Chapter 5 Fake It

• Viana
• I stepped inside the familiar beige-colored mansion. Even though I basically grew up in the Bevine mansion, it still felt strange to be under its roof. But one thing was for sure and it was fixed in my mind: whenever I put my foot inside this mansion, I had only one intention, and that was to annoy the heck out of Vayden Bevine. However, the tables always turned. He was always a step ahead of me, and it made me furious.
• "There comes my daughter-in-law," Ruby chirped and hugged me.
• I smiled.
• "I can't thank God enough for this. You really are precious. I have wanted you for Vayden even before you were born. When I met your mother, she—"
• "Okay, Gem. Give her some time to adjust. Even though this place is not new for her, she's here for a new reason now," said Vexon, pulling his wife away.
• "But she knows us, so why would she be uncomfortable?" she inquired.
• Vexon chuckled. "You knew us too when you first moved here, yet you took a lot of time to adjust, remember?"
• Ruby rolled her eyes at his comment.
• I raised my eyebrows in amusement. Ruby has been my idol ever since I met her. The way she adjusted to this world was really admirable. She was known as Boss Lady in the underworld, and that was what I called her too.
• "I don't care. Just—oh, hello, Viana," Everley greeted, smiling at me. "I am sorry I couldn't be at the party. We had a problem with the Gladiolus. It still isn't solved. I am going to the base now."
• "No problem," I replied.
• "Vayden is at the base too. I will try to send him back early," she responded.
• I walked towards her and whispered, "Try not to."
• Chortling, she mumbled back, "If I say that, he will come running here."
• I huffed at her comment. Then I watched Everley leave the mansion, making me stay with Vexon and Ruby.
• "Revina was tired so she went to bed early. And Allison is on a business trip; she left in the morning," Ruby explained. "Vexon and I will be leaving early in the morning. We have already informed Vayden. I am so glad that everything has been arranged."
• I smiled at her warmly. She was very much excited.
• "Your stuff is in Vayden's room. Why don't you unpack while you wait for him to arrive?" Vexon asked.
• "Sounds good. I'll be in his room then." And with that, I walked towards the stairs. I didn't need anyone to show me the way, since I very well knew where his room was. Climbing the stairs to the first floor and walking past the first door which was Rio's room, I opened the second door.
• I was welcomed with the red, black, and white bedroom. As soon as I entered, I saw that on my left was a huge closet, almost covering the entire side. But the balcony prevented the closet from taking up the whole wall.
• On my right side, there was a shelf and a dressing table. The bed was in the middle with a white carpet beneath. Beside the bed was a door that led into the washroom. There stood a mini living room between the balcony doors and the bed, along with the couches and a television.
• My luggage had been put in front of the closet. I bent down and started unpacking.
• As I preferred to sleep on the left side, I claimed it by placing Bloom there. Besides, if I wanted to watch TV, it would be easier for me.
• I placed my star master lamp on the nightstand. There was already a lamp there, which I planned to remove. The only lamp needed to illuminate the room was my lamp. After all, I only wanted to sleep beneath the stars.
• Besides, this was where I would be staying for the next six months, so I needed to make sure that I would be comfortable.
• I opened the closet and saw a half of the portion empty. I arched an eyebrow.
• "He already made space for me? This is weirdly weird," I mused as I began arranging my clothes.
• Vayden was a fan of antiques, and they all sat neatly on the shelf. This room was equally both of ours; I should get half of the shelf too. He didn't make space for me there, so I had to make it myself. Since I loved reading books in my leisure time, I emptied half of the shelf and arranged my books there.
• When I was done, I went to the washroom. It felt very strange. I opened the blurry glass door inside the washroom and found myself entering the jacuzzi. I arranged my body products in the vanity.
• I could take a nice hot bath and think calmly about the drastic change in my life, I thought, which I did. I took a long bath and put on a green tank top with white sweatpants after. drying my hair, I braided it into a fishtail ponytail.
• "L.L, Boss and Boss Lady are waiting for you downstairs," a maid informed me as she knocked on the door.
• I smiled. "I am coming. Wait a sec."
• I followed her downstairs. Vexon and Ruby were sitting in the living room. My breath hitched when I saw Vayden as well.
• He glanced at me from head to toe and smirked. "Sit with me, wife."
• I rolled my eyes and sat beside him.
• Vexon cleared his throat, "I know both of you have your issues with each other, but you know the reason. As Ruby said, we are going for a world tour tomorrow. Before we go, I want to be assured of one thing. You have to be 'lovey-dovey'—as people call it—with each other in front of the Mafia. The Gladiolus and the Blemish men cannot know that it's just a pretense."
• "But Vexo—" he cuts me off.
• "Call me 'Dad'."
• Ruby chirped, "And call me 'Mom'."
• I took a deep breath. "But, Dad, they already know it's a contract marriage and it was announced in front of them."
• It was weird, calling them Dad and Mom. But this was my life now. At least for the next six months.
• Fake it till you make it, Viana.
• Vayden looked at me, "But we have to prove them wrong. If we don't, they won't work together and the whole gang will collapse."
• "Exactly," Ruby nodded and said, "We have to keep the gangs united, in order to rule the underworld."
• "So, the point of the conversation is that Vayden and I have to pretend that we loved each other in front of the gangs, right?" I asked, fiddling with my fingers.
• Vexon said, "Indeed."
• "Tomorrow we have to get up early in the morning. Let's go and sleep." Ruby got up along with Vexon. "Both of you should go to sleep as well. It's been a tiring day," she said before sauntering away.
• I sighed and started heading upstairs, trying to avoid Vayden's presence.
• "Avoiding me won't make you more beautiful," Vayden let out.
• "Well, I am happy with the way I look."
• "But you shouldn't be. You are a newly wedded bride now. You need to show your glowing face to the people." Instantly, I glared at him. He feigned innocence and continued, "You know, show your glowing face to the Mafia and—"
• "I have a highlighter, which I know how to use perfectly. I don't need any type of glow like that."
• I stepped inside the bedroom, him still talking behind me.
• "But—holy! Where are my antiques, Viana?"
• I turned to face him and gave a big toothy grin. "Your stuff is on your half of the shelf. The other half is my stuff."
• Vayden looked at me in disbelief. "Are you crazy? Why would you displace my stuff for your stupid books?"
• I placed my hands on my hips and pointed a finger in his direction, saying, "Number one, don't call my books stupid. Number two, half of this room is mine. Number three, I just said it because I wanted to make three points."
• Vayden ran a hand through his hair and bit his lip to control himself. Fuck! He looks hot.
• No, Viana. Stop!
• "The damage is done. I better go freshen up and get to sleep," he muttered and walked towards the closet. However, he turned back before opening it. "You were fine with the space I kept for you in the closet, right? Or did you burn my clothes in order to fit yours?"
• "I am not that bad."
• Vayden rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we both know that."
• He took out some clothes and went to freshen up. I laid on the bed and took out a chocolate bar from the nightstand.
• If I have to stay here, I have to make sure Vayden doesn't affect me. I have to stay strong. That was the only way our contract marriage would work.
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