CHAPTER 5

Isabella's POV

A lump of dread gets stuck in my throat when our eyes interlock and I look away quickly as guilt and embarrassment sip through me.

I can't believe my boss and I are meeting in a club and I don't know why he is this pissed at me for being in a club.

Eventually, I swallow the lump, gulping loudly and nodding my head at him.

The music has started already and I scan my eyes to look for Juliet where I left her. She isn't there. 

I left her there because I wanted to use the restroom. We haven't talked about the reason why I am here because she is ranting about some stuff that I haven't been paying attention to.

My mind was miles away. 

Thinking. Debating. Wondering. And wishing.

"Isabella, I said what are you doing here?" He grabs me again, speaking in a low tone but with gritted teeth.

I want to talk but I can't find my voice. How can I tell him I am here to talk to my friend about his offer? Or I am here to take away my sorrows by having a good dance and drinking all night long?

"I…I..am..here with my friend", I stammer, avoiding his icy glare as my heart begins to race again.

"A friend?" He demands with disbelief. "A guy?"

I raise a brow and look up at him because of the tone he is using to ask me if the friend I am here with is a guy.

Why does he sound possessive? 

"No", I shake my head vigorously. "My friend, Juliet'', I point towards where Juliet and I were sitting earlier. Fortunately, she is back on the seat. 

He turns slowly and watches Juliet who is shaking her body to the music slowly and drinking while waiting for me to show up so we can dance together.

I see a flash of relief washing through his expression as he heaves a deep sigh before turning back to me.

"Good night", he mutters, like someone tired of seeing my face or probably tired of being here.

What is he doing here too? Jayden is not one to go to clubs and parties. Is he here for a business meeting?

Before I can realize what he means by good night, he walks past me.

"Wait", I say before I can stop myself from blurting out. "Wait, sir", I rephrase.

He halts in his tracks without turning back. When he finally turns to face me squarely, I lean my head down again. "I'm sorry for what I did earlier. I didn't…"

"Isabella", he cuts me short. I raise my head and see him glancing around, making it obvious to me that we are in a club, somewhere not convenient for this type of conversation. "See you tomorrow."

With that, he twirls back and within minutes, he is gone.

Did he just say see you tomorrow? Does that mean I still have my job? Why is he this calm and soft on me? Has he forgiven me?

Unconsciously, a smile teases my lips and I jog over to where Juliet is sitting. 

Suddenly, I remember I haven't gotten a solution to my problem yet. 

My grandmother is still at home, bedridden. I still need to look for a way to get the money required for her surgery. 

Not getting fired from my job isn't the only problem I have. I have others of which my grandmother's surgery is the most important. Others can follow afterward.

"Hey", she looks up when I get close. "What took you so long?"

"Nothing", I plop onto the sofa beside her. She picks up a glass cup of wine and stretches it to me. I take it and gulp everything down.

I blow out a sigh.

"Juliet", I call before she can continue with her rantings. She stares at me, wriggling her body in a slow-motion dance. "There is something I need to tell you."

I lean forward to drop the cup and she refills but I am not picking it up or drinking it. I only lean backward and wait for her to ask me what it is.

She isn't saying anything.

"Juliet", I shout above the music, wondering if she didn't hear me. She gazes at me again. "I have something to tell you."

She nods. "What is it?"

I puff out air and look away, raking my fingers into my hair and biting my lower lip, thinking about how to begin.

Her touch jerks me out of my reverie. "What happened?"

"I asked my boss to help me with the money for grandmother's surgery just like you suggested", I begin, demonstrating with my hands to hide my nervousness.

"Really?" Her face lit up in excitement. "Did he agree?"

"Yes, he did", I say firmly, sticking my teeth together and adding. "But with a condition."

Confusion spreads across her face and she tilts her head towards me. "What's the catch?"

I roll my eyes and answer. "He wants me to marry him."

Silence falls as her eyes grew wide in shock.

This was how shocked I was too when he told me but the shock multiplied when he told me it was just for a year.

A year?

"Marry him?" She ask again as if to be sure I am not lying against my billionaire boss whom she hadn't seen physically but always on TVs. Juliet has a huge crush on my boss but I never told her that I once had a crush on him too.

She wouldn't even believe me if I told her. She always teases me about men, she calls me too serious and even mocks me sometimes that I might end up dying a virgin.

"Yes. He said he wants me to marry him for just a year and the idea sounds ridiculous", I frown, expressing my thoughts about the whole thing.

She looks thoughtful for a short while before asking. "What do you gain from this marriage?"

I shrug nonchalantly. "He promised to pay me $50000 aside from the other expenses like shopping, allowances, and the rest…"

"Did he tell you why he wants to be married for just a year?" She cuts me short with a serious look on her face.

I shrug again. "No. Probably business."

"Really?" I nod.

"Are you in?" She questions with a sly smile.

My frown deepens. "Are you stupid? The idea is ridiculous. I can't marry him for just a year…"

"You can't marry him for just a year or you can't marry him?" She interrupts me, making me realize what I just said. This was the same thing I said to my boss when he asked me to marry him in his office. 

"Wait", she adjusts, thereby facing me squarely. "You can't marry or you don't want to marry him or you won't marry him?"

I don't even understand the point she is driving at. I wave my hands in the air. "All of the above."

She burst into laughter, making me arch a brow in confusion. 

Is this funny?

When she sobered up, she brings out her mobile phone and hold it out for me to take.

"Give me his number. I am interested in getting married to him for a year or two years or even one day."

"You are not serious, are you?" I peer down at her in disbelief and doubt. Juliet can be playful and sometimes I don't even know when she is serious and when she is unserious.

"I am serious", stress the 'serious'. "I am dead serious. I am fucking serious. What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you know that this is a lifetime opportunity? It is coming from a man you know so well. He is your boss and you have known him for over a year, tell me what exactly stops you from jumping at the offer like a frog, then?"

I can't believe she is asking me to take the offer.

What was I expecting?

"Don't be a fool, Bella. You are not doing this for yourself. I have always known you to be a selfless human. You are doing this for your grandmother's survival. Isn't this better than becoming that pig's slut? Don't be daft", she glares at me angrily before turning to grab her refilled glass cup.

I blink. 

I blink again, trying to absorb it all.

Should I give in?

"I am not going to say anything about this anymore. I won't even advise you to take the offer. The least I can do to help you both is to steal his number from your phone, call him and tell him I am interested in becoming his wife. I don't even care if I will have to have sex with him every night…."

"He mentioned that there will be no strings attached", I inform her and she gasps softly.

"No sex for a year?" Her mouth drops open in surprise and I nod.

"What a waste! How can I possibly be under his roof without fantasizing about having him take me, make love to me, kiss me…." She trails off with a dreamy look on her face.

Juliet had always wanted to meet with my boss but she hadn't had an opportunity and I guess the crush is beginning to fade away. She doesn't visit me at the office because it isn't allowed. No one can come into the office without proper identification, except for my boss's business partners from overseas.

"Take it", she comes out of her daydream and hits my legs, making me wince in pain.

"What the hell was that for?" I move away thinking she will hit me again. She looks drunk already.

She chuckles and flashes me her white teeth. "Take the offer. You are a virgin anyway."

I roll my eyes again.

"But this is such a missed opportunity you know? I would have been the best person for the job if only he was going to want us to have sex and do sort of bad things to each other. I can't imagine what it will feel like for him to eat…"

"Juliet", I call out for her to stop with her raw words and she laughs then stands up, dragging her hair backward.

"Let's dance. Let's dance it out. Let's dance for the offer and the hope of a better future", she hauls me up forcefully.

I stand upright, careful not to let her make me fall and she drags me to the dance floor.

As she rocks her body on me, she yelps in excitement. "Bella is going to be a billionaire's wife. Yayyyyy!!!"