Chapter 4

The next morning, Beauty dressed up for her meeting with Mason. She wore her most expensive gown since she didn't know where he was taking her to. It was a white fitted gown with tiny straps as it's sleeves. It had a belt which she tied on her tummy. She packed her hair in a loose ponytail and wore matching white heels.

“ Miss Beauty." She heard a knock on the door. Her apartment was located at the far end of the street at the end of rows of apartments. It was a small apartment with at the far corner and it was barely noticable.

“ Coming. " She said as she opened the door.

“ Good morning, I'm Clyde. Mr Alaric's secretary. "

“ Oh do come in. " She stepped aside and he entered.

" Nice home. “ He said and she smiled.

" Thank you. “ She nodded. " So are we making the deal now? “

" You'll be meeting Mr Alaric in his penthouse downtown. There we'll sign the contract. “ Clyde said.

" There's a contract? “

" He's a business man. There's always a contract. “ Clyde chuckled.

....

Mason's driver took them to the his penthouse which was at a hotel at the end of town. It was a beautiful hotel, huge and looked expensive but it was way at the end of town. Maybe that's why Mason chose it.

“ We're here miss. " Clyde said when they got to the door of the penthouse. “ Just so you know, boss never allows anyone here. Except me. " He said and she nodded.

“ A secret hideout." She teased as they walked in.

“ You were supposed to be here two minutes ago. " Mason said immediately they walked in.

“ Sorry sir, there was a little delay downstairs. " Clyde said and Beauty scoffed.

“ Am I supposed to apologize too?"

“ If you want to. I'm sure you were the little delay. Women love delays. "

“ All this trash for being two minutes late? Look let's just get on with signing this deal. " She scoffed.

“ Sure. " He said as they took their seats opposite each other. She took his time to look around the house and it smeleed money. It had huge expensive chandeliers, furniture and the casting of the house was beautiful.

“ Nice house. " She muttered.

“ Nice?" He scoffed.

“ Yes, nice. " She said.

Clyde read out the contract and Beauty made some adjustments to some clauses that would not benefit her. Mason also made some adjustments that would benefit him. He fell for Beauty the first day he saw he saw and he wasn't going to let her go. He was sure she didn't remember him so he was going to let it lie.

“ Are we done? Can I go now?" She asked.

“ We're not. We're going on a date. " He said and she scoffed.

“ A date? Why?"

“ We're pretending date. We might as well act the part. We're going on a date and we're going to take some pictures. " He smirked and she scoffed.

“ I'm not dressed for a date. "

“ You look like you were expecting to go on a date with the way you're dressed up. " Mason scoffed. “ Were you planning to go out with someone else?" He asked with a piercing gaze and she sighed.

“ No. I didn't know where the driver was supposed to take me to so I chose this dress. "

“ Well lucky you. You look beautiful." He said and she smiled.

" So where are we going to?" She asked.

“ To meet my brother. " He said and wore his coat jacket.

..

Mason sent his driver home so he was the one who drove them. They drove for almost two hours before they got to their destination. They were to meet Ryan at a park outside town.

Beauty came down from the car before Mason could come down. Mason stared at her behind as she walked away and he inhaled.

“ My brother's rather......." Mason was about to say but Beauty cut in.

“ Don't tell me he's just like you." Beauty scoffed.

“ He's far different. You'll see. " Mason said with a straight face.

“ I liked you better last night when you smiled more. " She sighed.

“ You'll get used to this face. " He shrugged. The park was filled with adults, kids and teens.

“ Why woild you come to a rowdy place?" Beauty asked. She loved rowdy places coz it made her barely noticable but she thought rich people loved their own space.

“ It was my brother's idea. The paparazzi rarely comes here. "

“ So you're hiding from the press?"

“ Not me. My brother. "

“ But he's your brother. "

“ Yeah, he's the popular one. Have you ever seen me on billboards or TV? “ He asked and she shook her head slowly. " I'm the private son. I like my privacy. Only very few people knows me as my father's son. “ He said and she nodded.

" You must hate the attention. “ She said.

" Yeah. There's my brother. “ He said pointing towards a guy on a normal blue shirt and blue jeans. He wore a huge white coat on the shirt. His hair was styled sidewards and he has this teasing smirk plastered on his face.

“ Hey brother. " Ryan said and hugged Mason when they got to him.

“ Hey. This is Beauty. " Mason said as he introduced them to eah other.

“ Oh the Beauty. You are really beauty indeed. " He said as he raised her right hand to his lips and kissed it. “ I see why my brother's......." Mason cut him by coughing awkwardly.

“ Are you okay brother?"

“ I'm fine. " Mason smiled inwardly.

“ Let's take a walk. " Ryan suggested.

....

After the long walk with Ryan, Mason took Beauty back home. “ We'll be meeting my parents in two days. Clyde will come pick you up tomorrow so we could through things before then. " Mason said after she came down from the car.

“ Alright boss. " She said.

“ Boss?"

“ You're my boss. " She said and he frowned.

" You're pretending to date me so call me by my name. I'll send part of the payment to you tonight. “ He said and drove off.

" Great. I'll pay off those fucking loans and send some money to Elsa. “ She muttered as she walked in.

" Surprise! “ Sandra screamed and she jumped.

" What the fuck! “ She cursed. " What are you doing here? How did you get in? “ She asked holding her chest.

" Your nice best friend let me in. “

" Elijah's here? “

" Yeah. He went out to get some drinks. He prepared something delicious. “ She beamed happily.

" Well someone's having a crush on Elijah. “Beauty teased.

“ Who's the dude who dropped you off?" She asked and Beauty quickly thought of a lie.

“ He's a friend. He offered to drop me off. "

“ Hmmm? A friend? He looks rich." She murmured.

“ That's because he is. He works at this big company I dropped my application some months ago, that's where I met him. "

“ Do you think he likes you?"

“ He has a girlfriend. "

“ Oh too bad. He would have made a nice inlaw. " Sandra winked.

“ Hey girls. " Elijah said as he entered with the drinks.

“ Hey Elijah. You didn't tell me you were coming. " Beauty smiled.

“ It was a surprise. Besides I know you've not been eating well lately, so I thought I'd prepare some food and bring some foodstuffs. " He said and she smiled.

“ Aww, you didn't have to. " She said and pecked his cheek. “ I'm not hungry yet. You both can eat while I go shower but save my drinks. " She said and went to the small room.

She took off her clothes and went into the shower. She changed into a tank top and blue shorts. She sent her account details to Mason before coming out of the room.

“ You're such a nice cool. You should start a restaurant, I'm sure you'll make more money than Mystic. " She could hear Sandra compliment Elijah.

“ Thanks. " He replied.

" Do you have a girlfriend? “

" I had. She left me for some richer dude. “

" So you're single now. Do you have a crush then? “

" Yes. “

" Who? “

" Ariana Grande. “ He said and she giggled.

" You're joking right? “

" Yes. “ He said and they both laughed.

" So you don't have a crush? “

" Maybe. Who knows? “

" So what are you two discussing without me? “ Beauty asked as she sat with them on the sofa.

" Nothing important. “

“ Now I'm hungry. " Beauty murmured.

“ Too bad we finished everything. " Sandra said and Beauty gasped.

“ Are you serious? " She asked and Sandra nodded. “ You're kidding right?"

“ Nope. I was too hungry andthe food was too delicious, I just couldn't resist. "

“ Do you have to love food? Even at the detriment of my stomach?" Beauty pretended to cry.

“ Oh I'm sorry baby. I'll take you out. Let's go get something to eat."

“ Us? You just ate my portion of food. "

“ I know but I'm still hungry. " She pouted and Elijah pouted watching their drama.

“ I kept some for you in the microwave. " He said and Beauty smiled while Sandra frowned.

“ You hid food away from me. " She eyed him.

“ If you love food this much, I wonder how you were able to work at a restaurant?" Elijah scoffed.

" I was the best! “

" Not when I was there. “ She said as she ate from a plate of homemade pizza.

“ Where did you get pizza from? “Sandra asked and she shrugged.

“ Isn't that what you ate? “ Beauty asked.

" No. He made me eat mushroom soup. “

" And you said it was delicious. That's what I ate too. “

" I should get a male best friend too. “ Sandra pouted and they both laughed.

" Cute! “

...

" Mason. “ Celeste called cheerfully immediately he walked in. She was with his parents.

“ Good evening mum. " Mason said and went upstairs without sparing them a glance.

“ Mason." Mr Alaric called and he stopped. “ Your fiancee is here to see you. You should at least welcome her. She had to come see even when you were the one who was supposed to go see her and apologize. “

" I'm sorry dad. Who's my fiancee? Cause I don't remember proposing to anyone. “ He said and Celeste gasped.

" Mason baby. I'm your fiancee. You proposed to me. How dare you try to deny me? “

" I don't remember proposing to a two-faced witted girl. Maybe my father was the one who proposed. You should marry him instead. “ He said and went for his room.

" Can you see your son? “ Mr Alaric asked his wife and she scoffed.

" He's your son too. Blood is thicker than water. “ Rose said and left for her room.

" Father-in-law..... “

" I'll talk some sense into that son of mine. “ He said and he smiled. " You're a good girl. I don't know why he doesn't like you. “ He and she smirked evilly.

" Thank you. “ She said.

Mr Alaric went to Mason's room and he met the door already open. Mason was on the phone with his secretary so he decided to wait. He didn't want an outsider knowing about his business.

“ Hello father. " Mason said when he was done with the call.

“ How dare you always try to humiliate me? Why are you so ungrateful?" Mr Alaric said.

“ Ungrateful. I've always been grateful dad. You just don't understand. I can't marry that girl."

“ Why? Why can't you? She's rich, kind, humble. Why can't you marry her?! “

" Because she's two-faced. Dad I can't marry someone I don't love. If you want her in the family so bad, you can marry her yourself. “ He said and Mr Alaric gasped.

“ You bastard! I hid your identity for years under your request and this is how you repay me!"

“ Dad I'm grateful for all you've done for me but I can't marry a girl I don't love. "

“ We made a deal. If you don't bring someone better than her, you'll be marrying Celeste. " He said.

“ Then give me six months. "

“ Five months. I give you five months. After that, you'll marry Celeste without an excuse. " Mr Alaric said and stormed out of the room.