I look like a hell right now! 

I slowly look at the guy who still infront of me and currently staring at me. I immediately lowered my head when I met his ocean like cold eyes. 

"To answer your question miss, I git here first before you do." He said still staring at me. I slowly nodded at his response, that means he saw everything!

"And let me say it again, I can give you the money that you need." He added that made me look at him again. My lips parted as I stared at him disbelief written all over my face. What is he saying?!

"Are you out of your mind? I don't even know you, so why are you going to give me a money?" I almost shouted at him because I can't believe what this guys is saying just now!

"Who says it's for free? Of course you also need to give me what I need." He said and crossed his arms while raising his right eyebrow. 

I stared at him for a little while, trying to see if he's saying the truth. "What do you want?" I asked suspiciousy to him, I had a bad feeling about this.

"I need a wife." He answered me casually like it's nothing. May jaw literally fell on what he answered. Is he serious?! A wife?! Don't tell me he's saying that in exchange of his money I need to marry him?!.

"Exactly miss! I would pay all of your sisters hospital bills in exchange, you need to marry me." He exclaimed and smirked at me. How did he know what I was thinking? "It's obviously written on your face." He said and smirked at me again.

"No way!" I said and was about to leave him there alone but he said something that made me stopped walking away from him. "How about your sister? Would you let her suffer? At your state I'm sure you can't find half million by the end of the month." He stated and I understand his point.

"My sister." I wisphered, enough for me to hear. I need to save my sister. "Are you really sure about what you were saying?" I cautiously asked without facing him. 

"Hmm, yes. You need money and I can give that to you, in exchange of what I need to, and that is a wife." He answered.

I slowly looked at him and smiled weakly before saying. "I'll accept it."