Chapter Five

Arthur grabbed my hands again as we walked out of the building. All eyes were on us and I could hear whispering voices. The parking Valet handed his car keys to him, and he opened the door for me, “I’m not entering your car except you tell me where we’re going.

“Stop being difficult and get in the car, I’m not trying to kidnap you. Even if I wanted to, you wouldn't be able to pay the ransom fees”, He said to me coldly as he slightly nudged me forward.

I got in and he closed the door harshly. God, please give me the strength to be able to hold my tongue. If he disrespected me one more time, I would give it to him. 

I relaxed into the chair a little bit, my tense body starting to hurt, my shoulder especially, but I couldn't afford a massage. Opening my bag I checked my phone and truly, there was a message from an unknown number, I clicked it and read, 

Unknown: “Meet me in my office at lunch break. 

Unknown: Where are you? I’m coming to your office now!

How rude! Such a commanding tone. 

No nice introductions or anything.

What was I even expecting? Niceness wasn't in his vocabulary.

How did he get my number by the way? Pfft, Of course, he could get my number, I worked for him anyways. 

I saved his number as dickhead. Serves him right! I smiled to myself.

“Wipe that look off your face, we are here”, He parked the car and stepped out.

I followed suit only to realize he stopped at Montana Cafe. Looked like the universe wanted me to get along with him a little bit, that's why he was directed to my favorite coffee shop. 

We entered and were welcomed with the most tantalizing aroma, I was practically drooling at the cute cupcakes and snacks in the display cabinet.

“Pick your mouth off of the floor”, he snickered, brushing past me to the counter.

I hissed but followed him, I could see it was Greta attending today. She was an old friendly woman who owned the shop with her husband, she was like a granny to me, a nosey one though. “What a beautiful surprise, my two best customers?”, she smiled. 

I gaped at her, “Two? I thought I was the only one”, I pouted, sliding onto the stool close to her.

“Wipe that look off your face, jealousy doesn’t suit you.”

How could he be her favorite too? In fact, he was not capable of being anybody’s favorite. Didn't she know of his horrible behavior? Greta could spot a good-hearted person from a mile away, I thought she was a good judge of character.

“Don’t tell me this is the girl you were talking about”, she grinned. “You have good eyes Arthur”, her eyes twinkled in happiness.

“I don’t thin—-” he cut me off.

“Greta, can we please just get our usuals?"He pulled me to an empty seat, close to the window.

“Why do you always try to correct people? Are you trying to cancel the contract that hasn’t even really started!”, he frowned at me.

“Well pardon me, I wasn't told the faking starts now”, I mumbled. “Greta even knew I was your girlfriend before I did”, I glared at him.

“No, every time I came here she was always trying to set me up with her customers or children, I had to say I was in a relationship for her to stop”. 

“Oh I see, she does that to almost everyone”, I mumbled.

“Anyways, back to business, we need to have a story to tell in case people ask us how we met and then we need to plan a proposal dinner, then the wedding, everything needs to be done in a month or less if possible.” 

“Huhn? You need to slow down alright? What story?”

This was moving too fast. So he wanted us married in a month? 

“Yeah, ermm… we could say I met you in the first week of your internship.”

“That could work only if you were there but you weren't, how about this coffee shop?”, I suggested.

“Perfect! Say three months ago, I was in the country around that time so that would work, and we decided to keep it a secret due to the tabloids and media and I proposed today. A private engagement”, he concluded.

He really did plan this well. I admired his determination to take what was his, no matter what. Wait, he said today? 

“What do you mean today?”

Our order arrived, Kate was our waitress today. She placed a tray of cupcakes, cookies, and two coffee cups. “Anything else?”, she asked.

“No Kate, thanks”, she beamed at him and walked away.

So he knew the word ‘thanks’, and was super nice and polite with everybody except me. Why was that? Or did I just bring out the worst in him? I furrowed my brows at the thought of that, staring at him through my coffee cup which I took a sip from. 

“Why are you staring at me like that?” He scowled.

“Nothing, just waiting for your response, what do you mean by today? I don’t even have a ring on my finger.”

“That can be sorted now”

He brought out a small blue box. OMG! I hope it wasn't what I thought it was. Of course, it was. I was shocked, it was a beautiful emerald diamond cut. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. This must cost a fortune. “I can’t take this”, I pushed it back towards him.

“What do you mean you can’t? It’s part of the contract”, he whispered closely.

Why was he whispering? I looked at him in confusion, his eyes looked left and I followed the movement only to see people with their phones out and Greta smiling with tears shining in her eyes. This would have been the perfect romantic proposal but it wasn't, it was a contract one.

He knelt on one knee, “I thought of the perfect ways to do this, words to say but none can fathom how much I love you and how much you mean to me, so babe will you do me the honors and marry me? I promise to always buy your favorite cupcakes and cookies till I’m old with gray hairs on my head.”

“Yes, I accept”, he slid the ring down my finger, a Perfect fit. He lifted me off the ground, spinning me around before putting me down.