Chapter 4

• George
• "I just want to know where you got that idea from," Aiden scolded with a neutral tone. "Do you realize how complex the situation is? I understand that you're angry about Marlene, but there's a big difference between that and seeking a marriage of convenience."
• "You got married for a similar reason," I reminded him. "You have no right to reproach me for anything."
• "I'm not reproaching you for anything. I just want you to see how that decision can lead to problems later on," he leaned back in his chair. "Do you think I didn't think about every possible scenario before getting married? I did, and I hated the outcome in all of them. Thankfully, none of what I thought happened, but it doesn't always turn out the same way."
• "I think it's a good option," Tej chimed in. "A prenuptial contract specifying what the girl is entitled to. Her benefits, yours as well, and some clauses to avoid future disputes," he commented.
• "At least someone supports me," I muttered. Aiden shot him a glare.
• "Stop saying so many foolish things, Tej. We're talking about the legal aspect, which already has major inconsistencies," he stated. "With this fallacy, all you're going to achieve is having a stranger in your house. You don't even know her name. Before you know it, she'll leak this to the media or blackmail you with..."
• "The decision has already been made. I'm not going back on it," I stood up just as my phone rang. It was Marlene, so I declined the call in one go. "If you want to accompany me on that day, you know the date and time. I don't want any more complaints or reproaches because I'm not giving up on this."
• They were good friends. We had been there for each other for years, and I knew they would be there this time too. Whether they agreed with my decision or not, they wouldn't leave me alone.
• I arrived home and prepared the document with Tej's advice, who finished making the adjustments he sent me minutes later with corrections and the clauses that would be included.
• I couldn't sleep. With only one day until the hour arrived, I decided that my breakfast would be accompanied by Marina. That way, the contract would be signed once and for all, and I could spend the next few hours doing whatever I wanted for the wedding. I wasn't interested in knowing the details.
• I didn't take long to arrive at the place, it was the cafe where she worked in the mornings, so she was already at a table, with a slight tremor in her legs and her gaze lost in the fold of the paper, which she ran her nail over again and again, almost cutting it.
• I greeted her and sat across from her. She straightened her back and cleared her throat.
• "Before you make me listen to what's in that contract, you're going to hear my conditions and requests. Can they be negotiated? Yes, but not completely rejected," she said, and I said nothing, just set the folder aside, waiting for her to continue. "There are five."
• "Tell me," I rested my chin on my hand. She was truly controlled by nerves, it was evident since I arrived.
• She calmed her breathing and looked at me with flushed cheeks. I didn't think her conditions would be that bad, but her gestures said otherwise.
• "Let it be twenty-five million in total when the stipulated time and the contract end," she raised both eyebrows in a sign of the unexpectedness of that high number.
• Although it wasn't a problem, as it was only two percent of what she would receive after two months of the wedding. It just made me curious to know what led her to that conclusion.
• "I want to pay off my father's debt, help my friend, and start my own business so that I won't be left adrift after the divorce," she mentioned.
• "Alright," I accepted without hesitation. Her eyes widened in disbelief, then she composed herself.
• "You're not going to touch me. Don't get close unless I authorize it first or it's really necessary," she stated.
• "Like at the wedding and events," I clarified, and she nodded.
• "Exactly. Only in those cases do you have permission to do so. If my zipper gets stuck or there's a situation that requires contact, I have to agree for you to approach me, but after that, no," she declared.
• “No problem. - even better for me, I said to myself.
• “I will have absolute freedom with my life. You won't interfere with what I do, say, or my usual way of living. Absolute freedom, do you understand?” I nodded.
• “I don't care what you do outside of the contract, as long as it doesn't risk exposing or revealing the contract.”
• “I take my obligations very seriously. ”she looked up.
• “I hope all of them.” I replied, returning her seriousness. She suspected what I meant, but chose to pretend she didn't.
• “You will give me the money I earn to pay for my studies. I have two semesters left and I want to finish my medical career.” she requested in a sigh. “And the last one, my wedding dress. If I'm going to get married, I want it to be exactly how I want it.”
• “Ostentatious and with finishes made by top designers.” I murmured, recalling Marlene's extreme requests months ago, ordering every trendy and expensive thing she saw.
• She frowned and seemed annoyed.
• “Just say what you want and I'll see if it's possible or not.” I made a great effort not to say anything about it.
• “It doesn't matter if it's the best designer or the seamstress on the corner, I just want my bridal veil to have blue butterflies.” she added, folding the paper again. My brow furrowed and she smiled. “Don't ask why, if you didn't object to the money, this will be nothing compared to that.”
• She was right about that, so I agreed to send someone to find that detail. My secretary said she knew where to find them, so I asked for the address, which I received seconds later. It wasn't far away. We went to that place and just seeing the dresses reminded me of the stupidity I was accepting. Although my anger led me to make the decision to do it, the main reason was that enough time had passed for me to receive the inheritance that was due to me. With a marriage, I had enough for the problems to diminish during that time.
• I watched her search through the racks, lost among the same fabrics I had met her with. She went into a fitting room and tried on several dresses without showing me anything, which wasn't important anyway. Until almost two hours later, I heard her say she wanted the one she was wearing. At least she was clear about her ideas and tastes.
• “I've heard your conditions and just fulfilled one of them. ” I spoke to her in front of the dressing room mirror as she fixed her hair with her own clothes on. “There are three. ” I raised the number of fingers “We will sleep in the same house, as a couple does. So you can take one of the available bedrooms, except when there are visitors. And there will be visitors.”
• “I had already planned for that.”
• “This contract should only be known by us and two others who won't say anything, but no one else. No exceptions.” I clarified.
• “Not even Juliana?”
• “Who is Juliana?” I found myself ignoring that name.
• “My friend.” she reminded me.
• “Not her either.” she frowned “If it leaks out, I could lose the inheritance. Which would also mean losing your money and all of this would be in vain.”
• “Fine. I won't tell her anything.” she reluctantly accepted. She urged me to say the last condition when she saw my finger still raised.
• “And the third condition is that you will act as the wife of a magnate from now on. One that you have been completely in love with for a long time.” I approached her too closely, her breathing almost stopped as I lowered my hand to place it on the dresser behind her, enclosing her body between my arms. “The wife who will say we met at your university, taking advantage of your request, darling.” I whispered in her ear and she shivered.
• I quickly moved away when we realized we were too close for no reason.
• “I take my role very seriously.” she smiled slightly. “But I need to know a lot about you. So tell me, George, who are you and what do you like?”
• “That's what I like to hear.” I touched the paper on the dresser table with the pen, while giving her my basic information, so she would know how to respond to curious people. Even giving the reasons why I was doing all of this. Love would be the reason everyone would know. Revenge and convenience were ours.
• I thought she would back out, but she signed. I did the same and the agreement was sealed as we said goodbye upon leaving the store when she got into a taxi. Only a few hours remained and I had to prepare myself.