SWNOVELS Chapter 40: The Marriage Agreement
Once again, Samantha was under the watchful eyes of The Wright Diamond Corporation employees.
The very next day, Ethan set up a meeting with his lawyers to draft the marriage agreement between him and Samantha.
While Samantha took back her initial qualms to signing a legal document with Ethan, he still insisted.
It was because he wanted Samantha to feel that she was in control in going into this marriage, that he went through with coming up with a legal arrangement.
The company's CEO personally fetched Samantha from the lobby, together with John, Ethan's assistant.
Like the last, they walked hand in hand, going to the lift and into the conference room.
In front of Ethan's most trusted attorneys, he instructed, "Include in the marriage agreement all of her conditions."
"Yes, Mr. Wright," both attorneys acknowledged alternately.
Samantha nearly chuckled at what they were about to do, but since that morning, she tried to sway Ethan against writing a marriage agreement. Unfortunately, Ethan would not have it any other way. Turning to Samantha, Ethan reached for her hand and said, "Go ahead, Sam. Tell them everything you want."
"Ethan, are you sure - "
"We've already talked about this. Go ahead. I just don't want you to have second thoughts," he answered. "I want your full commitment and I feel, I can only do this by ensuring your terms into our marriage." Sitting next to Ethan, opposite to Samantha, John Garcia was still in awe that his boss was willing to be tied down and it happened to be the mother of his two lovely twins.
When he heard that they were drafting a marriage agreement, he was stunned as to how it will go.
Naturally, being Ethan's assistant, he was there to make notes for his boss. He attentively listened as Samantha gave her terms.
Struggling to open her mouth, Samantha took a deep breath. She glanced at Ethan one last time and gripped firmly on the hand that held hers. Only then did she say, "I don't like a broken family." Her eyes widened, and she pursed her lips before she explained, "We are... never breaking up... ever."
She flushed outright after she admitted her first condition.
The lawyers looked at Ethan, expecting a counter, but the man only said to them, "Put that in."
"Okay, Mr. Wright," answered one attorney before typing it on the laptop.
Everyone turned to Samantha, waiting for more of her terms.
Puffing her cheeks, she sighed and said, "I want... to be the only woman. Under no circumstances will my husband cheat on me."
"That will never happen, Sam. I am never a ladies' man," Ethan pointed out before turning to the lawyers. He said to them, "Put that in."
For that condition, the lawyers had no apprehensions in including it in their contract. They know exactly how Ethan was with women. They acknowledged how Samantha Davis was an exception. Only after that did Samantha feel more comfortable with her conditions.
"I want Sunday to be... a family day. No work on Sundays," Samantha declared.
Yet again, the lawyers gawked at the great Ethan Wright. They all saw him pause at the request.
Ethan tilted his head from left to right before he cleared his throat. He agreed, "Put that in."
Beside the man, John delighted at finally having a full free day. He exclaimed, "Yes!"
Just when the assistant rejoiced with having no work on a Sunday, Ethan said, "I suppose, John can work for me on those days."
That made Samantha utterly feeling guilty, but then Ethan said, "He gets paid overtime."
"Don't worry, Miss Davis, I love overtime," John owned up to it, not wanting to get in trouble with the boss.
After that condition, Samantha proceeded to the next, "While I know Ethan is busy, but I want us - his family to be in his priority. Should we call him, I expect an answer or a call back." That was John's cue. He immediately said, "I'll make sure of that, Miss Davis."
"Put that in," Instructed Ethan. That was no issue for him. In fact, he was already doing that for Samantha and the kids.
"I want us to celebrate family events, like the children's upcoming birthday," Samantha added.
"Noted on my end," John was quick to pencil it in his own reminders.
"Put that in," Ethan ordered to the attorneys, and they indicated every celebration there is, including Samantha's birthday, and their anticipated anniversary.
When Samantha noticed how they did not write Ethan's birthday, she asked, "What about your birthday, Ethan?"
"Mine is on the 20th of February," said Ethan to Samantha. "A day... you should not miss."
It made her smile at him and she confirmed, "I'll remember that... and I would not miss it for the world."
While the lawyers typed it in, John Garcia acknowledged, "Everything is all noted in my end." He smiled at Samantha and added, "Don't worry, Miss Davis. Mr. Wright, won't forget a thing!" Samantha did not know why, but she felt like teasing Ethan that she said, "And I want Ethan to remember these events on his own accord."
Following Samantha's words, the room utterly turned silent.
The attorneys literally feared for their lives that they both paled at the suggestion.
John Garcia, on the other hand, practically gulped down his own spew, and his hands trembled while holding his tablet organizer.
To their shock, Ethan conceded, "A good husband and father will remember these special occasions." Turning to the lawyers, he said, "Put that in."
Samantha chuckled at the reactions of John and the lawyers. She said, "I was joking at that part."
"Hmmm," said Ethan while crossing his legs. He gazed at Samantha and questioned, "Are you challenging me, my wife? I will remember it, Sam... Mark my word." "Okay, I believe you," responded Samantha while flushing being called as his wife.
Samantha had a few more notable requests, but towards the last, was the most worrisome of all. She stated, "This marriage will... only be consummated when I am ready." While Samantha utterly turned tomato red at her proposal, yet again the room fell mute. The temperature seemed chiller than a second ago.
Everyone practically heard Ethan Wright take a deep breath. After nearly two three seconds of silence, Ethan said, "Never will I force you into anything, Sam."
He turned to the lawyers and said, "Put that in."
Both the attorneys sighed in relief at the same time, closing their eyes for a second before they resumed typing it all down.
After discussing the terms of the marriage, which happened to be all in favor of Samantha, both parties signed and made the deal.
"Now that our agreement is done, Sam... Let's go to the registry office and... make it official," Ethan said while standing up.
It was Samantha's turn to take a deep breath. Still, she had already decided.
She took Ethan's hand and said, "Okay. Let's go."
"No turning back now," Ethan said.
"Yeah." Samantha smiled and agreed. "I am... a woman of my word."
Ethan's attorneys were very efficient in working with their connections, making a schedule open for Ethan at the registry office at the very last minute.
At exactly three in the afternoon, Samantha and Ethan were legally married. Each one of them held a copy in their possession.
***
Taking Samantha to the condominium, Ethan gave her reminders, "Next week, we can discuss the date you want the actual ceremony to be. Right now, what matters the most is to give our children their appropriate last names... Getting their last name changed will still take time."
Samantha nodded while turning to Ethan. She responded, "I understand, Ethan... and I'm not worried. I'm sure you can make the process faster."
They had covered the part of a real wedding ceremony and Ethan meant to give Samantha one, but in his views, making them a legal family was the most important.
Since the wedding ceremony took time to prepare, they temporarily got married in paper.
"And Ethan, thank you for understanding about..." Samantha sneered, recalling her last request. "About my last condition in our marriage."
Ethan was suddenly reminded about the consummation part of their agreement. He found himself amused and leaned over to whisper in Samantha's ear, "Sam, when we live together... I doubt you'll be able to resist me, anyway."
Samantha gasped in shock. She never expected Ethan to be capable of saying such words! She muttered, "I did not think you had it in you to tease!"
Ethan turned back to his pose and gave a chuckle. He said, "I'm just stating a fact. Just wait and see."