CHAPTER 2: She’s Lying

After a hard thought for a while, Elena reached for the pen. Her hand didn’t shake. There was no time for it to shake.

She was about to sign when the double doors to the office slammed open so hard the glass rattled.

A woman in a red silk dress walked in, her heels clicking across the floor like a countdown. She was beautiful in a cruel way, with red lips and eyes that assessed Elena in one second and dismissed her in the next.

Well, well, the woman purred. What do we have here?

She looked at the contract, then at Elena, then threw her head back and laughed.

George, darling, she said, walking right up to him and sliding a hand down his chest. Are you really going to marry her? Because that would be awkward, seeing as I’m four months pregnant with your baby.

The room went still.

George’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t move away from the woman’s touch.

Instead, his grey eyes flicked to Elena.

The pen was still in Elena’s hand, hovering one inch above the signature line.

Now she's stuck in making a difficult choice as Her mother’s life was on one side of that paper, a lie, and a baby that wasn’t hers, was on the other.

George was calm as he watched and waited to see her next action.

Elena’s heart pounded so hard…

The silence in George Herbert’s office was so thick Elena could feel it pressing against her skin.

The woman in red hadn’t stopped smiling. She looked at Elena the way a cat looks at a mouse it’s already decided to play with.

Cat got your tongue, sweetheart? the woman said, tilting her head. I’m Vanessa Laurent George's fiancee and this baby, she placed a manicured hand on her flat stomach, is George’s.

Elena’s first instinct was to drop the pen.

Her second instinct was to run; But then George moved.

He didn’t look at Vanessa.and he removed her hand that was on his chest. Then he took one step forward, closed the distance between himself and Elena, held her hand and took the pen right out of her frozen fingers.

Elena’s breath caught as she felt a strange flutter in her belly as George touched her. his touch was gentle.

George turned the contract around so it faced him, and with one smooth, deliberate motion, he signed his name at the bottom in dark, slashing ink.

“George Herbert”.

Then he walked to Elena's back and leaned towards her from behind and took her hand in his. His palm was warm and impossibly steady, and he guided her fingers back around the pen. Elena's hands has gone. completely cold and she was standing just still as she felt cold chills running down her spine as he leaned towards her and held her hands, feeling his breath on her ear as his whispered to her sent many butterfly giggles in her belly.

“Your turn”, he murmured, and his voice was low enough that only she could hear it. But the room was so quiet that Vanessa heard it too.

Elena stared up at him. His grey eyes gave nothing away. No panic. No guilt. Just cold certainty.

“Sign it,” he said again, louder this time. “Now.”

Vanessa laughed, but it was sharp. Oh, this is rich. You’re really going to marry her while I’m carrying your heir, George? The board will love that.

George finally looked at her. And when he did, the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees.

“She’s lying,” George said flatly.

Vanessa’s smile faltered. Excuse me?

There is no baby, George continued, his thumb brushing over Elena’s knuckles in a way that was almost soothing. Almost possessive. There never was. You had a procedure three months ago at St. Mercy. I have the records.

Color drained from Vanessa’s face.

That’s private medical information, she hissed.

Everything is private until I bought it, George replied. He squeezed Elena’s hand once. “Sign, Elena.”

It wasn’t a request anymore. It was an order.

Elena’s heart was hammering so hard she thought it might crack her ribs. Part of her wanted to believe him. The other part remembered who he was. The man who destroyed her father.

But downstairs, her mother was running out of time, she was in deep confusion and the pressure was much on her.

So Elena did the only thing she could do.

She signed the contract,

“Elena Thomas”.

The moment the ink dried, George let go of her hand and turned back to Vanessa.

You’re done here, he said. The Security will escort you out. If you go to the press, I’ll sue you for defamation and breach of DNA. You signed one when we ended things.

Vanessa’s mouth opened and closed. For the first time, she looked scared.

This isn’t over, she spat, before turning on her heel and storming out.

The doors slammed shut behind her.

And then it was just the two of them.

George exhaled, and for a second, the mask slipped. He looked tired.

He walked to his desk and pressed a button on the intercom.

“David. Wire 2.3 million to St. Mercy Hospital, account under Lillian Thomas. Mark it as paid in full. And upgrade her to the executive suite”.

Elena’s knees nearly gave out as she was still in shock of everything.

It’s done, George said, turning back to her. Your mother will be moved within the hour.

Elena swallowed. “Why did you do that? In front of her?

Because I needed you to sign, George said simply. And because from this moment on, you are my wife. In public, in private, and on paper.

He stepped closer to her again. Close enough that she could smell his cologne and see the faint scar on his jaw. Elena swallowed hard as she tried to get hold of herself regardless of the giggles she was getting within her.

He pressed on; Clause 7 starts tonight, Elena,” he said quietly. Pack up some things. You’re moving into my penthouse tonight.

His eyes dropped to her lips for half a second as if he was considering something he had no intention of saying, then slowly rose to meet hers again. This made Elena's breathe hitch.

And I suggest you get used to me touching you. Because by tomorrow morning, the entire city will believe you belong to me.

Elena opened her mouth to say something, but George’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it, and his expression darkened.