Chapter Four

- Veronica Beckham

I thought my ears were hearing things or did he just say he's Mr. Carson's Son?

He was the fucking Authur Callaghan, the CEO's only son?

Shit! I was rude to him. What a nice way to finally lose my job. 

Hold up! 

Did he just say he wanted to marry me? This was a big joke, Today was really just not my day. 

“Look okay, I’m sorry for being rude to you but I have to go now”, I turned to walk away but he yanked me back.

“Ouch! What’s up with you and my hands?” I glared at him. I really should stop being rude to him, he’s my boss now.

“Yes you shouldn’t”, he said, letting my hands go.

“Did I say that out loud again?”, My face flushed with embarrassment.

“Yes, but look, I don’t have time to waste, I need you to marry me. See this as a win-win for both of us, I overheard your phone call with–”, I didn’t let him finish.

“So you were eavesdropping on me?” Who’s the rude one now? 

“It wasn’t intentional. As I was saying, you desperately need money and I desperately need a wife, and we both don’t want my uncle to take over the company”

“I can’t just marry you just like that” I had always dreamed of having the fairytale love like the one my mom and dad have. I needed to be totally in love with someone to marry them.

“And why not? Don’t tell me you’re one of those girls who want to marry for love?”

“Who doesn’t?

“I’ll send you the contract details, if you’re in, sign it and send it back to me tomorrow, if you don’t, I’ll just assume you don’t need it and I’ll find someone else”

“I have to think about it”

“You have all night to, besides it’s more beneficial to you, it’s not every day a CEO offers marriage to people like you” He walked out.

What a nerve! Asshole! What did he mean by someone like me? A spoiled rich kid who I was so sure hadn't worked a day in his life or hustled to put food on the table. Everything was handed over to him freely! Born with a silver spoon prick!

I dragged my tired self to the elevator only to meet him at the entrance again! I had seriously had enough of him today! I huffed and got in the elevator. The ride to the parking lot was painfully silent.

“I still-” I cut him off. “You shouldn’t be talking to people like me, Goodnight!”, I rushed off to my car.

His voice made me sick. What made him think I'd want to have a conversation with him after what he said to me earlier?

My head kept spinning with thoughts as I drove home, I parked outside still deep in thoughts when a knock on the car window startled me. I looked up to see it was my mum. I picked up my bag, opened the door, and got out.

“Hey Mum”, I shut the door, locking the car.

“How was work?”, she laced her fingers with mine, as we walked into the house.

“It was good, just stressful”

“Were you fired today?", she asked.

“I turned to look at her, “No, why would you think that?

“You were outside for a very long time, 30 minutes Vee, you’d have stayed more if I hadn’t interrupted you” She touched my face, her eyes filled with worry. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes Mum”, I kissed her hands. I removed my jacket to hang it on the rack. “How was Dad’s check-up?” I said, trying to change the subject.

“It went fine, He has decided to start physiotherapy”, she mumbled. 

Great timing!

“But I think we should wait a little bit to be sure if you get the job or not before making any rash decision”, she voiced out her worries.

“No, he should start, I'll figure this out. I have already started sending out my resume to other companies, just to be on the safe side”, I reassured her. 

“Alright, but can you tell me if something goes wrong?

“Sure, I’m really tired, I need to go rest”, I went to my room.

“You need to microwave your dinner, it got cold”, she called out.

I quickly freshened up and ate, then I decided to go through the contract. It was just a four-month contract, I just had to deal with his attitude for that short period. At least I would be able to pay for my dad’s therapy and my sister’s school. I just had to be a wife. All I had to do was to learn how to act like one in order to fool everyone into thinking we were really married.

What was the worst that could happen? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today’s work wasn't that hectic, thank God for Reese who showed up today. I had been avoiding Authur all through and I had succeeded all morning in doing so till now and it was lunch break.

Reese rushed into my office. 

“Have you heard?

Reese and rumors were best friends. Anything you needed to know about anyone, she had the gist. Where she heard all this was beyond me. 

“What did you hear this time?”, I closed my laptop, picking up my bag to go have lunch. 

“Mr. Handsome has a fiancee”, she cried dramatically.

Mr. Handsome was Arthur, she gave him that name when saw him this morning. Reese had been the one helping me avoid him all day unknown to her.

If he was in a particular hall, she gushed about him to me and I knew not to head in that direction. I knew he was pretty handsome and I wouldn't deny it but his ugly personality was revolting.

He had a fiancee? Does that mean he changed his mind? I signed the contract and sent it to him. Or maybe he decided to go for someone in his class.

Fuck! Now I really had to start looking for other options. Would he fire the interns if he was given the company. 

I needed food in my system before I started overthinking.

“Stop whining Reese, let’s go eat, I'm starving”, I complained, dragging her to the cafe with me.

“Speak of the devil, handsome one at that, here he comes”, she talk-sang into my ear.

I spotted him down the hall only to see his heated eyes on me already. “Why is he looking this way? Are we getting fired today? Oh God!” she lamented.

He paused in front of me, “Good day sir”, Reese sweetly greeted him.

“What do you-”, he cut me off.

“Hey babe”, he moved closer, planting a kiss on my cheeks.

I was dumbfounded, What was going on?

“I sent you a text for us to have lunch together”, he grinned at me.

What was going on? My brain was trying to understand all this but all I could see was a smiling Authur. If he smiled like this to all genders, damn! Everyone was going to fall in love with him.

"Sorry but I have to steal her away, Bye Reese" he pulled me out of the office into the elevator.

He dropped my hands immediately we were alone, “I was waiting for you in my office, but you never came.”

“What’s going on?” My mouth finally started to work.

“You really didn’t see my messages or you’re just trying to piss me off?”

“I haven’t checked my phone since this morning”, I protested.

“You are also avoiding me, don’t think I didn't notice.”

The elevator dinged and we got out, “Where are we going exactly?”