Chapter 3

• SHANE
• I closed my laptop in frustration and rotated my swivel so I could face my window blind behind me. Several hours had drifted by since I left the Tristan Mansion but I still couldn’t bring myself to concentrate on my work. I combed through my hair frantically, anger coursing through my body like a gentle river unable to forget the insults hurled at me.
• *******
• “None of my business, Shane! You have been useless to the family and the business for far too long. If you can’t prove yourself, then you don’t deserve to wear the Tristan name.”
• “Wedding? He’s a loner. All that handsome charm of his and he’s unable to get any lady.”
• *********
• My teeth gnashed and my palms clenched once again. I should have known better not to have gone to the mansion this morning. The problem now was finding a wife. Perhaps I should go to one of those dating sites. No, I don’t think that would work for me. I could simply meet Justin, he hangs out with a lot of ladies, and he was most definitely the perfect solution to my problem.
• The landline telephone rang causing me to turn to my executive desk.
• “Yes Chelsea,” I answered.
• “Your client has arrived.”
• “No problem.”
• I checked my wristwatch and it was just 3 PM. I exhaled deeply and relaxed on my swivel. Hopefully, whoever this client was, their case would be enough to distract me from my raging thoughts. The door a few meters before me opened for Chelsea to saunter in but the client that followed next was someone I would have never imagined walking through this door in my wildest dreams. Her long red hair was still as charming as I remembered, her green eyes reminded me of the feeling I had gotten seeing her for the first time back then, so alluring that I wished for nothing but to get lost in them. She was wearing a black body hug gown complemented by a cream trench coat and black knee-high boots. The famous Sierra Banks.
• My jaw dropped for a split moment. I mean I had always seen her on TV but seeing her before me after so long, gave me a bubbly feeling in my chest in ways I couldn’t understand. Was it the faint disappointment I felt that this lady had once rejected me back in high school or was it the fact that she became my rival throughout the rest of my high school years? Perhaps it was the feeling of astonishment. Back then, she was the only lady that I was genuinely interested in, and now, it felt like she had sparked that interest again.
• “Mr. Shin, please meet Miss Sierra Banks,” Chelsea said and only then did I get a hold of myself. I slightly nodded, acknowledging her presence and Sierra did the same too. “Please sit,” Chelsea escorted her to one of the black two-seater couches a few meters away from my desk.
• “Would you like to have any refreshments?” she asked Sierra.
• “Tea,” Sierra answered.
• “Alright,” she said and left my office. I cleared my throat and left my swivel to join her. I sat on the two-seater opposite her with a small rectangular glass center table being the only medium separating us. The awkward silence in the room was as loud as a club’s party and I couldn’t even look her in the eyes even though I felt her eyes bore holes in me. None of us said a word to each other until Chelsea had served her tea and left my office.
• “Shane Inglis,” a tiny smile graced her rosy red lips.
• “Sierra Banks,” I smiled back and she crossed her legs. “I prefer to be called Shin though.”
• Her smile deepened. “So I heard. It’s been a long while.”
• I nodded while she took a sip of her tea.
• Justin must have owed her a huge favor for him to have fixed an appointment for her despite my busy schedule.
• “I’m sure you’ve heard about the latest gist in town,” she said.
• “I’m terrible at keeping up with gist,” I replied and she frowned slightly.
• “My drug scandal.”
• My lips formed into an O.
• “I want you to be my attorney.”
• ‘Why me?’ That was the first question that came to my mind but I chose not to let them out.
• “Are you innocent or not?” I asked.
• She frowned.
• “Don’t get me wrong, I need you to be completely honest with me before I know the next course of action.”
• She exhaled deeply as pain briefly reflected in her eyes. “I didn’t do it.”
• I inhaled deeply, and for some reason hearing that relieved me. At the same time, it bothered me a bit, her tone carried so much pain and somehow I could resonate with it. The pain of losing everything. Even if she was guilty, I still wouldn’t hesitate to help her.
• “Tell me everything in detail,” I muttered and she nodded before explaining. “I can defend your case.” I asserted when she was done. She smiled but it didn’t last the next second.
• “That’s a relief, for a moment, I thought you would–” she paused as if she almost spilled something she wasn’t supposed to. “I hear your fee is quite exorbitant, I’m more than willing to pay more if you can help me win this case. My life…depends on it.”
• My gaze darted to the table and for some reason, I remembered my father’s words. He was going to kick me out if I failed to get married before the month ended. I might be against marriage but since I had no choice, I have to marry someone I can feel comfortable with at least. Being an introvert, there were not many people I was comfortable with besides, my friend, Justin, and my secretary, Chelsea. Sierra and I didn’t get along in the past but I’ve always felt at ease with her in a way.
• I inhaled deeply, knowing fully well this wasn’t going to sit well with her but I had no choice either.
• “About the fees, you won’t be paying,” I said and she sported a quizzical look. “How about I make you a proposal? I want you to sign a contract with me and in exchange, I will win your case, Miss Sierra.”
• “What type of contract?”
• I gulped down my saliva. “A marriage contract. We’ll be married for one year.”
• “Excuse me?” she bemused. “Is this a joke or something?”
• I shook my head.
• “Then it better be! I’m in a serious shit hole and you’re proposing we get married? Me? To you?!”
• “I–I–”
• “For fuck’s sake I know you and I haven’t had good history in the past but that doesn’t mean–”
• “Miss Sierra–”
• “I consider this an insult! It feels like you’re messing with me right now.”
• “Miss Sierra, I do not intend to insult you.”
• “Then what the hell is the meaning of this?” She stood up fiercely.
• “Miss Sierra, please listen to me,” I calmly stated as I stood up. She still had that dramatic attitude I knew way back. “I have no intentions of getting married but as it is now, I have no choice. It is the only way I can save myself from my family. I can’t go against them any longer.”
• Her brows frowned deeper.
• “Just take it as I’m employing your services just like you’re doing mine.”
• “Why me? I mean you’re quite the popular one and I’m pretty sure you have tons of ladies at your beck and call.”
• “I do not.”
• She scoffed. “I must be gullible if you think I’d believe that.”
• “Believe whatever you want, I just want you.”
• She scoffed, “You’re still as twisted as I remembered.”
• “It’s not what you think,” my lips twitched for a moment, hoping she wouldn’t misunderstand me as usual. “I feel like you’re the perfect person for the job. If you sign this contract with me, I assure you that you will win this case. Besides, getting married to me would help save your dwindling reputation for the time being so consider it as good PR.”
• She peered at me deeply for a while and then heaved a sigh. “Just for one year?”
• “Just for one year,” I assured her, and she returned to her seat.