Chapter 6

I stare at him and he stares back at me like he’s just as confused as I am supposed to be.

For a moment, the room is completely silent. Then the shock finally cracks.

“What the hell, Jason!” I yell. The sound of my voice feels too loud in the space between us.

He exhales slowly, running a hand through his hair like he’s trying to stay calm.

“I know” He says quietly. “I know how that looks but I promise, it’s not what you think”

“Oh really?” I pace across the room, my hands shaking. “Because from where I’m standing, you just told me I agreed to marry you”

He walks towards me and touches my hand lightly. This simple act ignites a fire in me despite the circumstances. My body clearly hasn’t received the memo that we’re in the middle of a full-blown crisis.

“Just sit and let’s talk” His voice is way too calm for everything that is happening.  I shoot him a glare but end up walking to his massive, king size bed on the other side of the room and sit down. Now that I’m looking at it properly, something else clicks in my head. This bed is way too big, plush and ridiculously expensive for a normal guy my class to casually own.

Jason sits beside me. Or Ian. Or Christian. Honestly, I don’t even know what to call him anymore.

“Look” He sighs. “My name is Christian Ian Harrington.”

The name sounds strange coming from his mouth.

“I only discovered a few months ago that my biological father was Casper Harrington. He passed away and apparently, I am the heir to the empire.”

My head snaps towards him “You’re joking”

“I wish I was”

He leans forward, elbows resting on his knees

“My mom and Casper had an affair years ago and I was the result of that. But in order to preserve the family name, he couldn’t marry her or acknowledge me publicly. I am an illegitimate child or so they say.”

“So he just… ignored you?”

“Pretty much” He shrugs and I stare at him trying to process everything.

“But now that he’s gone, the truth came out” He says quietly

“And suddenly you’re the long-lost billionaire son”

“Something like that”

I shake my head slowly. None of this seems real. It sounds more like a scene straight out of a movie. But this is my life. It’s always been like this. Filled with drama no matter how hard I try to avoid it.

“Now in order for me to claim what is legally mine, I must get married before my twenty-seventh birthday which is in three months.”

Silence stretches between us and once more the anger comes rushing back.

“So your brilliant solution” I say sarcastically “was to go after your ex-girlfriend’s best friend, blackmail and manipulate her into marrying you?”

His brows pull together. “I didn’t manipulate you”

“Oh please” I roll my eyes

“I don’t see how that is manipulation, Diane. We’re both helping each other. It was a business proposal and you willingly accepted it less than 36 hours ago”

“No, I did not. I didn’t sign that contract” I shake my head, my voice firm. I can’t begin to come to terms with the thought that I am getting married to my roommate, who happens to be my best friend’s ex-boyfriend, and whom I have had sex with.

Jason watches me for a long moment then he sighs and stands up. He walks over to his desk where his laptop sits and opens it.

Something about the calmness of his movements makes my stomach twist with dread.

He returns and sits closer to me.  I can literally feel the warmth of his body and the familiar scent of mint and cedar that clings to him.

“Look at this” He turns the laptop screen towards me and I see the document with the electronic signature on the end of the page. Then it hits me.

Fuck

I did sign it! But I signed the wrong document. I’d been tired and frustrated that night as I went through my inbox. I assumed it was from my mom’s nurse asking for the go-ahead for another treatment. I unknowingly read the treatment section of the contract and signed it. My palms slap my face and I groan in disappointment. How could I have been that reckless?

“Can we now agree that no one is manipulating anyone?” His voice cuts through my thoughts and I sigh.

“That was a mistake. It can’t possibly be considered because I wasn’t in my right state of mind. I was tired and sleepy and I thought it was something else” I ramble on in an attempt to explain.

“You didn’t read the contract?” He frowns and I shake my head.

“Well it can’t be that bad. Your mom gets the best treatment, your father gets justice…”

“This is insane!”

“You signed it Diane, it’s legally binding. And there’s no backing out now” His eyes bear into mine.

“Look, I know this is a lot to wrap your mind around but you have to trust me” He says, his voice barely above a whisper

“Trust you?” I scoff “After you lied about your identity. Twice. Then slept with me?”

 “The plan was to eventually tell you after you agreed to schedule a meeting to discuss the contract and marriage terms. And then you signed it. It’s not entirely my fault”

I rub my temples. As much as I hate to admit, he’s right. I should’ve waited till morning to sign anything. I was supposed to meet Nancy today to go over the contract, only for me to have signed it without knowing?

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, okay. We just have to convince my family that we’re in love. Nothing too crazy.”  

That sounds very crazy to me.

“Although I have a feeling you might want another orgasm” He adds smugly and I throw a punch at his shoulder. 

He laughs when a blush spreads across my face. I hate that he has this effect on me. I hate that the sound of his laughter sends a stupid warmth through my chest.

“This is a lot, Jason” I admit and he nods “I have to think about it”

“You already signed it” He reiterates.

“I know, geez. Don’t remind me of my stupidity” I groan.

“What did you just say?” His expression grows darker all of a sudden and I just stare

“Don’t you dare call yourself that. Mrs. Harrington, is not stupid” My heart pounds at the sound of that name. Mrs. Harrington? That can’t be me. It sounds more ridiculous than the entire story he just told me.

“I know you need time to think about this and tell your friends but I don’t have time, little trouble.” He says, getting on his feet and walking towards the door. He stops at the door and turns to face me.

“The wedding’s in a month and we meet my family tomorrow for dinner” He says casually and closes the door behind him.

I’m left sitting on this bed, staring at the laptop screen that still shows my signature. This is about to be either the best or worst chapter of my life. The worst part is, there’s no turning back now.