The Contract Marriage (Completed)

“You’re going somewhere?” I ask my dad as I see him packing his bags.

“Yeah, I have to go out of the city for few days.” He sighs.

“O!” I mouth. “You’re leaving today?” I ask him with a sad face.

“Yes, I know, even I don’t want to leave you alone so don’t worry, Rina is coming tomorrow.” He pats my head lovingly.

“Oh Dad, I’m a big girl now.” I smile. “but it’s great Rina is coming. Hehe.” I grin.

“And don’t forget your dinner with Mr. Drew tonight. Drive safely.” He plants a kiss on my forehead.

“Yeah, dad.” I nod. “have a safe trip.” I hug him.

After dad leaves for the airport, I have whole house to myself, it’s a bit lonely. I used to live alone before too but after marriage, mom spoiled me a lot so I’m feeling very lonely right now. Thank god, Rina is coming! Oh and yeah I’ve also got to on a dinner with Mr. Rival but I’ve still got some time before that. I lie on the bed, suddenly my phone makes a ‘ping’ noise and I’m startled. “It’s just a phone.” I mutter and lie back. “Am I scared?” I gulp. “No! I’m not. Come on Teresa when did you become such a sacredly cat?” I shake my head. My phone rings. I look at the phone and smile, “Great timing!” I answer the call, “Yes!”

“I missed you too.” My ex-husband replies sulkily.

“But I didn’t miss you at all.” I reply trying to suppress my laugh.

“You know you’re bad at lying, stop trying.” He retorts.

“Whatever, why did you call?”

“Just to hear your voice.” I hear his smile.

“Nice, now done? I’m hanging up.” I roll my eyes.

“Wait, also to remind you of our date tomorrow, don’t stand me up. I want to show you something you’ll really love.” He adds.

“Okay, anything else?”

“You really want me to hang up? Do you really hate me that much?”

“Umm, I just need to sleep, that’s all...” I can’t actually tell him I’m going for a dinner with Mr. Rival, he’ll freak out especially when he warned me to stay away from Mr. Drew.

“You could’ve come with a better excuse. Sleeping this early?” He asks suspiciously.

“I’m very sleepy...” I fake a yawn.

“Fine then, see you tomorrow.” He clicks his tongue. “Hmm.” I cut the call.

“So, what do I wear?” I don’t have to dress up when I’m just going there to tell him off do I? So I pull out a simple dress from my closet.

I drive out to the restaurant we planned to meet. Hardee’s, a five star restaurant at the outskirt of the town, I walk up to the reception, “Reservation under Mr. Marcus Drew.” I smile at the receptionist. “You must be Miss Scarlet.” She smiles back. She signs to the waiter who guides me to my table. “Mr. Drew will be here shortly.” He helps me seat and walks away. After few minutes, Mr. Drew finally shows up. “Sorry for the late, Miss Scarlet, my meeting got extended.” He takes a seat opposite mine. “It’s me who planned this dinner despite of your meeting today.” I smiled at him. The sooner I talk to him, the better. Plus I didn’t want dad to keep nagging me about this.

“You look beautiful, miss Scarlet.” He smiles at me as the waiter pours the water on our glasses.

“Thank you, you look quite good yourself, Mr. Drew.” I smile back at him.

After we place our order, I look at him and begin to talk, “I don’t really know how to beat around the bush, I’m quite frank so I just want you to know that I don’t really like people who don’t talk to you directly and the way that you used my dad to have a dinner with me was quite annoying.”

He almost spills the water out of his mouth. “Quite frank you are.” He mutters.

I pass the tissue to him and smile showing my teeth. “I mean do I look scary that you had to ask my dad for this? I hate men without guts the most. You should have talked to me directly or do I seem to have fangs and horns that are only visible to your eyes.”

“I’m sorry if I offended you in any way, that wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to take your dad’s permission before anything.” He smiles.

“Oh I see, quite a gentle man you are.” I nod.

The waiter brings the wine and our dinner and places on the table. “Wine?” Mr. Drew asks.

“Sure.” I nod and continue, “I heard from my dad that you were interested in me? But I have a question ticking in my mind, we haven’t met enough for you to get interested in me, so are you interested in me just because you could use me to get back on Ryouma? I mean you did see us together at the party.”

“Not at all, Miss Scarlet. The first time I say you, you were still Miss Scarlet then, and yes you did pick my interest as his wife because it was quite fascinating that there was someone who had to tolerate him for lifetime. Kind of a pity.” He winked at me.

Oh I know what you mean, I thought to myself.

“And the time I saw you at the meeting, I admired you for that brilliant presentation and the way you managed to snatch the contract from my hands and coincidentally I was to invest in your dad’s company leading us to meet face to face.” We clink our glasses.

“Cheers!” He smiled.

“That’s good then, because I have enough problems on my own before you decide to come up with another.” I take a sip.

“Since we’re getting everything clear here, I need to tell you this frankly so that there won’t be a misunderstanding in future, while all this now I told you is true, there is another truth that I am fascinated by you, and with today I’ve come to like you more.” He says looking serious.

“Oops looks like I’ve created a problem for myself then?” I smile nervously.

“Haha, you’re funny, Miss Scarlet. But I assure you my feeling are mine alone, I won’t force it on you.” He winks at me and I blush for some reason.

I guess this is the first time someone confessed to me except of course my ex-husband. I gulp the wine in a go.

Third Person’s P.O.V

“And you know the funny thing, it wasn’t a lion but a cat. Hehehe...” Teresa laughs. “More wine, please.” She holds out her empty glass in front of him.

“I think we’ve had enough for today.” Marcus smiles nervously.

“Why? You think I’m dr-u-nk? Tsk, tsk.” She shakes her head. “I’m not. So, more please. It’s yuuuummmmmy!” She shouts. “Oops! Shh!” She hushes pressing her lips with her index finger.

“I think, Miss Scarlet, we should get you home now.” He frowns, she only had one and a half glass of the wine. How can someone be drunk with that? He tilts his head to the side in confusion.

“Is this your first time? Drinking wine?” He enquires.

“Noooppee.” She denies shaking her head.

“It’s my...” She starts to count on her fingers, then shakes her head and starts to count again. She then suddenly holds her both hands in front of his eyes, causing him to throw his head back in reflex. “More than 100 times.” She nods. “Now give me more.” She glares at him.

Marcus laughs with amusement; He surely didn’t meet anyone like her. He smiles at her behavior, surely finding her cute. Now she has picked a lot more of his interest.

“You!” She points her index finger at him. “You daer to lauge at mee? How daer youe?” (You dare to laugh t me? How dare you?) She narrows her eyes at him.

“Of course not!” He raises his hands in surrender.

“Now I’me havinge this whoel bottlee toe myself. You’z note getting anye.” (I’m having this whole bottle to myself. You’re not getting any).”

She takes the bottle of wine from the table and hides it under her arms protectively and sticks her tongue out. She pours herself another glass.

“Teresa, I think you’ve had enough for today.” He tries to take the bottle back from her,

“Itz Miss Scarlett fo youe.” She hisses.

“Okay, Miss Scarlet please I think we should get you home.” He stands up from his chair but she glares at him, “Youe cane goo wherevere youe wanet, but I ain’t gonig anywere, and whye shoudle I go anywere with youe, I hattee youre solee exiss-tence.” (You can go wherever you want, but I ain’t going anywhere, and why should I go anywhere with you, I hate your sole existence.) " She cringes her nose with disgust.

“May I know why?” He raises his brows. “Youz the veyy reasone fo destroyign mye happie lifu. If youe weren’t theze, I woudl haf been homie with mome, she woulde pampr mee, I wouldn’t haf to feel loney at all. Andz you even daredd to bad mouthe my husssbannd right in front of me? Who saiz you could insulttt him? Only I haf that rite! But waittt he's ex hussbnd nowe!” (You’re the very reason for destroying my happy life. If you weren’t there, I would have been home with mom, she would have pampered me, I wouldn’t have to feel lonely at all. And you even dared to badmouth my husband right in front of me? Who said you could insult him? Only I have that right! But wait he's ex husband now!) She cries hugging the wine bottle and starts to drink from the bottle.

“Miss Scarlet, it’s enough.” He pulls the bottle from her hands which spills onto her dress, her white dress now tinted Red.

She glares at him, “YOU!” She shouts.

He flinches and sits back on his seat and blinks at her.

“You evn destroyde my pr-e-tt-y drez!“(You even destroyed my pretty dress!) She glares at him.

“You wante thiz, now I won’t gif it to youe, not efen if I die.” (You want this, now I won’t give it to you, not even if I die.)

She clutches the bottles, hugging it tightly, glaring at him. “It’s just youe and mez.” She smiles at the bottle and drinks again.

He rubs his forehead, not knowing what to do with this drunk woman in front of him.

Teresa’s P.O.V

“Mm...” I stir up from my sleep as I feel bright light on my face. I turn to the other side and hug my blanket. Absentmindedly opening my eyes to see a room I don’t recognize, I immediately wake up, In a panic, I sit up in bed and look around to see an unfamiliar, opulent room. I blink thrice and try to process my mind but I’m all blank. I slowly stand up only to find myself in a shirt, what the hell!! I immediately jump back into the bed, covering myself with the blanket.

Panic seizes me and I freeze on the spot. What the hell happened?!!