Chapter 2

*****Ethan*****

It has been a stressful day and the thought of having a wife hung on my neck like never before. I guess bearing the last name… Brooks… comes with a lot of responsibility than I bargained for. 

"Seriously, man, what were you thinking before making that post? You should have consulted me before making that announcement," Alex lamented to me as we walked into my office.

Alexander Harrington, Alex for short, was my best friend, and we've been friends since childhood. A few months ago, I was just announced as the CEO of my family's multi-million-dollar empire, the House of Brooks, making me the youngest CEO in New York City, and immediately I made Alex my right-hand man.

The House of Brooks controlled different subsidiaries which include; the Brook Jewelry, the Brooks Club, the Brooks Fashion House, and the Brooks Modeling Agency. They were all top-notch and high-quality. Amongst all these subsidiaries, Brooks Chemical was the primary source of my family income.

“Come on, Ethan, what could have pressured you to make such a post?” Alex questioned hoping for a reasonable response 

“Remember I had a business deal with some potential clients,” I began, but Alex looked confused as he tried to know which client, in particular, I spoke of

“The Chinese investors who were looking forward to investing billions of dollars in Brooks Chemical. The deal and presentation went smoothly, and they were ready to invest, but they were skeptical about going on with the deal because of me,” I explained, moving Alex from one confusion to the other, the look evident on his face.

“Why and How? I mean, you are perfect and good at what you do, so what?” he asked curiously.

“Well, from what they said, I feel they believe their money wouldn't be in safe hands, and also because I am too young to be CEO of the House of Brooks and so many other things they were worried about that I can't place my hands on,” I continued narrating to him, with anger and frustration in my voice.

Their thoughts were not far from the truth though, considering what they were used to, and Ethan's physical appearance did not do justice at all, not that it was any fault of his thought.

Everything about him screamed as though he was an unserious lad and just a playboy who was going to mess around with their money, and also considering he wasn't married, they thought he was just an irresponsible spoiled brat who had no real-life commitment.

Being a spoiled brat wasn't far from the truth, though, as he had many haters in both the female and male genders for his bossy, arrogant, and inconsiderate attitude.

Knowing he was going to lose the deal because he wasn't tied to a woman in a marriage made him react without thinking and lie to the investors that he was engaged and soon to be married but was just keeping it away from public eyes. Marriage was the last thing on my mind, but he had no other choice at the moment.

"So you felt pressured and decided to announce an engagement that is fake? You and I know you don't even have a serious date," Alex complained as he knew he had to clean up the mess I had created. He had always been responsible for cleaning up my mess, and this was one of them.

"I know I did the wrong thing, but I was stuck and had no choice at the moment, bro. I had to act immediately, especially when I was given a deadline of two weeks to present my bride. If I hadn't lied, they wouldn't have given me a second thought, you know," I lamented as I moved from pillar to post in my office, thinking of what to do.

"What do you mean you were given two weeks? How do you find a bride in two weeks? Also, the internet is on fire as everyone is curious who the lady is," Alex yelled in frustration.

This was a big scandal Alex was not ready to let happen on my watch. "The only thing you can do is get back to Miss Hartley, your ex, and…"

"No way I am getting back to Isabella Hartley," I retorted with a stern and disgusted face, cutting him short in his sentence. 

"Well, it seems we have no choice. She is the only one who I can think of now, and we have two weeks," Alex insisted as the tension in the room heated.

We settled in awkward silence for a while as we both pondered on what to do. The silence was broken by the loud ring on Alex's phone.

"Talking of the devil, Isabella is calling me, and I am not ready for her drama," Alex complained.

"Well, she has been calling me all day, and I have been ignoring her," I responded followed by a sigh of both frustration and annoyance.

"Since you don't want to marry Bella, what do you intend to do?" Alex questioned.

"Alex, marriage is not for me. All these women are just the same; all they want is the money. I am not ready to give any of them my last name or have a serious commitment with any of them."

"Oh, so you intend to just go into the street and hire a bride just to get the contract?" Alex questioned sarcastically as he shrugged and poured himself a glass of wine.

To Alex's surprise, I saw it as the perfect idea and agreed to hop on it immediately.

"So, do you have anyone in mind?" I questioned, throwing Alex off balance and almost choking with the wine in his mouth.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, do you have anyone who would see this marriage as clearly a contract and nothing else, no feelings attached, so it would be easier for a breakup," I explained further.

Not believing my words, Alex laughed it off as some joke.

"I am serious, Alex. I will be meeting with the investors in two weeks, and I need to attend with my significant other. I have to find the perfect candidate for this," I continued, with a stern face. It was at this point Alex knew I was serious.

This was going to be a big scandal and tragedy for my position and the company at large, and Alex was aware. He made me aware of the risks I was about to take, but it seemed as though my mind was already made up.

"Well, if this is what you really want to do, I can't stop you. Besides, you are the boss; all I can do is advise you," Alex added.

"We will have to look for a girl of class, who would be befitting to my status and also who would see this as merely a business and contract marriage," I said as I kept pacing back and forth in my office.

Alex didn't hesitate to remind me that a girl of class would definitely not want to end the marriage with me and might likely blackmail me with that.

"You are the most desirable bachelor. For this to work, I think you would have to go for someone whom you can control and would be eternally grateful to you, and I think I have the right candidate in mind," Alex informed with a smirk on his face.

My eyes lit with happiness as I heard the news and was eager to know and meet this person.

"She is someone I intended to add to my collection of women, but since you are desperately in need of a bride, she might just be the best fit."

I was not surprised at Alex's words as I knew my friend had a thing for women and had no regard for them.

"Let me guess, she works at the model agency?" I questioned even though I already knew the answer.

I kept Alex in charge of the modeling and jewellery subsidiaries of the House of Brooks, and he has been doing a perfect job with both and at the same time having fun with as many women in the agency as he could get.

I wasn't bothered about it, as I had so many other things to do with my time.

"She is just someone I met a few hours before meeting you, so don't worry; we aren't an item yet. And also, she is in desperate need of money, so it would be easy," Alex added.

"So how do we meet up with her?" I questioned curiously, eager to meet up with the lady.

"I gave her my card, so let us just wait and hope she calls."

*****

*****Emma****

Walking out of the doctor's office, I got a call from Alex. As instructed by him the previous day, I called him in the evening from the number on the card, and he instructed me that we'd be having a meeting the next day.

I was curious about what the meeting was about but still agreed to attend. I wasn't expected to report to work two weeks after I got the mail, so I had a lot of free time on my hands.

As politely as I could, I greeted Alex when we eventually met up at an enclosed and private clubhouse.

"How is your mother's health?" Alex asked, throwing me off balance as I pondered how he knew. My worries were over when I realized he had overheard me the previous day talking with Hilda. 

"I know you have money issues, and what if I tell you I have a way to solve all of it?" He asked me.

"Sorry to be rude, but can you go straight to the point, sir? I don't understand what you mean. And why would you want to pay my debts?"

Just when we were still conversing, Ethan walked in, with his grace and pride, but I didn't recognize him.

"When you said you were going to give me a classless lady, I didn't know you meant a disaster in the flesh of a woman," Ethan stated as soon as he walked in on us and took his seat opposite us.

Alex laughed at his words, but I felt a sudden shockwave all over me as I knew I was the one that was just referred to.

"Is this it?" Ethan went on to question, feeling disgusted.

I still found it hard to believe I was the one who was being called all of those names. I wanted to explode, but I kept my cool.

"I know you are addicted to women, and I also know you go for more quality ladies. When did you start going with anything with the name of a woman?" He asked Alex, who said no words.

"I agreed to the choice you made because I had a little faith in you, but this?" Pointing at me, "cannot even qualify to be my rag."

That was the peak of my patience as I did the unthinkable.

While Ethan was still talking, feeling disappointed at the lady in front of him, and clearly insulting her, his words were cut short when

suddenly my hands met his cheek with a resounding smack, causing him to shut up and for the first time since he entered the room