Six

CHAPTER 6

SILVA’S POV

Silence enveloped the air, capturing us in its embrace. I stared at her with an uncertain emotion.

Contract marriage? Did I think of it?

Yes. Heck! It was the first and only solution that sprang to my mind, but hearing her say this too...

I shuddered.

The queen of herself, the egotistic and self-absorbed CEO, is ready to sign her life away.

My hand reached for my tie, which suddenly felt too tight on my neck. I reached closer for it, only to discover I hadn't worn one.

"Good," I said, halting her unsaid words. Her eyebrows jerked up, eyes squinting as she gazed. "It's the only solution I could think of that would benefit our child." I continued while she kept looking like I had grown an extra horn. "My lawyer will draft out the contract..."

"Let me first set the rules." She interjected.

"Rules? My lawyer will...."

"I don't need your lawyer poking their nose into my child's future. We will decide what's best for my child, then your lawyer will legalize it. Understood?"

My teeth gritted harshly as I tamped down the urge to talk back at her.

I didn't have her time either. Was I ready to stress my child, who is currently unfortunate enough to be living within her?

"Now..." She leaned back in her chair. "Shall we?"

I grunted, but still complied.

"Our relationship revolves around my child."

"Our child," I corrected for the hundredth time.

"Social events, work, projects, business, lunch parties... our child will and must be above all. He will always come first in whatever."

I nodded, then spoke. "Secondly, I have a say in what you do, and especially what you eat, till our child is born." She rolled her eyes at my words, daring not to voice out her own.

"Around the house or anywhere our child is, we will act like the happiest couple in the world. Laughing, playing, and whatever happy couples do, but after that, we will go our separate ways." She leaned in. "To our eyes, this marriage is baseless. The only reason holding us together is our child. Nothing more or less. No strings attached, no love shit."

"No emotions."

"No relationship, not even friends."

Like I wanted to be her friend. I am sure she has enough self-absorbed, arrogant friends that would match up to her madness.

"...and no sex." I froze.

Was she seriously thinking I wanted that?

"Not now or ever."

"I wouldn't even agree to any sexual relationships with you if you had paid me to."

"The feeling is mutual!" She banged her hand on the table. For a pregnant woman, she was damn too reckless. "Plus, I would never let you touch me even if you begged."

"Even if you were the last woman on earth, I would rather reproduce with an ape."

"Sadly, marriage between two siblings is illegal." She spat, and for a sheer second, I felt like tossing her out of my office.

"More like reproducing with two sisters."

"Excuse you??"

"I think we are done here, Miss Monroe." I adjusted my seat closer to the table. "You can take your leave now. My lawyer will deliver the contract to your doorstep tomorrow, but now..."

"Tomorrow? Nice try, smarty-pants." She scoffed. "Chase me away, then tomorrow you might be on a plane to Madagascar or Africa, or whatever country you can hide away."

Slowly, I rubbed my temples, wondering who I had offended to have landed up with her. "What exactly do you want me to do? Magically produce the papers? Goddammit. Tomorrow, we will go to the court, get married, and then sign the contract papers too."

"Get married??" She stilled, confusion written all over her delicate features. "I thought it was a..."

"Fake marriage?" I hissed. "You are wrong, sweetheart. We will get married legally, and after that, it will be up to us to add the terms of our marriage."

"But... the contract marriage, doesn't it cover all?"

Of course she didn't think of that aspect.

"We can't hand that contract to your parents as proof of our marriage or to anyone who might doubt or request it."

"We are getting married??" She whispered, frigid by the sudden realization. "Like, real?"

"Yes."

"Uhm." She swallowed down nothing. "When?" I dragged my gaze to the Rolex watch which sat comfortably on my right wrist.

"Today."

"Huh??"

I stood from my chair, extending my hand to her.

"Miss Monroe, let's get married."

~~~~~~~~

KIARA'S POV

I sat, my bag grasped under my excruciating hold. I glanced through the huge office, decorated in a white and black interior. I dragged my gaze to the black shelf, which sat on the side of the huge office, and the black sofa a little closer. White tile ran through the room.

I returned my gaze to the man clothed in a black suit, eyes squinting as he stared at us.

"You both are here for...?" The judge asked, with a skeptical look.

Like he wasn't holding the marriage contract.

"A court wedding," Silva replied, looking unexpectedly hot in his gray tuxedo.

I tightened my grip on my bag, unable to comprehend his cool posture. I expected a lot of things: I expected him to cut me off, to lie or deny the child, to opt for an abortion.

I expected him to throw money on my face and say some nonsense epistle on why he isn't ready to be a father.

He didn't? Heck, he opted for a real marriage.

I stole a little glance at him.

What was he up to? Was this one of his stupid plans?

I sighed, leaning back on the chair.

Only heaven knew what this self-absorbed CEO was thinking.

"Why?" The judge's question pulled me out of my train of thought. "You both seem like mature, responsible individuals. You're not running away from your parents' forced marriage or a young lover. Do you not want a proper church marriage?"

"'Cuz we want it," I chipped in. "But a church wedding will take time, effort, and money to do. Sadly, we don't have the first two."

"What she's trying to say is..." Silva began, sliding one of those side-eyes to me. "We are still planning on it. The court marriage will be easier. We will get married both ways, but for now we choose the fastest and easiest."

"Fine." The judge read through the legal marriage contract, nodding gently. "What about a witness?"

"The document is more than enough."

"Why do I feel I have seen you somewhere, young miss?" A smile ghosted my lips.

Enough proof that I'm the queen of New York.

"My wife loves wandering around, exploring things." I snapped my gaze to Silva.

My wife? Did he just call me his wife?

I hissed, badly wanting to punch those words off his face, but sadly, he was right.

I would become his legal wife in a matter of minutes.

I shuddered.

"Perfect. Now..." The judge flipped through the paper, pinning his signature. He pulled out a marriage certificate, penning down our names. A triumphant smile touched my lips. He shifted the papers to us. "Sign."

Silva went first, scribbling his signature on it, then placed it in front of me.

I stilled.

They stared at me, awaiting my signature. My insides gnawed at me. I shouldn't.

Signing this means I am actually married to him.

I wanted to back out, but my baby...

I shoved the thought away, snaking my fingers around the pen. Slowly, I signed, watching the ink resolve on the paper, leaving a faint mark which sealed my destiny to him.

"Congratulations," the judge spoke. "On your marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood."