Chapter 5: His Offer

(Kendall's POV )

"What have I gotten myself into?" I muttered under my breath as I fidgeted at the sight of the policeman.

At first, I thought Stephen was joking about his last statement but it turned out that he wasn't.

"Just three seconds," he reiterated and smirked and he raised three fingers to show that he really meant it.

Averting my eyeballs from him to the policemen who looked as though they were predators ready to hunt down their prey.

"Good morning sir. Where is the thief?" asked the eldest policeman with a protruding belly and silence answered me.

In a whisper, Stephen leaned over the table, wore scorn on his face, and uttered emphasizing each word, "You would not want me to mention your name. Would you?"

Transfixed, I gazed into his hazel eyeballs and heaved a breath of frustration. I feared my next reply would be what might be the end of me. If I said no, this callous man could get me arrested and just like he said, I'd rot in jail.

I wouldn't be able to pay my children's hospital bills. In other words, my kids would become orphans; they might not survive their weak states if I failed to raise their bills and stay in jail.

"Nno, sir!" I stammered in the lowest tone ever. "B-but, I came here for the second phase of the interview. When I get the job, I promise to pay you back. The marr–"

"Shush!!" He interjected me as he waved his hand at the two policemen, which meant they should leave.

It was obvious he didn't want me to talk about the marriage stuff in front of them.

"You should get out of my office right now!!" he unnecessarily berated them and they bobbed their heads and turned to the door when they lifted their chins.

The youngest of the policemen was about to open the door when Stephen raised his voice again without averting his cold eyes from me.

"Do not go too far. Hang around. I might need you anytime soon."

"Okay," they chorused.

I huffed. I couldn't help but wonder if his weird questions were part of the interview. Who knew? However, one thing was certain, if what he had asked about marriage wasn't the influence of the alcohol he'd been taking, then, I'm doomed.

Within the minutes I'd been here, I could tell the kind of person Stephen was. Cold. Arrogant, e.t c. There was no way a sane person would live under the same roof with him.

If he could order the policemen like that, then I should expect worse if I agreed to marry him. The only good thing about it was giving my babies a quality life.

Hmm!

Immediately after the policemen left, he stood up and sashayed out of his space to my seat. He positioned himself on the table, placing his right leg on the ground with the left leg crossed over it.

Tilting his neck sideways, he instructed his mini robot.

"Bella, Lock the door!"

I swallowed my saliva after hearing the knob on the door twisted so loud.

"I usually don't pity people and I had no idea why I let those men leave. Well, If you vex me one more time, I promise you'll see the wrath of my anger. All I ask you to do is to marry me and you can consider this a lifetime offer."

I didn't know what to do and I felt trapped. Not just physically trapped but I was emotionally.

I felt suffocated and I fervently wished I could just get out of here at once.

"Are you here?" he inquired as he snapped his thumb against his index finger in front of my eyes to jolt me out of my imagination into reality.

"Is this some sort of a deal?" I managed to pull myself together.

"Yes. Usually, I don't like to explain but I guess I have to at this point. This would be a contract marriage. It won't hold for eternity which means I'd be needing the heir within two years."

I gawked at him bitterly. "Two years?"

"You and I will be benefiting from this contract. You understand? I don't need your love, I need your fertility." he analyzed and his last sentence irked me.

"I'd have to live with you for two years?"

"I believe that's what couples do." He burst into hysterical laughter and I felt stupid.

No doubt, Stephen De La Cruz was the man of every woman's dream. I had caught some people talking about how they would almost run insane if they came across him and he asked them out.

I wished I had paid attention to them to know the person they were talking about and had seen his face before now.

His body was virile and his revealing t-shirt showed how well his shoulders were well-built with muscles. I ran a keek on his face and on his lips was a mischievous smirk.

"Are you done checking me out?" he catechized tersely and I bowed with awkwardness.

"I-I wasn't," I murmured.

"Accepting my terms and conditions is the only way out for you. As a matter of fact, no company would employ a woman without qualifications. See my offer as a help to lift you out of penury and reciprocate by giving me a child."

He was partially right, but could I really do this?

"What is taking a mother of three children so long to arrive at a conclusion?"

I'd have to try my luck elsewhere. Even if I needed to do anything to save my kids, Stephen was not the ideal man to marry as a husband no matter how long the contract took. I feared the ill-treatment he'd give my kids.

"I'm sorry I can't do this," I declared, standing up from my seat as I packed my daughter's profile into my bag before proceeding to the door.

Just as I was about to leave the door, his harsh words, I halted in my tracks but I didn't turn back to face him.

"Who would want to marry a leftover with three kids anyway? Maybe next time, you should try to wear a shirt that would reveal your cleavages to attract more customers. It might change their mind."

I was hurt and I felt his footsteps behind me. "I get it that you are still mourning over the death of your husband so one more week should be okay to reconsider my offer.

"And if you fail to give me the reply I want to hear, I'd have you arrested and make sure you pay back the money in thousand folds. Trust me."