5 Mr Nathan

ASHLEY

The kind of temporary relief that swept through me when Mr. kriss told me that wasn't his wife was just so much that it radiated on my face.

So here am I standing with my supposed husband on Mr. kriss' driveway.

He crosses his legs and leans back on his car. He looks amused and I feel like digging my nails into something just to keep my sanity intact.

"And who told you I want to save my family" I snap.

He takes a bold step towards me, towering over my slender form and I step back. He holds a similar energy just like his father's but I refuse to be intimidated by him.

"I don't want to have anything to do with you, clearly you're nothing like the girls I like. You're simply not my type". he smirks as his grey eyes scan me, more like checking me out.

Oh I definitely know how to deal with cocky jerks like you!

"The feeling is mutual Mr..." I try to remember his name

"Nathan" he completes

"Nathan" I repeat. You can't be my type, you're too old for me, what are you like, 30?"

He widens his eyes in shock and this time it's my turn to smirk. He doesn't look 30 but I just enjoy the expression that I read from his handsome face.

"Let's go home" he opens the driver's seat and gets in and I sit at the back.

The drive to Nathan's house is quiet and I look out of the window the entire time, basking in pride of what just happened. After a while, he pulls up at a lush apartment complex. The exterior of the building gives a warm beautiful vibe with trees lined at the sides leading to a small river. Nathan leaves the car and I follow him. He hasn't said anything since and as much as this thrills me, it also bothers me.

We enter the elevator and I steal glances at him through the mirror, he keeps a straight face, I can't deny how hot and handsome he is, with his sharp jawline, his perfectly styled blonde hair and his alluring grey eyes. He catches me staring at him as our eyes meet in the mirror but I don't look away, instead stare right back at him and a smirk forms on my face.

Guess who's bold baby!

The elevator clicks and opens and he walks to an apartment and punches a code into the security system and the door opens.

My heart practically melts at the beige themed interior of his house. He doesn't do so much with the design but I like how mature the room looks.

There's a painting of a single flower surrounded by chaos and I smile as I try to guess whose work it looks like.

"You'll staying here with me , do not try to run" he warns, apparently his dad told him about my pathetic attempt to get away. "My uncle will find you" he adds as a threat

"Uncle?"

"He's my uncle but to every other person he's my father" he sighs and rubs his temples. "This way to your room" he shows me my room, just opposite a room that looks like the master bedroom, his room apparently.

"Thanks" I don't why I say that but I do.

"After you set things up, you come down for lunch"

"I'm fine, thanks" I attempt to close the door of the room but he places his hand on the door stopping me.

"If you're trying to get yourself killed as an escape plan, it's not gonna work"

"Oh believe me I won't give you the opportunity to do the last honor of burying me Mr. Nathan"

He chuckles making me smile. "As much as that is tempting Ashley" this is the first time he says my name and I like the way he says it, softly, just like every other name is meant to be pronounced.

"At least we both know now that you hold such thoughts against me"

"I hold worse" he smiles revealing his dimples.

Yen yen yen!

I'm always oppressed whenever I see people with cute dimples. I mean how do they get it easily and why don't I have it even though I literally make holes in my cheek almost every morning.

"Come down for lunch" this time his tone is commanding, more like an order.

I nod and close the door.

This room doesn't have much design probably because he wasn't using it. The curtains are beige just like the living room and there's a tan mat in the centre of the room. The room looks neat and clean even when it was unused. I throw my bag into the closet and I change into a baggy tee.

I groan as my belly rumbles for the umpteenth time today and after a while of doing nothing in my room, I go to the living room.

Nathan is sitting on a chair in the kitchen and there's a lady in the kitchen too. She looks kind of in her early thirties. Can that be his mom?

Obviously it can't be. Nathan notices my presence and he looks in my direction. He gestures with his eyes that I sit in front of him and I oblige.

The woman serves us lasagna

"Uhm.. Mae this is Ashley, my fiance"

"Hey" I smile at Mae who is smiling so widely at me.

"Ashley this is Mae, my cook, she also helps out with most of the cleaning"

"Nice to meet you" Mae says still smiling at me. If only she knows the circumstances surrounding this marriage she wouldn't be smiling but I don't want to be rude so I smile sweetly at her.

"Nice to meet you too" I reply

After Mae serves the food, she leaves the kitchen and I face Nathan who is already into his food. I lick my lips at the plate of lasagna in front me and I close my eyes as I inhale the delicious smell of the food.

"Eat" he orders and I roll my eyes. Can he not make one sentence without being bossy?

I twirl play with my fork for a while before taking some to my mouth.

I resist the urge to groan at how delicious the food is. I haven't had something as delicious as this in a while, Aunt Stacey has always been busy with work to cook and Kelly can kill with her food so I mostly do the cookings which always taste bland to me even though my Aunt and Kelly hype my food.

We eat in silence and I feel his eyes on me the entire time.

I clear my plate after eating but he just sits there, waiting for Mae to do it I'm sure. I roll my eyes and pick up his plate, I wash the two plates and put them back into the rack after drying it.

"You didn't have to do that, that's what Mae is for"

I scoff "I won't have someone clean my mess for me"

"Sit, let's discuss the terms of this thing" he points his finger back at forth between us. "Since it's clear that neither of us wants this"

"I'll have my lawyer draw up the agreement but for now, I'll tell you my terms and if it's not okay by you, you can suggest yours"

"This should last for at least 9 months, by then I should take over the company and there won't be any need of you"

I'm so happy to hear it's just 9 months, I thought it was going to be a lifetime. By the end of the 9 months I must've saved up enough from any work I'd do so I can start college.

"You'll be my legal wife, in public we'll present a picture of a loving couple who are smitten by each other but to us, we're just two separate individuals who are free to do whatever they like. You'll be present at every function that I need you to be as my wife and you won't do or say anything to jeopardize the Kriss name or company, is that understood?"

"Yes" I nod

"Sex is entirely out of the question, that would be child abuse on my part" he quips and I roll my eyes.

"You're going to live here for throughout the period of this contract and nobody, not even my uncle should know about our deal, if anyone knows, it makes the agreement invalid, are you okay with these terms?"

"Yes. At the end of this contract, will it affect my Aunt?"

"No. I'll do everything in my power to stop my uncle from doing anything my little collateral"

I grimace at the nickname he gives me. "Nope, don't call me that"

"Why? Are you not okay with that, collateral?"

I roll my eyes as he smiles.

"How old are you?" I'm just curious, I swear this has nothing to do with trying to get back at him.

He exhales "do you have a problem with my age?"

I shrug "I'm just curious"

"I'm 25"

Oh. He looks younger than 25 though. "Can I go for my graduation? It's two days away"

"Nope"

"Seriously, why not?"

"I don't want you to run off"

"I won't" I just can't miss my graduation.