(Daniel's POV)
A series of sighs escaped my lips as I kept staring at the phone in my hand without blinking. I've been staring at the screen for more than fifteen minutes now, waiting patiently for just a call. Just what was I thinking? This was so unlike me.
I could hardly believe that I was waiting for her call, and I found it rather disturbing to know that she could call off the agreement whenever she pleases to.
This was crazy, but I've thought about it carefully and thoroughly throughout the day she offered the proposal.
Marriage…
It sounded easy, but I knew how complicated it was, especially if it wasn't something we both would equally agree on. What was the main reason I wanted this and was even bothered about her calling it off? I wondered.
But then my clients were getting impatient and very soon they would get tired and ask for the papers of the land to be reassured about the rightful owner. That alone was enough to tell the trouble that would follow they found out I wasn't with the papers. That made me more certain that I needed her, and she needed to give me those papers quickly before I lost my sanity, though I was already losing it.
I heard a knock on the door, disrupting my thoughts.
"Yes?" I drawled, and the door got pushed open.
"Sir, I'm here," Darryl said while he glanced a lot at the table in the office.
"Drive to that village and get that lady." I ordered. He nodded and immediately walked out.
I rubbed my temple, feeling a sharp pain. These people were more frustrating than I thought, and what was her aim in all these?
I waited for thirty minutes more and did a countdown to the next hour.
My phone rang, and my finger slid up instinctively. "Yes, Darryl."
"She's here with me, sir, where should we wait for you?" He asked.
Only hearing that she was there made me sigh in relief. "Take her to the restaurant, I'll meet you there," I said, standing up and grabbed my jacket.
Upon reaching there, the driver opened the door and I stepped. I went straight into the restaurant. It was big, and I literally had to scan everywhere searching for them. My assistant waved his hand and I walked over when I saw him at a corner.
The back of the lady was the first thing I saw. My assistant sat at her side, but immediately stood up when I came and sat in front of her.
She slowly lifted her head up to look at me. I was lost for words just by looking at her rare beauty. She was just like every other poor girl I've seen. However, she had flawless skin and her eyes looked calm yet dull. It was obvious that the life in them had died.
"I thought you changed your mind."
"I actually did," she started. "But I need this arrangement too. Though I want to know what I'm in for," she said.
I signaled my assistant, and he brought out a file, placing it in front of her. She furrowed her brows gently.
"I don't understand," she voiced her confusion.
"Read through it carefully," I told her.
She raised her head up and when my gaze met her light-brown eyes, I forgot the next words.
She looked back at the paper after maintaining an intense gaze. "What? I have to live with you?" She looked surprised.
"That's the deal because we can't afford people noticing any slightest mistake, and that's why we need to appear real to the people."
She seemed to be thinking for a while. "How long would it take?" She asked next.
"Four months at most, and that would be after my project is completed."
"Why can't it be before?"
"Because that makes people suspicious."
She nodded her head with understanding. She continued looking through the papers, but at some point stopped to speak as she closed the file.
"I have some rules that you must abide with," she stated.
"What are they?"
"Firstly, you must have a separate room with me. Secondly, you're not allowed to prey into my business and thirdly, we aren't consummating our marriage because we are after all getting a divorce after four months, so I see no need of creating a possibility whereby I get pregnant, and we have to be stuck together."
I grimaced when I heard those words, pregnant and stuck "Trust, I wouldn't want that either. So, is that all?"
"Yes, I guess."
"Well then, turn to the last page of the file and read my rules."
She instantly did as told. "No cheating while the contracting is still on, or it will be considered as breaching the contract. No act of seeking attention would be allowed, no child bearing until both partners agreed to such an act. Restrictions to invading any personal space. And lastly, no falling in love during the contract, or the contract would be instantly terminated." She would furrow her eyebrows sporadically during the process.
"Isn't this too much? I mean, mine was quite little and easy to remember."
Was she complaining? Well, she better not. "I never said you can't bring a long list of what you want. And as for remembering, the paper would be with you, so you're free to check if you've breached the contract unknowingly."
She still looked skeptical, showing how confused she was.
"Tell me what you don't understand."
"It's not that I don't understand, but I'm a little confused about the last part," she said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
"What about it?"
"What if we both fall in love?"
I scoffed. "It's highly impossible, especially with the mutual hatred we have between us. That's the only thing we have in common."
"What if you fall for me? Would you breach the contract even when the project is yet to be completed?"
This made me speechless. Breaching the contract would mean ruining things for myself, so it was either I keep that unwanted feelings to myself, though I knew I would never fall for someone so low in status. That would bring me nothing but shame.
"It's never going to happen, so forget it."
"What if we fall for someone else during the long run?"
"Then you can either hide your love for that person or call it quits. I hate in a situation where you forget yourself and the contract. So, if eventually one of these things happens, which I'm certain would never happen, then we should terminate the contract immediately." I looked at her. "So are you in?"