05 - His contract girlfriend

He had someone usher me into a spacious room with a breathtaking view of the city skyline. His office was a testament to his success. I perched on the edge of a plush leather couch, nervously fiddling with the hem of my shirt. A minute later, he entered, his face conflicted.

He stared at me for a long beat, his gaze was intense, searching my face as if trying to unlock a forgotten memory. "You… you don't remember me, do you?" His voice was barely a whisper.

A frown creased my brow. Remember him? Should I? "I'm afraid not," I admitted. "We've never met, have we?"

“Never met?" He repeated, laughing in between. He ran a hand through his hair, his brow furrowed in frustration. "Look," he sighed, “what’s your name?”

“Rayne,” I said, “it says it here on my name tag.” I pointed at the name tag on my breast area. 

“Alright, Rayne," he began, leaning against his desk. "Let's start over. Five years ago, you spent the night with me at a Hotel. We… well, let's just say we shared a very memorable evening."

"A… memorable evening?" I stammered, completely lost. "I… I honestly don't remember any of that."

“There's a gap in my memory from that night. I think I was probably intoxicated…"

“Okay, so you’re not Sarah. Let’s put that aside. But why didn’t you ever reach out? I left you a black card and complimentary breakfast didn’t you get all that?” He asked.

“The only thing I remember is waking up in a hotel room that evening, completely disoriented."

“This is all very… confusing, Rayne." He finally admitted. 

“Tell me about it," I mumbled, feeling utterly lost. Everyone thought I knew about that night, about the man I'd slept with. Even after five years it’s still a blur.

"Perhaps we could talk over lunch? It might be easier to explain things over a meal. Cause there seems to be a lot to unpack here.”

“Mr," I started, forcing a professional tone, "I appreciate the offer, but—“

He cut me off with a gentle smile. "Please, call me Nathan. Forget lunch, how about dinner later? We can continue this conversation in a more relaxed setting."

I was hesitant. Maybe, just maybe, a conversation was what I needed. A chance to understand the missing pieces of that hazy night, to clear the confusion clouding my mind. Then, a sudden realization hit me.

Nathan, the man who’s office i was in, wasn't just some stranger from a forgotten past. He was Nathan Sterling, the CEO of Sterling Holdings, the reason my well constructed life was shattered, the man I'd spent a night with five years ago. The man who could very well be Leo's father. I began to panic.

“Rayne?" Nathan's voice broke through my fear. "Are you alright?"

I forced a smile, the gesture strained. "I’m Fine,"

He was disappointed, it was evident. “Okay then. How about I give you a ride home? It's the least I can do."

Home? He couldn't come anywhere near my apartment. The thought of him knowing my address, knowing where Leo lived filled me with terror. "No, that's alright," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. "I can take a cab home."

His gaze narrowed slightly. "Rayne," he began, his voice low and serious. "Is there a reason you're being so evasive?"

“Everything's fine," I lied again, my voice shaky. "Just a little… thrown off by losing my job."

"And I understand this is all a bit unexpected. And since I can’t offer you your job back, I can't just leave you here after everything that's happened."

My mind raced, searching for a way out of this increasingly uncomfortable situation.

He rummaged through his desk drawer, emerging a moment later with a thick wad of cash. "Here," he said, extending it towards me.

Taking money from him felt wrong. "No, I can't," I stammered, pushing his hand away. "I don't need your money."

“Nonsense," he insisted. "Consider it a… gift. For the sake of old times."

"I…" I began, my voice shaky. But the words wouldn't come. The immediate need for groceries, for the cab fare that would take me far away from his prying eyes, overwhelmed me. With a defeated sigh, I reached out and took the money.

"Thank you," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper.

He gave me a curt nod. "Take care, Rayne. And uh.. see you tonight."

Without another word, I turned and left his office. I hailed a cab a few blocks away. I told the driver to take the longest route possible to my son’s daycare, determined to throw Nathan off if he decided to follow.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the cab pulled up at Leo’s daycare. I arrived at Leo’s daycare a tad late. I had asked his caretaker to keep him there for a little while at least till I got back from dinner with Nathan. “I won’t be long Patricia. Just please make sure he eats and take his vitamins.”

“Sure thing Miss Rayne. But, it’s gonna cost you more than the usual.” Patricia replied.

Financially, I was frustrated. But I remembered the cash Nathan had given to me so gave Pat a few cents. “I’ll pay the rest when I come to pick him up.”

I got to the restaurant in a cab, coincidentally, Nathan had arrived the same time as me in his BMW. I was dressed in a pitch black gown that hugged my curves perfectly and Nathan couldn’t help but stare in awe and lust probably.

He offered me his arm, a silent gesture of curtesy. I hesitated for a moment, then slid my hand into the crook of his elbow. There was no turning back now. When we got into the restaurant, Nathan who was impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, pulled out a chair for me and sat across from me.

So," he began. "Tell me what you remember about that night."

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. The fear of losing Leo, the life we'd built together, choked back any explanation I might have offered. He was a billionaire, a titan of industry. And I was a single mother, barely scraping by. The power imbalance was terrifying.

I could tell that I frustrated Nathan, so he gave up. “Alright then. If you won’t talk at least order something.”

Now, over a plate of pasta I barely touched, he dropped the bombshell.

Rayne," he began, his voice low and serious. "There's something I need to ask you."

My breath hitched. "What is it?" I asked, bracing myself for another revelation.

He leaned forward, his eyes searching mine. "There are… certain rumors circulating at work about me. Negative rumors that could potentially damage my reputation and by extension, the company."

"Rumors? What kind of rumors?"

"It's… a bit complicated," he admitted. “And I need a temporary solution.”

My heart hammered against my ribs. "What do you mean?"

He took a deep breath, his eyes locking with mine. “Will you be my contract girlfriend for the next six months?”

My jaw dropped.