Chapter 0005

"Are you happy now?" Richard asked, returning to his cold voice. Kristin took her hand away from him, frowning.

She couldn’t understand why her heart fluttered all of a sudden. It was so obvious that his apologies weren’t sincere, so why did her heart flutter at hearing him speak in a low voice?

This devil standing in front of her had almost strangled her to death without a second thought, so why on earth did her heart flutter?

Kristin desperately wanted to leave, but then again, she thought of the money involved.

Wealth circulated around Richard, and Kristin had no doubt that he’d be able to pay off the huge debt her family owed without hesitation.

The main reason she came here was to lift her family out of poverty, and if Richard could be her gateway to achieving that dream, she was ready to do anything.

Moreover, he didn’t look like someone who had time for women, his cold and dominant personality would surely drive any sensible woman away. But Kristin didn’t care; she needed money.

These were the thoughts dancing in her brain as she stared at Richard’s emotionless and empty face.

"Why are you staring at me like you’re watching a movie? Do you need more apologies? Because I won’t give them to you," Richard stated.

Kristin cleared her throat.

"Your apologies weren’t sincere, but I accept them. At least they came out of your mouth. After what you did to me and the monstrous behavior you displayed, I didn’t expect you to apologize."

"Just know that if I find out you’re working for Ophelia, I won’t hesitate to end your life," his eyes warned.

Kristin gulped, trying to maintain her balance, even though she was scared.

"I am not a spy. I don’t even know who this Ophelia is. If you think I’m lying, run a background check on me, and you’ll see I’m from Glenwood and that I don’t know anyone in Vegas."

"Let’s see about that," Richard said and sat down, while Kristin remained standing.

"Aren’t you going to sit?" his baritone voice asked, and Kristin sat down, looking elsewhere.

"Are you going to be my acting wife or not?" he asked.

He wasn’t even asking; he was commanding her.

"Aren’t you going to at least act politely? It won’t take a year out of your life."

"Look, Peanut, you better watch your tone. I might want to clear my name, but that doesn’t mean I will submit to you. One more annoying act from you, and I will send you out of here, because it’s obvious you have nowhere to go," Richard said coldly.

"Fine. You don’t have to be so cold." she sneered.

Richard knitted his eyebrows, waiting for answers.

Kristin scratched her hair slightly before giving an answer to his question.

"I will agree to be your acting wife, I have no options anyway."

"How much do you need?" Richard asked.

The way he asked made it clear he could come up with any amount in the blink of an eye.

He wasn’t just a billionaire for nothing. He might be taking care of his dad’s company, but he had his own wealth and properties scattered around Las Vegas.

"Three million dollars," Kristin said, her eyes rolling sideways, secretly anticipating what Richard was going to say.

She knew three million dollars was a huge amount of money, but that was the amount her parents owed to the farmers back in Glenwood.

"Just three million dollars?" Richard asked, shocking Kristin to her core.

Did he call three million dollars 'just'? That huge amount of money could buy her entire existence, and this cold-hearted man called it 'just'.

What was she expecting anyway? Las Vegas is a beautiful city dominated by rich and powerful people, Kristin thought to herself, her eyes still widened.

"Why are you surprised? You think three million dollars is a big deal?"

"Of course it is! My parents have been working like slaves to raise that money!" she snapped.

"So their debt is three million dollars?" Richard asked again, and Kristin slowly nodded her head.

"Fine then. I’m going to settle their debts and even add more to it, as long as our secret doesn’t leak out."

"Don’t worry, Mr. Grouchy; I’m a good actress."

"Why are you calling me Grouchy?"

"Why are you calling me Peanut?" she questioned back. "I told you my name, but you keep calling me Peanut."

"You look small and tiny, and that’s why I’m calling you Peanut."

"Well, your face never wears a smile, and you get angry easily, so the name Mr. Grouchy suits you. Have a problem with that?" Kristin asked.

Richard stared at her brown eyes for a while before putting Luke on call.

He came right away at lightning speed and presented the marriage contract proposal to Kristin.

It stated that they would be married and live under the same roof for a year before ending it.

"If you don’t have any problem with the contract, then go ahead and sign it," Richard ordered.

Kristin was about to sign the contract, but she stopped halfway and looked at Richard.

"I will agree to be your wife for a year, in exchange for paying off my family’s debts, right? You won't change your mind, would you?" she asked.

"I am a man of my words." he replied.

"You won’t come close to me or try to touch me, right?" she asked again.

"Don’t worry, Peanut; you aren’t my type. Should I buy you a mirror?" Richard’s baritone voice asked. His gray eyes pierced coldly at her.

Kristin scoffed lightly and picked up the pen again, but she dropped it once more.

"What do you want now?!" Richard yelled at her, his anger building up.

"I want to ask a favor from you."

"What kind of stupid favor is that?"

"About the money, is it okay if you gradually send it to my parents in Glenwood? If you send the whole amount to them, they might get suspicious about how I got the money. I don’t want them to find out that I agreed to be in a contract marriage with you, all because of money," Kristin said.

"Fine, can you go ahead and sign it?"

Kristin nodded with a smile and quickly signed the papers.

Richard did the same, and after that, he walked out.

Luke was the only one left with her.

"You should go after him, he is going home."

"How do you cope working with a man like him?" Kristin asked, and Luke only smiled.

"Let’s go, Kristin. He’d get angry if he waits for you."

"May I ask where this place is? It’s so beautiful." she grins.

"It’s a fine dining establishment, and it’s one of Richard’s properties." Luke replied.

Kristin nodded, admiring its beauty.

They both left the office, and Richard was already sitting in the backseat.

"Join him in the back, I will drive you both home. You both will be living together." Luke smiled at her.

Kristin puffed out some air from her mouth before joining Richard in the backseat.

He didn’t even spare her a glance, his cold aura dominated the car.