CHAPTER 4: THE CONTRACT 2

Lena’s POV

I stared at him a couple of times, he wasn't threatening me actually, but he almost made everything worse. Because he was giving me a choice and I was trying to be careful to avoid making the wrong choice.

"Would you touch me?" I asked quietly. The question came out before I could stop it. His eyes darkened slightly. “If the situation required it,” he whispered. “I believe you will enjoy it?" He said. I didn't answer him but my silence did and that moment my mood changed.

"I didn't mean to say such,” he said softly. "I really know what you meant Vale but it’s just left for me alone,” I said. I looked down a bit. "Forget about it,” I said quickly. He didn't say a word but after a moment he whispered, "There are boundaries."

"What kind of boundaries are you talking about?" I asked carefully. “You don't owe me anything beyond the agreement Lena,” he said quietly.

I stared at him for a few seconds. "Not even affection?" I asked politely. “Not real affection,” he said. Something about those words made my chest tightened, and I didn't know why. I looked back at the contract.

"Does your grandmother know you're doing this?" I asked calmly. "She knows I'm getting engaged,” he replied quietly. "Does she know about me too?" I asked again. His silence answered for a while. "Not yet,” he said.

I frowned.

"Why?" I asked very quickly. "I want to introduce you to her myself in a special way,” he replied softly.

That answer he gave should have been normal, but suspense filled my heart and it wasn't normal. There was something hidden beneath it, something I couldn't understand. "Who else knows about the agreements?" I asked carefully.

“My lawyer is aware," he replied calmly. “What about your witness?" I asked again. He did not answer at the moment.

"What about anyone to witness from your family?" I asked. "No one,” he replied gently.

I nodded slowly.

Then another question came to me like a cool soft air. "Why did your grandmother make this condition?" I asked quietly. Immediately, Adrian's expression changed. "She believes I'm incapable of loving anyone,” he replied quickly.

I wasn't expecting such an answer from him. "But is she right?" I asked. His eyes met mine. "I don't know,” he said. It was the first uncertain thing he had said since I walked into his office.

For a brief moment, the billionaire disappeared, then I saw a man, a lonely man and he closed the contract.

"You don't need to understand my family,” he said. “I probably will if I'm pretending to marry you,” he said softly.

"You'll learn enough, not only that, it will not be comforting and it wasn't meant to be,” he added.

I almost smiled.

Then I remembered the money, my mother's face appeared in my mind and looked at the contract again. Five hundred thousand dollars.

I could pay the hospital bills, I could buy my mother drugs for treatment her doctor had recommended instead of choosing the cheaper option, she wouldn't have to count pills anymore, and I could stop pretending everything was fine.

My throat tightened. "Is the money guaranteed?" I asked curiously. "Yes,” he said. "Then you have to pay me half of it now?" I said. "Two hundred and fifty thousand when you sign,” he said. I looked at him for a few minutes. “And what about the rest?" I asked. “After the engagement ends,” he replied.

"What will be my fate if you break the agreement?" I asked again. "You keep what you've already received,” Vale said. "And if I leave?"I asked. "You repay it,” he said.

My stomach dropped. "All of it?" I asked again. "Yes of course,” he responded quietly. "Then that means I'm trapped,” I said. “No,you aren’t,” he said softly. "You just said I would owe you the money." I said. "If you leave because I violate the contract, you owe me nothing,” he said.

I studied him very closely. "You're been so careful,” he said. "I have to be careful about everything,” I said. “I mean everything,” I repeated.

He slid a second document toward me. "The agreement has been prepared by my lawyer, take it home,” he said.

I refused to touch it. "Why are you giving me twenty-four hours, is that not too prompt, Adrian,” I said. "Because I don't want you to make a decision while you're emotional,” he whispered.

I laughed bitterly.

"That's exactly what people don't know when it comes to decision making, there are many things to be considered, and that’s more reason I want you to decide between now and tomorrow at your convenient time,” he added.

I looked at him for some time without saying a word. “And if I say no?" I asked quietly. "Then I'll find another solution,” he replied. “Just like that?" I said. "Yes, just like that,” he replied calmly.

His calmness frustrated me and he wasn't desperate. He didn't actually need me for anything other than the agreement and maybe that was an individual difference.

I stood, picked up the contract, my hands were trembling and Adrian noticed it. "You're afraid,” he said softly. I looked at him boldly, "I'm not afraid of you,” I said.

"Then what are you afraid of?" He asked. I didn’t answer. I thought about my mother, I thought about the hospital bills and I thought about the possibility of losing her because I couldn't afford to keep her alive through my personal efforts.

“I’m making the wrong choice,” I replied softly. For the first time, Adrian didn't have an immediate answer and I turned toward the door.

"Lena,” he called. I stopped, turned towards him and he looked at me. "You have twenty-four hours,” he said.

I nodded slowly.

"Then you tell me yes or no,” he murmured. I looked down at the contract in my hands again. Five hundred thousand dollars for six months with fake engagement and with a man who didn't believe in love.

I turned towards the door and opened it, behind me, Adrian spoke again. "Whatever you decide, don't think you owe me anything,” he said quietly.

I turned, his face was unreadable. "Choose wisely because you want the life it can give you,” he added.

I stared at him for a moment and then I walked out. The elevator doors closed behind me, Only then did I let out the breath I'd been holding.

I looked at the contract and there was something about Adrian Vale that bothered me more, not his money, not his arrogance, not even the impossible proposal but it was the feeling that I had walked into that office thinking he had chosen me because I was desperate.

But as the elevator carried me down, one question refused to leave my mind. “What if he had chosen me for another reason?” I whispered to myself. And suddenly, five hundred thousand dollars didn't feel like the only dangerous thing in that contract.