Chapter 1: The Contract

Fiona’s POV:

On Friday night, I sat on my bed on the second floor of the magnificent white mansion, waiting for my husband, Rowan Carson, to return home.

It had been two nights since Rowan left our home. His words still echoed in my mind: “Fiona, I am going to welcome my friend. So I might not be home early. You should take care of the house.”

My hand firmly held my phone as I tried to call his number once more.

“Why is Rowan not answering his phone?” I muttered, anger coursing through my veins.

My eyes stung with unshed tears as the sound of the flat-screen television in my room interrupted my train of thought.

> “Breaking News! Billionaire CEO Rowan Carson was spotted in a luxury five-star hotel last night with the love of his life, Sage Andrews. Rumours confirmed that Rowan had kept his commitment to wait for Sage, who has been his true love since high school.”

“What?” My jaw dropped in shock. My phone fell from my hand as I read the news again.

“Rowan’s true love is back?” I asked myself in utmost disbelief.

“Is this why he ignored my call?” I sobbed, hearing my phone ringing on the floor.

I bent and picked it up, hoping to see Rowan’s name on the screen, but it was a call from my best friend, Mary Silas.

Wiping off my tears with my left hand, I firmly pressed the phone to my ear after sliding the screen to answer the call.

“What’s up, Mary?” I asked, seeing it was 8 p.m. on the clock.

“Fiona, did you see the news?” Mary asked me, her voice urgent.

“Yeah. I am seeing it. Rowan’s true love is back. I am guessing our marriage contract is now finally over,” I said, thinking Rowan wouldn't call off our marriage.

“I told you, Fiona. I told you not to put your heart into loving that man. Men like him are out of your league,” Mary said, her voice full of anger, as she had never supported me accepting Rowan’s proposal.

Rowan Carson is my boss because I work for the Carson Groups, a multimillion-dollar company.

It was two years ago, and I clearly remember that day when Rowan invited me to his office, as I worked for him as his personal secretary.

I had known of his affair with Sage, even before she traveled to New York for a modelling shoot.

Sage rejected marrying Rowan, as Carson Groups was still underdeveloped then. She did not envision that Carson Groups would grow to this height.

I was not just Rowan’s secretary alone. I also worked as his project expert, helping him with market ideas and what I thought would help profit his company and take Carson group to the next level.

I remember that morning when Rowan proposed to me to marry him.

He was dressed in a black suit, sitting on his office chair as I served him coffee.

“Fiona,” Rowan cleared his throat and said. “I know this may come as a surprise to you, but I want you to help me with something.”

The 22-year-old naive me, who secretly had a crush on my handsome boss, smiled like a young woman in love and replied, “Alright, sir. I am eager to help you.”

Rowan met my eyes with his shining blue eyes and said, “Actually, my grandfather’s will says that before I can take over his wealth, I need to marry before I turn 28.”

“Oh.” My jaw dropped as I looked at his handsome face.

“What do you want me to do about this, boss?” I asked him, not understanding where he was driving it.

“Alright. You’re aware that I am in love with Sage Andrews. I want to marry Sage, and I will be 28 next weekend. Unfortunately, Sage traveled for a modelling job that will enrich her with 10 million dollars. And she cannot wait for us to marry before traveling.”

“Sir, I do not understand. Sage could have registered the marriage with you and helped you out before she travelled. How can she not understand your plight?” I asked him, not wanting to jump into marrying him.

Rowan shut his eyes and lowered his head.

“That’s the issue, Fiona. Sage says that the modelling company won’t approve of her if she is a married woman. They want a single woman to represent their company, not a Mrs.”

“Oh!” My jaw dropped even more as I met my boss’s handsome face.

“So what do I do to help you, sir?” I asked him, my voice quivering.

Rowan swallowed hard like it was the hardest thing to say. He met my gaze and said, “Fiona, I know that you might be in a relationship. But please, we will sign a marriage agreement for two years. After that, you can move on once Sage is back. We will get a divorce.”

“What?” My jaw dropped as my eyes widened in shock.

“Mr. Carson, are you saying that I should marry you?” I asked my boss, shock evident on my face as my voice trembled.

“Yes,” Rowan replied shamelessly.

“Just for two years, Fiona. After two years, you can move on.”

“Sir, ain’t you afraid that I might catch feelings for you? We will have sex, or is it just to coexist in one house and pretend we are married? At least, we don’t have to do anything intimately that married couples do. Just live together, and after two years, we divorce?” I asked, wanting to understand my boss.

Mr. Carson’s jaw tightened. His fists clenched around the file he was reading as he lowered his head.

Raising his head to meet my gaze, he said with a smirk that made my heart race.

“Fiona, how is it possible that we will not have sex? We are legally married. So sex is inevitable.”

“But…” My cheeks flushed.

“If you cannot help me out, I will find another woman to do it. The clause will be that no love is attached. You will not catch feelings for me, and I will not catch feelings for you. Once we sign the marriage agreement, you will fulfill all your duties as my wife, except to develop feelings for me. Do you agree to this offer or not?” Mr. Carson demanded, his voice cold, and I lowered my head.

Knowing that I had a secret crush on my boss, even though it had been six months since I joined the Carson Groups, I replied, “Yes, sir.”

“Good. We will sign the marriage agreement tomorrow, Saturday. So make time for it. By 9 a.m., we will get the marriage license, and you will move into my house,” Mr. Carson said, a wave of relief washing over him as he glanced at his wristwatch.

“Okay, sir. I will get prepared,” I said, to which he nodded and dismissed me from his office.

“You can leave.”

------

The next day, my heart raced when I awoke in my room. Knowing that I was from a lowly family, I hid it from my parents that I was getting married to my boss.

I had graduated with a degree in business management, and I did not want to inform my parents that I was getting married.

That morning, I wore a white dress that fell past my knees. I wanted to feel like a real bride, so I styled my long blonde hair in a simple bun, added hairpins, and applied simple makeup to my face.

When I stepped out of my room by 7 a.m., my oldest brother Sunny asked, “Fiona, where are you going this early?”

Smiling, I replied, “I want to catch up with a business partner with my boss.”

Seeing my flushed face, Sunny asked, “So early? Where is it?”

“Don’t worry. When I am back, I will tell everyone.” I quickly slipped out of the house, as I was the only daughter with two older brothers, Sunny and Max.

Surprisingly, as I walked out of the house, I saw Rowan wearing a black suit standing at the front of my parents’ black gate.

“Sir, you’re here.” My eyes widened as I rushed over to meet him beside his black sports car, a black Audi.

“Yeah. Since we are getting married, don’t you think I should inform your family, because you will move in with me?”

“But it’s a fake marriage. I do not think that I should tell my parents,” I told him, but he shook his head.

“Fiona, for clarity’s sake, we cannot hide this marriage from your family so that they will understand it’s only a contract that has an expiration date.”

“But…” I pursed my lips, knowing my family were Christian.

“My father will not accept. Let’s go and have the marriage registered first. After registering it, we can inform my parents,” I said, my voice firm.

Mr. Carson peered at my face, seeing my sullen expression. He agreed, “Fine.”

Relieved, I followed him to his car, and he unlocked the door for me.