Love Contract

The luxurious car befitting the CEO of the company always caused a minor commotion among employees whenever it arrived at the office building. People always stopped and stared. It was too high-profile. Mary shrank back in the car like a turtle in its shell, hesitating to step out.

"What's wrong?" William asked, noticing her apprehension. He had been waiting for her to get out first.

Mary peeked out the window at all the waiting bystanders. "Uh. You know what? You go ahead. I'll just follow." William raised a brow quizzically and got out of the car without saying anything.

Mary was still calming her nerves, preparing to face the stares, when the door next to her swung right open.

It was William, holding the car door open with a sly smile. "Get out of the car, dear wife. Let's walk in to work together!" he pronounced loudly, catching everyone's attention. Mary was flabbergasted. "William!" she hissed, as people outside began craning their necks to look at her. "Please! You're making it worse!" Mary gave him a pleading look.

William ignored her apparent consternation and pulled her out of the car.

Mary felt humiliated, but she had no choice but to allow William to drag her out.

"Can't we go to work separately next time?" Mary mumbled, following William into the building, keeping her face down to avoid people's stares. "I can never get used to all this attention." "And that's why I'm acclimatizing you to it as soon as possible," William retorted with a smile, making the female employees they passed swoon.

Mary shot him an irritated look.

Why had she never noticed how overbearing he was before? People really just showed their true colors eventually, didn't they?

"Have you prepared the speech tomorrow for the opening ceremony of the Past of Republic of China?" William asked her as they walked through the lobby and headed for the elevators. Mary nodded. "Yes. Everything's ready."

William nodded approvingly. "Good. Then book three plane tickets to Shanghai for this afternoon. The sooner, the better." "Three?" Mary asked curiously. "Who else is going besides you and Kevin?"

"You."

Mary stopped in her tracks in surprise. "Me? But I thought you said I wouldn't be needed?" Mary called out, hurrying to keep pace with him.

"I changed my mind," William said breezily.

Mary gritted her teeth as she caught up with him waiting at the elevators. "Couldn't you have given me a heads-up? I haven't packed. I have nothing prepared..."

William raised a brow at her. "Work emergencies will always come up out of the blue. Do you expect me, the boss, to make adjustments for you, the employee every time?" he asked her pointedly. Mary bit her lip. She was still irritated, but she felt it best to just not talk back.

Unbeknownst to her, William was looking at her from the corner of his eye, amused by her silent fuming. He was starting to enjoy teasing Mary more and more.

'Besides,' he thought, 'A days-long trip without you wouldn't be fun.'

At this moment, a cloying female voice piped up behind them. "Good morning."

The two of them turned around to see Andy. "Andy! Good morning." Mary greeted her with a forced smile, annoyed that they had been interrupted.

"Hi, Mary," Andy said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Andy then tried to sidle up to William, conspicuously smoothing her bodycon dress down to call attention to her curves. "Hi, Mr. Lan." William only stepped further aside with nary a reaction.

Mary bit her lip again, this time to keep herself from laughing out loud. She had to admire how stoic William was.

Mary stepped between the two smoothly before William got irritated by Andy's presence. She tried to distract Andy with small talk. "Nice weather we're having, huh?" Mary started, her mouth feeling strained from all the smiling.

"Yeah," Andy answered dismissively. Her eyes looked past Mary and wandered over to William again. "Oh, Mr. Lan's tie is crooked."

Mary felt like she could scream. It really was none of Andy's business.

From her peripheral vision, she saw William look down at his tie and frown. Mary started cursing Andy in her heart. Outwardly, Mary just kept on smiling. "Oh, we left in a hurry this morning. I really should be more careful next time."

Andy responded with a half-sneer. Before she could make another snide comment, however, the elevator doors opened.

Ding!

Perfect timing.

William strode forward into the elevator. He turned around and looked expectantly at Mary.

"I'm coming! Nice talking to you, Andy." Mary stepped into the elevator hurriedly, leaving a scowling Andy behind.

'I'm also a manager in the Public Relations Department. Why do I get stuck getting drinks with old perverts while Mary gets the CEO?' Andy grumbled in her mind.

Meanwhile, Mary was chortling to herself in the CEO's exclusive elevator, remembering how miffed Andy looked as they left. She sighed contentedly in appreciation of these kinds of perks. Then she noticed William beside her, fidgeting with his tie.

Mary looked over his progress. "Just move it a little to the left. It's crooked to the right," she pointed out helpfully.

William pulled his tie to the left obediently.

"Oh, it's too far to the left now," Mary said with a little wince. "Be gentle with it." William threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "Shit. Just tie it for me, will you?"

Mary smiled sheepishly. "I don't know how," she admitted meekly.

William rolled his eyes. It turned out Mary was just stellar on paper after all. She was pretty useless at basic things.

Seeing William's increasing irritation, Mary reached for his tie nervously.

"I can give it a try. No need to lose your temper. Or take my bonus away."

She started earnestly working on William's tie, completely oblivious to his surprised reaction.

The tie looked like the red scarves used in primary school. Could they be tied in the same way? Mary put her theory to test. It seemed to work.

"Tighter." William directed, nodding at his reflection in the elevator mirrors.

"Okay." It seemed Mary was doing something right. She tightened the knot.

Immediately, William started making choking sounds. He grabbed Mary's hand, wheezing.

Mary's blood froze. 'I messed up again! It's really game over this time!' William scrambled to loosen the tie a little bit, his face red. "I'm so sorry!" Mary squeaked, pulling her hands back and clutching them to her mouth.

Tie sufficiently loosened, William finally took deep breaths and leaned on the elevator walls to steady himself. He shot Mary a dirty look. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Mary cowered on the other side of the elevator as William pulled off his tie irritably.

Ding!

The elevator finally reached the 32nd floor. William stalked out of the elevator and headed straight for his office.

"Good morning, Mr. Lan!" Kevin stood up, greeting him.

William grunted a rough "G'morning" back. His black mood was evident on his face.

As Kevin stared at William's back, wondering what was wrong with him, Mary stepped shakily out of the elevator.

"What's wrong with Mr. Lan?" Kevin asked Mary curiously. "Why does he look so grumpy?"

Mary whimpered. "He's going to kill me," she answered glumly. "I'm dead."

She slumped down on a nearby chair. Kevin didn't know what happened, but he strode over to pat Mary on the shoulder sympathetically. "Nothing to do but pray, dear girl." Mary nodded miserably and started praying for the heavens to save her.