No 1

Fiona's POV

It was 8 p.m. on Friday evening, and I sat on the bed in my room on the top floor of the magnificent white mansion, waiting for my husband, Rowan Carson, to return home.

It had been two nights since Rowan left. His words: “Fiona, I am going to welcome my friend. 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. Rumors confirm that Rowan has 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 utter disbelief.

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

I bent down 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 my tears with my left hand, I pressed the phone firmly to my ear after sliding to answer.

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

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

“Yes, I’m seeing it. Rowan’s true love is back. I guess our marriage contract is 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 filled with anger, as she hadn’t supported my decision to accept Rowan’s proposal.

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

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

I had known about his affair with Sage Andrews, even before she traveled to New York for a modeling shoot.

Sage had refused to marry Rowan because the Carson Group was still underdeveloped then. She didn’t envision that the Carson Group would grow this large.

I wasn’t just Rowan’s secretary; I also worked as his project expert, helping him with market ideas and whatever I thought would boost the company’s profit and take the Carson Group to the next level.

I remember that morning when Rowan proposed marriage to me.

He was dressed in a black suit, sitting in 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 twenty-two-year-old naive me, who secretly had a crush on my handsome boss, smiled like a young woman in love and asked him, “Yes, sir. I’m eager to help you.”

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

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

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

“All right. You’re aware that I am in love with Sage Andrews. I want to marry Sage, and I will be twenty-eight next weekend. Unfortunately, Sage traveled for a modeling job that will earn her ten million dollars, and she cannot wait for us to marry before traveling.”

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

Rowan shut his eyes and lowered his head.

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

My jaw dropped further as I met my boss’s handsome face.

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

Rowan swallowed hard, as if it were the hardest thing to do and 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, and my eyes widened in shock.

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

“Yes,” Rowan replied shamelessly. “Just for two years, Fiona. After two years, you can move on.”

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

Mr. Carson’s jaw clenched. His fist tightened 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 no love 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 developing 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 him, even though it hadn’t been six months since I joined the Carson Group, I replied, “Yes.”

“Good. We will sign the marriage tomorrow, Saturday. 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’ll get prepared,” I said, and he nodded and dismissed me from his office.

“You can leave.”

----------

The following Saturday morning, my heart raced as I awoke on the bed, getting prepared for the marriage affairs office. Knowing that I came from a humble family, I hid from my parents that I was marrying my boss.

I had graduated with a degree in business management and didn’t want to inform my parents that I was getting married.

After my bath, I wore a white dress that fell past my knees. I wanted to feel like a real bride, so I arranged my hair in a simple bun, added hairpins, and applied light makeup.

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

Sunny was tall, 26, and a striking resemblance to our Dad, while I resembled my mother. I smiled and 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’m back, I’ll tell everyone.” I quickly slipped out of the house; 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.

“Yes. Since we’re getting married, don’t you think I should inform your family, because you’ll be moving in with me?” he asked.

“No… it’s a fake marriage. I don’t think I should tell my parents,” I said, but he shook his head.

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

“But…” I pursed my lips, knowing my family was 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, saw my sullen expression, and agreed, “Fine.”

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