CHAPTER 4 — THE HEART OF STONE

I looked at my boss’s almost dying look with eyes super wide, almost rolling back but still trying to hold on the pain made me think how much struggles he has suffered to be of this hard will and what made me feel so amazing is how he is still trying to take control of the situation while holding his front.

He looked at me with such hatred that I might feel some for my own self and I really want to tell him that it’s of no use. I am shameless.

I again tried to say something but I just looked at him and thought if I should run away or help and as I made my mind to run and almost turned, my now injured boss gave me the most dangerous look which made me feel that he knows what I think and I really don’t understand how and now he stood to his perfect height and towered over me, cornering me and this time taking all precautions, since I was so busy thinking all this and feeling the fear, I forgot to stop him.

“So, its decided that you will be my namesake fiancé and if you didn’t agree, I will sue you for the one-million-dollar vase you broke.” I looked at him with no expression and then smiled a little.

“What proof do you have for this? I can simply deny this.” Call this an alter personality of mine because I don’t know where I got the guts to speak this way.

“Proof you ask? I have one, shall I show you? You don’t deserve to know but since you insist, I must complete the wishes of my very fake fiancé.” He haughtily spoke this and sauntered to the room that is maybe a storeroom, bought his laptop to the sofa and then turned the laptop towards me which showed me how I entered the house and broke his vase.

I am guilty‼

“Sir, please, I don’t have that kind of money.” I begged and told him and all the haughty-ness from earlier was gone, and my second personality left me as well. Oh! Why my courage? Why must you leave me alone in the den of lions?

“Great improvement in attitude, I see there.” He smiled a very gorgeous smile, but I won’t succumb to it, I know he is a bitch, that too of a very high level and I won’t fall for the bitch-y scheme.

Someone said it correct that devil comes in everything you dreamed of, they are as hot as hell and deceptive as well.

“Look, Miss Carter, I have a problem which I need to be solved and you owe me money and this decision can change your destiny and all you have to do is to become my fake girlfriend. I promise I won’t touch you unless you’d want me too which I believe you would sooner than later.” This man thinks too highly of himself.

‘You think he shouldn’t?’ my barely available subconscious mind spoke and I too ignored it.

“You can take time to make your decision, Okay. Now leave and come back tomorrow at the same time and we will go shopping for you since your dressing sense won’t match the type of girl, I told mom about.” He was so sure of my answer that I wanted to kick him again but I kept my head down and just walked out of his place and didn’t make any argument later on. I need to decide, and I think I seem to have made one bad decision of working which caused me all the troubles I am having. This isn’t destiny, this is all decisions. Fate is stupid.

He hissed as he closed door behind me, and I smiled. I kicked him pretty hard at that time and I am pleasured to be the one to do that and how blessed do I feel right now.

I reached home as I thought about what I will do now but still nothing comes to my brain. It’s on strike, isn’t it?

“My baby, come here please.” I looked at my sides but nothing, no one was there. Is my mama calling me? My mama glared as I stood at the same place, and I knew she was calling me. She wants something and I am sure, it’s going to kill me. I don’t want to go‼!

But still against my thoughts and choices, I walked towards death to embrace it with love, that is, my mama’s best friend Mrs. Melinda.

“Hello, Mrs. Melinda, how are you?” I questioned knowing now she would say, she is fine and do I know that she brought a great watch, it was worth more than my entire years saving and her son is the only bread earner and how her son is still talking about me. She will also say how much of a douchebag that boyfriend of mine was.

“Hello, dear Amelia, I am fine. How are you? I heard you broke up with that douchebag and that’s great, you know I never liked him. That slug. My son was also talking about you this whole time when he came back from work. You know, this time, he wasted so much money on me. See this, this is my new watch, and you know the old one wasn’t even old or broken but my son just loves to take care of me. He will take care of his wife. I have taught him well.” Well, though the order is different it’s almost same. She at least didn’t go on my saving like last time. That was humiliating though I know she didn’t mean it at all.

She just wants me to marry her son who apparently likes me but still, I don’t have any interest. He is nice but not someone interesting.

Oh, but I can’t think about him when I must think of being someone’s fiancé who I have no interest in. It is weird how I can get caught in such a deal with no wish of mine. I mean I am still wondering if I am in a dream where the story that I read became true. I read a book named ‘the contract’ last night and it was almost the same, but she didn’t break a vase and wasn’t in debt.

Weird and weird and… well weird.

I went to the dining room noticing my dad and mom talking in the hall being all mushy-mushy. They are always like this and that makes me, a single bum super jealous because I too want this.

I took some gravy that mom made, and I have no idea what it is because my mama like to try things that are not normal. Not that they are not delicious but naming them is difficult and she doesn’t mind that because their looks doesn’t need a name other than some ‘gravy’.

I sat across my father and ate my fill while he spoke about some investment, he made which turned out quite well and mom too was talking about how her YouTube channel for yoga is doing well. She earned a good amount of money from the channel.

“Hey dad, how much a kidney cost?” I asked and my mom and dad looked as if I shot them with a bullet.

“May I know why you want to know that?” My dad asked as he looked at me in a way that I can describe with one word called suspicion.

He then moved to sit beside me and asked, “Did you gamble too much, or you hit somebody and now you don’t have money to pay back?”

My dad has some trust in me…

“No dad, nothing like that. I was just wondering. And just for reminder, I never gambled.” I said and truly I was wondering.

I looked at my dad who wasn’t convinced but mama just laughed and said “It’s always wondering with you. Remember honey, last time she wondered what would happen if she killed someone and also before that she asked if she could join a gang. One week before, she asked you if she can do one night stand and many more wonderings she did before that.” Okay, now I feel insulted.

True, I ask weird things but please I had reasons. I wanted to kill my best friend and I asked my dad who just stared at me. I wanted to join gang because it’s cool with tattoos and all. I wanted to do one night stand because maybe I too can get pregnant with one night and somebody would love me like dad loves mom. See, everything had a reason!

My dad denied the one-night stand with so much force that I might never have sex without marriage. That was one scary conversation.

“Okay, now I have some work to do from home. Bye-bye, will be in my room.” And you both can be as mushy as you want without me feeling sad for myself.

I sat in my room, thinking of how I can earn one million easily but who am I joking with. It’s not some thousands but million. A million has six zeroes and my salary for one year has five zeroes only, though it works fine for me.

I have nice savings too. Well, New York is a place to live easily. Too cold, too hot and too comfortable at times.

And right now, it’s cold.

I looked at calendar noticing it’s just November but still it’s cold.

I guess I’ll say yes to the fiancé thing.

I deny, I deny, I deny‼‼‼

This guy is mad if he thinks he can make me wear these flimsy clothes in winters. Agreed, they are beautiful, but I fear winters more than my wardrobe malfunction.

Though I loved the other outfits…

I looked at him as he just stared at me and motioned his finger towards the vase and said “Do I need to say all of it again?”

I showed him the finger, mentally and tried all the clothes for him and later on wore the dress he told me to wear.

I feel like a puppet, a puppet that is bought by one million dollars.

“So, everything is decided and don’t forget to take those papers and right, I need to meet your parents too.” I looked at him not understanding why he needs to meet my parents.

“My parents? Why do you want to meet them?” he smiled and said, “because I am going to be your fiancé.”

“A fake fiancé!”

“Others shouldn’t know of that or else…”

“What will we tell them when we will end this contract?” I am now furious; I might act for his parents, but my parents would be heartbroken if I did this.

“We will say we don’t want each other anymore.” He behaved as if it was so normal.

“And hurt them? I can’t do this. I can’t.” he looked at me and sighed saying “would you rather pay, then?”

“I can’t pay that much! If I could, I wouldn’t be here.”

“I guess that means we are doing this and about your parents, I’ll say that I cheated you. Is that fine?” he said, and I thought and agreed. At least they won’t be heartbroken.

“What is in those papers?” I asked as I noticed the pile of paper with likes written on it.

“What I like and what I don’t like, my preferences and favorites. Everything about me.” He picked the papers and handed me while took a booklet out from the side drawer.

He handed me the booklet and said “Fill it up by tomorrow and give it to me. And we will meet my parents in two weeks in the party at my home. Your duties are written in the contract.” I too all the papers and booklets with me and was leaving when he stopped me and said “just remember one thing, I hate cheaters. Don’t cheat me in this contract or else…”

Why do I feel that he isn’t talking about contract even after he did voice the words contract? Honestly, I have no idea what’s happening and why is he behaving like this. “Mr. Alexeev, just so we are clear about two things, you are already cheating your parents by lying and second, if you don’t want to be cheated, don’t cheat others too.”

I sometimes act like a brainy person.

Sometimes only though…

“If you can pay me one million now, then let’s consider listening to you, otherwise keep shut and do what I am saying.” Mr. Alexeev said with a tight smile.

“You are not my owner, Mr. Alexeev and I am not your pet!” Man! This guy must be crazy for even thinking like that.

“I am the owner, whose vase you broke and to repay, you are my pet for a year. Thank god that I am not throwing you in jail for this.”  Okay! The guy’s crazy but still I must accept this…

I am benevolent and I know it…