5 Asher p.o.v

Bright and early the next morning, I get ready for work so I can drown myself in the company’s affairs and get away from what I had done.

The fact that I am now a married man kept me awake the entire night, which means the only way to survive this day is to chug two gallons of coffee and have the air conditioning on blast.

While still tying my tie, I walk past the room she is in and pause after hearing mumbles coming from inside.

I know no one else is in there with her because we are the only two living in this house now. She must be talking to herself.

Which is something I notice she does a lot. The only thing I’m curious about is why she is up so early because she doesn’t work.

I shake my head and walk away, because why do I even care that much?

When I get to work, it is five-thirty, which is much earlier than my normal time. No one else is here as yet except for the doorman who opens the door for me and a cleaning lady who has chunky headphones over her ears.

She dances as she cleans the floors and I wish I could have some of her energy because I know today will be the day that all the headlines in the town of Mandeville would have my name all over them.

They will have a field day with this.

I get up to my office and the first thing I do is listen to my messages. The first one that greets me is a question from someone working with the press.

‘Can you tell me more about the woman you are married to?’ The low seductive voice of journalist Dion comes.

Heaving a sigh, I lean on my desk because I am not ready to face those information-hungry sharks who love to twist words and create more drama than needed with this news.

I don’t know how they will react when they find out that I got itched with someone of no status or class.

I hear a loud laugh and just know that it is my father. He walks past my office with his new ‘fling’, who is dressed in a gray mini skirt and white tank top, which isn’t morally appropriate for the workplace.

I scoff. ‘And he talks about me.’

My father does a double take before saying something to her, then enters my office.

‘’Asher, what are you doing here and so early?’’ he asks.

‘’To take care of business and sort out matters with the press.’’

He lets out a booming laugh. ‘’My son, the company isn’t yours as yet and I told you to leave those gossip-seeking hogs to me.’’

‘’But-’’

My father holds up a hand to cut me off. ‘’The only thing you should be focused on is making love to your beautiful wife so I can get my grandchild.’’

I try to say something, but again my father cuts me off. ‘’You better get to it or the deal is off.’’ He winks at me before leaving my office.

‘’Go home Asher,’’ he calls over his shoulder.

I only do as he says because the old fuck shut my computer system down, which prevents me from doing any work, so I have no choice now but to just go home.

But what conversation will I even have with her? She seems so damn chatty, which is the last thing I want in a partner.

I like keeping my women at a certain distance, but now this one is in my house and will be in my personal space.

I dread the drive back home and even considered asking my driver to take me to the airport instead, but just for the sake of it all, I try to relax and make my way back to the woman whose name I can’t even remember.

As soon as I step through the door, there she is, sitting with her legs on my white sofa.

As if sensing my presence, she glances over at me and then jumps to her feet, only to fall over.

I hide my smile behind my finger, thinking that my father couldn’t have picked a better one.

Not only is she chatty, but clumsy too.

‘’You are home… early.’’ She forces out.

I raise a brow at her because I never discussed a time with her for her to try to track my schedule.

‘’When you basically own a company, you don’t need to be there often or too long,’’ I tell her.

‘’Right, well… I wouldn’t know that.’’

 I stand there staring at her as she leans her head to the side, checking me out.

I smirk because I know she is smitten by my handsome appearance.

It seems as if she wants to say something but is too nervous to voice what she has in mind, so instead, she wipes her hands in her gray sweatpants before sitting back down.

I nod to myself, thinking that she is going to be a bit of a challenge.

I turn to leave the living when her soft, bell-like voice reaches my ears.

‘’Would you like something to eat? You left pretty early this morning so I could make us something.’’

‘Us?’ I question myself at that word.

‘’No, the maids will do that when they come.’’

‘’Maids?’’ She gives me a look as if the word is foreign to her and I have to remember that this woman isn’t used to a life of luxury.

“Yes, they will be here at eight. So you can tell them what you would like to eat for the day and also if you need anything, you can ask them and they will run whatever errand it is.’’ I tell her.

She nods at me.

‘’Ok, I’m going to be in my study. I need to prepare a speech for the graduation I am invited to.’’

‘’Alright, I’ll just be out here then…’’ she trails off.

I walk away because there is nothing more to say between the two of us. I know we have nothing in common either, so there will be nothing to talk about.

‘’Asher?’’ she calls my name.

She stares at me for a long moment as I wait patiently for her to speak.

“I have been thinking about this contract.’’ She wrings her fingers.

‘’What is it?’’ I ask because if she is planning to back out, then it will go over well for either of us.

‘’I… I think that this is a waste of both our times because we have nothing in common.’’

She pauses.

“I also think that a year is too and I can see that you don’t want this as much as I do and overall I don’t think I’m the woman that should be standing by your side during this time. Or any time.’’ She rushes.

“I wasn’t planning to marry anyone at all or even have a baby.’’ She finishes.

‘’So you are planning to dishonor our contract? Even after I gave you a sum of money.’’

She shakes her head. ‘’I still have the money. It’s not like I can spend two million dollars in a week.’’

I let out a breath trying to control myself but the truth is that I’m already pissed off because if she backs out now, not only will I lose it all but the media will take me for mockery, thinking that I got married for attention.

I walk closer to her because I can see that she is scared and just need assurance, or just for me to explain things to her.

‘’I didn’t just pick you at random for this job.’’

‘’Really? Because if I can remember correctly, you basically lured me into your office, then ask me to marry you.’’

‘’But you accepted.’’

‘’Only after our date.’’

‘’But you still accepted.’’

She stares at me after I say those words.

‘’I was and still am desperate and you used that against me.’’

‘’Come on, you are only in debt and need your citizenship. You are making it seem as if I threatened to kill you.’’

‘’Might as well you did, but now I don’t think I want to do this. I’m afraid Vincent will find out and…’’ she trails off.