Chapter 4

“So for some reason, I “interest” you Miss Isabella ?”

I stared at him long and hard before answering, “Yes, I do.”

“As pleased as I am that you consider me as such Miss Isabella , I don't think I'll be so foolish as to tie myself down into such an arrangement with you. There are a few… things I could gain.” He mentioned as he kept his eyes glued to my chest. Good, this was going to play out in my favour. I moved even closer and smiled at him. 

“I wouldn't term it as a “foolish” thing to. If I can recall, there are ways we could be of use to each other.”

“Do tell?”

I fidgeted a bit but I was desperate and such times called for desperate measures. If there was anything being with father and his sort of crowd was that rich people were always eager to pawn their children off. Irrespective of status. Plus, I had overheard his call the other day. 

“You need a wife to keep your mother at arm's length.”

“Excuse me?” His expression hardened as he glared at me but now, it was with suspicion. 

“Calm down sir.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him. 

“I heard the phone call with your mother the other day.”

“Who sent you? Did my mother out you up to this. Damn, how many fuckin times have I told her to quit–”

I stared at him incredulously and had to calm down the urge I had to burst into laughter. 

“Don't give yourself lines with thinking so hard. You can have me checked out. I have never seen your mother. What made me know is the fact that you had a call with her and you were so damn loud.” I was making a risky bet with having my info checked out but if Ilya had done her job, I would be clean. 

He sits back down while he sends a message and stares at me. 

“What do you stand to gain from this?”

“Quite simple. I get out of an abusive relationship with the man my cousin is trying to force on me and my freedom. My peace of mind is an added bonus as well.”

His gaze softened as I mentioned the word “abusive” . I was so going to give Ilya her due when I was done. 

“Let me see your terms and I know damn well they're in that paper in your hand.”

I handed them to him and he looked them over. 

“Is this it? Just marriage, your freedom and right to refuse whatever instruction I might give you if you don't feel necessary?”

“Yes?” I eyed him as he kept glancing at the paper and me. Did he really think I wanted something else from him? 

“No, this won't do at all. I'll have this redrafted.”

“Excuse me, there is no way I am giving up the terms in that contract for–”

“We need to add a few things. You'll need money to give yourself a few touch ups, so that's access to an account that'll be created for you. I'll get you the card later. Now, want to hear my terms?”

I shifted in my seat and forced a smile on my face. Please let him not go too extreme. 

“Let's have it.”

“It's just a few things. First, you move in with me and we are going to have to share a room. We need to sell this. Also, we won't announce the marriage right away. We're going to have to pretend to date for a while. Unless the reason is valid, you will make yourself available for my family meetings. Also, any threats you pose to me, this agreement is over. Capisce?”

That was it? No sex? 

He chuckled and I resisted the urge to glare at him. “I can read the question all over your face Miss Isabella . No, I won't sleep with you at all. While you may be so tempting, it's a bit too early to demand you do such. Don't you think so?”

“Mmm, yes I agree sir.”

“Good, also, we'll have to drop the formalities. What do you want me to call you?”

“Well,my friends call me Allie or Lexie so…”

“I don't like any of those… How about Sia?”

No one had called me that in a while and the way he did, I was not a fan. Why couldn't he just do the norm?

“Done, what do I call you?”

“Ciel.”

“Isn't Ciel your surname?”

“No, Ciel Sebastian are actually my names.”

“Oh, ok… Ciel.”

He was quiet for a second until he smiled and said, “So, where would the wedding be held?”

I grinned at him and pointed out the window. 

“We're in Vegas, Ciel. Every spot is a wedding centre.”

****

Several hours later, I was knee deep in shopping bags as Ciel had his guards practically make me go around from store to store. His words from earlier that day rung in my head. 

“Get a complete change in your wardrobe. If you are to pass up as my girl, you'll need to not look like… that.”

“Excuse me sir?”

He stared at me but I equally stared back. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my clothes and if he thought I was going to jump into conclusions on how I looked, he was in for a surprise.

“Get some brands for the office meeting today. Those look cheap.”

The insult hit me harder than whiplash and it took me all I took not to go off on him but I had to calm myself down. He was my boss and now, my benefactor but fuck! He didn't have to act like he didn't have anything to gain from all of this mess. 

“Tch, annoying bastard.” I glanced at the huge boutique in front of me and sighed before I stepped in, armed with a smile, I went to the counter but before I could even say a word, the receptionist gave me a once over and shook my head. 

“Excuse, could you please show me where the shoe section is please?”

“My apologies, we don't do discounts here ma'am. You can take your thrift shopping elsewhere.”

Was she fucking serious or did I have a screw loose in my head to have heard all of that bullshit. 

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me please. We do not offer discounts.”

“I'm not here for those, I just want to shop normally and pay up when I'm done.”

She stared at me again and asked, “in that outfit?”

Was she stupid or just unprofessional? 

“I don't see how my outfit has to do with my shopping here.”

“Argh. We have a million people who come through the door saying that. Don't judge a book by its cover sort of shit. I'm not falling for it. Please, we do not offer discounts. Have a nice day.”

Who the fuck was the manager here and how could someone be this backward in the 21st century? Before I could get the chance to retort, my phone rang and Ciel’s caller ID flashed on the screen. I quickly picked it up. 

“My guard informed me that you are at one of my chain stores.”

Wait, he owned the damn place where I wanted to shop in? 

“That should explain the customer service here. Dazzle Empire and Co could really use some better people at their front desk because I have no idea what the fuck just happened.”

“What is going on?”

“Apparently, this lady in the reception thinks I'm some piss poor person who came to buy some stuff at a discount price.”

The other end of the line was silent as I heard a click and he responded, “Stay put, I'll send someone in shortly. I have a few low-level staff in the area.”

“Mhm.” I ended the call and proceeded to stand in front of the receptionist who was now glaring at me. 

“You don't need to pretend to be somebody and if you don't move, I will have to call security for trespassing.”

Sheesh. What did it take to tell a person they were downright stupid without actually saying it. 

“Look, I just want to go to the shoe section. If you don't want to take me, that's fine but get someone who will so I can do my shopping and get the fuck out of here.”

“Yea right, as if you could afford a mere bracelet here. Talk more about a pair of heels. The cheapest pair cost about two thousand dollars.”

I did a double take and wondered what sort of heels they had on sale for it to be so cheap. That was the price for my favourite pair of Nikes and not even the customised ones. 

“Two thousand?”

She smirked and pressed the call button on the phone in front of her. 

“Excuse me, please send some men to the front. There's a lady causing a nuisance in the front.”

What in the ever loving fuck did she think she was doing? 

“Listen, you can't just–”

I turned back to spot the uniformed security walking towards me. “Excuse me ma'am, you can not cause issues here. Please let's go outside and solve this.”

“Please take your hands off me. I'm not causing any problems. I just want to shop.”

“I can't say that's what you were doing. You can't afford anything here. Who knows, you might have tried stealing.”

“What the actual fuck?! I didn't even–”

“What is going on her e?” A soft feminine voice filtered through the argument. We all turned in the direction it came from and all of a sudden, the receptionist's face was filled with horror. 

“Oh no.”